List of Mama's Family episodes
Below is a list of episodes for the 1980s television sitcom Mama's Family.
Series overview
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired | Network | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13 | January 22, 1983 | May 7, 1983 | NBC | |
| 2 | 22 | September 29, 1983 | April 7, 1984 | ||
| 3 | 25 | September 27, 1986 | March 28, 1987 | Syndicated | |
| 4 | 25 | September 26, 1987 | March 26, 1988 | ||
| 5 | 25 | November 5, 1988 | May 27, 1989 | ||
| 6 | 20 | September 23, 1989 | February 24, 1990 | ||
Episodes
Season 1 (1983)
Vicki Lawrence, Ken Berry, Dorothy Lyman, Eric Brown, Karin Argoud, Rue McClanahan, Carol Burnett, Harvey Korman, and Betty White appear in this season.
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Vint and the Kids Move In" | Roger Beatty, Harvey Korman | Jenna McMahon, Dick Clair | January 22, 1983 | 7004 |
| Vinton Harper, Mama's only son, drops by to announce that he and his children, Buzz and Sonja, have been evicted from their house. He is hoping they can stay with Mama until he gets back on his feet. Against the wishes of her sister and roommate Fran, Mama agrees. Vinton is also reunited with Naomi Oates, his high school crush and Mama's next-door neighbor. | ||||||
| 2 | 2 | "For Better or for Worse" | Harvey Korman, Roger Beatty | Liz Sage, Rick Hawkins | January 29, 1983 | 7005 |
| Mama becomes overcome with anger after Vinton and Naomi spend the night together, and learns that the couple plan on marriage, a move to Arizona, and running a trailer park. | ||||||
| 3 | 3 | "The Wedding: Part 1" | Harvey Korman, Roger Beatty | Liz Sage, Rick Hawkins | February 5, 1983 | 7006 |
| Mama's daughter Eunice overhears Mama, Fran, and her sister Ellen gossip about how having her sing at Vinton's wedding would ruin the ceremony. In revenge, Eunice tells Ellen that her husband Bruce is cheating on her, and that the others knew all along. | ||||||
| 4 | 4 | "The Wedding: Part 2" | Harvey Korman, Roger Beatty | Dorothy Van, Jim Evering | February 12, 1983 | 7007 |
| Naomi allows Eunice to sing at her wedding, and Eunice is overjoyed until she learns that Mama gave Vinton her father's sapphire ring. Eunice then gets drunk and throws a tantrum at the wedding. Later, the newlyweds and their children leave for Arizona, only to immediately return upon discovering their business deal was a scam that cost them all their money. | ||||||
| 5 | 5 | "Family Feud" | Harvey Korman, Roger Beatty | Gene Perret | February 19, 1983 | 7013 |
| Vinton takes the family on the game show Family Feud (with Richard Dawson), so they can attempt to win $10,000. | ||||||
| 6 | 6 | "Cellmates" | Roger Beatty, Harvey Korman | Jenna McMahon, Dick Clair | February 26, 1983 | 7008 |
| Mama, Vinton, and Ed throw Eunice a surprise birthday party at the Bigger Jigger, a local bar. The party soon turns ugly when Eunice spots a picture of her high school crush, Duke Reeves, and Vinton accidentally reveals that Mama turned Duke away from the house years ago. The subsequent ruckus causes Eunice and Mama to both be arrested and spend the evening in a jail cell. | ||||||
| 7 | 7 | "Mama Gets a Job" | Harvey Korman, Roger Beatty | Story: Don Emerson King Teleplay: Gene Perret | March 5, 1983 | 7012 |
| After learning that Aunt Effie has gotten a job as a filing clerk at the courthouse, Mama gets a job as a secretary at the Raytown Travel Agency and must juggle learning how to use an office phone, dealing with customers, and being interrupted by phone calls from her overdependent relatives. | ||||||
| 8 | 8 | "Double Standard" | Roger Beatty, Harvey Korman | Rich Orloff | March 12, 1983 | 7011 |
| Buzz and Sonja are getting ready for their high school's homecoming dance. Sonja gets angry at Vinton for giving her younger brother a later curfew because he is a boy. | ||||||
| 9 | 9 | "Mama's Boyfriend" | Roger Beatty, Harvey Korman | Gary Jacobs | March 19, 1983 | 7010 |
| Mama has a date with her old beau Woody, whom she has not seen in 40 years, and they both decide to spend the weekend together out of town, against the wishes of her family. | ||||||
| 10 | 10 | "Fran's Dress" | Roger Beatty, Harvey Korman | Dorothy Van, Jim Evering, Jerry Ross | March 26, 1983 | 7003 |
| Fran asks Mama to iron her new dress so she can wear it to an awards banquet that evening. Unfortunately, Mama accidentally burns the dress, and she and Ellen must race to the store to find a replacement before Fran returns home. | ||||||
| 11 | 11 | "Alien Marriage" | Roger Beatty | Dorothy Van, Jim Evering | April 2, 1983 | 7002 |
| In this flashback episode set prior to marrying Naomi, Vinton's shady friend, Claude Canemaker, offers him $1600 in a marriage for money scheme to a girl from Portugal so she can stay in the country, and for Claude to collect a $400 "finder's fee." Mama decides she must break up the wedding after her neighbor Naomi informs her that it's illegal. | ||||||
| 12 | 12 | "Positive Thinking" | Roger Beatty, Harvey Korman | Dorothy Van, Jim Evering | April 30, 1983 | 7009 |
| Eunice, who is particularly upset over how her life is going lately, starts listening to a positive-thinking tape. Her outlook is transformed, and her new-found optimism and self-confidence allow her to get a role in a local play. However, after being pushed around by both Mama and a scene-stealing actress, her cheeriness quickly fades. (Note: this was Harvey Korman's final appearance as "Ed", although he continued to play host "Alistair Quince" at the opening of the show through the end of Season 2. These openings were edited out when the show was put into syndication.) | ||||||
| 13 | 13 | "Mama's Silver" | Roger Beatty, Jenna McMahon | Liz Sage, Rick Hawkins | May 7, 1983 | 7001 |
| In another flashback episode, Vinton gets a call from his ne'er-do-well friend Claude, who needs $250 to post bail, and Vinton secretly pawns Mama's silver when no one will lend him the money. | ||||||
Season 2 (1983–84)
Vicki Lawrence, Ken Berry, Dorothy Lyman, Eric Brown, Karin Argoud, Rue McClanahan, Carol Burnett, and Betty White appear in this season.
