The Jeffersons: Season 05 Episode

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The Jeffersons: Season 05
Running Time: 30 min.
Release By: CBS

When The Jeffersons entered its fifth season in the fall of 1978, the series still enjoyed an ardent fan following, but its Top Ten ratings status was a thing of the past. Having been shifted all over the CBS prime-time schedule during its past two seasons -- Saturdays to Wednesdays, Wednesdays to Mondays, Mondays back to Saturdays, then back to Mondays again -- the series showed up on Wednesdays yet again, this time opposite ABC's popular Eight is Enough. Of the cast of regulars, Ernest Harden Jr., introduced in season four as George Jefferson's (Sherman Hemsley) streetwise employee Marcus Garvey Henderson, disappeared with little fanfare. New to the series was Jay Hammer as Alan Willis, the long-estranged son of interracial couple Tom and Helen Willis (Franklin Cover, Roxie Roker). Hammer, too, would be gone within a year. Meanwhile, though Damon Evans (as Lionel Jefferson) would continue to receive opening-credits billing, he was conspicuously absent. In truth, Damon Evans had left the series; Lionel would return full-time during season six in the person of Mike Evans (no relation), the actor who originated the role on All in the Family way back in 1971. Surprisingly, The Jeffersons remained on Wednesdays throughout most of the 1978-1979 season, though the time slot varied between 8:00-8:30 p.m. and 9:30-10:00 p.m. The series' ratings, which had progressively weakened since its 1975 debut, seemed to have leveled off; there was no way to go but up or out. And with an advantageous move to a brand-new Sunday-night slot in June 1979, the direction proved to be up -- way, way up. Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Jeffersons: Season 05 Cast and Crew: