Based on a family living in the projects, Good Times was not a depressing sitcom, but a motivational, uplifting series concerning an African-American family who persevered in their conditions and turned bad times into “good” times. The positivity of the show is introduced in the opening song and continues through to the closing song.
On this day, February 8th, 1974, CBS TV debuts Good Times. As a spin-off from All in the Family, Good Times pioneered American television and broadcast the poor conditions of the working-class people, predominantly African-Americans. The show ran for five seasons and became the most watched show according to Nielsen ratings.
Good Times was one of the first sitcoms to show an African-American family with a strong male at the head of the household. It attacked poverty, unemployment, race, and addiction and served as a sort of role model for struggling families. However, CBS cancelled the show in 1979 due to the conflict between the Caucasian writers, who wanted to keep stereotypical views for the humor, and the show’s actors, who wanted to maintain the show’s positivity for the African-American community. Nonetheless, Good Times is a classic and is shelved in many homes via DVD.