The BEST episodes of Mama's Family season 3

Every episode of Mama's Family season 3, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Mama's Family season 3!

Mama's Family mined humor from a squabbling family in the Midwestern blue collar suburb of Raytown. The noisy clan was headed by "Mama" Thelma, a buxom, gray-haired widow with sharp opinions and a sharper tongue who shared her small house with her high-strung sister Fran, a journalist for a local paper. Mama's lazy, dimwitted son, Vint, a locksmith by trade, moved in at the start of the series with his troublesome teenage children, Buzz and Sonja, after his wife run off to become a Las Vegas show-girl. Much to Mama's disgust, Vint soon took up with the flirtatious neighbor Naomi. The two where married in early 1983, and Naomi moved in too. Further uproar was caused by the periodic visits from Mama's two married daughter's, the foul mouthed Eunice and the snobbish Ellen. Ed was Eunice's Dolt of a husband. In the Fall of 86 Mama's Family returned to TV in first-run syndication. Fran had recently passed (Rue McClanahan was now starring in The Golden Girls) and Ed and Eunice had moved to Florida, leaving behind their son Bubba as he finishes his time in Juvenile Hall and forcing him to move in. Meanwhile, neighbor Iola Boylen makes the house's acquaintance and becomes a regular visitor with her unique charm.

Last Updated: 3/17/2024Network: NBCStatus: Ended
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Birthright
star
8.09
22 votes

#1 - Birthright

Season 3 - Episode 17 - Aired 1/31/1987

An anonymous letter convinces Vint that he's adopted, so he sets out to find his biological mother.

Directors: Dave Powers
Writer: Dorothy Van
Watch Now:Amazon
Where There's Smoke
star
8.07
27 votes

#2 - Where There's Smoke

Season 3 - Episode 11 - Aired 12/6/1986

Mama invites Reverend Meechum to dinner in hopes of being names President of the Church Ladies' League.

Directors: Dave Powers
Writer: Rick Hawkins
Watch Now:Amazon
Mama and Dr. Brothers
star
8.07
29 votes

#3 - Mama and Dr. Brothers

Season 3 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/1/1986

When Dr. Joyce Brothers comes to town, Naomi calls in to talk about her bedroom problems with Vint. Dr. Brothers blames it on Mama, which doesn't sit well.

Directors: Dave Powers
Watch Now:Amazon
Mama's Cousin
star
8.04
24 votes

#4 - Mama's Cousin

Season 3 - Episode 20 - Aired 2/21/1987

Mama's worldly cousin (Vicki Lawrence in a dual role) annoys Mama with her neverending stories.

Directors: Dave Powers
Writer: Rick Hawkins
Watch Now:Amazon
Best Medicine
star
8.00
33 votes

#5 - Best Medicine

Season 3 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/11/1986

Ellen must have surgery, which deeply concerns Mama despite her ongoing feud with Ellen.

Directors: Dave Powers
Writer: Rick Hawkins
Watch Now:Amazon
The Love Letter
star
8.00
29 votes

#6 - The Love Letter

Season 3 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/15/1986

After a love test with disappointing results, Vint convinces Bubba to write Naomi a love letter. When Iola finds the misplaced letter, a scene of mistaken love occurs.

Directors: Dave Powers
Writer: Jim Evering
Watch Now:Amazon
Fly Naomi
star
7.91
23 votes

#7 - Fly Naomi

Season 3 - Episode 12 - Aired 12/13/1986

Unhappy with her dead end career at the Food Circus, Naomi decides to enroll in school to become a stewardess.

Directors: Dave Powers
Watch Now:Amazon
Grandma USA
star
7.91
23 votes

#8 - Grandma USA

Season 3 - Episode 18 - Aired 2/7/1987

Mama competes in the Grandma U.S.A. competition after Bubba jokingly enters her.

Directors: Dave Powers
Writer: Gene Perret
Watch Now:Amazon
Mama with the Golden Arm
star
7.91
22 votes

#9 - Mama with the Golden Arm

Season 3 - Episode 21 - Aired 2/28/1987

Mama emerges as a contender in an arm-wrestling competition.

Directors: Dave Powers
Writer: Jim Evering
Watch Now:Amazon
An Ill Wind
star
7.82
39 votes

#10 - An Ill Wind

Season 3 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/22/1986

Mama, Bubba, Vinton, Naomi, Iola, and Aunt Effie go for cover in the basement when an unexpected tornado passes by Raytown at Thanksgiving..

