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Special Features
Editorial Reviews
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Set in a high-rise apartment building in the heart of New York City, the show spun around George, a classic character portrait of vanity, arrogance, and petty prejudice. Balanced by the more level-headed but just as strong-willed Weezy, George's self-serving abrasiveness struck comic gold, particularly in the second season, when the show's style had been set but was still fresh. Episodes tackled subjects trivial (George and Tom wear the same tacky dinner jacket to a party) and trenchant (a country club invites George to join, but only so that a newspaper reporter will think the club is open to minorities). The black and white mix of the cast allowed for a sharply satirical take on race relations, which managed to have a genuine sense of hope while never glossing over the complexity of racial tension--and was consistently funny. In fact, it's striking how well the show's humor holds up; The Jeffersons turned a series of half-hour farces into a sly examination of marriage, race, class, and the battle of the sexes; it's sad that so few contemporary sitcoms have this kind of intelligence, courage, and sheer talent. --Bret Fetzer
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Customer Reviews
This 2-disc set contains all thirteen episodes from the first season of this historic television comedy, which smashed stereotypes and ignored social conventions as it made audiences laugh.
In this collection, you'll be getting the following episodes:
1. "A Friend in Need"- The Jefferson's have moved to Manhattan's Upper East Side and George insists that Louise should hire a maid to take care of their new apartment.
2. "George's Family Tree"- A piece of primitive art given to the Jefferson's by Tom and Helen Willis, sparks an inter-family battle about the importance of ancestors. George, totally unimpressed by anyone's ancestry, goes through a quick reversal in attitude when he gets some exciting information about his own background.
3. "Louise Feels Useless"- Living a luxury life starts to drive Louise up the walls, but her solution to the problem creates an even greater problem.
4. "Lionel the Playboy"- Louise is extremely upset over Lionel's new playboy attitude, but George loves the idea of his son rubbing elbows with the rich until he learns he's thinking about leaving college.
5. "Mr. Piano Man"- George wants nothing to do with a tenant protest meeting, but when he learns his banker, and fellow-tenant, H.L. Whittendale is expected to attend, he not only changes his tune, but also insists on hosting the meeting in a style he hopes will impress the penthouse dwelling banker.
6. "George's Skeleton"- George sees his life going down the drain when Monk Davis appears from his past and threatens to rattle a skeleton in his closet unless George coughs up some cash.
7. "Lionel Cries Uncle"- A cold reception from George and Lionel greets Louise's Uncle Ward.
8. "Mother Jefferson's Boyfriend"- George's mother finds romance and talks about heading to the altar.
9. "Meet the Press"- Convinced publicity will mean a boom to his business, George tricks a newspaper reporter into coming to his home for an interview.
10. "Rich Man's Disease"- Louise finds herself facing the impossible task of keeping George away from anything that irritates him.
11. "Former Neighbors"- George fears that his past is about to ruin his future. His nightmare begins when he discovers that Louise has invited some old friends from Harlem to dinner the same time he has invited a high society businessman.
12. "Like Father, Like Son"- When Lionel begins behaving like his father, sparks start flying between him and Jenny.
13. "Jenny's Low"- When Jenny's brother suddenly appears after a two-year absence, Jenny gives him the cold shoulder.
1) A Friend in need
2) George's family tree
3) The good life is bad for Louise
4) Lionel the playboy
5) Mr. piano man
6) George's skeleton
7) Lionel cries uncle
8) Mother Jefferson's boyfriend
9) Meet the press
10) Rich man's disease
11) Former neighbors
12) Like father, like son?
13) Jenny's low
For more essential 70s sitcoms on DVD, look for the complete first season of Sanford & Son (Redd Fox) due out at the same time as The Jeffersons!
This show, another from the Norman Lear vehicle, had some firsts on television ... a rich affluent black family, a racially mixed couple to name a few. Isabel Sanford (a star on Broadway, now 85 years old) heads this lovely cast. Sherman Hemsley stars as the jive talking George Jeffersons, Mike Evans is the ever funny Lionel (who was only around for the first four seasons), Franklin Cover is Tom Willis (Helen's white husband) and of course, Roxie Roker (Lenny Kravitz' mom who is Helen Willis, Tom's wife, the most outrageous in this show) and last but not least, Zera Cully who is Momma Jefferson (George's mommy, only around for the first four seasons who died in 1978) who hates Louise with a passion.
This DVD is the complete First Season with thirteen episodes in all but take note - the "pilot" episode does not appear as it was a episode of "All in the Family" entitled, "the Jeffersons are moving on up", as a sixth season series opener. This was the "pilot" episode which Roxie Roker had a big afro, a treat for those who liked her and her son Lenny.
Otherwise, these thirteen episodes contained here are quite entertaining in its own right. Episodes like ....
"A Friend in Need", where George & Louise adapt to their posh digs by hiring a part time maid, which introduced us to Marla Gibbs, the no-nonsense Jeffersons' maid, Florence.
"Louise Feels Useless", as she has trouble adjusting to the good life but she takes a job at the rival cleaning store.
"George's Family Tree" has George thinking he is the king reflecting on a gift given to him by the Willis' which has him digging into his ancestry but Louise has a lesson for George.
"Lionel, The Playboy", has Lionel taking full advantage of the good life by partying it all the time but Momma Jeffersons lays down the law on Lionel to get him back on track.
"Mr. Piano Man", has George heading up a protest meeting by the tenants at his home but boasts his classy image by buying a grand piano to impress the building owners', which backfires.
"George's Skeleton", has someone from George's past suddenly re-emerge only to blackmail George of money. Lionel and Louise come to George's rescue.
"Lionel Cries Uncle" has Louise' Uncle Ward visit with the men of the family see him as an "Uncle Tom", but Ward gives Lionel a few lessons in life he is not to forget.
"Mother Jeffersons Boyfriend" has Momma Jefferson with a new man in her life. On her birthday, they propose and want to move to Florida. Louise couldn't be more happier but George tries to break the lovbirds up.
"Meet the Press" has George bragging about how he got to the top but it is the Willis' who are hogging all the attention that gets George steaming mad.
"Rich Mans' Disease" has George hiding his mysterious ulcer, amoungst other things from Louise as he is feeling down in the dumps.
"Former Neighbours" has George inviting a big client to a big extravagent dinner at his home but when the former old lower class neighbours pay a visit, Geroge tries to hide his poor past from the big client.
"Like Father, Like Son" has Lionel behaving much like his father, but George gets involved in a local election, which the "race card" is played with comic effect.
"Jenny's Low" has Jenny being jealous of her returning globe-trotting brother because he is able to "pass" for white while she can't.
This DVD is very nicely packaged and includes a Series Guide Booklet and of course, the very famous lyrics to the shows' theme song, Movin' On Up, which is sung by Ja'Net DuBois who was in Good Times.
The Complete First Season as a whole is quite good. The series opens nicely, disappointments were few (especially the "Former Neighbours" episode which I thought would have been the Bunkers of All in the Family) but ends with a downer with the "Jenny's Low" episode.
Despite that though, there are no extra feautures on this DVD but just having the show on DVD is "Extra" enough with the "Feautures" being presented in thirteen segments on your televison screen.
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