MovieChat Forums > Sanford and Son (1972) Discussion > Unwatchable Jump the Shark episodes

Unwatchable Jump the Shark episodes

posted 14 years ago by drtturner
45 replies | jump to latest

Sad when the characters start collecting the check only with no regard for creativity. I saw one where Fred dresses as a WWII General in a flashback as he tells his Godson type a long story. Lamont strolls in with a terrible march, which turns out to be the highlight since all other jokes go flat. Regulars like Esther, Grady and Julio had enough sense to stay far away. They had a couple fill ins in the roles that they normally would play. Have you seen this one ? Did you like ? Which other ones are unwatchable (I turned the channel, which is pretty bad).

[–] magellan333 14 years ago

The show really took a nose dive when season five started, but it was heading for shark infested waters beforehand. The episodes about the earthquake, the Greatest Show in Watts and Fred's church, the Japanese restaurant and the aforementioned WWII episode are all unwatchable to me. At this point, things had gotten too outlandish to be enjoyed anymore. Seriously, who is going to go dining out in the living room of a junk dealer?

[–] Fuddiduddy 14 years ago

I remember reading from a few sources that the Grady-in-charge season was one of the higher rated seasons. Count me as a fan of those episodes, ESPECIALLY the cousin Emma one.

The episode I think I disliked the most: When Fred decided to do a circus show in his yard. WTF?!? Horrible, unfunny, and all around dumb. Also, the one when Fred achieved his H.S. diploma was corny as well (it was the final episode of S & S, BTW).

S & S will always remain one of my top 5 all-time favorite shows.

[–] the-spy 14 years ago

i agree about "the greatest show in watts", it was a really weak episode.

the worst episode to me was the one george foreman appeared in; not because of foreman, but it had terrible acting from some of the supporting cast (the guy who played the director of the community play was especially bad) and was just another poorly written episode.

this episode was an example of how the producers of the show were caving into redd foxx's ego - that seemed to happen more and more after foxx returned from his strike in season 4.

[–] ItsEddieHaskellBeyotch 14 years ago

The ones I really dont watch are a majority of the ones where Grady takes over except the one where he makes marijuana into salad and feeds it to the cops.

I really didnt like the WWII episode either, nor the one where Esther and Woody adopt that old ass kid.

Then theres that really weird one where Fred encounters a young lady that looks liek his late wife Elizabeth and they keep playing that damn sad music.

"You win some, you lose some. But you live, you live to fight another day."

[–] toking65000 14 years ago

I don't like any episode that tales place away from the junkyard.

I usually dislike any episode that takes place away from the main location.

Question your prejudices.

[–] the-spy 14 years ago

I don't like any episode that tales place away from the junkyard....
I usually dislike any episode that takes place away from the main location.

as a rule, i agree. i liked a couple of them away from the yard, such as "the hawaiian connection", but the episodes usually worked best when at home.

[–] toking65000 14 years ago

Usually vacation episodes are just boring or something to me.

Question your prejudices.

[–] vestdennis 14 years ago

The one where Fred meets his neice is horrible, the one where they go to hawaii sucked, the George Foreman episode was painful to watch and when Esther adopted the boy were bad. No wonder it appeared Lamont was sleep walking through the last couple of seasons: the writing stunk!

[–] bgva 13 years ago

I'd say with some exceptions, any episode after the audience started applauding upon every single cast member.

Lamont's perm is another good one, esp. when he started wearing the denim vest outfits. Was he dressed to pick up junk or go to the disco?

Oh stewardess...I speak jive.

[–] jackgriffin1-1 13 years ago

Any episodes after the Grady ones. Fred came back from St. Louis a mean,nasty jerk who insulted everyone he met, no matter how kind they were being to him. Redd Foxx got his dressing room windows, and the show went to hell.

[–] crackingup 9 years ago

Any episodes after the Grady ones. Fred came back from St. Louis a mean,nasty jerk who insulted everyone he met, no matter how kind they were being to him. Redd Foxx got his dressing room windows, and the show went to hell.

I agree with that statement. I know the whole premise of the show was about a cantankerous junk dealer, but those later episodes took it to a whole different level. Fred always seemed pissed off in those later episodes. You can really tell Redd Foxx didn't want to be there.

[–] leemariejr 9 years ago

Demond says cocaine had infiltrated the set by then. You can tell they're out there stoned and the quality goes down. But those first 3 seasons and moments of season 4 are some of the funniest stuff ever put down on prime time sitcom TV.

I just sat thru the Hawaii Connection. HORRIBLE.

[–] bookman7772000 13 years ago

I initially didn't care for the WWII episode, but I saw it again recently and I don't think it was too bad. Yes, it is silly and ridiculous, but it's suppose to be. They set out to do a WWII spoof and they succeeded fairly well. A two star episode (out of four). JMHO.

[–] prettyD2368 13 years ago

Sgt. Gork episode was bad but I still don't think the show ever jumped the shark. The last season was better than alot of show's last seasons.

[–] cshep79406 13 years ago

I think the Hawaiian episodes were terrible.

[–] CooperCamden 11 years ago

Esther appeared in the WWII flashback episode. She played "Brunnhilda", a nightclub singer modeled on Marlene Dietrich.

[–] Absolved 11 years ago

I don't know many -- or any -- SS episodes technically "jumped the shark." There were bad episodes toward the end, but still thematically from the first episode to the last it stayed pretty consistent (notwithstanding the Grady episodes, but even they oddly worked better than you'd expect, and since Fred returned so quickly they didn't really have time to cause any damage.)

I think the continuation 'Sanford' series jumped the shark, though. Fred and Cal were terrible, as was that new fiancé he got during it. What they should have done in Lamont's absence was establish a long lost child of Fred's (maybe this time a daughter) to fill his void, or perhaps a long lost grandchild via Lamont.

When shows based around family interaction start bringing in non-relatives to take over the back and forth with the main character that a departed relative once had, that kills something and is epitome of "shark-jumping."