George, however, is a black bigot who is forced to share his life with bi-racial couple, Helen (Roxie Roker, late mother of rockstar, Lenny Kravitz) and husband Tom Willis (Franklin Cover) because son Lionel (Mike Evans) has married their daughter Jenny (Berlinda Tolbert). The series is spiced up by neighboring British intellectual Mr. Bentley and ever-looking-for-a-handout, Ralph the doorman.
The series begins with "The Announcement" where Lionel and Jenny announce to Jenny's parents that they are going to have a baby. They have doubts about telling the Jeffersons because of George's bi-racial "zebra" remarks about the baby. "The Expectant Father" shows Lionel's struggle accepting the responsibility of fatherhood. "Baby Love" focuses in on Florence Johnson, the unmarried housekeeper, who wears her biological clock like an explosive waiting to ignite. "The Arrival" is a two-part episode where Jenny goes into labor after a Lamaze session, with George as a substitute coach. It ends with the entrance of beautiful baby Jessica into the world as father Lionel rescues George from his Lamaze duties.
My favorite episode is "A Short Story" where bragadocious George is chosen as Mid-Town's Small Businessman of the Year. George is ecstatic until he discovers that every one of the businessmen is under 5'6". This is one of funniest episodes I've seen in ages, and it certainly stands right alongside the comedy of today.
There are still many episodes outside of babydom, some that center on social issues like suicide, pretentious high society, adult role setting, and orphaned children. Then there are just some zany episodes where Weezie (Louise) witnesses a possible murder by a Halloween costumed white rabbit, and one episode where Tom changes style and dialect to become the "brother" he thinks wife Helen would prefer.
The Jeffersons has stood the test of time and imitates the pros and cons of a strained white/black society. I think it is clean family comedy, but would caution that the major negative is the abrasive treatment George projects on the white and docile Bentley, Willis, and doorman Ralph.
