Good Times (1974–1979): Season 2, Episode 1 - Florida Flips - full transcript

Florida is in a bad mood and does not explain why. Everyone comes up with different reasons as to what is wrong. She goes to a woman's support group because she wants more than just taking care of the house and family.

♪ Good times Any time
you meet a payment ♪

♪ Good times Any
time you need a friend ♪

♪ Good times Any time
you're out from under ♪

♪ Not gettin' hassled
Not gettin' hustled ♪

♪ Keepin' your
head Above water ♪

♪ Makin' a wave when you can ♪

♪ Temporary layoffs Good times ♪

♪ Easy credit
ripoffs Good times ♪

♪ Scratchin' and
survivin' Good times ♪

♪ Hangin' in a chow
line Good times ♪

♪ Ain't we lucky we got 'em ♪



♪ Good times ♪♪

Hey, Thelma?

Yeah?

Why do they call
it "men-o-pause"?

Michael, what are you

looking up a word like that for?

That's a term for women.

Then why don't they call it

"women-o-pause"?

You didn't answer my question.

Now, why are you looking
up a word like that anyway?

Well, the way Mama has been

yelling and screaming
and acting up

the last few days,
she must have it.



It's not true.

How do you know?

I'm a woman, so just
take my word for it.

Just 'cause a woman is cranky
doesn't mean she has menopause.

Boy, you men must be
born with those dumb ideas.

Now, Mama does
not have menopause.

Well, if she ain't got it now,

I sure don't want to be
around when she catches it.

Michael, it's not
anything you can catch,

but something is
bothering Ma, though.

Oh, boy, she's really been
on a warpath all week...

And her lazy son over
there oversleeping,

isn't going to help any.

J.J., get up. It's after 7:00.

Aw. Why?

Come on, Thelma.

Just two more minutes.
Two more minutes.

Let me finish this dream.

Oh, wow.

What a horrible finish.

I dreamt I was
chasing this chick,

and her father was chasing me,

and the muggers was chasing him,

and the police was
chasing the muggers,

sort of like a ghetto marathon.

Well, you'd better add Ma,

'cause she is going
to be chasing you next.

She's real mean this morning.

Yeah, J.J., you
keep lying there,

and you going to be laying

in your right position
for your funeral.

I don't know what y'all
is so worried about.

Just 'cause Mama's
a little bit uptight.

A little bit uptight?

She's yelling at
every little thing.

Last night, she jumped on me

for drying out my pantyhose

over the curtain
rod in the bathroom.

I always dry out my pantyhose

over the curtain rod.

Yeah, I know.

Twice this week, I took a shower

without turning the water on.

The trouble is,

y'all two don't know
how to handle Mama.

And you do, huh?

You looking at

the number one Mama
handler in the business.

See, I give her my
famous J.J. technique.

I lay on my charms, and
she cuddles me in her arms.

Mama, is everything all right?

Keep quiet. You'll
wake up your father.

Good morning, Mama.

Don't move.

I want to remember
you just as you are...

A vision of loveliness...

One perfect and exquisite rose.

That's not much, coming
from one tall weed.

I wouldn't fall for that crock
if you were Harry Belafonte.

But, Mama...

Shut up, J.J. Get
out of that blanket.

You look like the
tent pole of a tepee.

Mama, could it be possible

that I'm turning you off?

Move it. Move it.

Thelma, why aren't
you stirring this oatmeal?

I didn't know it
was cooking, Ma.

It's not. It's burning.

And if you didn't drown yourself

with all that
fancy toilet water,

you'd have smelled it.

Sorry, Ma.

I've got to go down
to the laundry room.

Just keep stirring, girl.

If you find a lump
in it, just unlump it.

Michael, what are you doing?

Just trying to stay out
of your way, Mama.

Well, then do something
useful and make up your bed.

Okay, Ma. Oh, never mind.

You always mess it up anyway.

I'll do it when I get back.

I should have been
born an octopus.

You need eight hands
to run this house.

