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The Jeffersons: Season 2
The Jeffersons Season 2 DVD cover
The Jeffersons Season 2 DVD cover.
Program information
Episodes aired:
24
Dates aired:
September 13, 1975 - March 6, 1976
Network/Country:
CBS-TV / United States
Previous Season: Season 1
Next Season: Season 3

The Jeffersons: Season 2[]

A total of 24 episodes of The Jeffersons aired on CBS-TV during Season 2, from September 13, 1975 to the season's conclusion on March 6, 1976.

Season summary[]

Having wrapped up its first season as the fourth highest-rated network series, CBS' The Jeffersons was a shoe-in for a second-season renewal. The series remained a Saturday-night fixture, albeit in a slightly earlier time slot -- replacing its parent series All in the Family, which had moved to Mondays. Virtually the entire cast of season one had been retained for season two, save one.

Ironically, Mike Evans, who as Lionel Jefferson was the first member of the family ever seen on TV (he'd been a recurring character on All in the Family since that series' inaugural episode), had left the program to pursue other career vistas. He was replaced by Damon Evans (no relation), who would continue playing Lionel until the end of season 4 in 1979, at which time Mike Evans returned to the fold.

In other developments, Marla Gibbs as the Jeffersons' wisecracking maid Florence was seen on a more regular basis, while Zara Cully as Mother Jefferson began to curtail her appearances due to failing health. Though The Jeffersons had a large faithful following, its overall ratings dipped sharply during its second season, dropping from fourth to 21st place. This would result in a dizzying progression of time-slot changes over the next few years, beginning with a shift to Wednesdays in the early months of its third season.

Series overview[]

Seasons Episodes Originally aired
Season premiere Season finale
1 13 January 18, 1975 (1975-01-18) April 12, 1975 (1975-04-12)
2 24 September 13, 1975 (1975-09-13) March 6, 1976 (1976-03-06)
3 24 September 25, 1976 (1976-09-25) April 11, 1977 (1977-04-11)
4 26 September 24, 1977 (1977-09-24) March 4, 1978 (1978-03-04)
5 24 September 20, 1978 (1978-09-20) April 18, 1979 (1979-04-18)
6 24 September 23, 1979 (1979-09-23) April 13, 1980 (1980-04-13)
7 20 November 2, 1980 (1980-11-02) March 29, 1981 (1981-03-29)
8 25 October 4, 1981 (1981-10-04) May 16, 1982 (1982-05-16)
9 27 September 26, 1982 (1982-09-26) May 1, 1983 (1983-05-01)
10 22 October 2, 1983 (1983-10-02) May 6, 1984 (1984-05-06)
11 24 October 14, 1984 (1984-10-14) July 2, 1985 (1985-07-02)

Season 2 (1975-76)[]

Image No. in

series

No. in

season

Title Directed by Written by Original air date Prod. code
George-Image Needed 14 1 "A Dinner for Harry" Jack Shea Don Nicholl,Michael Ross, & Bernie West September 13, 1975 2.1 / 201
When the Jeffersons host a dinner party for Mr. Bentley's birthday, the Willises cause problems -- one funny, one shocking. The funny one deals with George and Tom wearing the same tux. The shocker deals with an incident involving Helen. 
George-Image Needed 15 2 "George's First Vacation" Jack Shea Frank Tarloff September 20, 1975 2.2 / 202
George balks when Tom calls him a workaholic. To prove him wrong, George books a cruise for him and Louise. As usual, Louise has to bear the consequences. In this case, Mother Jefferson wants to join her son on vacation. 
George-Image Needed 16 3 "Louise's Daughter" Jack Shea Jay Moriarty & Mike Milligan September 27, 1975 2.3 / 203
Damon Evans joins the cast as the new Lionel Jefferson. In this episode, a woman claims to be Louise's daughter. 
George-Image Needed 17 4 "Harry and Daphne" Jack Shea Lloyd Turner & Gordon Mitchell October 4, 1975 2.4 / 204
George deals with a building inspector while Harry Bentley hides out from his marauding, marriage-minded girlfriend, Daphne. 
George-Image Needed 18 5 "Mother Jefferson's Fall" Jack Shea Erik Tarloff October 11, 1975 2.5 / 206
Feeling ignored, Mother Jefferson gets attention after she fakes a fall. Meanwhile, Louise goes to battle in a gin tournament. 
George-Image Needed 19 6 "Jefferson vs. Jefferson" Jack Shea Robert Fisher & Arthur Marx October 18, 1975 2.6 / 205
Mother Jefferson intrudes on Louise and Georges anniversary. Worse, George asks Louise to lie for him after a bicycle accident. 
George-Image Needed 20 7 "Uncle Bertram" Jack Shea Lloyd Turner, Gordon Mitchell, Don Nicholl, Michael Ross, and Bernie West October 25, 1975 2.7 / 208
An elderly white man tries to flirt with Mother Jefferson in an elevator. He turns out to be related to the Willises. When she begins dating this Uncle Bertram, George is not so happy. 
George-Image Needed 21 8 "Movin' on Down" Jack Shea Ken Levine and David Isaacs November 1, 1975 2.8 / 207
George fears that some financial setbacks will put him out of business. Adding to his stresses are Lionels begging for more money and Florence pressuring him for a raise. 
George-Image Needed 22 9 "George Won't Talk" Jack Shea John Ashby November 8, 1975 2.9 / 209
George is bursting with excitement when he's asked to speak at a college, but he hesitates when he learns the school is in Harlem. 
George-Image Needed 23 10 "Jenny's Grandparents" Jack Shea James Ritz November 15, 1975 2.10 / 211
Thanks to the machinations of the Jefferson and Willis families (including coupled Mother Jefferson and Uncle Bertram, played by Victor Killian); Jennys bickering grandfathers end up alone together in the Jeffersons apartment. 
George-Image Needed 24 11 "George's Best Friend" Jack Shea Calvin Kelly, Lloyd Turner & Gordon Mitchell November 22, 1975 2.11 / 210
Louis Gossett, Jr. guest appears as an old navy friend of George who visits and hits on Louise. The incident brings to light that George has not been paying enough attention to his wife. 
George-Image Needed 25 12 "George and the Manager" Jack Shea Jay Moriarty, Mike Milligan & Donald R. Boyle November 29, 1975 2.12 / 213
George's refusal to hire a white woman as a store manager leads to a battle between him and the rare united front of Louise and Mother Jefferson. 
George-Image Needed 26 13 "George's Alibi" Jack Shea Sandy Krinski December 6, 1975 2.13 / 212

