Thelma Harper and her spinster sister Fran open their home to Thelma's recently divorced son Vinton and his teenage son and daughter. It's quite an adjustment for everyone, especially the cranky, argumentative Thelma.
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The peak run. Top 40% of seasons by average rating — consecutive, with an average of 8.98.
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Vicki Lawrence
Thelma Harper
Ken Berry
Vinton "Vint" Harper
Dorothy Lyman
Naomi Oates Harper
Beverly Archer
Iola Lucille Boylan
Allan Kayser
Bubba Higgins
All 130 episodes plotted by IMDb rating
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13 episodes • 1983Avg: 8.8
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vint and the Kids Move In | Jan 22, 1983 | 9.0 |
| 2 | For Better or For Worse | Jan 29, 1983 | 8.5 |
| 3 | The Wedding (1) | Feb 5, 1983 | 9.0 |
| 4 | The Wedding (2) | Feb 12, 1983 | 9.0 |
| 5 | Family Feud | Feb 19, 1983 | 9.5 |
| 6 | Cellmates | Feb 26, 1983 | 8.0 |
| 7 | Mama Gets a Job | Mar 5, 1983 | 9.0 |
| 8 | Double Standard | Mar 12, 1983 | 8.0 |
| 9 | Mama's Boyfriend | Mar 19, 1983 | 8.0 |
| 10 | Fran's Dress | Mar 26, 1983 | 9.0 |
| 11 | Alien Marriage | Apr 2, 1983 | 9.0 |
| 12 | Positive Thinking | Apr 30, 1983 | 9.0 |
| 13 | Mama's Silver | May 7, 1983 | 9.0 |
22 episodes • 1983Avg: 9.0Golden Era
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Flaming Forties | Sep 29, 1983 | 9.0 |
| 2 | The Return of Leonard Oates | Oct 13, 1983 | 9.0 |
| 3 | Country Club | Oct 20, 1983 | 9.0 |
| 4 | Naomi and the Stork | Oct 27, 1983 | 9.0 |
| 5 | Rashomama | Nov 3, 1983 | 9.0 |
| 6 | Obscene Call | Nov 10, 1983 | 9.0 |
| 7 | Ellen's Boyfriend | Nov 17, 1983 | 9.0 |
| 8 | Gert Rides Again | Dec 1, 1983 | 9.0 |
| 9 | Amateur Night | Dec 8, 1983 | 9.0 |
| 10 | The Mama Who Came to Dinner | Dec 22, 1983 | 9.0 |
| 11 | Mama Learns to Drive | Jan 7, 1984 | 9.0 |
| 12 | Black Belt Mama | Jan 14, 1984 | 8.5 |
| 13 | Mama Buys a Car | Jan 21, 1984 | 9.0 |
| 14 | Supermarket | Feb 4, 1984 | 9.0 |
| 15 | No Room at the Inn | Feb 11, 1984 | 9.0 |
| 16 | Mama for Mayor (1) | Feb 18, 1984 | 9.0 |
| 17 | Mama for Mayor (2) | Feb 25, 1984 | 9.0 |
| 18 | Harper Versus Harper | Mar 10, 1984 | 9.0 |
| 19 | Mama's Birthday | Mar 17, 1984 | 9.0 |
| 20 | Mama Cries Uncle | Mar 24, 1984 | 9.0 |
| 21 | Ask Aunt Fran | Mar 31, 1984 | 9.0 |
| 22 | A Grave Mistake | Apr 7, 1984 | 9.0 |
25 episodes • 1986Avg: 8.8
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Farewell, Frannie | Sep 27, 1986 | 9.0 |
| 2 | Where There's a Will | Oct 4, 1986 | 9.0 |
| 3 | Best Medicine | Oct 11, 1986 | 8.5 |
| 4 | National Mama | Oct 18, 1986 | 9.0 |
| 5 | Soup to Nuts | Oct 25, 1986 | 9.0 |
| 6 | Mama and Dr. Brothers | Nov 1, 1986 | 9.0 |
| 7 | Cat's Meow | Nov 8, 1986 | 8.5 |
| 8 | The Love Letter | Nov 15, 1986 | 8.5 |
| 9 | An Ill Wind | Nov 22, 1986 | 8.5 |
| 10 | Steal One, Pearl Two | Nov 29, 1986 | 9.0 |
| 11 | Where There's Smoke | Dec 6, 1986 | 8.5 |
| 12 | Fly Naomi | Dec 13, 1986 | 8.0 |
| 13 | Santa Mama | Dec 20, 1986 | 8.5 |
| 14 | Desperately Seeking Anyone | Jan 10, 1987 | 9.0 |
| 15 | Porn Again | Jan 17, 1987 | 9.0 |
| 16 | Have it Mama's Way | Jan 24, 1987 | 9.0 |
| 17 | Birthright | Jan 31, 1987 | 9.0 |
| 18 | Grandma USA | Feb 7, 1987 | 9.0 |
| 19 | Buck Private Bubba | Feb 14, 1987 | 8.5 |
| 20 | Mama's Cousin | Feb 21, 1987 | 9.0 |
| 21 | Mama with the Golden Arm | Feb 28, 1987 | 9.0 |
| 22 | It Takes Two to Watusi | Mar 7, 1987 | 9.0 |
| 23 | Fangs a Lot, Mama | Mar 14, 1987 | 9.0 |
| 24 | The Best Policy | Mar 21, 1987 | 9.0 |
