What's Happening - which episode?
 

I know that several of the seasons are out now on DVD - I want to pick up the season that has the episode(s) where Roger's mother beats Roger with the belt at the end. Roger is crying for forgiveness, but Mrs. Thomas ain't havin' none of that!

I prefer the episodes that end dramatically, as opposed to most of the "fluff" episodes evident in the series.

IIRC, that was at the end of the 1st episode for sure, so you'd want the 1st season

Am I the only one who thought that the mother was one mean nasty woman? I remember watching the show when I was younger and she scared the crap out of me! I am not sure but I think the actress who played her past away along time ago. She was not in the spin-off show (What's Happening Now) so I assume she died soon after the first series ended..

I'm wondering which season they all went to the Doobie Bros concert and the tape recorder fell out of Reruns coat pocket and Rog asked "which Doobie may you be"?

If that is indeed the first ever episode, is that available anywhere other than the 1st Season Box set?

TV Land on cable, and satellite programming, just broadcast a two day marathon of all: What's Happening episodes this past weekend, including all of the episodes that were mentioned above in previous post, and I recorded both days. Beginning Monday November 7th, they will begin showing various of shows daily. Personally, I don't necessarily have to buy the DVDs now. :)

They just started running the show on TV Land this weekend with a marathon, so I would assume they would start airing the show tonight from the start. Set your Tivo!

Season 2 :-)

Was it just the first episode that ended with Roj getting a beating from his mother, or were there others?

Did Dee ever get a whuppin?

Mabel Thomas passed away in 1999. Her IMDB entry doesn't say why she wasn't in the reunion show.

I didn't realize it until I checked IMDB, Fred Barry quit the reunion show after the 1st season, because they wouldn't give him more money...

Thought it was strange. The show started in 1976. Ernest Thomas was 26. Fred Barry 25, Haywood Nelson 16. And they are all supposed to be in high school?

Actually, her name is Mabel King.

TVLand seems to always televise an old show that hits DVD at the same time.

I believe it was from kidney failure.

Yes, Mabel King died from Diabetes, and two other original casts from the show passed away as well. They are:

Fred Berry (Rerun) - from Diabetes, and
Shirley Hemphill (Shirley, The Waitress) - from Kidney Failure.

All three are greatly missed, but their shows will live on.

Oops. Yeah, I knew that. I was way tired last night and messed up, because that's "Raj's" last name.

Since this seems to be becoming more about the show I'm moving it to TVtalk.

Well and you may also be mixing the memory of her character on this show with her role as Evillene, the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wiz. (She also originated this role on Broadway.)

We were just talking about this the other night after catching a rerun. She had her arm amputated and I believe one of her legs before she died.

Am I sensing a bizarre fetish going on here? ;)

Didn't Raj get the belt on a number of occasions? Mama Thomas wasn't afraid to kick some ass when it was needed.

It's kinda sad that the 3 of them, who's weight, we must admit, played a lot into their characters as comic creations, led to their early and tragic demises. I remember this show with a lot of affection, but watching some of the marathon this weekend was a little bittersweet.

Maybe. Maybe.

You know, I don't think you can find another show where an episode would end with a kid about to get the tar beaten out of them (no pun intended).

The only other show that I can recall where a child got hit was Good Times (where Florida slapped Michael in the face due to pressures).

If some What's Happening! super-fan can list the episodes where Raj and/or Dee got a spanking, I would greatly appreciate it.

I want to pick up the season that has the episode(s) where Roger's mother beats Roger with the belt at the end.

You mean there are episodes where that didn't happen?

Buttmunker, I think you can get everything you're looking for in one show. In 1977 Redd Foxx did a secret deal with ABC and taped a pilot called, "I Hit Kids." Foxx played a grandfatherly type who had one bizarre fixation; spanking kids who may or may not have been related to him.

I've seen a few copies floating around on Ebay :)