The BEST episodes of Good Times season 2

Every episode of Good Times season 2, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Good Times season 2!

The Evans family scratches and survives in their tough South Side Chicago ghetto. Esther Rolle and John Amos star as parents Florida and James, with "dyn-o-mite" breakout comedy star Jimmie Walker as J.J., the oldest of the three Evans children.

Last Updated: 9/7/2024Network: CBSStatus: Ended
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Crosstown Buses Run All Day, Doodah, Doodah
star
8.52
58 votes

#1 - Crosstown Buses Run All Day, Doodah, Doodah

Season 2 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/1/1974

To avoid being bused to a white neighborhood, Michael forges his parents' names on a questionnaire.

Directors: Herbert Kenwith
Watch Now:Amazon
The Encyclopedia Hustle
star
8.45
49 votes

#2 - The Encyclopedia Hustle

Season 2 - Episode 8 - Aired 10/29/1974

An encyclopedia salesman is the last person James wants to see when he comes home from work. However, he softens when he learns the man is blind. This leads James to sign a contract and reads the fine print only after the man leaves.

Directors: Herbert Kenwith
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Thelma's Scholarship
star
8.36
50 votes

#3 - Thelma's Scholarship

Season 2 - Episode 23 - Aired 3/11/1975

Thelma has a chance at winning a scholarship to an exclusive boarding school in Michigan. However, even before she knows she won, a snobby girl from a fraternity comes around wanting Thelma to join and quickly discovers they just want her because she's black.

Directors: Herbert Kenwith
Watch Now:Amazon
The I.Q. Test
star
8.16
58 votes

#4 - The I.Q. Test

Season 2 - Episode 7 - Aired 10/22/1974

Michael, one of the brightest boys in his class, comes home with the news that he scored the lowest out of his whole class on an I.Q. test.

Directors: Herbert Kenwith
Watch Now:Amazon
J.J. Becomes a Man (1)
star
8.13
61 votes

#5 - J.J. Becomes a Man (1)

Season 2 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/17/1974

After his birthday party, J.J. is arrested on suspicion of robbing a liquor store.

Directors: Herbert Kenwith
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Florida Flips
star
8.08
75 votes

#6 - Florida Flips

Season 2 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/10/1974

Florida's strange behavior has everyone wondering what the problem might be.

Directors: Herbert Kenwith
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Houseguest
star
7.83
48 votes

#7 - The Houseguest

Season 2 - Episode 20 - Aired 2/18/1975

A childhood friend of James' arrives for a visit and quickly his gambling problem becomes an Evans family problem when two hoods show up looking for him to pay off a $5000 debt.

Directors: Herbert Kenwith
Watch Now:Amazon
The Lunch Money Ripoff
star
7.83
54 votes

#8 - The Lunch Money Ripoff

Season 2 - Episode 24 - Aired 3/18/1975

A bully has been stealing Michael's lunches which prompts James to give him some tips on how to handle the situation. However, Michael surprises everyone with his own tactic, he invites the bully home for the weekend.

Directors: Herbert Kenwith
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Debutante Ball
star
7.79
53 votes

#9 - The Debutante Ball

Season 2 - Episode 18 - Aired 2/4/1975

J.J. is enchanted with his new girlfriend, Clarissa, and is all set to take her to a ritzy debutante ball. However, Clarissa has come to the Evans' apartment with some bad news, her parents won't let her go with J.J., citing that they think she's too good for him.

Directors: Herbert Kenwith
Watch Now:Amazon
My Girl Henrietta
star
7.77
53 votes

#10 - My Girl Henrietta

Season 2 - Episode 21 - Aired 2/25/1975

The Evans family's joy at finally getting to meet J.J.'s girl Henrietta is shrouded by J.J.'s declaration that his immediate future could include Henrietta and matrimony.

Directors: Herbert Kenwith
Writer: Bob Peete
Watch Now:Amazon
J.J. Becomes a Man (2)
star
7.77
57 votes

#11 - J.J. Becomes a Man (2)

Season 2 - Episode 3 - Aired 9/24/1974

Desperate to raise bail to free J.J., the family considers taking money from a loan shark.

Directors: Herbert Kenwith
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Family Business
star
7.77
48 votes

#12 - The Family Business

Season 2 - Episode 17 - Aired 1/21/1975

Realizing his mechanical skills, Florida suggests that James open a fix-it shop but when they go to the bank, they're turned down for a loan. This leads James to set up shop right in the apartment, despite a clause in the lease.

