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"Rich is Better Than Poor...Maybe?"
Season 4, Episode 10
Number (#71) in series (133 episodes)
Tape date September 2, 1976
Air date: December 8, 1976
Network/Country: CBS-TV / United States
Written by: Allan Mannings & Norman Paul
Directed by: Gerren Keith
Production code: 410
IMDb logo IMDB Rich is Better Than Poor...Maybe?
Cast Information
Starring: Esther Rolle
Jimmie Walker
Ja'net Dubois
Bern Nadette Stanis
Ralph Carter
Guest starring: Tamu Blackwell
Shirley Hemphill
James Wheaton
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Rich is Better Than Poor...Maybe is the tenth episode of Season 4 of Good Times, and also the seventy-first series episode overall. Written by Allan Mannings and Norman Paul, the episode, which was directed by Gerren Keith, premiered on CBS-TV, airing on December 8, 1976.

Synopsis[]

J.J. wins $2500 from the lottery, but a poor girl Thelma is tutoring and her sister later show up and demand the money at gunpoint.

Storyline[]

Florida and the kids all have lottery tickets and all hope to win big when the winning numbers are announced. Edna, a poor young girl on probation with an alcoholic mother whom Thelma is teaching to read and write, shows up for her lesson.

Willona then comes over and gets Florida and the kids to turn on their television to hear the winning lottery numbers. JJ finds out he has a winning ticket and has won $2500. The Evans and Willona are elated and discuss plans for the money, but Florida finally decides that the money should go in the bank for future savings. Meanwhile, they all but ignore Edna, who leaves the apartment in anger. JJ and Florida then go deposit the money.

After Florida and JJ return, Edna and her sister Rozzie show up and both point guns at Florida and the kids and demand the money. Edna holds the kids hostage while Rozzie goes with Florida to the bank to ensure she withdraws the money. At the bank, as Florida is filling out the withdrawal slip, she asks Rozzie why she and her sister have to resort to crime and why she doesn't try to learn to read and write like Edna. Rozzie replies that she doesn't need to learn anything and that Edna is only taking a class because her probation officer ordered it. Rozzie can't read but notices Florida is writing more than is necessary on the slip (presumably to notify the bank security she is being forced to withdraw the money at gunpoint) and tears up the slip and forces Florida to fill out a new one.

Meanwhile, Edna is back at the apartment when Willona shows up. Edna forces Willona to stay and steals perfume from her purse. Florida and Rozzie return and the girls take the money, but begin arguing over how much each gets and exchanging insults. JJ then sneaks up and slaps the money out of Edna's hands. Edna drops her gun to retrieve the money, but Willona grabs it and detains the girls. Florida then tells Thelma to call the police.

Goofs[]

  • When Edna and Rozzie first entered the Evans' apartment, they both had guns. But, at the end, there's only one gun.

Guest starring[]

  • Tamu Blackwell as Edna Blackwell (as Tamu)
  • Shirley Hemphill as Rozzie
  • James Wheaton as Bank Manager
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