I remember growing up watching the show too. You checked all the boxes and left nothing for chance. Salute to you Sir
2 days ago | 12
The biggest part that has stuck with me is what James said to Florida when she came to check on James. He said, "What kind of father am I to feel sorry for the man that shot my son?" That reveals the heart of this man and where the control of the strength came from...deep down inside. A true inner strength.
2 days ago | 23
James Evans was a real One. O.G. best TV dad ever. Taught those kids Right from Wrong. And all about accountability. He loved his wife, and family.
3 days ago | 28
Not only the Episode, but Your take on it hits as well. We NEED God more than we ever did. Those who Truly live by God Will Pass those Values/Morals on & Try to Help Others(if we can). Blessings 🙏
3 days ago | 24
I recall that episode. I had nearly forgotten it. Thanks for the reminder. I often lament that my children didn’t experience cultural world of gen x which gave us windows into experiences we wouldn’t otherwise have had. I’m a White middle class person. But I grew up with the Evans family. The Sanfords, and others through the decades. And loved them like family for a short while each day.
2 days ago | 0
Thank you brother for sharing this message it’s a very truthful. One you shared with us a very deep one that we all need to reflect upon. At least I can say for myself. Thank you. 🙏🏾💪
3 days ago | 5
Beautifully written, man. As a white dude who grew up in a family of five in the 70's, my family and I too loved Good Times. I just saw a family that like mine, made the very best of tough situations with little money. My ol' man was a long-haul trucker and my mother cooked meals at a seniors home in town. You hit me in the feels, dude. I'd be proud to buy you a beer if I met ya. ✌️ ❤️
3 days ago | 43
Bro, you got me in deep thought over here. No lies told, we have fallen very far from our ideals.....
3 days ago | 8
1000% nail on the head with this synopsis. Sad though, John Amos was not happy with the direction of the show in terms of the way a poor family in the projects of Chicago was being portrayed, and wondered when the bad times were going to end. That and a contract dispute had him not returning after several seasons. The same with Sanford & Son, which is another favorite of mine, when do they get over the hump so to speak? I guess The Jeffersons were supposed to be the antithesis of those shows, but was it really? Great content man!
2 days ago | 7
I remember that episode and got chills. Powerful episode. James Evans was a good father and John Amos did an excellent job portraying him.
3 days ago | 3
James stood on business was a great dad. He kinda reminded me of my father my dad was an old school Italian no nonsense take no shit but also treated my mom and myself and siblings great and provided well. We need more tv fathers like James, Uncle Phil and Mr. Arnold. The ones today are soft and play the dummy roles.
3 days ago | 28
I respect your opinion....I think more men in every community need to step up...teach youth what real responsibility is...what unconditional love means....too many young people believe they are entitled and are supposed to get their way without earning the privilege to be a part of family/community.
3 days ago | 3
I loved that show as a kid too. Your take made me get a little emotional.
3 days ago (edited) | 4
Still watch it till this day as well and I only watch it to see James ✊🏾 strong brothe
2 days ago | 0
Comment of the Year AM, I salute you Sir. Elegantly stated, with the sting of reality that Good times always came with. Still potent as ever.....
3 days ago | 8
Thank you for sharing. Keep your heads up Black men, you are valued and appreciated. We’re waiting for you to step into your place 🤎
2 days ago | 0
A lot of those shows back in the 80s taught lessons that have long since been forgotten. James Evans taught you how to hold your head high in the struggle. For his faults, Bill Cosby taunt us that you could be a strong educated black man without falling into stereotypes and can lead your household without yelling and screaming. There were so many values in those shows that we don't see in today's media about the black family. If anything, it's been a conscious effort to try to attack the legacy of these shows
3 days ago | 33
The Angryman
When “Good Times” Hit Different as a Grown Man
When I was a kid, Good Times was one of my favorite shows. JJ Evans had me cracking up every episode with his wild expressions and crazy catchphrases. Florida reminded me of my grandmother — strong, spiritual, and stubborn in the best way. Thelma reminded me of my annoying sisters — always loud, always right, and always in your business. And James — that man reminded me of my father, and all the men I grew up under. Hard men. Men who didn’t make excuses, who led with their hands, their hearts, and their grit.
Even Michael, the young activist, inspired me back then. He made me think, made me believe in fighting for something bigger than myself. Back when activism was real. When it meant responsibility, not victimhood. When it meant standing for principles, not hashtags.
But as a grown man, Good Times hits different. I find it hard to watch now. Maybe it’s because the older I get, the harder it is to stomach seeing Black folks trapped in those same cycles — poverty, struggle, and systemic dependency — portrayed like its destiny. The man I’ve become refuses to accept that image as our ceiling.
Still, there’s one episode that always gets me — the one where JJ gets shot. I’ll never forget how that hit me. I was ready for James to handle business — to put in that work like any father would if his son got gunned down by some street punk. But what happened instead? We saw what real manhood looks like.
When James confronted Mad Dog — the teenager who shot JJ — you could feel the rage boiling under his skin. Every muscle in his face said, “I could end you right now.” But he didn’t. He looked past the crime and saw the broken boy behind it.
And the moment that changed everything came just before that. Mad Dog’s mother showed up. She looked at her son and told him she was ashamed of him — said she wished he’d never been born. Then she said, “If your father were here…” and before she could finish, Mad Dog snapped back, “He’d be a wino in the gutter!” She slapped him across the face and stormed out.
That’s when Mad Dog broke. He yelled after her, “He ran out, didn’t he? Where was he when we needed him, Momma? I don’t need him! I don’t need nobody!” Then he punched the wall, stared at it, and turned to James. “You wanna hit me too?” he said.
James just looked at him and said, “No.”
That’s when it all clicked. James realized Mad Dog wasn’t just some thug — he was a broken kid who’d never been taught how to be a man. He was angry at the world because the world never gave him structure, guidance, or love.
And right there, in that moment, James Evans taught a lesson most men today don’t even understand. He showed that real strength isn’t just in the fists you throw — it’s in the control you keep. He had every reason to destroy that boy, but he chose to rise above it.
How do you find empathy for someone who shot your son? You do it when you’re a man who understands pain — not as an excuse, but as a truth. That episode didn’t just show us who James Evans was — it showed us what we’re supposed to be.
Watching it now, I respect James more than ever. He wasn’t just a TV dad — he was a symbol of the discipline, pride, and integrity that once defined the men in our community. Men who didn’t need to be superheroes — they just needed to be present.
Maybe that’s why Good Times feels harder to watch now. Because what was once a reflection of our struggle has become a reminder of how far we’ve drifted from those values.
3 days ago | [YT] | 1,676