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | 1 | "Flaming Forties" | Harvey Korman, Roger Beatty | Dorothy Van, Jim Evering | September 29, 1983 | 210 |
| Buzz and Sonja organize a dance to raise money for a gymnasium. They choose a 1940's theme, inspired by items in Mama's attic, but the school committee chooses a punk rock theme instead. However, when the band gets arrested before the dance, Mama steps in to save the day with the originally planned theme. | ||||||
| 15 | 2 | "The Return of Leonard Oates" | Harvey Korman,br> Roger Beatty | Rick Hawkins, Liz Sage | October 13, 1983 | 203 |
| Naomi's second husband, Leonard Oates (Jerry Reed), returns to town. He is now wealthy, and wants Naomi to go away with him to Florida. | ||||||
| 16 | 3 | "Country Club" | Harvey Korman, Roger Beatty | Gene Perret | October 20, 1983 | 204 |
| Ellen announces she is being awarded Raytown's "Woman of the Year" at the Raytown Country Club. However, she is not aware that Mayor Tutwiller has invited Mama's family to the event as a surprise. Mama, Vinton, and Naomi arrive at the country club and embarrass Ellen with their crude behavior. | ||||||
| 17 | 4 | "Naomi and the Stork" | Harvey Korman, Roger Beatty | Katherine Green | October 27, 1983 | 209 |
| Naomi is ailing and all signs point to her being pregnant. At first this causes friction in the household: Fran is concerned about losing even more space, and no one wants to give up their room for the baby. However, while Naomi is waiting for the pregnancy test results, the whole family comes together in support. | ||||||
| 18 | 5 | "Rashomama" | Roger Beatty, Dick Martin | Dorothy Van, Liz Sage, Rick Hawkins, Jim Evering | November 3, 1983 | 206 |
| Mama is in the hospital, having been hit in the head with a stew pot. Vinton asks how it happened, and in flashbacks, Naomi, Ellen, and Eunice each tell a different account. (Note: this was Carol Burnett's final appearance in the series although in "Mama's Birthday", Burnett can be heard singing Happy Birthday to Mama on the telephone.) | ||||||
| 19 | 6 | "Obscene Call" | Roger Beatty, Harvey Korman | Roger Beatty | November 10, 1983 | 211 |
| After Naomi starts receiving obscene telephone calls, Mama, Fran and Vinton initially suggest it is Naomi's fault because of her clothes and personality, but they quickly realize how indiscriminate the caller is while Naomi is away. | ||||||
| 20 | 7 | "Ellen's Boyfriend" | Roger Beatty, Harvey Korman | Jim Parker | November 17, 1983 | 212 |
| Ellen starts dating a much younger man named Glen, and hides him from her family due to their differences in age. Meanwhile, Vinton wins a dinner for four... at the restaurant where Ellen and Glen are dining that evening. | ||||||
| 21 | 8 | "Aunt Gert Rides Again" | Roger Beatty, Dick Martin | Phillip Jayson Lasker, Gene Perret | December 1, 1983 | 208 |
| Mama's cousin Gert (Imogene Coca), who was once a spirited and vivacious woman, is now in a nursing home that has left her sedate and lifeless. Mama attempts to reinvigorate her and the fellow residents at Gert's birthday party. | ||||||
| 22 | 9 | "Amateur Night" | Roger Beatty, Dick Martin | Dorothy Van, Jim Evering | December 8, 1983 | 207 |
| Mama, Fran, and Naomi persuade Vinton to enter a talent contest at the Bigger Jigger. His song and dance routine wins the contest, and gets him invited back to perform. Vint's success causes his ego to grow substantially, and in the process he offends his family. | ||||||
| 23 | 10 | "The Mama Who Came to Dinner" | Roger Beatty, Harvey Korman | Liz Sage, Rick Hawkins | December 22, 1983 | 202 |
| Vinton and Naomi invite their friends over for a dinner party while the rest of the family goes to the movies, but before the guests arrive, Mama's back goes out and she has to lay on the living room floor all evening from where she makes certain everyone shares in her pain. | ||||||
| 24 | 11 | "Mama Learns to Drive" | Roger Beatty, Harvey Korman | Liz Sage, Rick Hawkins | January 7, 1984 | 215 |
| The family attempts to teach Mama to drive, but all the attempts fail due to her snarky attitude. However, when she gets a call from Niedermeyer's informing her she must come down to purchase a hat she placed on hold or it will be sold, Mama quickly changes her attitude toward driving when no one is around to take her. | ||||||
| 25 | 12 | "Black Belt Mama" | Roger Beatty, Harvey Korman | Jim Evering, Dorothy Van | January 14, 1984 | 216 |
| Naomi is taking a self-defense class, and she talks Fran and Sonja into going. After Mama is mugged by a purse-snatcher, she decides to join, too. | ||||||
| 26 | 13 | "Mama Buys a Car" | Roger Beatty, Harvey Korman | Philip Jayson Lasker | January 21, 1984 | 217 |
| Mama buys a used car from shifty Willie Potts, a childhood friend of Vinton's. Unfortunately, the car turns out to be a self-destructing lemon, and Mama must now fight for a refund from the sleazy car dealer. Fred Willard guest stars. | ||||||
| 27 | 14 | "Supermarket" | Roger Beatty, Harvey Korman | Gene Perret | February 4, 1984 | 218 |
| After causing a ruckus at the Food Circus where Naomi works, the manager offers Mama a job as a customer consultant, stationed beside Naomi's checkout counter. | ||||||
