"The Rent Party" closed out the third season, featuring the third appearance (out of seven) for Helen Martin as Weeping Wanda Williams, second for Johnny Brown's Nathan Bookman (introduced in "The Family Business"), and the final episode with John Amos (Jimmie Walker's JJ said to be out of town). The Evans family decide to throw a rent party to prevent Wanda from weeping over her lack of rent money, despite objections from super Bookman, who merely wants to perform. Michael kicks things off by singing the 1967 Marvelettes hit "When You're Young and in Love," then Bookman proceeds with a series of impressions - Ed Sullivan, Jim Nabors, Wolfman Jack, Marlon Brando, Jimmy Durante, Howard Cosell, and Muhammad Ali. "Stop! In the Name of Love" is rendered by The Supremes, actually Willona (as Diana Ross), Florida, and Thelma. Despite the show's success it was decided that they could do without Amos, who didn't fare too badly with the choice role of the adult Kunta Kinte in the upcoming ROOTS.
4 Reviews
Goodbye, James Evans
gregorycanfield17 August 2021
This was John Amos' final appearance in the series. Not a very distinguished way for this great actor to make his departure. This episode didn't seem to have any particular direction. I didn't find Helen Martin's character very endearing. In fact, the Wanda character was introduced in "Florida Flips." In that episode, Florida and Wanda didn't know (or particularly like) each other. How did they become such good friends? For this episode, the musical and comedy segments are better than the story as a whole. Ralph Carter and Johnny Brown give good performances. The "Supremes" segment is pretty bad, but Thelma and Willona at least looked good. No further comment.
Johnny Brown is a profound lost to the Entertainment world!!!
sydneyjayz6 March 2022
"Booger Bookman" is gone at 84. I loved Johnny Brown on Good Times-especially the episodes that showcased the range of his talents. Check out Good Times S3/Ep24, "The Rent Party" (1976) & S5/Ep22, "That's Entertainment, Evans Style" (1978). One of the old time great versatile entertainers we no longer have enough of in the world today-Mr. Brown will be surely missed! Rest in the laughs and chuckle in peace.
Nothing Great Lasts Forever
TheFearmakers2 July 2023
A great sitcom is like a perfect band that makes beautiful music. The problem however is that when certain instruments stand out, the band... or... in this case, the show winds up getting rid of other proverbial instruments that make those louder ones sound so good in the first place...
And with Good Times, by the time the series ended, two characters who provided both the lead and the main rhythm section were long gone...
Everyone knows that John Amos left as the father, because this is his last episode... but Esther Rolle took off as well, making it basically the JJ show the same way Happy Days became The Fonzie show...
You need to have a really strong foundation for a strong building to truly last, all the way to the end when it's meant to end, and Good Times eventually was built on sand, crashing into the sea years before it should have...
This is the final episode with the strongest foundation almost gone, and it's too bad. But nothing great lasts forever.
And with Good Times, by the time the series ended, two characters who provided both the lead and the main rhythm section were long gone...
Everyone knows that John Amos left as the father, because this is his last episode... but Esther Rolle took off as well, making it basically the JJ show the same way Happy Days became The Fonzie show...
You need to have a really strong foundation for a strong building to truly last, all the way to the end when it's meant to end, and Good Times eventually was built on sand, crashing into the sea years before it should have...
This is the final episode with the strongest foundation almost gone, and it's too bad. But nothing great lasts forever.
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