| 25 | After the Fall | Mar 28, 1987 | 9.0 |
25 episodes • 1987Avg: 8.9
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Educating Mama | Sep 26, 1987 | 9.0 |
| 2 | Zirconias Are a Girl's Best Friend | Oct 3, 1987 | 9.0 |
| 3 | The Key to the Crime | Oct 10, 1987 | 9.0 |
| 4 | Breaking Up Is Hard to Do | Oct 17, 1987 | 9.0 |
| 5 | A Big Hand for Mama | Oct 24, 1987 | 9.0 |
| 6 | Flounder's Day | Oct 31, 1987 | 9.0 |
| 7 | Teacher's Pet | Nov 7, 1987 | 9.0 |
| 8 | Child's Play | Nov 14, 1987 | 9.0 |
| 9 | Mama Mania | Nov 21, 1987 | 9.0 |
| 10 | Gift Horse | Nov 28, 1987 | 9.0 |
| 11 | Workman's Holiday | Dec 5, 1987 | 9.0 |
| 12 | Mama Sees Red | Dec 12, 1987 | 9.0 |
| 13 | A Room with No View | Dec 19, 1987 | 9.0 |
| 14 | The Sins of the Mother | Jan 9, 1988 | 9.0 |
| 15 | A Friend Indeed | Jan 16, 1988 | 9.0 |
| 16 | I Do, I Don't | Jan 23, 1988 | 9.0 |
| 17 | Mama Gets the Bird | Jan 30, 1988 | 9.0 |
| 18 | Mama's Girls | Feb 6, 1988 | 9.0 |
| 19 | Mama on Jeopardy! | Feb 13, 1988 | 8.5 |
| 20 | Mama Goes Hawaiian - Part 1 | Feb 20, 1988 | 9.0 |
| 21 | Mama Goes Hawaiian - Part 2 | Feb 27, 1988 | 8.5 |
| 22 | Bubba's Double Date | Mar 5, 1988 | 9.0 |
| 23 | Bed and Breakdown | Mar 12, 1988 | 9.0 |
| 24 | Naomi's Identity Crisis | Mar 19, 1988 | 9.0 |
| 25 | Pomp and Circumstance | Mar 26, 1988 | 8.5 |
25 episodes • 1988Avg: 8.6
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ladies Choice | Nov 5, 1988 | 8.5 |
| 2 | Baby Talk | Nov 12, 1988 | 9.0 |
| 3 | Naomi's New Position | Nov 19, 1988 | 8.5 |
| 4 | The Really Loud Family | Nov 26, 1988 | 9.0 |
| 5 | Many Unhappy Returns | Dec 3, 1988 | 8.5 |
| 6 | Found Money | Dec 3, 1988 | 9.0 |
| 7 | My Mama, Myself | Dec 17, 1988 | 8.5 |
| 8 | Full House | Jan 7, 1989 | 8.5 |
| 9 | Bedtime for Bubba | Jan 14, 1989 | 8.5 |
| 10 | What a Dump | Jan 21, 1989 | 8.5 |
| 11 | Mama Bell | Jan 28, 1989 | 8.5 |
| 12 | Very Dirty Dancing | Feb 4, 1989 | 8.5 |
| 13 | Mama's Layaway Plan | Feb 11, 1989 | 8.5 |
| 14 | My Phony Valentine | Feb 18, 1989 | 9.0 |
| 15 | The Big Wheel | Feb 25, 1989 | 9.0 |
| 16 | More Power to You | Mar 4, 1989 | 8.5 |
| 17 | Mama in One | Mar 11, 1989 | 8.0 |
| 18 | There's No Place Like...No Place | Mar 25, 1989 | 9.0 |
| 19 | April Fools | Apr 1, 1989 | 8.5 |
| 20 | Reading the Riot Act | Apr 15, 1989 | 8.5 |
| 21 | A Taxing Situation | Apr 22, 1989 | 8.0 |
| 22 | The Mama of Invention | May 6, 1989 | 8.5 |
| 23 | Hate Thy Neighbor | May 13, 1989 | 8.5 |
| 24 | Dependence Day | May 20, 1989 | 8.5 |
| 25 | Mama Makes Three | May 27, 1989 | 9.0 |
20 episodes • 1989Avg: 8.4
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mama's Medicine Show | Sep 23, 1989 | 8.5 |
| 2 | An Affair to Forget | Sep 30, 1989 | 8.5 |
| 3 | Mr. Wrong | Oct 7, 1989 | 8.5 |
| 4 | Now Hear This | Oct 14, 1989 | 8.5 |
| 5 | Tri-State's Most Wanted | Oct 21, 1989 | 8.5 |
| 6 | Mama Fights Back | Oct 28, 1989 | 8.5 |
| 7 | A Blast From the Past | Nov 4, 1989 | 9.0 |
| 8 | Psychic Pheno-Mama | Nov 11, 1989 | 8.5 |
| 9 | Take My Mama, Please! | Nov 18, 1989 | 8.5 |
| 10 | Bubba's House Band | Nov 25, 1989 | 8.5 |
| 11 | Mama Takes Stock | Dec 2, 1989 | 8.0 |
| 12 | War of the Roses | Dec 9, 1989 | 8.5 |
| 13 | Mama Takes a Dive | Dec 16, 1989 | 8.0 |
| 14 | Mama Gets Goosed | Dec 23, 1989 | 8.5 |
| 15 | The Big Nap | Jan 20, 1990 | 8.0 |
| 16 | Pinup Mama | Jan 27, 1990 | 8.5 |
| 17 | Guess Who's Going to Dinner | Feb 3, 1990 | 8.5 |
| 18 | Look Who's Breathing | Feb 10, 1990 | 8.5 |
| 19 | There Is Nothing Like the Dames | Feb 17, 1990 | 8.5 |
| 20 | Bye-Bye–Baby! | Feb 24, 1990 | 8.5 |