| 28 | 15 | "No Room at the Inn" | Roger Beatty, Harvey Korman | Katherine Green | February 11, 1984 | 219 |
| For their first wedding anniversary, Vinton reserves a room at an out-of-town adult motel for two days and one night. However, when Mama's visit to Aunt Effie is cut short and Mama storms out on her, Vint and Naomi's room in the sold-out motel is the only place where Mama can stay. | ||||||
| 29 | 16 | "Mama for Mayor: Part 1" | Roger Beatty, Harvey Korman | Gene Perret | February 18, 1984 | 220 |
| When Mama ridicules Mayor Tutwiller at a re-election press conference at Mama's house arranged by Ellen, he challenges her to run against him, and she does. This leads to tireless campaigning, a debate, and Ellen's attempts to stop Mama from running for office. | ||||||
| 30 | 17 | "Mama for Mayor: Part 2" | Roger Beatty, Harvey Korman | Fred Rubin | February 25, 1984 | 221 |
| After winning the office of mayor, Mama soon discovers that she is not prepared for the job. Her first council meeting goes awry; garbage men, transit workers and police go on strike, and the entire town turns against her. | ||||||
| 31 | 18 | "Harper Versus Harper" | Roger Beatty, Harvey Korman | Ed Burnham, Elaine Newman | March 10, 1984 | 213 |
| Mama vacuums her living-room rug with Naomi's new vacuum cleaner. After unknowingly running over Naomi's misplaced keychain, the vacuum malfunctions and burns a hole in the rug. Mama and Naomi decide to settle their fight in small claims court. | ||||||
| 32 | 19 | "Mama's Birthday" | Roger Beatty, Harvey Korman | Jim Evering, Dorothy Van | March 17, 1984 | 214 |
| All Mama wants for her birthday is for someone to help her clean out the attic, so Buzz helps her. While they work, he asks her to tell him about her 30th birthday party. In a flashback, she recalls how everything went wrong that day. | ||||||
| 33 | 20 | "Mama Cries Uncle" | Harvey Korman, Roger Beatty | Rick Hawkins, Liz Sage | March 24, 1984 | 222 |
| Mama's brother-in-law, Roy Harper, shows up to visit his brother Carl, not knowing he was deceased. Vinton asks Uncle Roy to stay for a while. Roy charms the entire family, except for Mama who has mixed feelings about her brother-in-law. | ||||||
| 34 | 21 | "Ask Aunt Fran" | Harvey Korman, Roger Beatty | Dorothy Van, Jim Evering | March 31, 1984 | 205 |
| Fran gets a job as an advice columnist, but does not know what to say until Mama gives her the answers. | ||||||
| 35 | 22 | "A Grave Mistake" | Harvey Korman, Roger Beatty | Gene Perret | April 7, 1984 | 201 |
| Mama visits Carl's grave, and is upset to discover that another woman is buried next to him in Mama's reserved plot. (Note: this was Eric Brown's, Karin Argoud's, and Rue McClanahan's final appearance in the series.) | ||||||
Season 3 (1986–87)
Vicki Lawrence, Ken Berry, Dorothy Lyman, Beverly Archer, Allan Kayser, and Betty White appear in this season.
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36 | 1 | "Farewell, Frannie" | Dave Powers | Rick Hawkins | September 27, 1986 | 302 |
| Two years later. Fran has just died of "natural causes," and Mama is determined to give her late sister something she never had, a "perfect day." But things soon turn from perfect to terrible as one disaster after another strikes. To add to the aggravation of the day, Mama's grandson Bubba is unexpectedly released from juvenile hall, to her guardianship. (Note: this episode marked the introduction of Beverly Archer and Allan Kayser as series regulars. This was also the last mention of Buzz and Sonja in the series.) | ||||||
| 37 | 2 | "Where There's a Will" | Dave Powers | Kenny Millerick, Shelley Ross | October 4, 1986 | 303 |
| The executor of Fran's will informs the family that Fran was worth $35,000. However, in order to receive the money, Fran's will stipulates that Mama must not lose her temper for a period of two weeks. (Note: Beverly Archer does not appear in this episode). | ||||||
| 38 | 3 | "Best Medicine" | Dave Powers | Rick Hawkins | October 11, 1986 | 305 |
| Ellen stops by with a gift for Mama and attempts to apologize for missing Aunt Fran's funeral; Mama refuses to forgive her and throws her out. Later, Mama learns that Ellen is in the hospital. (Note: this was Betty White's final appearance in the series.) | ||||||
| 39 | 4 | "National Mama" | Dave Powers | Jim Evering | October 18, 1986 | 304 |
| When Mama's dreams start providing the names of winning horses, the family figures they're in the money. (Note: Beverly Archer does not appear in this episode). | ||||||
| 40 | 5 | "Soup to Nuts" | Dave Powers | M.J. Cody, Chuck Bulot | October 25, 1986 | 301 |
| Mama, Iola and Naomi decide to have to a chili cook-off (with Vinton as judge), with the winner getting her recipe in the church bazaar cookbook. | ||||||
| 41 | 6 | "Mama and Dr. Brothers" | Dave Powers | Tom Perew, Ann Elder | November 1, 1986 | 309 |
| Vinton and Naomi are having trouble in the bedroom, and special guest Dr. Joyce Brothers takes Naomi's desperate phone call live on the air of the local TV station, prompting chaos in Mama's house. | ||||||
| 42 | 7 | "Cat's Meow" | Dave Powers | Dorothy Van | November 8, 1986 | 307 |
| Iola is distraught when her cat dies, although everyone else is thankful. However, she refuses to let go and nothing can console her - until she decides to have the cat freeze-dried. | ||||||
