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Season 4

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The Jeffersons: Season 4
The Jeffersons Season 4 DVD cover.
Program information
Episodes aired:
24
Dates aired:
September 24, 1977 - March 4, 1978
Network/Country:
CBS-TV / United States
Previous Season: Season 3
Next Season: Season 5

The Jeffersons: Season 4[]

A total of 26 episodes of The Jeffersons aired on CBS-TV during Season 4, from September 24, 1977 to the season's conclusion on March 4, 1978.

Season summary[]

While the fourth season sees a small, but noticeable drop in quality from the year prior, the show manages to plateau itself onto a very enjoyable (and relatively dud-light) consistency that will typify the next few years of the series. This is the last season for Zara Cully’s Mother Olivia Jefferson, who appears in three shows before passing without fanfare (i.e. a very special episode) off-screen, and Damon Evans as Lionel Jefferson, who leaves the series before the end of the year and creates a void that isn’t filled until Mike Evans returns at the start of Season 5, the ’79-’80 season.

As with the previous season, the divide between characters who invite stories (George, Louise, Florence, Tom, and Helen) and all the rest grows even wider, and the show begins to rely more on this group almost exclusively. Meanwhile, two semi-recurring characters from the store are added: Vernon Washington’s doltish Leroy Daniels and Ernest Harden, Jr.’s Marcus Henderson, a kid from the street whom George is cajoled into hiring. They both factor into a few of the stories, especially Marcus, and allow the series’ scope to expand a bit. This is necessary, for the scripts begin to feel very routinized. Viewers may have felt similarly, for this is the first season in which the show fell out of the top 30. CBS moved the show around every season (and even once in the middle of a season), and when it was put back on CBS’ now demystified Saturday night line-up, it was a part of Nielsen’s no-man land.

Series overview []

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

Season 4 (1977-78)[]

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Title Directed by Written by Original air date Prod. code
62 1 "The Grand Opening: Part One" Jack Shea Roger Shulman, John Baskin, Jay Moriarty & Mike Milligan September 24, 1977 4.1 / 401
George is getting ready for a party to celebrate the opening of his new office. However, while George is in Charlie's bar, two men overhear George brag about his wealth and decide to make a move on his apartment. Later, a phone call puts a damper on the office party with news that Louise has been kidnapped for ransom.
63 2 "The Grand Opening: Part Two" Jack Shea Roger Shulman, John Baskin, Jay Moriarty & Mike Milligan September 24, 1977 4.2 / 402
George hurries to scoff up the ransom money for Louise's safe return. However, both George and the kidnappers quickly learn that they have the wrong person, when Louise returns to the apartment. 
64 3 "Once a Friend" Jack Shea Michael S. Baser & Kim Weiskopf October 1, 1977 4.3 / 403
George is excited when he learns that an old Navy pal is in town and wants him to stop by at his hotel for a visit. However, the old pal, whom George knew as Eddie, has a big surprise for George: her name is now Edie, and she is a transgendered woman. 
65 4 "George's Help" Jack Shea Patt Shea October 8, 1977 4.4 / 404
Helping out at the Help Center, puts Louise in the middle of new program which gives street kids jobs with businesses. This leads to a street kid getting a job at one of George's stores and soon George discovers an expensive suede jacket is missing. 
66 5 "George's Legacy" Jack Shea Don Siegel October 15, 1977 4.5 / 406
George insists on being immortalized and comes up with ways on how to go about doing it. He finally decides on having a bust made of himself. However, his family and friends find the bust to be a hilarious joke. 
67 6 "Good News, Bad News" Jack Shea Jay Moriarty and Mike Milligan October 22, 1977 4.6 / 405
Louise is eyeing a job opening down at the Help Center, which would make her editor of the Help Center newsletter. However, when her supervisor discovers how much experience Helen has, she is hired leaving a jealous Louise on the sideline. 
68 7 "The Visitors" Jack Shea Roger Shulman & John Baskin October 29, 1977 4.7 / 408
George and Louise have two unexpected house guests when Florence's parents come for a visit. Their constant bickering keeps George, Louise and Florence up all night and proves to be a burden on the Jefferson household. 
69 8 "The Camp-Out" Jack Shea Jay Moriarty and Mike Milligan November 5, 1977 4.8 / 409
To avoid a weekend visit from his mother, George leaves Louise to deal with her when he decides to take an unexpected camping trip with Marcus. 
70 9 "The Last Leaf" Jack Shea Laura Levine November 12, 1977 4.9 / 411

When Louise loses her lucky wedding corsage, she becomes convinced that her marriage is over. This leads George to bend over backwards to prove that their marriage is far from over.

