The upcoming Good Times animated series has already been met with negative reactions. A trailer for the Norman Lear, Seth MacFarlane and Steph Curry-produced reboot for Netflix sparked online outrage.
CBS aired the original Good Times for six seasons from 1974 to 1979. The sitcom about a Black family living in a Chicago public housing project became a television classic.
The Hollywood Reporter contacted two members of the 1970s-era Good Times cast. John Amos starred as family patriarch James Evans. Bern Nadette Stanis portrayed James Evans’ daughter, Thelma Evans Anderson.
“I really can’t form an opinion, as I’ve not seen any of the episodes yet,” John Amos stated. The 84-year-old actor also wished the new Good Times the best but acknowledged it would be hard to reach the quality of the ’70s version.
Stars Of Original Good Times Make Cameos In Netflix Version
Bern Nadette Stanis confirmed she provided the voice for a character on the new Good Times. Additionally, Jimmie Walker, who played James “J.J.” Evans Jr. in the original, makes a cameo in the Netflix cartoon.
“I did a little voice for them, but I did not know it was going to be the way it is. I thought it was going to be different,” Bern Nadette Stanis said. She also added, “But I think that they did that because they knew what their show was going to be like. So I guess they figured, if you put us in there, it wouldn’t look so bad or whatever.”
Producer Parted Ways With Reboot Over Creative Differences
Carl Jones had a producer credit for Netflix’s Good Times, but the former The Boondocks producer distanced himself from the show. On March 28, Jones took to social media to announce he no longer works on the production.
“For the record, I was involved with the Good Times animated series in the very VERY beginning but due to creative differences, I had to walk away. So I haven’t even seen one episode or script of this version of the show,” Carl Jones tweeted.
Showrunner Compares Good Times To Other Animated Sitcoms
JB Smoove (Reggie Evans), Yvette Nicole Brown (Beverly Evans), Jay Pharoah (Junior Evans), Marsai Martin (Grey Evans), and Slink Johnson (Dalvin Evans) make up the voice cast for the animated Good Times. The series premieres April 12.
“It’s about a Black family that comes together, laughs together, and survives the system on the South Side of Chicago,” showrunner Ranada Shepard said about Good Times. “What you’ll get from that is a lot of social commentary, a lot of pushing the boundaries, a lot of feel-good television, but also a lot of things that may be in the vein of The Simpsons and South Park and Family Guy.“