Sanford and Son - The Third Season

Ok, forget possibly. I'm certain I've watched more reruns of S&S than any other show. And I finally discovered the episode with Grady's first appearance: Season 3, episode 5. Seasons 3 and 4 are my faves, just because of Grady. But I can watch anything with Red Fox.

Even though the last few episodes are the Grady ones without Redd Foxx, this is the most important season to own. The very BEST and most classic episode "Fred Sanford, Legal Eagle" is on this one. Not only is this episode one of the funniest but also shows the plight that is still alive today of racial profiling by the police. Remember the line "Are you a man or a box of crayons" and "What have you got against black drivers?.. Why don't you ever arrest some white drivers?". It is a shame that after all these years, this is still happening, and I am a white person saying this. But this episode is funny regardless, and don't forget the hysterical "lawyer/tailor" advice at the beginning. As a caution, be aware that the n word is used in this episode so be ready to hit the mute button. Also includes the classic Blind Mellow Jelly Collection episode "I want my daddy's records" (which my son now repeats everywhere we go and asks to see this episode again and again.) Also includes the stolen T.V. one where someone was playing "Tic-a-tac-a-toe" on the side of the set from Guy's groovy grab bag and the absolutely hysterical one where Lamont regrets buying Fred a pool table ("Jesus couldn't feed those guys with 3 whales and a truckload of bread" "Those bellies are home grown and that's where they should be grown--at home!" and how Fred crashes Lamont and Rollo's date (and wins the hearts of two girls) in "The Party Crasher". Also the one with the surveyor. Even a few of the Grady episodes are funny like the Karate one and Cousin Emma. But Legal Eagle not only shows a true problem that exists today but has so many classic moments and we all wish we really did have a legal counsel like Fred Sanford around to represent the black community in court and tell the justice system how things really are like he does in this episode. And even though the judge "is a brother" it still doesn't "count" based on how the system is set up. This is the most clever episode in the whole series-not just the season. Everyone should be watching this one and do some serious reflecting on how things HAVEN'T changed at all since this episode came out in the early 1970's. Oh, a side note--closed captioned and good sound and video quality. But of all the seasons to get you MUST get this one. It's the funniest--yet also the most important too.

"Sanford and Son" was always one of my favorite US TV shows, and one I return to often when in need of a lift of spirits or just a good laugh. The series reviewed here is the 3rd season (1973-74) and most of the shows are favorites of mine. By the time these were filmed, lead actors Redd Foxx and Demond Wilson were used to working together after two previous seasons, and their chemistry was excellent. There are also contributions from LeWanda Page (Aunt Esther), Whitman Mayo (Grady) and Gregory Sierra (neighbor Julio Fuentes) which make for more humor. The plots are funny, engaging, and most of the time believable. There are witty remarks about the Watergate Investigation and President Richard Nixon, then current events, which may fall on deaf ears of young people from a later generation watching these episodes. But still, the 3rd Season episodes are funny and really entertaining. I can watch them over again without becoming bored or weary of them.There are always lessons to be learned from these episodes. Even though Fred Sanford believes he's doing the right thing in many scenes, he often operates from self interest, cannot "see the forest for the trees", and through hard-heartedness towards his neighbor Julio or Sister-in-law Esther, only ends up shooting himself in the foot. Half the time his friends: Grady, Bubba, Leroy, or others - end up mad at him by the time an episode ends. So, there's an important lesson for the viewer to learn in addition to enjoying the humor.Watching these makes me sorry Redd Foxx (1922-1991) is no longer with us. He was a great comic actor in this part, and will be famous for generations as a result of it.

My review is mixed on Season 3. I have to give it a 5-star rating because the show was pure gold. I watched Sanford in reruns w/my dad and this was his all-time favorite show. I laughed so hard that i watched several episodes a few times. The Legal episode had me in stitches! :) But until i bought this season, I didn't even know about Redd's contract dispute and that he didn't appear in the final 6 episodes. It was painfully obvious that the show without Fred and Lamont was pure garbage. Grady was a decent enought character to generate some good laughs with Fred, but on his own...he was just awful. Props to them for keeping the show alive at least until the season ended but i'm so glad that issue was resolved and Fred comes back. That whole Fred visiting St. Louis just reeked of Three's Co. when Chrissy was visiting relatives. Grady trying to run the house and treating Lamont like a child was just silly and overdone. I watched all 6 of the episodes but none are worth re-watching. I look forward to Season 4 and more laughs. :-D

I needed this one to complete my collection