| 43 | 8 | "The Love Letter" | Dave Powers | Jim Evering | November 15, 1986 | 311 |
| After Naomi learns from a magazine quiz that Vinton is "unromantic," Bubba writes a love letter for Vinton to give to Naomi. However, a series of misunderstandings leads Naomi to believe the letter is from Bubba, and also leads Mama and Iola to believe that the letter was meant for them. | ||||||
| 44 | 9 | "An Ill Wind" | Dave Powers | Rick Hawkins | November 22, 1986 | 308 |
| In this Thanksgiving episode, Mama, Bubba, Vinton, Naomi, Iola, and Aunt Effie (Dorothy Van) all go for cover in the basement when an unexpected tornado passes by Raytown. | ||||||
| 45 | 10 | "Steal One, Pearl Two" | Dave Powers | M.J. Cody, Chuck Bulot | November 29, 1986 | 310 |
| After Iola loses her string of pearls, she is quick to accuse Bubba, who comes home with a brand new drum set. | ||||||
| 46 | 11 | "Where There's Smoke" | Dave Powers | Rick Hawkins | December 6, 1986 | 313 |
| When Mama makes a bid to be President of the Church Ladies' League, she decides she must charm Reverend Meechum and his critical wife, Alberta, by inviting them over to dinner. However, her dinner with the Reverend does not go as planned when an escapee from juvenile hall makes an unexpected appearance. (Note: Beverly Archer does not appear in this episode.) Guest Yeardley Smith. | ||||||
| 47 | 12 | "Fly Naomi" | Dave Powers | Sara V. Finney, Vida Spears | December 13, 1986 | 306 |
| Unhappy with the rut she's gotten into, Naomi decides to attend school to train as a flight attendant, much to the chagrin of the family. | ||||||
| 48 | 13 | "Santa Mama" | Dave Powers | Jim Evering | December 20, 1986 | 316 |
| Mama's holiday depression affects the family, and Vinton is asked to portray Santa Claus at the mall on Christmas Eve. However, when Vinton loses his voice, a reluctant Mama must fill in for him. | ||||||
| 49 | 14 | "Desperately Seeking Anyone" | Dave Powers | Neil Lebowitz | January 10, 1987 | 314 |
| Mama and Naomi's plan to find a date for Iola backfires when the date is more interested in Mama. | ||||||
| 50 | 15 | "Porn Again" | Dave Powers | Tom Perew, Ann Elder | January 17, 1987 | 315 |
| When Mama finds a pornographic magazine under Bubba's bed, she is shocked to learn that Naomi accidentally sold it to him. This causes her to form a coalition called MOP (Mothers Opposing Pornography), and lead a boycott of Food Circus. | ||||||
| 51 | 16 | "Have It Mama's Way" | Dave Powers | Rick Hawkins | January 24, 1987 | 317 |
| When Mama tries to raise money for a trip to Hawaii, the manager of a local burger joint that Bubba has applied to offers Mama a job as well. | ||||||
| 52 | 17 | "Birthright" | Dave Powers | Dorothy Van | January 31, 1987 | 318 |
| An anonymous letter convinces Vinton that he's adopted, so he sets out to find his biological mother... on Mother's Day. | ||||||
| 53 | 18 | "Grandma USA" | Dave Powers | Gene Perret | February 7, 1987 | 312 |
| Mama is surprised to learn she was entered in the Grandma USA contest by Bubba. She is at first reluctant to compete, but changes her mind when she finds out the grand prize is a dream kitchen, complete with a self-cleaning oven. | ||||||
| 54 | 19 | "Buck Private Bubba" | Dave Powers | Neil Lebowitz | February 14, 1987 | 321 |
| Vinton's former Army Sergeant comes to town and recruits Bubba, who enlists after his girlfriend breaks up with him, much to Mama's displeasure. | ||||||
| 55 | 20 | "Mama's Cousin" | Dave Powers | Rick Hawkins | February 21, 1987 | 320 |
| Mama's worldly cousin (Vicki Lawrence in a dual role) annoys Mama with her lifestyle and her never-ending stories. (Note: Dorothy Lyman does not appear in this episode.) | ||||||
| 56 | 21 | "Mama with the Golden Arm" | Dave Powers | Jim Evering | February 28, 1987 | 322 |
| Mama emerges as a contender in an arm-wrestling competition and goes up against a biker's equally tough mother. | ||||||
| 57 | 22 | "It Takes Two to Watusi" | Dave Powers | M.J. Cody, Chuck Bulot | March 7, 1987 | 323 |
| Naomi sets up her divorced best friend Luann for a double date with her and Vinton to play miniature golf. But Luann's date cancels, and Naomi suggests that Bubba could be a last-minute stand-in, much to Luann's delight and Mama's disapproval. | ||||||
| 58 | 23 | "Fangs a Lot, Mama" | Dave Powers | M.J. Cody, Chuck Bulot | March 14, 1987 | 319 |
| Vinton has been invited to join the Mystical Order of the Cobra, a local men's club. After Mama attempts to sabotage his induction, it is up to her to save Vinton from humiliating himself during the ceremony. | ||||||
| 59 | 24 | "The Best Policy" | Dave Powers | Jim Evering | March 21, 1987 | 325 |
| After Vinton announces that Naomi is the sole beneficiary of his life insurance policy, he starts having a series of near-fatal accidents, prompting suspicions by Mama and Iola. | ||||||
| 60 | 25 | "After the Fall" | Dave Powers | Rick Hawkins | March 28, 1987 | 324 |
| After Aunt Effie falls off the roof of her house, Mama brings her to the house, determined to aid in her recovery. Meanwhile, Vinton, Naomi, Bubba, and Iola work together on a 2000-piece puzzle. | ||||||
Season 4 (1987–88)
Vicki Lawrence, Ken Berry, Dorothy Lyman, Beverly Archer, and Allan Kayser star in this season.
