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"A Matter of Mothers"
Season 6, Episode 20
Number (#129) in series (133 episodes)
Tape date February 1, 1979
Air date: July 18, 1979
Network/Country: CBS-TV / United States
Written by: Michael G. Moye & Jacqueline Henken
Directed by: Gerren Keith
Production code: 620
IMDb logo IMDB A Matter of Mothers
Cast Information
Starring: Esther Rolle
Jimmie Walker
Ja'net Dubois
Johnny Brown
Bern Nadette Stanis
Ralph Carter
Janet Jackson
Ben Powers
Guest starring: Chip Fields
Rod Perry
Barry Cutler
Dave Turner
John Witherspoon
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A Matter of Mothers is the 20th episode of Season 6  of Good Times, and also the 129th series episode overall. Written by Michael G. Moye and Jacqueline Henken, the episode, which was directed by Gerren Keith, premiered on CBS-TV; it originally aired on July 18, 1979.

Synopsis[]

Someone is trying to make Willona look like an unfit mother.

Storyline[]

Willona's new boyfriend is trying to buy her and Penny's love by giving them both expensive gifts. Turns out it is Penny's birth mother, Linella Gordon who is paying the bills and getting the boyfriend to give the gifts. Linella wants Penny back.

Plot summary[]

Willona (Ja'net DuBois) cannot understand why Jeffrey (Rod Perry), her latest boyfriend, has suddenly begun showering expensive gifts upon her and her adopted daughter, Penny (Janet Jackson), from buying her an expensive new dress to a new brass bed. Things become painfully clear when the "source" of the gifts is revealed.

Penny's abusive birth mother, Linella Gordon (Chip Fields) wants her daughter back - it turns out she married into wealth, and she'll go to any lengths to prove to the authorities that Willona is an unfit mother. She forges a plan to have Jeffrey convince Willona to throw a party but with guests consisting of every drug dealer, junkie, pimp, and prostitute in Southside Chicago to frame Willona for throwing a wild party in the presence of a minor. The plan is successful as the police bust into Willona's apartment and crash the party. Shortly afterwards, Linella comes in and reveals she was the behind the whole ordeal. After the cops clear out the wild partygoers, Willona and Linella then have a heated argument alone. Willona reassures Linella that she will never get Penny back, no matter what evidence she has and that Penny is still traumatized from the horrific abuse she put her through. Willona also berates Linella for trying to frame her and for going as low as she did to do so. Linella then apologizes and says that this was all for insurance just in case they had to go court. Willona then realizes that Penny's tape recorder is on and then she tells Penny to rewind it, revealing how Linella staged the whole plan, backfiring right in her face. Shocked and desperate, Linella tells Penny to give her the tape recorder and then Willona tells Penny to do the same and Penny goes to Willona. Angered, Linella tries to hit Penny again but Willona restrains her, revealing that Linella still has her abusive tendencies and she is still the same abusive parent we met over a year ago. Penny tearfully chooses Willona as her mother and hugs her. Devastated, Linella respects Penny's decision and leaves and she is never seen or heard from again.

Absent: Jimmie Walker, BernNadette Stanis, Ben Powers

Guest starring

Quotes[]

Willona (to Linella about Penny): Lemme tell you a little somethin', that little girl wakes up at night screaming thinking about your abuse: your beatings, the bruises, the cuts, the burns with the hot iron. She ain't gonna forget it. You remember it, I remember it and I pray to God that one day she can FINALLY forget it.
Linella Gordon: Look, times change, people change but there's no need to bring up all that !
Willona: "ALL THAT ?!!!" What about ALL THIS ?!!! I mean, you come in here settin' me up to look like some kind a gangster !"
Linella Gordon: Okay, I'm sorry, that was unfortunate.....but I needed insurance just in case you wanna take this thing to court
Willona: (scoffs) Behind you're trying to frame me, you better BELIEVE we're taking it court and I'll tell you something else, young lady, your plan ain't gonna work because I have too many people to vouch for me: people at my church, where I work and this whole neighborhood !"
Linella Gordon: And I've got a dozen pictures & witnesses that will swear that you were throwing a WILD party in the presence of a minor, now you add that to an uptown lawyer and tell me WHO the judge is gonna believe !!! Come on now, Miss Woods, can't we just talk thing out, woman to woman ???"
Willona: That depends.....WHAT woman is gonna talk to YOU ?!!!"
Linella Gordon: DAMMIT, didn't you see the look in that kid's eyes? She wants to come home with me, it's all those expensive gifts, the tape recorder and the $2500 brass bed !!! Now, what could you POSSIBLY offer to top that?
Willona: Love. And you?
Linella Gordon: I'm here, aren't I?
Willona: So Is the garbage !.
(After Mrs. Gordon tries to attack Penny because she wouldn't hand over the tape recorder as Willona jumps in to stop her)
Willona: HOLD IT (slams Linella against the wall) !!! Now, are you going to tell me that all your violence is still in the past ?!!!
(When Penny offers Mrs. Gordon the tape recorder)
Penny: Here....I don't want it.
Willona: Penny, baby, we need that for evidence.
Penny: It doesn't matter! (starts to cry) No matter what the court says, no matter what she says, no matter what anyone says, I'll always be with you, Mama! (hugs Willona)

Goofs[]

While it's true that Penny's tape recorder picked up her mother's confession to setting up the sting operation, it also picked up Willona threatening to "break (Mrs. Gordon)'s neck". This could have gotten Willona in trouble if she attempted to use the recording as evidence against Penny's mother, as it was essentially a threat of malicious wounding (formerly manslaughter) if not murder, which is a felony. But, by the same token, Willona also had Jeffrey as a witness to Linella trying to attack Penny to get the recorder in case it went that far.
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