Florida, if I hear one more
door slam around here,

I'm going to...
Where's your mother?

Taking down the laundry, Dad.

Boy, that woman's about
to drive me up a wall.

What's the matter
with Mama, Daddy?

I don't know, son.

It's like she all of a
sudden declared war.

I tell you, boy, lately,
sleeping with her

is like being in a phone
booth with Joe Frazier.

Something's really
bothering her, Daddy.

Who you telling, Thelma?

I come home last night

after working until 4:00
in the morning like a dog,

and she's laying up
in the bed, asleep,

and I mean calling hogs, too...

So I get in the bed
and go to sleep.

I ain't slept two minutes
before she wakes up

with rocks in her
jaws and talking about,

"James, I want to talk."

I said, "Well, baby, can't
it wait until tomorrow?

I got to get some rest."

She said, "No, James.
I want to talk now."

I said, "Okay,
Florida. Let's talk."

Then she says, "James,
I ain't got nothing to say."

Then she rolls over
and goes back to sleep

and calls some more hogs,

and I'm up the rest of the night

trying to figure out
what the hell's going on.

Good morning, Dad. How are you?

Oh, shut up, Junior.

So far I'm batting a thousand.

Hey, good morning, Florida.

You want to bet?

The elevator's probably

stuck on the
14th-and-a-half floor.

14th-and-a-half floor?

Mm-hmm.

See, there's the
dude on the 14th floor

who makes out with the
chick on the 15th floor,

and they kind of like to
meet each other halfway.

I meant that joke
to start the day.

I think I just finished it.

Damn.

Florida.

I felt like saying
"damn" and I said it.

Now, I got it out of my system,

I don't have to say it anymore.

Where is that damned elevator?

Florida, honey,

you know who you remind
me of right now? Me.

What?

I recognize the mood.

After my divorce, I was so low,

I could have milked a snake.

Willona, I don't know
what you're talking about.

Me and James ain't
about to get no divorce.

I love him, and he loves me.

I know that.

I'm talking about a person

not being satisfied with herself

all of a sudden.

Florida, I don't know

whether you're ready for this,

but when I got the
downs, I went for help.

I went to this place where you
could talk about these things.

I still go there now and then.

Helps me out a lot.

Willona, I got a house
and family to take care of.

I ain't got time for
that foolishness.

Well, what do you know?

The proud bird
with the slow tail

finally rode in.

Hey, you coming, Willona?

No, you go on ahead.

I just remembered I
forgot a few things.

James, can I come
in and talk to you?

Well, the half that
talks is already in.

You may as well
bring the rest of it.

Hi, kids.

Morning, Willona.

James, I want to talk
to you about Florida.

Something's bothering her.

Hey, you kids hear that?

All week long,

your mother's been
slamming doors, drawers,

and hollering at everybody,

and keeping me up all night.

Now the Rhona Barrett
of the Projects comes in

with the hot news flash

that something's bothering her.

Well, thanks,
Willona for telling us,

because we never
would have known.

Ah, good morning, Willona.

Oh, shut up, J.J.

I'm having enough
trouble with your father.

Still batting a thousand, J.J.

James, Lord knows I
don't want to interfere...

Then don't.

Florida's my best friend,

and I care what happens to her,

and I think I'm the only one

who knows what's wrong with her.

Oh, you are, huh?

Okay, genius, let's hear
these pearls of wisdom.

Come on, tell me,
what's bothering her.

She doesn't have enough to do.

What?

She doesn't have enough to do.

Willona, your bread ain't baked.

Willona, Mama has plenty to do.

She's so busy,

sometimes she finishes
a thing before she starts it.

Yeah, the other morning,

she folded up the
bed, and I was still in it.

That's one thing

she can't never complain about

is not having nothing to do.

I let her do all the washing,
cleaning, scrubbing,

sewing, shopping.

I ain't the kind of man

that interferes with
a woman's pleasure.

That's mighty white of you.

James... Now,
you go off to work,

the kids go off to school.

