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Mama's Family Season 4 Episodes
Season 4 Episode Guide
25 Episodes 1987 - 1988
Episode 1
Educating Mama
Sat, Sep 26, 1987
Thelma reveals that she never finished high school because the professor humiliated her in front of the class. To inspire Bubba to get his diploma, Thelma enrolls in night school to get hers as well. But all doesn't go well when she clashes with the new professor and is faced with the challenge of giving a report on The Scarlet Letter.
Episode 2
Zirconias Are a Girl's Best Friend
Sat, Oct 3, 198721 mins
Mama discovers at-home television shopping, and soon has a house full of tacky bric-a-brac and cheap jewelry. Her family realizes they must intervene when the credit card bill arrives.
Episode 3
The Key to the Crime
Sat, Oct 10, 1987
Raytown is plagued by a rash of burglaries, and the police believe Vint is responsible. Mama and Iola aim to find the real culprit.
Episode 4
Breaking Up Is Hard to Do
Sat, Oct 17, 198721 mins
Vint and Naomi have a terrible fight and part ways. It is Mama, however, who suffers for it.
Episode 5
A Big Hand for Mama
Sat, Oct 24, 1987
After Mama narrowly misses death during a thunderstorm, she vows to turn over a new leaf and be more generous to her family.
Episode 6
Flounder's Day
Sat, Oct 31, 198721 mins
Mama's disdain for Raytown Founder's Day goes back to a painful incident from her youth, but she gets a chance to right the wrongs of the past.
Episode 7
Teacher's Pet
Sat, Nov 7, 1987
Mama has fallen for her handsome night-school teacher, Mr. Hansen. Naomi and Iola give her advice on how to attract him, but Mama finds out she would do better just being herself.
Episode 8
Child's Play
Sat, Nov 14, 198721 mins
The Harpers are put through hell when they must babysit Reverend Meechum's wayward grandson.
Episode 9
Mama Mania
Sat, Nov 21, 198721 mins
A female TV wrestler turns out to be one of Naomi's old schoolmates, and ends up needing her help (and Mama's) in her upcoming match.
Episode 10
Gift Horse
Sat, Nov 28, 198721 mins
To earn money for a VCR, the Harpers decide to hold a yard sale. The items include Iola's unique handmade gifts to the family. The Harpers plan to do this without Iola's knowledge, as Iola is away for the weekend. But everyone gets a surprise when Iola returns unexpectedly.
Episode 11
Workman's Holiday
Sat, Dec 5, 198721 mins
An old lunchbox that Mama made for Vint as a child gets unearthed, causing a chain of events that leaves Vint injured and perhaps unemployed.
Episode 12
Mama Sees Red
Sat, Dec 12, 198721 mins
The Harpers host a Soviet citizen as part of a State Department exchange program. Their guest soon finds American life too comfortable to give up.
Episode 13
A Room with No View
Sat, Dec 19, 198721 mins
Bubba is tired of his bedroom being so near to Mama's watchful eye. Vint and Naomi are tired of living down in the basement. When they follow Iola's suggestion to swap rooms, Mama must find a way to thwart the new living arrangements.
Episode 14
The Sins of the Mother
Sat, Jan 9, 198821 mins
When Bubba comes home drunk one night, Mama punishes him severely the next day. The family is mystified by Mama's harsh attitude, until Iola explains that this stems from a humiliating incident involving Bubba's mother, Eunice, getting drunk as a teenager.
Episode 15
A Friend Indeed
Sat, Jan 16, 198821 mins
Mama has had it with Iola's constant intrusion into her home and family life. But when Iola starts spending all her time with a new friend, Mama feels left out and must find a way to get her back.
Episode 16
I Do, I Don't
Sat, Jan 23, 198821 mins
After attending a family wedding along with their own significant others, Mama, Iola, and Bubba daydream about what marriage could be like for each of them.
Episode 17
Mama Gets the Bird
Sat, Jan 30, 198821 mins
Mama's beloved uncle dies and leaves her his pet parrot. The bird speaks in rhymes that the family believes are clues to the late uncle's hidden fortune.
Episode 18
Mama's Girls
Sat, Feb 6, 198821 mins
Mama, Aunt Effie, and several other senior citizen ladies take up tap dancing as a form of exercise. They enjoy it so much that they decide to form their own professional tap dancing troupe. But the possibility of their dancing becoming an insurance liability may force their show to close down.
Episode 19
Mama on Jeopardy!
Sat, Feb 13, 198821 mins
The producers of "Jeopardy!" are holding auditions in Raytown, so Iola decides to try out. Mama answers all the questions on William Shakespeare which Iola misses and is chosen to appear on the game show.
Episode 20
Mama Goes Hawaiian: Part 1
Sat, Feb 20, 198821 mins
Mama is a fan of "Jeopardy!" and so is Iola. When the show's staff comes to town looking for contestants they both try out. Iola flops but thanks to Thelma's outgoing personality and ability to answer at least something correct,she gets chosen. She finishes last but gets a consolation prize of a trip to Hawaii! The family (and tag along Iola) all head for Honolulu. Naomi get sunburned due to Vint accidentally mistaking baby lotion for sunscreen, on day one, ruining her romantic nights with Vinton. He goes golfing and gets mistaken for a Wall Street genius by some vacationing corporate executives. Iola,Bubba & Mama experience almost magical romantic encounters,in which Thelma has grabbed the attention of a supposed beach bum.
Episode 21
Mama Goes Hawaiian: Part 2
Sat, Feb 27, 198821 mins
In part 2;Iola,Bubba & Mama's romances continue in Hawaii. Iola spends time and finds much in common with a sailor from Sweden. Bubba has found a local young Hawaiian beauty,who may not be what she seems. Mama is desperate to ditch her "beach bum" admirer but finds out something about him later that's quite surprising at a lavish luau. Vinton's new executive golf buddies,are still convinced that he and now Naomi are financial market experts.
Episode 22
Bubba's Double Date
Sat, Mar 5, 1988
After Bubba's date, Wanda Lynn, lets him down before the prom, Mama and Iola arrange for him to take Iola's shy young niece, Vernette, instead. But when Wanda Lynn suddenly becomes available again, Bubba, who is reluctant to let Vernette down, faces a conflict.
Episode 23
Bed and Breakdown
Sat, Mar 12, 198821 mins
Mama's stove is falling apart. In order to earn money for a new one, she decides to rent out a room in her house to a couple in town for the county fair. But Naomi and Bubba have also rented out their rooms, and the house becomes overcrowded with the very different--and clashing-- crowd of guests.
Episode 24
Naomi's Identity Crisis
Sat, Mar 19, 198821 mins
A hit to Naomi's head leaves her an amnesiac. When she asks Mama to fill her in on who she used to be, Mama convinces her she was a housekeeping and cooking whiz.
Episode 25
Pomp and Circumstance
Sat, Mar 26, 198821 mins
Mama and Bubba are about to graduate from high school --indeed, Mama is to be the class valedictorian. But when Bubba learns that his parents won't be coming up from Florida for the ceremony, he is deeply hurt and decides not to attend the graduation.
