Baby... I'm Back!

After the success of "Sanford and Son",actor Demond Wilson did two short-lived television series during the late-1970's and early 1980's. The other sitcom? "The New Odd Couple" that was a twist on the Neil Simon Broadway play that featured two African-American men in the roles of Felix and Oscar(the other was played by Ron Glass of "Barney Miller" fame)that lasted one season. But Demond Wilson's second attempt at a situation comedy series didn't last very long. The short-lived black sitcom from the mid-1970's "Baby I'm Back" had a somewhat great premise and the show itself was fairly enjoyable due to the colorful cast of characters. Who would have thought that casting actress Denise Nicholas (of "Room 222" fame and later in the 1990's for "In The Heat Of The Night")as his ex-wife and making Demond Wilson as a desperate man who tried to convince his wife that he was a changed man and wanted to start over again into a new relationship with her and there little girl,who just like her mother was a sassy,but wise beyond her years cute little girl(played by Kim Fields who when this show ended went over to NBC to played Tootie Ramsey on the long-running series "The Facts of Life").

His wife has gotten engaged to a military man,Colonel Wallace Dickey(Ed Hall)and to make things even worse off for Demond Wilson's character Ray Ellis,was getting along with her mother Luzelle Carter(played to the absolute perfection by Helen Martin,later of "227" fame)who made things for him even worse off than they were. The verbal battles and puns between Demond Wilson and Helen Martin were especially enjoyable to watch,since Martin mostly sought to recreate LaWanda Page's Aunt Esther as a foil for Wilson,but she did have her moments with was basically the best part of the series. But it didn't help in the ratings neither. The show lasted one season on CBS-TV from the first telecast of January 30, 1978 until April 24, 1978. Only 13 episodes were produced since the series lasted no more than three months on the air. "Baby I'm Back" came in as a mid-season replacement for another CBS series in which it replaced. After more than a decade off the air,cable giant BET(Black Entertainment Television)resurrected all 13 episodes in repeated syndicated during the mid-1980's until the early part of the 1990's(the last time it was shown was back in 1991). And it hasn't been seen since. "Baby I'm Back" remains one of the lost and forgotten black sitcoms that were all over the place during the 1970's and 1980's.

After SANFORD AND SON Demond Wilson did two short-lived series, this one and THE NEW ODD COUPLE (he did Oscar, Ron Glass did Felix). The premise of this show had a husband who had abandoned his family return years later to try to reconnect with the wife and kids. I haven't seen it since its original broadcasts, but I liked it. Perhaps the idea wasn't appealing to a mass audience but the cast was excellent. Helen Martin played the "mother-in-law Luzelle. Luzelle is French for killer. The day she moved in, the rats moved next door." At least that's what Demond Wilson would repeat during the opening credits. He was great, and it was a better show than THE NEW ODD COUPLE. THAT'S MY MAMA was on for at least two seasons, and starred Clifton Davis and Theodore Wilson (who went on to play Sweet Daddy Williams on the popular GOOD TIMES). And then there was Cleavon Little in TEMPERATURE'S RISING.

I'm told two episodes came out in 1989 , but I didn't get to see nor can I locate.

I managed to watch all 13 episodes on YouTube. I had never even heard of this show, but I was doing some IMDb research on Sanford and son and came across this show with Demond Wilson. I've always been a big fan of Kim Fields, and of course who doesn't love Helen Martin. So when I saw someone had uploaded all the episodes to YouTube, I spent a week watching it. I was very impressed. The comedy was great and the writing was excellent. Kim Fields is just too cute in this show and It was really great seeing her before her Facts of Life fame. I don't think that this show was given a fair chance or enough time to become what it could've been. That's always a disappointment to me when a show looks like it will work out pretty well, but gets the plug pulled way too quick. Sanford Arms and Grady and even Sanford were very lame, but this show had potential. The show ended without any farewell as it barely had enough time to find its niche. Helen Martin is as sassy as she always is since I mainly knew her as Pearl.

I will Forever be thankful for YouTube other streaming services that allow us a peak into yesteryear.

Though the premise was somewhat limited, this show itself was enjoyable because of the colorful cast of characters. The contrast and variety of Denise Nicholas playing an uptight ex- wife, Demond Wilson playing a desperate man, Kim Fields as a sassy but very cute little girl (before Facts of Life!), and Helen Martin as a sharp-tongued grandmother, made for lots of fun. The verbal battles between Wilson and Martin's characters were especially enjoyable to watch. Also, Tony Holmes was a unique child actor - and I wish he had gone on to do more. The writing and plots weren't the greatest, but the cast's delivery made them work -- and when watching these episodes nowadays, I am easily reminded of a time when TV was much more innocent and unaffected.