Which house do you like better? - Mama's Family (1983) Discussion

[–] tinkerbell_jonna 9 years ago

Probably the NBC house b/c I like a big house lol

But each house seemed to match the size of the family living there.

I wonder if after Fran died, and Buzz and Sonya moved out....if Mama had her house remodeled to be smaller so her family could not move back in? lol

I could hear Eunice, "Wut have you done with my bedroom, old lady?" B/c apparently Eunice's/Ellen's/Sonya's bedroom is the one that mysteriously vanished!

Of course I guess in the syndicated episodes we are to think that Bubba's/Fran's bedroom was Eunice's and Ellen's old bedroom and maybe Vint always had the basement as a bedroom.

In the NBC episodes Sonya'a room was Fran's writing studio which used to be Eunice's and Ellen's old room, and I always took it that Fran's room used to be Vint's room.

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[–] rye9969 9 years ago

Wasn't Buzz up in the attic?

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[–] tinkerbell_jonna 9 years ago

Yeah though in the episode where Vint was in Buzz's room helping him tie his necktie, for homecoming, Buzz's room looked like a normal bedroom.

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[–] Rytman 9 years ago

The syndicated one. Even though it was smaller, it was more friendly and cozier, IMO.

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[–] elaphe-1 9 years ago

I was actually talking more about the exteriors of the houses.

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[–] dakotasdad 9 years ago

The one used in the opening credits and most images is in South Pasadena, CA. The other (that we barely saw) is in Pasadena, CA a few miles away. From what I remember, the second house is more to my liking.

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[–] AdrianLePier 9 years ago

Eh. It's the same house. Which set do I like better, you mean? The syndicated one. Looked more modern. The original set was too big and looked slightly more antiquated.

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[–] tinkerbell_jonna 9 years ago

I've see some ppl go so far as to speculate maybe they ARE in fact 2 different houses....and that Mama possibly, between the NBC episodes and Syndicated Episodes, MOVED into another house, but on the same street and that's why it looks so similar but also quite a bit different too. Some times houses on the same street will look very similar.

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[–] AdrianLePier 9 years ago

Nah. The syndicated seasons make too many references to that having always been the Harper house. Naomi even recalled her and Vint being married in the living room when they were going to be forced to move. The house from the NBC and the house from Syndicated are one and the same. The only thing that was different was the the show changed studios, and the latter day set was smaller...but they went out of their way to try and remake the second set to look as much like the first as they could.

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[–] tinkerbell_jonna 9 years ago

Yeah I remember discussing the references Thelma made about "living here all her life", that's why they were speculating that it could be a different house but on the SAME street, and maybe Thelma meant she had just lived in that general area or on that street her entire life...not necessarily in the exact same house.

But yeah I don't believe it either.. but it makes for interesting discussion.

People also speculated that perhaps the Family Sketches on the Carol Burnett Show take place AFTER Mama's Family, this would explain why Thelma seemed so much more feeble, dependent and contrary on the Family Sketches...b/c ppl many times become that way in old age. And also would explain why there is no Aunt Fran on the Family Sketches, as she would have died MANY years ago. And that Ed and Eunice returned from Florida shortly before the 1st Family Sketch so they could help care for Mama since Vint, Naomi and Bubba had all moved out and she was all alone there.

That would explain why Mama was living all alone in the Family Sketches....No Fran, etc.... And why Eunice mentioned Mama was the last living one in her immediate family.

And yeah I know Bubba was referenced as being a CHILD in the Family Sketches...so it doesn't totally match up.. but I thought it was interesting discussion anyway lol

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[–] Tatmanlulu_BACK 9 years ago

People also speculated that perhaps the Family Sketches on the Carol Burnett Show take place AFTER Mama's Family, this would explain why Thelma seemed so much more feeble, dependent and contrary on the Family Sketches...

