List of Good Times episodes

James (John Amos) is excited because he is sure that he is going to get a high paying job. However, at the interview, he learns that he is too old to join the company's union. Meanwhile, Florida (Esther Rolle) and the children (BernNadette Stanis, Jimmie Walker, and Ralph Carter) get ahead of themselves and throw a celebration party for James unaware that he was rejected.

J.J.'s painting of a Black Jesus, becomes the family's good luck charm after a string of success for each family member. However, Florida refuses to entertain the notion that the painting had anything to do with the recent string of "good times". Creator Eric Monte appears as Numbers Runner.

Note: This episode was taped after the pilot to add additional characters and to provide background for those in the pilot episode.

With an eviction notice over their heads, the Evans family scrambles to come up with $74 needed for their rent. Despite Florida's opinion, James goes down to the pool hall to try to hustle some money; J.J. comes up with a scheme of his own and Florida and Willona go down to the welfare office.

Michael, one of the brightest boys in his class, comes home with the news that he scored the lowest out of his whole class on an I.Q. test. Infuriated at first, Florida and James hear Michael out and realize that I.Q. tests are designed for certain demographics and in this case exclude white people. Meanwhile, J.J. prepares for a wild date with his latest girl, Henrietta.

James is sure that he is going to get a sales position at a department store but when he brings Florida along to the interview he is in for a big surprise – the supervisor would rather hire Florida than him. It seems the supervisor would "kill two birds with one stone" hiring an African American woman.

While Florida is away in Cleveland for a family funeral, the Evans' family is hit with a double dose of unemployment after both James and J.J. lose their jobs. James' boss at Brady's puts him on a temporary lay-off and the movie theater where J.J. works is closing down. Wanting to support his family, J.J. decides to join the U.S. Army.

While James is out of town, Florida and her brother Wilbert are left to deal with a troubled Michael. Cutting classes, getting into fights at school, and low grades are all warning signs that lead Florida to make an appointment to see Michael's teacher.

A feud erupts in the Evans' household when James and J.J. take the side of Alderman Fred Davis during his attempt at re-election while Florida, Thelma and Willona take the side of his young opponent. It seems Davis is a shyster who gets nothing done in the neighborhood, which is why she cannot believe James would back such a loser.

After their parents sternly refuse the notion of J.J. and Diana marrying, Diana decides to run off to Indiana and elope with J.J. Meanwhile, back in Chicago, Thelma makes two shocking discoveries. First, while at the prom she realizes that J.J. and Diana never showed up and, second, she somehow switched purses with Diana and discovers that she has a drug problem and number for the supplier.

When James and Florida go out of town for a family wedding, the children are left at home alone and J.J. soon begins acting like a dictator. And Thelma and Michael argue at J.J and Wilona stop them for argue. However, J.J. is in for a shock when he receives bad news that he has given VD to an ex-girlfriend. This leads an embarrassed J.J. to debate whether or not to visit a free clinic for treatment.

Guest star: Jay Leno as a clinic patron

Thelma's fiance's idea of romance is taking her to a basketball game but that is the least of her worries after he gets a big break in California leaving her with two options, stay with her family in Chicago or move to California with her fiancé. Florida tries to calm a furious James and insists that it is time to let Thelma make her own decisions.

While J.J. is in St. Louis at an art show, the Evans family decides to hold a rent party to help out Wanda (Helen Martin), a neighbor in the building, whose electricity has just been turned off. However, the party may come to a quick halt when the heartless building superintendent, Nathan Bookman, catches wind of it. Meanwhile, Michael, Thelma, Willona and Florida all prepare to provide entertainment during the party.

J.J. is managing Michael's singing group and gets them a gig at a local tavern. When Florida learns that Michael may be performing in a tavern, she hits the roof and storms down there to put a stop to it, thus breaking up the act. While there, J.J. comes across Judith Cohen, an act whom he knows will hit it big, given the right exposure.

Thelma and her college friends are having a meeting to decide what to do about the school cafeteria, but things come to a head when the African exchange student, Ibe, starts making sexist remarks about "woman's work". They finally agree to have a picket, but on the day of the picket, the assistant dean ends up then suspending Thelma. Meanwhile, Thelma and Ibe begin seeing each other, resulting in Ibe asking her to move in with him. Florida hits the roof when Thelma announces her plans of moving in with Ibe. However, things begin moving a little bit too fast when Ibe asks her to marry him and move to Nigeria. At first Thelma is all for it, despite Florida insisting that she take time and go slow, but when Thelma discovers she may become part of a harem, she has second thoughts.

J.J., with the help of Carl, opens a greeting card business and has the entire family help with creating thoughtful greeting card sayings. However, when an accountant comes into look over the books, J.J. is in for a rude awakening, for he only has $68 in the bank. He finds this out just as he gets a huge order, which will cost him $2000. J.J. soon discovers that getting a loan is not going to be an easy task.

When young Penny Gordon follows J.J. home, she tells the Evanses tall tales about her life without mentioning her abusive mother (Chip Fields). But when Penny changes into a dress, a stunned Willona and Thelma discover the girl's badly bruised back. Willona and the Evans children are convinced that Penny is being abused and discover that she has an injured arm, caused by her abusive mother, but the doctor who treats Penny refuses to believe that she is a victim of child abuse.

Willona's new job in department-store security requires that she spy on changing rooms through a one-way mirror.

When Penny steals a necklace from a department store, Willona faces the possibility of losing custody of the girl.

Afraid he will be passed over for a promotion in favor of a white man, J.J. has a crazy dream in which he experiences being white.

With J.J. out of town, the Evanses put on a talent show to save a local daycare center.

The day after the wedding tragedy, Keith blames J.J. for injuring his knee. Florida rallies the family together while Sweet Daddy Williams comes calling for his payment.

Florida competes with a relative of Alderman Davis for a job as a school-bus driver.

Michael plans to move in with a white female roommate whose parents' attitudes make him reconsider.

A snowstorm hits Chicago and Florida gets stuck in it with her school bus. This leads her and the kids on the bus to take refuge in an abandoned building to keep warm.

A tomboy who has been helping out Bookman, wants J.J. to ask her to a dance. However, J.J. thinks of her as just one of the guys, that is until he has an encounter with her at a seedy pick-up bar.

Keith's search for a job results in strange behavior that everyone plainly points out is not just frustration, but rather a bigger problem. Little does anyone know, Keith has developed a serious drinking problem.

Florida has a surprise visit from her cousin, Raymond (Calvin Lockhart), who has hit it big and gives each member of the family an expensive gift. However, Florida is reluctant to accept her gift of an expensive three room apartment, when she learns just how Raymond makes his money.