You don't see her the way I do.

She spends her whole life

trying to stretch two
dreary hours of work

into one big nothing of a day.

What?

Now, you think cooking
and scrubbing and sewing

is Florida's thing?

She's wasting herself, James.

It's an empty existence.

Willona, the only thing
empty around here

is your head.

Don't tell me nothing
about my wife.

I'm her husband.

If there's something
bothering her,

I know what it is.

Okay, what is it?

I don't know.

On second thought,
I do know, too,

and I should have
known a long time ago.

The only trouble with that
woman is she's spoiled.

I've been pampering her.

Daddy's right.

We've been treating
her like a princess...

Shut up, Junior.

I've been treating
her like a princess.

From now on, no
more Mr. Nice Guy.

I'm going to put
that lady in her place.

Well, I can see
there is no use of me

trying to get through
to you, James,

and with that, I
will say goodbye.

See you kids later.

See you, Willona.

Willona, what you doing here?

I thought you said
you forgot something.

You see how
forgetful I'm getting?

I thought this was my apartment.

Excuse me.

I couldn't get the laundry done.
All the machines were taken.

Thelma, the least
you could have done

was put breakfast on the table.

Sorry... Never mind.

You want something
done around here,

you have to do it yourself.

Florida, I want to talk to you.

I'm busy.

Florida, what's bothering you?

Ain't you happy?

I'm happy.

You sure don't act
like you're happy.

Well, I am happy.
I'm very happy.

If she gets any happier,

she's going to break
every dish in the house.

Well, for somebody

that's supposed to be happy,

you sure act strange.

Don't she act strange?

Personally, I think
that she should...

Oh, shut up, Junior.

I ain't seen you smile
in the last few days.

A happy person's
supposed to smile,

so, come on, woman, smile.

All right, I'll smile.

You ain't going to win

no toothpaste ad
with that mouth.

Florida, you ought to be

counting your blessings
instead of complaining.

I mean, you got a nice home,

kids who love you, an
understanding husband.

Ain't that right, Florida?

Ain't you got nice kids

and an understanding husband?

Damn right, so I don't want

to hear no more of your lip

or I'll button it, you hear?

That's right.

Look at that.

See what kind of
troublemaker you are?

You make oatmeal too hot.

Who told you to
put your fist in it?

I paid for that oatmeal.

I'll eat it any way I want to.

I don't want no more
of your lip neither.

Maybe I ought to not
hear any more of yours,

because I am getting...

Mom and Dad, please don't argue.

Stay out of this.

It's none of your
business, Michael.

Now, listen to me, James.

No, you listen, baby,

because I'm going to
do some talking now.

No, I'm going to
talk... Mama, please.

Michael... Oh, my god.

Well, you know what I think?

I know. "Shut up, J.J.!"

All women not the same.

Ladies, while white women

are struggling to
free themselves

from the confines
of a typewriter,

we still busting our butts

to break loose from
a bucket and a broom.

Right on.

Oh, I don't know,

that may sound
good here, you know,

but just try telling
that to my husband.

He don't listen
minute number one.

He just sits there, gives
me the silent treatment.

Well, honey, I'dsettle for what
you got any day, Bernadine.

Oh, no, you wouldn't.

Now, I tried telling
the truth to George.

He listens, nods,

then knocks me
back on my bucket.

Wanda, you get
up off of that cake.

This is what's happening.

A man spends most of his day

getting his tail
kicked by someone,

drags himself home,

and who does he take it out on?

The first one he sees, you.

Yeah, right.

If my man didn't
beat me up on Friday,

I wouldn't know the
next day was Saturday.

That's what I'm telling you.

You've got to find
the inner strength

to stand up to him.

I'm loaded with inner strength.

What I got to find
me is a good left hook.

Wanda, you still
got a long way to go.

You got that right, Cora.

You back for a refresher course?

Yeah, it never hurts, and I
brought a friend in need...

I don't need...

Florida Evans.
Meet Florida Evans.

Hi. Have some coffee.

