first and i will give my rating for the series overall while 7 out of ten star . i have take away three for the downhill slide this series suffer after john amos depart . don not get me wrong there be hard hit episode later but only after esther rolle leave for a season and return . in february of 1974 and a really great sit com ( with dramatic overtone ) premier on cbs . it be a tv first and a show about an african american family living in the chicago project in the 1970s . create by norman lear a a spin off of maude and he once again strike the right chord with viewer . not since this show have i see a situation comedy directly talk about the struggle of inner city family . ( well and there be fox south central in 94 but be not renew . ) john amos a james evans sr. be the ultimate father figure for this family and act a any father should to keep his family together and his kid from go down the wrong path in life . esther rolle be a wonderful no non sense mother figure who be on the same page a her husband when it come to their kid upbringing . ralph carter a michael a young but very bright young man for his age but stuck in a school system that doesn not meet his academic need . his character name be the same a the show founder mike evans who be lionel jefferson on the jefferson . ( mike evans pass away dec. 2006 ) . thelma be a young girl of 16 or 17 and have to deal with the danger of be a young woman in the street of the ghetto . jimmie walker a j. j. evans jr. be the typical young wise cracking and jive kind of young man who do not take life seriously enough . simply put and all my favorite episode be with john amos and with the exception of the penny gordon or janet jackson story line . after the demise of the james evans character and the show lose it stability and viewer depart . esther rolle leave for an entire year and not want to play second fiddle to jj smart aleck dyno mite . she return the next season and after secure a guarantee that the writer would even thing out . florida neighbor wilona wood be a divorced woman who end up adopt an abused little girl penny gordon ( play by a then 10 year old janet jackson ) . penny abusive mother be play by totie field and kim field mother . in august of 1979 the show come to an end and with all leave the project for a good life . jj the artist have sell an idea to a comic book company and michael go off to live on campus at college . wilona and penny and thelma and football player husband keith plus florida all move into the same building in uptown chicago . not the most realistic end but by that time it do not matter .