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 61 | 1 | "Educating Mama" | Dave Powers | Neil Lebowitz | September 26, 1987 | 402 |
| Bubba and Mama both begin night school; Bubba must attend in order to graduate, and Mama attends because she never got her diploma. However, the first assignment reminds Mama of the reason she dropped out of school to begin with. | ||||||
| 62 | 2 | "Zirconias Are a Girl's Best Friend" | Dave Powers | Rick Hawkins | October 3, 1987 | 401 |
| When Mama becomes addicted to TV home shopping, her family must intervene when the credit card bill arrives. | ||||||
| 63 | 3 | "The Key to the Crime" | Dave Powers | Dorothy Van | October 10, 1987 | 404 |
| A burglar known as the Courteous Crook is robbing and subsequently cleaning homes all over Raytown. When Vinton is accused of being the Crook, Mama and Iola set out to find the real culprit. | ||||||
| 64 | 4 | "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" | Dave Powers | Jim Evering | October 17, 1987 | 410 |
| Vinton and Naomi are separated, yet living in the same house, and driving Mama crazy in the process. | ||||||
| 65 | 5 | "A Big Hand for Mama" | Dave Powers | Jim Evering | October 24, 1987 | 406 |
| After a brush with death involving lightning and the courthouse clock's minute hand, Mama has a cheery and generous new outlook on life that her family quickly takes advantage of. | ||||||
| 66 | 6 | "Flounder's Day" | Dave Powers | Neil Lebowitz | October 31, 1987 | 409 |
| After being unfairly beat out 50 years ago, Mama finally has a chance to sing in the annual Founder's Day festival when an audition is held to find a new singer of the town anthem "Raytown, O Raytown". | ||||||
| 67 | 7 | "Teacher's Pet" | Dave Powers | Rick Hawkins | November 7, 1987 | 407 |
| Mama is smitten with her night school teacher, but she does not know how to get his attention... so she turns to Iola and Naomi for help. | ||||||
| 68 | 8 | "Child's Play" | Dave Powers | Danny Kallis | November 14, 1987 | 408 |
| Reverend and Mrs. Meechum ask Mama to look after their unruly grandson, Eugene, for the day. However, the little monster proves to be very difficult to handle, even for disciplinarian Mama. | ||||||
| 69 | 9 | "Mama Mania" | Dave Powers | Neil Lebowitz | November 21, 1987 | 416 |
| Didi, an old friend of Naomi's and a professional wrestler, talks Naomi into being a last-minute substitute for her ailing tag-team partner for a match. When Mama accidentally knocks Didi out just before the match, Naomi and Mama have to wrestle against Didi's weighty opponents. | ||||||
| 70 | 10 | "Gift Horse" | Dave Powers | David Castro, Daphne Pollon | November 28, 1987 | 405 |
| Mama has a yard sale and tries to sell off Iola's gaudy homemade gifts, hoping to raise the money to buy a VCR. They have the sale while Iola's out of town, but she comes back sooner than expected. | ||||||
| 71 | 11 | "Workman's Holiday" | Dave Powers | Chuck Bulot, M.J. Cody | December 5, 1987 | 413 |
| When Mama embarrasses Vinton at work with the "Binky Bunny" lunchbox she made for him when he was a kid, she must find a way to cure him of his trauma before he loses his job. | ||||||
| 72 | 12 | "Mama Sees Red" | Dave Powers | Jim Geoghan | December 12, 1987 | 418 |
| A man from the State Department asks the Harpers to host a Russian national named Olga for one day, as part of "Project Heartland." Unfortunately, their actions persuade her to defect to America. | ||||||
| 73 | 13 | "A Room with No View" | Dave Powers | Chuck Bulot, M.J. Cody | December 19, 1987 | 403 |
| Vint and Naomi are tired of living in the basement, so they agree to switch rooms with Bubba. Everyone is happy with the new arrangement, except Mama. | ||||||
| 74 | 14 | "The Sins of the Mother" | Dave Powers | Jim Evering | January 9, 1988 | 420 |
| After Bubba comes home late and drunk, Mama is enraged and gives him an excessive punishment. He does not know why she is being so irrational, until Iola tells him (via flashback) about a similar incident involving Eunice when she was Bubba's age. | ||||||
| 75 | 15 | "A Friend Indeed" | Dave Powers | Dorothy Van | January 16, 1988 | 417 |
| When Iola starts spending all her time with a new friend named Arlene, the Harpers are relieved to be free of her, but Mama starts to get jealous of Iola's new friendship. | ||||||
| 76 | 16 | "I Do, I Don't" | Dave Powers | Rick Hawkins | January 23, 1988 | 411 |
| After attending a family wedding, Bubba, Mama, and Iola fantasize about what married life would be like with the objects of their affections. | ||||||
| 77 | 17 | "Mama Gets the Bird" | Dave Powers | Jim Evering | January 30, 1988 | 415 |
| After Uncle Oscar passes away, Mama is willed his gabby pet parrot. The bird then starts reciting verses in rhyme, which the family thinks are clues that will lead them to Oscar's rumored hidden treasure. | ||||||