Now, Florida,
these are the ladies

that are going to help
you get your stuff together.

Right, girls?

Right.

Welcome, Florida.

Now, we're short on rules here.

We just keep rapping,
and no holds barred,

so whenever you get the feeling,

you're welcome to join in

and let it all hang out.

Right on.

Hey, Bernadine, how you doing?

Things getting any better?

Well, my problem's not
the same as Wanda's.

No, but you know,
now that I'm working,

my husband got
his nose out of joint

because I'm making
more money than he is.

You know, if they
only understood

that we were not
out to get them.

We're out to find us.

You know, the big thing

stopping us is that
most men still think

that we're only
good for two things.

Now, if I've heard it once,

I've heard it a thousand times.

"Wanda, a good wife
does her best work

"in the kitchen... ALL:
And the bedroom."

How about you, Florida?

Isn't that the
way it is with you?

Well, I'm sorry to be different,

but it isn't at all that
way with my husband.

Oh, you mean he
considers you a person?

Yes, a person,

not just a cook or a sex object.

Oh, yeah?

How often you have relations?

That's none of your business!

And plenty.

Uppity, ain't she?

Florida. Florida...

why did you hit Michael?

She hit her husband?

You're halfway there, sister.

Michael is my youngest child,

and, Willona, this is no place

to discuss anything
as personal as that.

This is exactly the place

to talk about it, Florida.

Florida, why did
you hit your son?

I don't have to answer that.

I don't know.

She was ashamed it
wasn't her husband.

Oh! Oh.

Florida, something
is really bothering you.

Look, I don't know
about the rest of you,

but I've got a family and
a house to take care of.

Sure, Florida,

but for how many hours a day?

Your family don't need you

the way you think
they do, honey.

Willona, I don't know
what you're talking about,

and it ain't so.

You're probably
holding on to them

because that's all you got.

That is not true.

My family depends on me,

and I don't need a
bunch of cackling hens

with nothing else to do,

except trying to say
what is bothering me,

'cause nothing is bothering me.

Nothing is bothering me!

I think she did rather well
for a beginner, don't you?

Florida!

Uh-huh.

Ah. Ah. Oh, okay.

Thanks, Mrs. Anderson.

Sorry to bother you, you hear?

Yeah. Bye.

Boy, I don't know where she is.

You know, it ain't
like your mother

to just run off like this

without telling us
where she went.

Don't worry, Dad.

I'm sure nothing happened bad.

Matter of fact,

I read in a magazine one time,

that if women get the blues,
they go to a beauty parlor

and try and change
their hairstyles

and cheer themselves up.

Mama's liable to
walk through that door

with a blond afro.

J.J., you think a
woman's whole life

can be changed
with a new hairstyle?

If you had something
in your head

besides leftovers,

then you'd realize
Mama has got a problem.

And it's all my fault.

Mama's all upset
because she hit me,

and it didn't even hurt.

Mama didn't hit you, Michael.

She was hitting
out at the world.

Maybe she was hitting out at me.

I sure hope a mugger
don't try nothing.

Oh, J.J., don't say that. Oh,
I ain't worried about Mama.

I'm worried about the mugger.

In the mood she's in,

she's liable to
tear him to pieces.

There's one possibility
Mama might be at a doctor.

It don't take all day to
see a doctor, does it?

You ever been to the clinic?

Hi.

We were worried about you.

Baby, where you been?
We've been worried about you.

Oh, it's not important, James.

I'm home and I'm all right.

James... Hmm?

I'm sorry I worried you, and
I'm sorry I was carrying on.

Oh, don't give it
a thought, baby.

I'll fix dinner.

Oh, don't worry about no dinner.

Just sit down and relax.

Boy, Florida,

it sure is good to
have you home.

Yeah, without a doubt.

Thank you, James.
It's good to be home.

And James... Hmm?

I love you.

I love you, baby.

Michael... I'm sorry I hit you.

You know I love you too.

I know, Ma.

I love all of you.

