"The Big Move" concludes with the Evans family coming home from their father's funeral. Everyone who pays their respects brings a ham, among them Bookman, Weeping Wanda (Helen Martin, fourth of seven), Ned the Wino (Raymond Allen, third of four), and James' friend Monty (Stymie Beard, last of four). Florida plays the perfect hostess, keeping her husband's memory alive with such joyous abandon that her children wonder how she's able to do it, not even breaking down during the service. Even when they confront her in anger her implacable façade does not yield, bidding her guests a fond goodbye before setting out to start cleaning up. Though the kids are willing to help Florida proudly refuses, silently going about her business until her long suppressed emotions finally rise to the surface, unable to speak as her children gather around her to grieve together. In firing John Amos, the producers essentially went with the show as first envisioned, no father figure present, only with the well established JJ character now becoming the man of the house. It was a brutal way to kill off such a beloved character however, and for some viewers unforgivable. The series would never be the same, and the ratings reflected that.
4 Reviews
Thelma got to me (once again)
gregorycanfield18 August 2021
Warning: Spoilers
This episode is essentially the aftermath of James' funeral. Everything is well done, except for the unneeded "Wanda" character, which they started adding to a few episodes at the end of season 3. Wanda's fake crying was stupid, annoying and completely unfunny. I would have taken a couple of points off my rating, just for this. However, everything else was done well enough to make up for it. The Evans kids wonder why Florida is not crying. Thelma cries, and even trembles, while her mother scolds her for doing so. Bern Nadette Stanis must have put her heart and soul into this scene. You could see real tears. She got me emotional, too! She also cries even more when she opens up to JJ. This wasn't the first time that she let JJ see what was inside of her. Powerful stuff. The ending is also powerful. The kids finally understand what's going on with their mother.
This is when the show got better
Christopher37028 April 2023
Killing off James was the biggest improvement to this great show. Finally, the family had a chance to relax and breathe without being constantly terrorized by James who seemed to always be overly angry and yelling at someone.
I'm surprised that Florida took so much crap from him and never hit him over the head with a frying pan, but she probably knew he'd really blow his gasket if she had and tossed her out the window or bashed her face in with it. The poor woman most likely feared for her life living with that man.
Speaking of which, he always seemed just a couple of steps away from murdering somebody and come to think of it he always looked at Willona like he'd like her to be his first victim. Granted, the way she always laughed at her own jokes in every episode would be good reason to permanently shut that woman up lol.
After his death the family all got to be themselves without constantly being yelled at and were able to relax around each other. I can barely watch the early seasons without changing the channel due to his constant shouting and terrorizing of his family.
There's one episode where he thinks Michael took a gun from the house and he literally ransacks the entire apartment in a psychotic frenzy while tearing up the whole house. Poor Florida looked in fear of her life and was probably hoping he wouldn't find that gun because he's use it on her!
It became such a better show once he was gone and I have to wonder if he was eliminated because the producers knew that the viewers hated him too.
And look at how quickly Florida remarried afterwards. His dying sure didn't devastate her for too long. She made a poor choice with the second husband too, but at least he wasn't terrorizing everyone around him all the time like James.
And now Willona can burst into the apartment anytime she likes (they live in the ghetto and never lock their door?!) without being given an angry scowl by the terrorizer and can laugh at her own jokes in peace. Good riddance James!
I'm surprised that Florida took so much crap from him and never hit him over the head with a frying pan, but she probably knew he'd really blow his gasket if she had and tossed her out the window or bashed her face in with it. The poor woman most likely feared for her life living with that man.
Speaking of which, he always seemed just a couple of steps away from murdering somebody and come to think of it he always looked at Willona like he'd like her to be his first victim. Granted, the way she always laughed at her own jokes in every episode would be good reason to permanently shut that woman up lol.
After his death the family all got to be themselves without constantly being yelled at and were able to relax around each other. I can barely watch the early seasons without changing the channel due to his constant shouting and terrorizing of his family.
There's one episode where he thinks Michael took a gun from the house and he literally ransacks the entire apartment in a psychotic frenzy while tearing up the whole house. Poor Florida looked in fear of her life and was probably hoping he wouldn't find that gun because he's use it on her!
It became such a better show once he was gone and I have to wonder if he was eliminated because the producers knew that the viewers hated him too.
And look at how quickly Florida remarried afterwards. His dying sure didn't devastate her for too long. She made a poor choice with the second husband too, but at least he wasn't terrorizing everyone around him all the time like James.
And now Willona can burst into the apartment anytime she likes (they live in the ghetto and never lock their door?!) without being given an angry scowl by the terrorizer and can laugh at her own jokes in peace. Good riddance James!
Grieving & Moving On!!!
princessoftheringlizzie1 May 2021
Everyone Grieves In Their Own Way, Florida Was Shock & In Denial. Thelma, JJ, & Michael Didn't Understand That, Cause They Wanted Everyone To Cry The Way They Were Crying & Not Everyone Will Be Told How To Grieve. 17 Episodes Later, Florida Is Dating Carl.
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