It would actually make a sense of a lot of more stuff even than that if The Family sketches were depicted as having taken place after Mama's Family as opposed to before. Could also explain why Thelma was calling different people other than Eunice, Ellen and Vinton her children and giving them different names, like Philip. Could be explained as Mama suffering Alzheimer's and family and friends just playing along to make life flowed more smoothly for her as opposed to making her feel like she lost her memory and going crazy. Not to mention, Ed and Eunice were described as getting a divorce in the Family sketches whereas they never had been divorced in Mama's Family. Not to mention as well that Mama died in the Family Sketch Movie.

And the situation with Bubba would make sense from an Alzheimer's perspective as well. If you recall, even though 2 children were always talked about no one ever showed up. So that could also be explained away as Mama having Alzheimer's into her elderly years and the family just playing along with it so she doesn't think she's crazy or anything, making her upset. The second child was also made up as a result of Mama's Alzheimer's mistakenly think Ed and Eunice have 2 children.

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[–] tinkerbell_jonna 9 years ago

Wow, I never thought of it like THAT... That maybe Ed and Eunice were just humoring Mama when she would talk about Bubba as a child and Billy Joel... Could explain why they were never seen.

Also toward the end of the Family Sketches, Mama also moves out of her house and moves in with Eunice... So it could also explain THAT. From a canon stand point of trying to make the series connect, it definitely would make sense to put the Family Sketches AFTER Mama's Family.

Another things, like I mentioned before... Mama was much feistier in the earlier Family Sketches which matches more closely her personality toward the end of Mama's Family. In the early Family Sketches, Mama was basically just Vickie Lawrance in a gray wig.....like she became at the end of Mama's Family.

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[–] Tatmanlulu_BACK 9 years ago

Wow, I never thought of it like THAT... That maybe Ed and Eunice were just humoring Mama when she would talk about Bubba as a child and Billy Joel... Could explain why they were never seen.

Yesssssssssssss, that's the word I was looking for but couldn't get my finger on, "humoring." Precisely! They were just humoring Mama throughout the serious so as to not make her any more of a obnoxious old battle ax than she already was.

Also toward the end of the Family Sketches, Mama also moves out of her house and moves in with Eunice... So it could also explain THAT. From a canon stand point of trying to make the series connect, it definitely would make sense to put the Family Sketches AFTER Mama's Family.

Yea, wholly agreed. It also be hilarious watching the Family from that perspective. Case in point, the parent/teacher conference episode. Imagine all that set up just to humor Thelma. Admittedly, that be kind of insulting to do a whole charade like that on account of Thelma's dementia.

Another things, like I mentioned before... Mama was much feistier in the earlier Family Sketches which matches more closely her personality toward the end of Mama's Family. In the early Family Sketches, Mama was basically just Vickie Lawrance in a gray wig.....like she became at the end of Mama's Family.

Yesssssssss! I noticed that too about early Family Sketch Mama sharing a lot of qualities as late syndicated Mama. By golly, I think we came up with the perfect solution to resolve all the questions as it relates to connecting Mama's Family and The Family Sketches. We got to send this idea to the producers so they can make a Mama's Family Return Special to sort of clarify our idea.

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[–] tinkerbell_jonna 9 years ago

Yes :) lol Of course it's probably not meant this way and it doesn't perfectly match up b/c there are times Eunice talks about Bubba and Billy when Mama is not in the scene, BUT it is a fun POSSIBLE to discuss.

It's funny b/c in the Family Sketch where Mama has a boyfriend, I thought she was almost identical to her syndicated Mama's Family self..singing and everything, also her style was the same, her hair, glasses, etc.

I think b/c I heard that Mama was always intended to be a feisty ol lady rather than a grumpy sour old lady. I think they added the grumpy, bitter aspect when they brought more of the Southern aspects on the sketches... What I heard is in the syndicated episodes of Mama's Family, they returned Mama to how she was originally meant to be.

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[–] rye9969 9 years ago

Yup... as always Asylumer, you are en pointe!

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[–] GrumpyGuy 9 years ago

I'd have to go with the Boylans' four bedroom, two bathTudor.

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[–] mamacassfan 8 years ago

I love the "wall of windows" on the second floor front of house...gives me the impression that there is a massive master bedroom that runs the entire length of house!