Directors: Herbert Kenwith
Watch Now:Amazon
The Enlistment
star
7.77
47 votes

#13 - The Enlistment

Season 2 - Episode 22 - Aired 3/4/1975

The Evans' family is hit with a double dose of unemployment blues after both James and J.J. lose their jobs. Wanting to support his family, J.J. decides to join the U.S. army.

Directors: Herbert Kenwith
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Florida Goes to School
star
7.76
51 votes

#14 - Florida Goes to School

Season 2 - Episode 15 - Aired 1/7/1975

Florida is going to night school hoping to achieve a High School Equivalency diploma, but her working in the daytime and going to school at night puts a strain on her relationship with James.

Directors: Herbert Kenwith
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Gang (1)
star
7.67
55 votes

#15 - The Gang (1)

Season 2 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/12/1974

J.J. secretly has become a member of the Satan's Knights, a gang who are in the midst of a gang war with the Warlords. Two members and the leader of the Satan's Knights arrive at the Evan's home to escort a scared J.J. to a meeting place where the two gangs are to tangle. However, on the way there they run into James and Florida and a scuffle ensues leaving J.J. shot.

Directors: Herbert Kenwith
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Windfall
star
7.67
51 votes

#16 - The Windfall

Season 2 - Episode 12 - Aired 12/3/1974

James finds a bag of robbery loot adding up to $27,000. After some coaxing from Florida, James decides to turn it in. However, what Florida doesn't know is that there was $29,000 in the bag and James kept the other $2000.

Directors: Herbert Kenwith
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Dinner Party
star
7.45
51 votes

#17 - The Dinner Party

Season 2 - Episode 19 - Aired 2/11/1975

An elderly resident of the projects appears to be living on pet food after Michael takes out her garbage. The Evans family's attempt to do something for her is complicated when she brings a meat loaf to dinner and the kids suspect it is made from dog food.

Directors: Herbert Kenwith
Watch Now:Amazon
The Nude
star
7.44
55 votes

#18 - The Nude

Season 2 - Episode 16 - Aired 1/14/1975

A woman aks J.J. to paint a nude portrait of her as a birthday gift for her husband. However, Florida has a hard time understanding why a woman would pose in the nude and why she has to pose in the Evans' apartment.

Directors: Herbert Kenwith
Watch Now:Amazon
Florida's Big Gig
star
7.20
56 votes

#19 - Florida's Big Gig

Season 2 - Episode 14 - Aired 12/31/1974

James is sure he's going to get a sales position at a department store but when he brings Florida along on the interview he is in for a big surprise, the supervisor would rather hire Florida rather than him.

Directors: Herbert Kenwith
Writer: Bob Peete
The Man I Most Admire
star
6.68
53 votes

#20 - The Man I Most Admire

Season 2 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/8/1974

Michael must write an essay on the person whom he most admires and selects his father as the subject.

Directors: Herbert Kenwith
Watch Now:Apple TV
The Gang (2)
star
6.49
53 votes

#21 - The Gang (2)

Season 2 - Episode 10 - Aired 11/19/1974

J.J. is recovering after being shot by Mad Dog, which only turned out to be a flesh wound. Meanwhile, a vengeful James presses charges against Mad Dog but a worried Florida is afraid James's anger will take over before the law does.

Directors: Herbert Kenwith
Watch Now:Apple TV
Florida, the Matchmaker
star
6.04
52 votes

#22 - Florida, the Matchmaker

Season 2 - Episode 11 - Aired 11/26/1974

A wedding has Florida realizing that Willona is the only friend of hers left that isn't married. So this leads Florida to try her hand at matchmaking, and matches her with a friend of James'.

Directors: Herbert Kenwith
Thelma's Young Man
star
6.00
57 votes

#23 - Thelma's Young Man

Season 2 - Episode 6 - Aired 10/15/1974

Thelma's mysterious boyfriend is too old for her parents' liking.

Directors: Herbert Kenwith
Sometimes There's No Bottom in the Bottle
star
5.74
62 votes

#24 - Sometimes There's No Bottom in the Bottle

Season 2 - Episode 13 - Aired 12/10/1974

Cousin Naomi is visiting the Evans' for the Christmas season. However, her visit is not a happy one for Thelma, who discovers that Naomi is hiding a serious drinking problem.

Directors: Herbert Kenwith
Watch Now:Apple TV