| 78 | 18 | "Mama's Girls" | Dave Powers | Rick Hawkins | February 6, 1988 | 414 |
| Trying to get Aunt Effie to follow her doctor's advice and exercise leads Mama to start a senior citizens's tap-dancing troupe. | ||||||
| 79 | 19 | "Mama on Jeopardy!" | Dave Powers | Neil Lebowitz | February 13, 1988 | 423 |
| Mama finds herself competing on Jeopardy!. Alex Trebek appears as himself. | ||||||
| 80 | 20 | "Mama Goes Hawaiian: Part 1" | Dave Powers | Jim Evering | February 20, 1988 | 424 |
| After winning a trip to Hawaii on Jeopardy!, Mama and her family go on the trip, along with Iola. Iola and Bubba each find romance, Mama is pestered by a man she believes is a beach bum, and Naomi is confined to the hotel room with a terrible sunburn. | ||||||
| 81 | 21 | "Mama Goes Hawaiian: Part 2" | Dave Powers | Rick Hawkins | February 27, 1988 | 425 |
| Vinton plays a round of golf with three men who mistakenly believe that he is a stock market insider, and his "advice" actually causes them to triple their money. To thank him, they invite him and his family to a farewell party given by their corporate boss - the "beach bum" Mama has been trying to avoid. | ||||||
| 82 | 22 | "Bubba's Double Date" | Dave Powers | Chuck Bulot, M.J. Cody | March 5, 1988 | 421 |
| Wanda Lynn, Bubba's sexy date for the prom, stands him up at the last minute and Bubba cannot find anyone else. Without Bubba's knowledge, Mama sets him up with Iola's nerdy niece, Vernette. | ||||||
| 83 | 23 | "Bed and Breakdown" | Dave Powers | Phil Hahn, Jack Wohl | March 12, 1988 | 412 |
| When Raytown is crowded due to the Tri-State Fair, the Harpers decide to rent out a room in their house in order to make some money. However, they end up overbooking and needing to rent out three rooms, leading to chaos between all the houseguests. | ||||||
| 84 | 24 | "Naomi's Identity Crisis" | Dave Powers | Dorothy Van | March 19, 1988 | 422 |
| Naomi loses her memory after Mama accidentally hits her head with the door. When Naomi asks Mama what kind of person she used to be, Mama convinces her that she was the perfect daughter-in-law who loved to do housework. | ||||||
| 85 | 25 | "Pomp and Circumstance" | Dave Powers | Rick Hawkins | March 26, 1988 | 419 |
| Bubba and Mama are graduating from high school, but devastating news for Bubba forces Valedictorian Mama to ensure that she and Bubba and make it to the graduation ceremony in time. | ||||||
Season 5 (1988–89)
Vicki Lawrence (credited as Vicki Lawrence Schultz), Ken Berry, Dorothy Lyman, Beverly Archer, and Allan Kayser star in this season.
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 86 | 1 | "Ladies Choice" | Dave Powers | Jim Evering | November 5, 1988 | 502 |
| Mama campaigns to be re-elected President of the Church Ladies League, much to the disapproval of her nemesis Alberta Meechum who in turn nominates Iola to run against her. Mama and Iola have a political debate, which soon turns nasty. | ||||||
| 87 | 2 | "Baby Talk" | Dave Powers | Rick Hawkins | November 12, 1988 | 501 |
| Naomi decides that she wants to have a baby. Mama, who is determined to prevent this, arranges for a neighbor's constantly screaming baby to spend the day with Naomi and Vinton. | ||||||
| 88 | 3 | "Naomi's New Position" | Dave Powers | Dorothy Van | November 19, 1988 | 503 |
| Naomi hopes to become the new assistant manager at the store, but the new manager says that she will have to have an affair with him if she even wants to keep her current job. After hearing this, Mama decides to teach him a lesson. | ||||||
| 89 | 4 | "The Really Loud Family" | Dave Powers | Neil Lebowitz | November 26, 1988 | 504 |
| For a school project, Bubba makes a film about the Harper family. However, a short circuit in the camera causes it to turn itself off and on again while recording, resulting in an unintentionally provocative film — shown on public TV. | ||||||
| 90 | 5 | "Many Unhappy Returns" | Dave Powers | Dale Phillips | December 3, 1988 | 505 |
| Vinton's boss, Mr. Carstairs, asks Vint to hold a $200 diamond bracelet for him; it is an anniversary present for Mrs. Carstairs. Confusion ensues when Mama finds it, thinking it is her birthday present. | ||||||
| 91 | 6 | "Found Money" | Dave Powers | Rick Hawkins | December 10, 1988 | 506 |
| When Mama tries to use the bank's ATM, it malfunctions and gives her $800, and she is unsure whether to keep it or give it back to the bank. | ||||||
| 92 | 7 | "My Mama, Myself" | Dave Powers | Bill Braunstein, Sydney Blake | December 17, 1988 | 507 |
| When the family starts thinking about selling a brooch that belonged to Grandma Crowley, her ghost (played by Vicki Lawrence) starts haunting Mama. | ||||||