Directors: Dave Powers
Writer: Rick Hawkins
Watch Now:Amazon
The Best Policy
star
7.79
24 votes

#11 - The Best Policy

Season 3 - Episode 24 - Aired 3/21/1987

Naomi is suspected after Vint keeps having mysterious accidents shortly after signing up for a new life insurance policy.

Directors: Dave Powers
Writer: Jim Evering
Watch Now:Amazon
National Mama
star
7.74
27 votes

#12 - National Mama

Season 3 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/18/1986

When Mama's dreams start providing the names of winning horses, the family figures they're in the money.

Directors: Dave Powers
Writer: Jim Evering
Watch Now:Amazon
Porn Again
star
7.68
25 votes

#13 - Porn Again

Season 3 - Episode 15 - Aired 1/17/1987

Mama is appalled when she finds a girlie magazine under Bubba's bed while cleaning, causing her to form a group to stop the Food Circus from selling smut.

Directors: Dave Powers
Watch Now:Amazon
Desperately Seeking Anyone
star
7.67
24 votes

#14 - Desperately Seeking Anyone

Season 3 - Episode 14 - Aired 1/10/1987

Mama and Naomi's plan to find a date for Iola backfires when the date is more interested in Mama.

Directors: Dave Powers
Watch Now:Amazon
Buck Private Bubba
star
7.67
24 votes

#15 - Buck Private Bubba

Season 3 - Episode 19 - Aired 2/14/1987

Bubba joins the army at the cajoling of Vint's former Army sergeant after being dumped by his girlfriend.

Directors: Dave Powers
Watch Now:Amazon
Have It Mama's Way
star
7.64
25 votes

#16 - Have It Mama's Way

Season 3 - Episode 16 - Aired 1/24/1987

Mama and Bubba wind up working at the same fast food joint.

Directors: Dave Powers
Writer: Rick Hawkins
Watch Now:Amazon
Where There's a Will
star
7.62
34 votes

#17 - Where There's a Will

Season 3 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/4/1986

The family stands to inherit Frannie's estate - if Mama can complete one simple task.

Directors: Dave Powers
Watch Now:Amazon
Steal One, Pearl Two
star
7.61
28 votes

#18 - Steal One, Pearl Two

Season 3 - Episode 10 - Aired 11/29/1986

Bubba's credibility is doubted when he shows up with a new drum set around the same time Iola's pearls go missing.

Directors: Dave Powers
Watch Now:Amazon
Cat's Meow
star
7.56
34 votes

#19 - Cat's Meow

Season 3 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/8/1986

Iola is distraught when her mean cat, Midnight, dies. When she has him freeze dried, she entrusts Mama to look after him. Mama thinks she loses the cat, and hilarity ensues.

Directors: Dave Powers
Writer: Dorothy Van
Watch Now:Amazon
It Takes Two to Watusi
star
7.55
20 votes

#20 - It Takes Two to Watusi

Season 3 - Episode 22 - Aired 3/7/1987

Bubba has the hots for Naomi's friend.

Directors: Dave Powers
Watch Now:Amazon
Santa Mama
star
7.55
22 votes

#21 - Santa Mama

Season 3 - Episode 13 - Aired 12/20/1986

Mama must fill in for Vint as Santa at the Raytown Mall.

Directors: Dave Powers
Writer: Jim Evering
Watch Now:Amazon
Farewell, Frannie
star
7.54
41 votes

#22 - Farewell, Frannie

Season 3 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/27/1986

Mama's sister, Frannie, has passed away; and Mama is determined to give her the perfect day for her funeral.

Directors: Dave Powers
Writer: Rick Hawkins
Watch Now:Amazon
Soup to Nuts
star
7.48
60 votes

#23 - Soup to Nuts

Season 3 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/25/1986

When Mama has to choose a chili recipe to put in the church cookbook, a cookoff between Mama, Iola, and Naomi ensues - with Vint the hapless judge.

Directors: Dave Powers
Watch Now:Amazon
Fangs a Lot, Mama
star
7.42
19 votes

#24 - Fangs a Lot, Mama

Season 3 - Episode 23 - Aired 3/14/1987

Naomi tries to stop Vint from joining the Mystical Order of the Cobra, an exclusive men's club, on the advice of Mama.

Directors: Dave Powers
After the Fall
star
7.37
19 votes

#25 - After the Fall

Season 3 - Episode 25 - Aired 3/28/1987

Mama brings Aunt Effie home to nurse her back to health after she falls off the roof while reshingling her house.

Directors: Dave Powers
Writer: Rick Hawkins