Nominated for 13 Emmys and 8 Golden Globes, The Jeffersons was a groundbreaking situation comedy that was not only utterly hilarious, but also explored the controversial social issues of its day.
Premiering in mid-season 1975, the show was a spin-off of the #1 hit series All In The Family, where main characters George and Louise were the next-door neighbors of Archie and Edith Bunker.
During its nine-season run, The Jeffersons spent all but its last season as a Top 25 Nielsen rated show.
One of the first sitcoms to center exclusively around the lives of African-Americans, The Jeffersons most likely featured television's first interracial married couple in Tom and Helen Willis.
It was this fearless attempt to push the boundaries of the status quo that made the show one of the funniest of its time as well as a valuable resource for American race relations...
The Jeffersons follows the lives of George (Sherman Hemsley) and Louise Jefferson (Isabel Sanford), a middle-aged African-American couple who own a string of successful dry cleaning stores.
The windfall generated by their business paves the way for George and Louise to "move on up" into an exclusive Park Avenue apartment.
The series is made by Hemsley's portrayal of the stubborn and greedy, yet quite lovable, character of George whose sarcasm and antics are only equaled by the Jeffersons' quick witted live-in maid Florence (Marla Gibbs).
A supporting cast composed of omni-present neighbors Tom (Franklin Cover) and Helen Willis (Roxie Roker), the ever-polite Bentley (Paul Benedict), and a tip-grubbing doorman named Ralph (Ned Wertimer) provide for endless sources of irritation and annoyance for George.
Throw in George's mother (Zara Cully) and her constant insults of Louise, and The Jeffersons becomes one of the best-written humorous shows of its time...
The Jeffersons (Season 3) DVD features a number of hilarious episodes including the season premiere "George and the President" in which George's competition with his chief dry cleaning rival, Cunningham, really heats up.
Cunningham launches a massive ad campaign to coincide with the nation's bicentennial celebration, prompting George to dress up as Thomas Jefferson in order to lure in customers...
Other notable episodes from Season 3 include "The Retirement Party" in which George is prepared to sell out Jefferson Cleaners to a big corporate conglomerate until he reads the fine print and learns that many of his best workers will be fired, and "Jefferson Airplane" in which Louise urges her workaholic husband to take up a hobby, but he worries her when he decides to take up flying...
Below is a list of episodes included on The Jeffersons (Season 3) DVD: Episode 38 (George and the President) Air Date: 09-25-1976 Episode 39 (Louise Gets Her Way) Air Date: 10-02-1976 Episode 40 (Louise Suspects) Air Date: 10-09-1976 Episode 41 (The Lie Detector) Air Date: 10-16-1976 Episode 42 (George's Diploma) Air Date: 10-23-1976 Episode 43 (The Retirement Party) Air Date: 10-30-1976 Episode 44 (Lionel's Pad) Air Date: 11-10-1976 Episode 45 (Tom the Hero) Air Date: 11-17-1976 Episode 46 (Jenny's Discovery) Air Date: 11-24-1976 Episode 47 (The Agreement) Air Date: 12-08-1976 Episode 48 (Florence in Love) Air Date: 12-15-1976 Episode 49 (The Christmas Wedding) Air Date: 12-22-1976 Episode 50 (Louise Forgets) Air Date: 01-05-1977 Episode 51 (Bentley's Problem) Air Date: 01-12-1977 Episode 52 (Jefferson Airplane) Air Date: 01-17-1977 Episode 53 (George's Guilt) Air Date: 01-24-1977 Episode 54 (A Case of Black and White) Air Date: 01-31-1977 Episode 55 (Louise vs.
Jenny) Air Date: 02-07-1977 Episode 56 (The Marriage Counselors) Air Date: 02-21-1977 Episode 57 (Louise's Friend) Air Date: 02-28-1977 Episode 58 (The Old Flame) Air Date: 03-07-1977 Episode 59 (Jenny's Opportunity) Air Date: 03-21-1977 Episode 60 (George the Philanthropist) Air Date: 03-28-1977 Episode 61 (Louise's Physical) Air Date: 04-11-1977