| 93 | 8 | "Full House" | Dave Powers | Jim Evering | January 7, 1989 | 508 |
| Vinton has a chance to join a local group called the Poker Pals, but he needs Mama to sit in for a missing player, a decision he soon comes to regret. | ||||||
| 94 | 9 | "Bedtime for Bubba" | Dave Powers | Rick Hawkins | January 14, 1989 | 510 |
| Mama suspects that Bubba and his female classmate are doing more than studying together, and she is determined to prove it. | ||||||
| 95 | 10 | "What a Dump" | Dave Powers | Beverly Archer | January 21, 1989 | 511 |
| The Mayor announces that the street where Mama lives will become the new city dump. She tries to start a petition to stop it, but everyone is looking forward to the money the town will pay them for their homes. It gets down to the wire as the Mayor has the wrecking ball in front of her house, but there is still a card up her sleeve; the founder of the town died in her house years before she and Carl bought the place. | ||||||
| 96 | 11 | "Mama Bell" | Dave Powers | Jim Evering | January 28, 1989 | 512 |
| When the family gets a phone answering machine, Mama misinterprets messages left on it, thinking that the family is planning to get rid of her. | ||||||
| 97 | 12 | "Very Dirty Dancing" | Dave Powers | Jim Geoghan | February 4, 1989 | 509 |
| Mama finds herself in a dance contest against Vinton and Naomi, partnered with her old friend Ramon. | ||||||
| 98 | 13 | "Mama's Layaway Plan" | Dave Powers | Dale Phillips, Allison Silberberg | February 11, 1989 | 514 |
| After coming back from a cousin's funeral where she and Effie were the only mourners, Mama starts planning her own lavish send off. | ||||||
| 99 | 14 | "My Phony Valentine" | Dave Powers | Rick Hawkins | February 18, 1989 | 515 |
| It is Valentine's Day, and Mama falsely says she has a date so that Iola will feel free to go out. To support her lie, Mama orders an escort from "Rent-a-Gent." | ||||||
| 100 | 15 | "The Big Wheel" | Dave Powers | Neil Lebowitz | February 25, 1989 | 513 |
| When a lottery ticket seems to be the grand prize winner, Mama and Iola fight over whose it is. | ||||||
| 101 | 16 | "More Power to You" | Dave Powers | Bill Braunstein, Sydney Blake | March 4, 1989 | 516 |
| Mama tells the electric company that there is a mistake on her bill and she refuses to pay it, so they cut off her power. | ||||||
| 102 | 17 | "Mama in One" | Dave Powers | Jim Evering | March 11, 1989 | 517 |
| When Mama finds herself alone in the house all weekend after Iola, Bubba, Vinton, and Naomi leave town, it seems like a dream come true — until boredom and loneliness set in. | ||||||
| 103 | 18 | "There's No Place Like... No Place" | Dave Powers | Dorothy Van | March 25, 1989 | 519 |
| When the police arrest people at a rally for the homeless, Mama is accidentally arrested, too. | ||||||
| 104 | 19 | "April Fools" | Dave Powers | Dale Phillips | April 1, 1989 | 518 |
| Every April Fool's Day, the family plays tricks on Mama, and even Iola joins in. This year, however, Mama plans to play one on them. | ||||||
| 105 | 20 | "Reading the Riot Act" | Dave Powers | Rick Hawkins | April 15, 1989 | 520 |
| Lollie Purdue is doing a terrible job as President of the Church Ladies's League, and Mama plans to have her impeached. (Note: Dorothy Lyman does not appear in this episode.) | ||||||
| 106 | 21 | "A Taxing Situation" | Dave Powers | Neil Lebowitz | April 22, 1989 | 521 |
| Vinton and Naomi persuade Mama to make some creative deductions on her income tax form, but she then gets a visit from an IRS agent. | ||||||
| 107 | 22 | "The Mama of Invention" | Dave Powers | Alberta DaSilva, Kathryn Davison | May 6, 1989 | 522 |
| A man named Mr. Wheeler says he is interested in one of the Harper family's inventions, and asks for $800 in "good faith" money. Mama finds out that Wheeler is a con artist, and agrees to help the police bust him. | ||||||
| 108 | 23 | "Hate Thy Neighbor" | Dave Powers | Neil Lebowitz | May 13, 1989 | 523 |
| Bubba starts going out with the granddaughter of neighbor Fred Gebhart, which upsets Mama because of a long-standing feud between her and the Gebharts. | ||||||
| 109 | 24 | "Dependence Day" | Dave Powers | Jim Evering | May 20, 1989 | 524 |
| Taking Mama's advice, Iola finally stands up to her mother, only to be kicked out of her house and moves in with the Harpers. | ||||||
| 110 | 25 | "Mama Makes Three" | Dave Powers | Rick Hawkins | May 27, 1989 | 525 |
| After being told that they cannot conceive a child, Vint and Naomi try to adopt, but a psychiatrist asks to meet with them and Mama before granting his approval. | ||||||
Season 6 (1989–90)
Vicki Lawrence (credited as Vicki Lawrence Schultz), Ken Berry, Dorothy Lyman, Beverly Archer, and Allan Kayser star in this season.
