Florida's Homecoming: Part 3

"Florida's Homecoming" continues its third chapter with JJ having borrowed $1000 from Sweet Daddy Williams (Theodore Wilson, fourth of seven) to pay for sister Thelma's wedding to Keith Anderson. 'Weeping Wanda' (Helen Martin, sixth of seven) mistakes all the flowers for a funeral wreath, which is what JJ may need if he's not able to pay back Sweet Daddy, in attendance. Keith offers his thanks to JJ for supplying a nice wedding: "I know this must be costing you an arm and a leg" "how'd you know?" Michael performs the Stevie Wonder song "You and I (We Can Conquer the World)" (from Stevie's 1972 LP TALKING BOOK) as the groom watches his bride walk down the aisle. All goes well until JJ, in trying to take photos of the couple, accidentally trips Keith, thus breaking his leg. During the ceremony we learn that Thelma's middle name is Ann.

This episode contains my favorite moment in the series. First, however, Thelma's wedding situation seemed kind of rushed. Ben Powers was suddenly part of the cast-before we meet his character for the first time. There was no build-up to the wedding. Thelma was already dating Keith when he's introduced. Two episodes later, they were getting married. All this not withstanding, my favorite moment is Thelma and JJ's hassle just before her wedding. Mutual insults are exchanged. JJ is about to deliver another insult, but he can't. He tells her that he'll miss her. Thelma's face is shown before JJ says this. She was about to cry anyway. She would have cried, no matter what he said. This all confirmed what I always believed. JJ and Thelma argued all the time, but they loved the living hell out of each other.

Another dreadful episode, although viewers can amuse themselves by counting how many times Esther Rolle says, "Now I know I gotta get dressed." Or they can ask themselves what kind of football player Keith was going to be if he couldn't even make it out of church on his wedding day without getting injured. Or listen to Ralph Carter's dreadful rendition of Stevie Wonder's "You and I". Or watch Janet Dubois give Esther Rolle a run for the money in the "awful actress" sweepstakes with her oh-so-serious walk down the aisle as Thelma's maid of honor.

Thelma & Keith Get Married. Mistake Number 1, They're Greeting Everyone Going Down The Aisle. Mistake Number 2, Florida Is Picking Up Thelma's Veil, And Is Tripping On It. Mistake Number 3, JJ Is Taking Pictures Of Thelma & Keith Coming Down The Aisle While He Is Kneeling. Mistake Number 4, Keith Not Watching Where He's Walking Down The Aisle & Trips Into JJ. Mistake Number 5: JJ Is Getting Blamed For Tripping Keith. There's 4 People To Blame For The End Of The Wedding: Florida Messing Around With Thelma's Veil, JJ Taking Pictures Of Thelma & Keith Coming Down The Aisle, Thelma Not Watching Where She's Walking Down The Aisle, & Keith Not Watching Where He Is Walking Down The Aisle, Tripping Over JJ, & Getting Himself Injured.

Florida Got Her Way, Not Moving Out Of The Ghetto Until The 24th Episode Of Season 6 And That's 21 More Episodes Left!!!