Lionel's fear of telling his father about a fender bender leads to George's fear of the Mob.

Note: Videotaped on November 04, 1975. 

George-Image Needed 27 14 "Lunch with Mama" Jack Shea Lloyd Turner, Gordon Mitchell, Don Nicholl, Michael Ross, & Bernie West December 13, 1975 2.14 / 214
Mama's boy must cut the apron strings: After Louise asks George to attend a funeral with her, he refuses to cancel his monthly lunch with his mother. The solution gets worse: Mother Jefferson joins them at the funeral. 
George-Image Needed 28 15 "George vs. Wall Street" Jack Shea George Burditt December 20, 1975 2.15 / 215
A Willis/Jefferson fight ensues when Lionel refuses to take a cushy job. Speaking of cushy, George gets a juicy stock tip. 
George-Image Needed 29 16 "The Break-Up: Part One" Jack Shea Dixie Brown Grossman January 3, 1976 2.16 / 216
A two-parter begins with Lionel's difficulty writing a paper on homosexuality. The issue at hand changes after George buys him a term paper. Tempers flare, and he splits with Jenny. 

Absent: Paul Benedict as Harry Bentley

George-Image Needed 30 17 "The Break-Up: Part Two" Jack Shea Lloyd Turner & Gordon Mitchell January 10, 1976 2.17 / 217
The Jeffersons and the Willises each debate about getting Lionel and Jenny back together. Meanwhile, Lionel makes a decision about his term paper, and George sets him up on a date. 
George-Image Needed 31 18 "Florence's Problem" Jack Shea Jay Moriarty & Mike Milligan January 24, 1976 2.18 / 218

Florence's unusual behavior, namely being nice and going on a cleaning spree, leads Louise to believe she is suicidal.

Note: Videotaped on December 23, 1975. 

George-Image Needed 32 19 "Mother Jefferson's Birthday" Jack Shea Fred S. Fox & Seaman Jacobs January 31, 1976 2.19 / 219
Hell hath no fury like a mother whose son has forgotten her birthday - especially her 70th. Louise decides to reunite Mother Jefferson with her estranged sister. 
George-Image Needed 33 20 "Louise's Cookbook" Jack Shea Teleplay by: Ann Gibbs & Joel Kimmel
Story by: Jay Moriarty, Mike Milligan, Lloyd Turner & Gordon Mitchell
February 7, 1976 2.20 / 220
Possum stew causes George to boil over after a publisher asks Louise to write a cookbook of her ghetto recipes. 
George-Image Needed 34 21 "George Meets Whittendale" Jack Shea Lloyd Turner & Gordon Mitchell February 14, 1976 2.21 / 221
George goes to extremes to meet Mr. Whittendale at a party, by hiding in the bathroom with Tom and Helen. 
George-Image Needed 35 22 "Lionel's Problem" Jack Shea Story by: Mea Abbott<bra>Teleplay by: James Ritz February 21, 1976 2.22 / 222
Lionel has a very-special-episode kind of problem when his graduation lurks and he starts to feel the pressure. Louise and Jenny try to hide Lionel from George when the graduate arrives at the apartment smashed. 
George-Image Needed 36 23 "Tennis, Anyone?" Jack Shea Sandy Veith February 28, 1976 2.23 / 223
George's excitement about being asked to join an exclusive tennis club is severely mitigated when the word token is volleyed. 
George-Image Needed 37 24 "The Wedding" Jack Shea John Donley, Lloyd Turner & Gordon Mitchell March 6, 1976 2.24 / 224
George wants to renew his vows with Louise because Harry Belafonte did it; but Harry Belafonte's wife did not ask to be an equal partner in the dry cleaning business. 
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