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 111 | 1 | "Mama's Medicine Show" | Dave Powers | Jim Evering | September 23, 1989 | 601 |
| After reading about how much it costs to raise a child, Vint and Naomi decide to start a business selling bottles of Mama's mother-in-law's "miracle tonic." | ||||||
| 112 | 2 | "An Affair to Forget" | Dave Powers | Sydney Blake, Bill Braunstein | September 30, 1989 | 602 |
| Mama suspects that Vint is having an affair with his new trainee Heather, so she and Iola go to his workplace to investigate. | ||||||
| 113 | 3 | "Mr. Wrong" | Dave Powers | Neil Lebowitz | October 7, 1989 | 603 |
| Mama encourages Iola to find herself a man, but the man she finds turns out to be a domineering blowhard. | ||||||
| 114 | 4 | "Now Hear This" | Dave Powers | Dale Phillips | October 14, 1989 | 604 |
| The Harpers install an intercom so that Naomi will be able to monitor her baby, but Mama uses it to eavesdrop on the family, and vice versa. | ||||||
| 115 | 5 | "Tri-State's Most Wanted" | Dave Powers | Alberta DaSilva, Kathryn Davison | October 21, 1989 | 605 |
| Mama is attracted to actor Leslie Lemoyne, until she sees him on "Tri-State's Most Wanted" (the local version of America's Most Wanted), and believes that he is the infamous "widow waster". | ||||||
| 116 | 6 | "Mama Fights Back" | Dave Powers | George Mitchell, Aubrey Tadman | October 28, 1989 | 607 |
| Mama verbally attacks a radio show's unhelpful consumer advocate, and the station manager offers her his job, with Mama broadcasting from her living room. | ||||||
| 117 | 7 | "A Blast from the Past" | Dave Powers | Cindy Begel, Lesa Kite | November 4, 1989 | 606 |
| Mama is invited to her junior high school's 50th reunion, but she is reluctant to go because of a false rumor that was spread about her years ago that earned her the nickname "Hotpants" | ||||||
| 118 | 8 | "Psychic Pheno-Mama" | Dave Powers | Jim Evering | November 11, 1989 | 608 |
| Vinton and Naomi persuade Mama to have a psychic called "Madame Rita" give everyone readings. At first, Mama is surprised by the psychic's ability, but later sets out to expose the phony medium. | ||||||
| 119 | 9 | "Take My Mama, Please!" | Dave Powers | Jim Geoghan | November 18, 1989 | 609 |
| After heckling a stand-up comedian at the Bigger Jigger, Mama accepts a challenge to do a routine of her own. | ||||||
| 120 | 10 | "Bubba's House Band" | Dave Powers | Manny Basanese | November 25, 1989 | 611 |
| Bubba books a band called The Bonecrushers for homecoming, and tells the family that the band will be staying with them. They turn out to be an all-female heavy metal band, and Mama must rein them in. | ||||||
| 121 | 11 | "Mama Takes Stock" | Dave Powers | Neil Lebowitz | December 2, 1989 | 610 |
| Vinton learns that he is about to lose his job because Kwik Keys is being shut down by the new owners, a corporation called Bernice. When Bubba discovers that an old stock certificate Mama owns is now ten shares of Bernice, she sets out to save Vinton's job. | ||||||
| 122 | 12 | "War of the Roses" | Dave Powers | Dale Phillips | December 9, 1989 | 612 |
| Mama and Iola are preparing for the Crystal Thorn flower contest, and Iola is angry to find that Mama's flowers have cross-pollinated with one of hers, producing a pink-and-white hybrid. At first neither of them wants it, but when floral expert Mayjune Beasley tells Mama that it could win the award, both Iola and Mama claim ownership. | ||||||
| 123 | 13 | "Mama Takes a Dive" | Dave Powers | Dorothy Van | December 16, 1989 | 613 |
| When Mama slips on a roll of pennies in the bank, the family suggests that she sue the bank. To this end, she hires a sleazy lawyer Settlement Sam and fakes serious injuries. | ||||||
| 124 | 14 | "Mama Gets Goosed" | Dave Powers | Jim Evering | December 23, 1989 | 614 |
| Mama's cousin sends her a live goose for her family's Christmas dinner, and everyone except Mama is against the idea of killing and cooking the bird. | ||||||
| 125 | 15 | "The Big Nap" | Dave Powers | Manny Basanese | January 20, 1990 | 616 |
| After watching detective movies on TV for a week, and hearing that Iola's mother is missing, Mama dreams that she is a film noir-style detective hired to find her client's mother. | ||||||
| 126 | 16 | "Pinup Mama" | Dave Powers | Alberta DaSilva, Kathryn Davison | January 27, 1990 | 617 |
| While working on a photography project, Bubba makes a picture of a young bikini-clad woman with Mama's head, as a joke. However, this picture is accidentally added to a flyer that is handed out to get elderly men to attend a church dance. | ||||||
| 127 | 17 | "Guess Who's Going to Dinner" | Dave Powers | Sydney Blake, Bill Braunstein | February 3, 1990 | 615 |
| Vint wins a Mother's Day dinner for two at a North African (Moroccan) restaurant called Abdul's Garden of Eating. As a result, Mama and Naomi fight over which of them Vinton should take. | ||||||
| 128 | 18 | "Look Who's Breathing" | Dave Powers | Dale Phillips | February 10, 1990 | 618 |
| Naomi and Vinton are taking a childbirth class. When Vint is called in to work, Mama has to go to class with Naomi instead of going to the Bingo Bonanza with Iola, so an impatient Mama creates chaos by trying to speed things along and offering her own perspective on the "miracle of birth". | ||||||
| 129 | 19 | "There Is Nothing Like the Dames" | Dave Powers | Dorothy Van | February 17, 1990 | 619 |
| Vinton and Naomi buy an RV and plan to move to a trailer park; however, they are unable to start the vehicle once it is in the driveway. Meanwhile, Mama is planning to host a fancy backyard luncheon for an snooty society group called the Dames. | ||||||
| 130 | 20 | "Bye-Bye – Baby!" | Dave Powers | Jim Evering | February 24, 1990 | 620 |
| When Naomi is upset about her baby being late, Mama tries to calm her down with a false story about Carl. Mama tells Iola what really happened (both the false and true versions are seen in flashback, with Carl played by Ken Berry). Later that day, Naomi goes into labor and Mama ends up delivering her baby girl, Tiffany Thelma Harper. | ||||||
External links
- Mama's Family at TV.com
- List of Mama's Family episodes at the Internet Movie Database
- Eunice at the Internet Movie Database
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