71 10 "Louise's New Interest" Jack Shea Olga Vallance November 19, 1977 4.10 / 407
Louise's latest interest is working at a museum where she gets invited to go on an archeological dig. However, the only people going on the trip are her and her attractive supervisor, a fact that she keeps from George. 
72 11 "The Costume Party" Jack Shea Martin Donovan November 26, 1977 4.11 / 410
Louise and George are invited to a costume ball being put on by an organization that promotes inter-racial peace as well as inter-racial marriages. When George learns this, he is set against attending but then he gets an idea that would drum up work for his dry cleaning business. 
73 12 "Florence Gets Lucky" Jack Shea Bob DeVinney December 3, 1977 4.12 / 412
George is once again after a big business deal. However, when negotiations don't seem to be going his way, he gets Florence to constantly insult him because the only thing the man he's doing business with enjoys is Florence's sharp tongue. 
74 13 "George Needs Help" Jack Shea Roger Shulman & John Baskin December 10, 1977 4.13 / 413
Louise is fed up with George's constant working which leaves little time to spend with her. This leads her to try to get George to hire a general manager, something he's set against. 
75 14 "The Jefferson Curve" Jack Shea Paul M. Belous & Robert Wolterstoff December 17, 1977 4.14 / 414
Marcus takes a lesson from George and throws a pretty girl the Jefferson curve, which is to bend the truth to get what you want and Marcus tells the girl that he's Lionel. This eventually leads George and Louise to believe that Lionel is having an affair. 
76 15 "984 W. 124th Street, Apt. 5C" Jack Shea Roger Shulman & John Baskin December 24, 1977 4.15 / 415
It's the Christmas season and the 1st wedding anniversary of Lionel and Jenny. However, George is sneaking around sending gifts to a mysterious address in Harlem. This leads Louise to follow him and she is shocked at what she discovers. 
77 16 "George and Whitty" Jack Shea Howard Albrecht & Sol Weinstein January 7, 1978 4.16 / 416
George and Louise discover that the landlord, Mr. Whittendale, may not be renewing their lease. This prompts George and Louise to invite Whittendale over to discuss this matter. However, just before he comes over, Harry drops his ant farm in the middle of the Jefferson's living room. 
78 17 "Lionel Gets the Business" Jack Shea Nancy Vince & Ted Dale January 14, 1978 4.17 / 417

George is ecstatic when Lionel joins the family business, however ecstatic is not the word to describe George when Lionel begins making major changes and even puts into effect a half price sale, a change that could put George out of business.

Damon Evans makes his final appearance as Lionel Jefferson. 

79 18 "The Blackout" Jack Shea Richard B. Eckhaus January 21, 1978 4.18 / 419
A blackout prompts George to rush down to one of his stores when he hears about looting in the area. Once there, George and Marcus try to save some of the clothes from the looters but are arrested by mistake, landing them in jail. 
80 19 "Florence's Union" Jack Shea Teleplay by: Steve Kreinberg & Andy Guerdat
Story by: Patt Shea & Jack Shea 		January 28, 1978 4.19 / 418
Florence is named the head of the maids union in the building and wants to hold a meeting in the Jefferson's apartment. George is all for it until he discovers, H.L. Whittendale is set against it. So this prompts Louise and Florence to get George out of the apartment for the evening so the meeting can be held.
81 20 "George and Jimmy" Jack Shea Richard Freiman February 4, 1978 4.20 / 420
After learning that Jimmy Carter stays at the homes of "ordinary people" while on trips, George intends to invite him to stay at the Jefferson's abode. But Secret Service agents show up at the Jefferson's door after George makes a phone call to the White House that sounds like a threat to the President. 
82 21 "Thomas H. Willis and Co." Jack Shea Jay Moriarty & Mike Freeman February 11, 1978 4.21 / 422
Helen is all excited for Tom when he plans on starting his own publishing firm. However, her happiness turns to anger when she gets into a fight with George and then later finds out Tom is going to get George to co-sign a loan. 
83 22 "Uncle George and Aunt Louise" Jack Shea Roger Shulman & John Baskin February 18, 1978 4.22 / 423
George and Louise's have a house guest, George's nephew, Raymond. Raymond is staying with them for six weeks and proves to be a handful. When George's attempts to entertain the tyke fail, George takes him horseback riding, but when that fails, Raymond runs away. 
84 23 "George and Louise in a Bind: Part One" Jack Shea Jim Rogers February 25, 1978 4.23 / 421A

A clip show. Louise and George have yet another one of their infamous fights which leads to Louise storming off to the Willis'. Soon after she leaves, a burglar holds George hostage and ties him up. Louise also gets tied up when she returns. This leads to George and Louise reminiscing about their lives and the time they've spent together.

  • Notes: Numerous clips are shown from both The Jeffersons and All in the Family.

Parts One through Three originally aired as a special 90-minute episode. Three days after this 90-minute episode aired, actress Zara Cully, who portrayed Mother Jefferson, died at age 86. 
85 24 "George and Louise in a Bind: Part Two" Jack Shea Jim Rogers  February 25, 1978 4.24 / 421B
As the burglar loots the apartment, Louise and George sit in the kitchen tied up. They continue to reminisce about their lives (via flashbacks). Memories include Louise putting up with Mother Jefferson and their lives when they lived across the street from Archie Bunker. 
86 25 "George and Louise in a Bind: Part Three" Jack Shea Jim Rogers February 25, 1978 4.25 / 421C
Memories continue as Louise and George are being held hostage. Later, the burglar finally leaves and Florence arrives home to discover what happened. The excursion proves to have brought George and Louise closer together. 
87 26 "Jenny's Thesis" Jack Shea Paul M. Belous & Robert Wolterstoff March 4, 1978 4.26 / 424
Jenny needs a topic for a thesis that she's writing. However, her idea could lead her into danger when she decides her topic will be street gangs. This leads her to go to Harlem and meet Marcus', unknown to her Tom and George are following her. 
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