I love this house
and this family

more than anything in the world.

Mama, hearing that makes all
the "Shut up, J.J." s worthwhile.

Shut up, J.J.

I mean, cool it.

Your mother's home
now, and everything's fine.

Boy, Florida, we sure
did miss you, huh?

Yeah, Mama.

We were thinking
of all kind of places

you might have gone, baby.

Where were you?

Oh, James, it's not important.

Oh, you can tell me.

James, you wouldn't
be interested.

I am, baby.

I went with Willona to
one of those meetings

where women talk
about their problems.

You know, all that silly talk

about trying to
better themselves.

One of them women's groups?

Florida, I'm surprised at you,

wasting your time

at a crazy ladies'
meeting like that.

Look at you,

sitting here bumping your gums,

when you ought to be
in there making dinner.

James, you asked me to sit down.

I think you've said enough.

Boy, if there's one thing

I ain't got no patience with

is women trying to push in

and take over a man's job.

James, that is not
what women are after.

Don't tell me, Florida.
I see it every day.

They're taking the food
right out of our mouth.

I think you've said enough.

Hey, woman, what's
wrong with you?

You don't tell me when to talk.

See, you haven't been
to one damn meeting,

right away you
flying in my face.

But, James, that's
not what it's all about.

I'm going to tell you,

you've been driving
everybody crazy running around.

Now, you going to
them women's meetings.

I'm going to tell you something
my Uncle Ed used to say,

and maybe he was right.

There's only two places
a woman belongs...

Don't say it James.

James, don't say it.

The kitchen and the
bedroom, Florida...

The kitchen and the bedroom.

Well, ain't you going
to say something?

I said, ain't you going
to something, huh?

You going to say something?

Yeah, I'm going
to say something.

You know something, James?

Huh?

When I left that
meeting, I was convinced

that those women were wrong,

but now, listening to you,

I am sure they were right on.

Huh?

They hit it dead on the head,

what was bothering me,

only I didn't want to admit it.

I've made you
and the kids my life,

and now I don't
have a life of my own.

Baby, don't say that now.

Now, what is this,
if it ain't your life?

I mean here, James, here.

Mama's right, and so is Willona.

We're all so busy
thinking about ourselves.

No, Thelma,

I ain't blaming you
and nobody else.

I dug this hole myself.

What hole, baby?

Now, what's wrong with
being a wife and a mother?

Nothing, except my
family is all grown up now,

and I still don't have
nothing to talk about

but my husband and my kids.

James, there's a
whole world out there,

and I'm not a part of it.

I want to be somebody too.

Florida, you always
been somebody to me,

but what am I supposed
to be with this new thing?

My husband, and I'm your wife.

James, I don't want
to walk ahead of you,

but I don't want to
walk behind you either.

Honey...

I want to walk with you.

Oh, isn't that nice, Michael?

Yeah, isn't that nice, J.J.?

Yeah, it's nice, but
it's kind of confusing.

Now I don't know

which one to ask
for a couple of dollars

and which one to
ask to cook me dinner.

Oh, shut up, J. J.!

Well, what do you
think about that?

I don't know.

Mama, that one
looks interesting.

Oh, yeah.

Hey, whatcha doing, baby?

Nothing, I'm just looking
through this booklet

to see what kind of courses

they got down at
that night school.

If I see one I like,
I might sign up.

Oh, yeah.

I looked over that book.

Hey, they got a class
here on page nine

that would be perfect for you.

What's that?

Yeah, here it is.

Home economics.
Sewing, cooking...

♪ Mm-mm-mm ♪

♪ Just lookin' Out
of the window ♪

♪ Watching the asphalt grow ♪

♪ Thinkin' how It all
looks hand-me-down ♪

♪ Good times Good times ♪

♪ Keepin' your
head Above water ♪

♪ Makin' a wave When you can ♪

♪ Temporary layoffs Good times ♪

Good Times is recorded on tape

before a live audience.

♪ Ain't we lucky we got 'em ♪

♪ Good times ♪♪