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Mama's Family Season 5 Episodes
Season 5 Episode Guide
25 Episodes 1988 - 1989
Episode 1
Ladies Choice
Sat, Nov 5, 1988
Mama seeks a repeat term as Church Ladies League president, but finds herself running against the last person she thought would be her opponent.
Episode 2
Baby Talk
Sat, Nov 12, 198821 mins
After visiting a friend with a new baby, Naomi and Vint decide they want a baby themselves. But Mama, who feels that there isn't room in the house for another person, decides to have them babysit another friend's cranky infant, in order to discourage them.
Episode 3
Naomi's New Position
Sat, Nov 19, 198821 mins
Naomi's new store manager Archie Woods has offered her the newly-opened position of assistant manager. She's flattered to have been selected but is not flattered one bit when Mr. Woods makes it clear, in words and actions, that she must be "very friendly" to him to secure the promotion. Naomi realizes this is why the the last female assistant manager was let go. He tells her to go home and think it over. She goes home and tells Mama and Iola what he did. After giving her a talk about what he did was sexual harassment, she's still too upset to do anything, so Mama comes up with a plan to give Woods a taste of his own medicine and get positive proof of his sleazy doings. (You have to see this plan in action. LOL. )
Episode 4
The Really Loud Family
Sat, Nov 26, 1988
Bubba has a class project: to make a video about his family. The Harpers and Iola are happy to participate. But a short in the camera makes for awkward moments, as everyone's comments come out differently than intended.
Episode 5
Many Unhappy Returns
Sat, Dec 3, 198821 mins
All Mama wants for her birthday is an electric mixer. When she discovers a hidden expensive piece of jewelry meant for someone else and assumes it's for her, disaster ensues.
Episode 6
Found Money
Sat, Dec 10, 198821 mins
An ATM malfunction leaves Mama with a small fortune. Her plans on what to do with the money prove vastly different than her family's ideas.
Episode 7
My Mama, Myself
Sat, Dec 17, 198830 mins
Mama considers selling a brooch that belonged to her late mother, but has second thoughts when the old woman's spirit begins to haunt her in protest.
Episode 8
Full House
Sat, Jan 7, 1989
Vint wants to join a poker circle and, unsurprisingly, needs Mama's help. But her "help" may do more harm than good.
Episode 9
Bedtime for Bubba
Sat, Jan 14, 1989
Mama finds evidence suggesting that Bubba has been engaging in hanky panky, and convinces Iola to help her catch him in the act.
Episode 10
What a Dump
Sat, Jan 21, 198921 mins
It's Mama vs. City Hall when the town decides to turn her neighborhood into the new landfill.
Episode 11
Mama Bell
Sat, Jan 28, 198921 mins
The Harper family has gotten an answering machine. Meanwhile, Mama is unaware that the rest of the family is hiding a dog -- which Naomi has named "Old Lady" -- in the garage, and are trying to find a home for it. When messages turn up on the answering machine offering a new home for "your Old Lady", Mama thinks the rest of the family is trying to get rid of her.
Episode 12
Very Dirty Dancing
Sat, Feb 4, 1989
Mama finds herself competing against Vint and Naomi in a dance contest. The kind of dancing she must do to win makes her unsure of the whole thing.
Episode 13
Mama's Layaway Plan
Sat, Feb 11, 198922 mins
After attending a barebones funeral with no mourners, Mama vows her own funeral will be an unforgettable extravagance. Her all-consuming plans alienate her family.
Episode 14
My Phony Valentine
Sat, Feb 18, 198921 mins
It's Valentine's Day, and romance is in the air. But Cupid has less-than-romantic plans for everyone.
Episode 15
The Big Wheel
Sat, Feb 25, 198921 mins
Mama and Iola quarrel over ownership of a winning lottery ticket. The winner appears on TV to try for more money, but things don't go as expected.
Episode 16
More Power to You
Sat, Mar 4, 198921 mins
Mama believes the electric company has made an error on her bill, and refuses to pay it. They respond with expected results.
Episode 17
Mama in One
Sat, Mar 11, 198921 mins
A weekend alone seems like Mama's dream come true, but the quiet and loneliness prove more than she can handle.
Episode 18
There's No Place Like... No Place
Sat, Mar 25, 198921 mins
Mama has no sympathy or understanding for the homeless. But after being accidentally arrested during a police round-up of homeless people,she lands in jail and gets to know them better...and is surprised to find her cousin Cora among them.
Episode 19
April Fools
Sat, Apr 1, 198921 mins
Vint, Naomi, and Bubba subject Mama to pranks every April Fools Day. Mama thinks she's finally going to outprank them, but it seems her plan isn't so watertight.
Episode 20
Reading the Riot Act
Sat, Apr 15, 198921 mins
Lolly Purdue has been an inept President of the Church Ladies League, forgetting directions and piling mailing list duties onto Mama and Iola, among other things. Mama, Iola, and two other CLL members, Florence and Inez, have a secret meeting to discuss impeaching Lolly. But then, Mama discovers the reason behind Lolly's seeming incompetence, and decides to turn the situation around to help her.
Episode 21
A Taxing Situation
Sat, Apr 22, 198921 mins
Mama does some creative accounting on her income tax return. Her victory over Uncle Sam is short-lived, however, when an IRS agent comes calling.
Episode 22
The Mother of Invention
Sat, May 6, 1989
Iola believes her invention is a million dollar idea. But when the product's marketer favors Vint's brainless idea over Iola's, Mama smells trouble.
Episode 23
Hate Thy Neighbor
Sat, May 13, 198921 mins
Mama's age-old feud with her neighbor reaches a new boiling point when Bubba becomes smitten with the neighbor's granddaughter.
Episode 24
Dependence Day
Sat, May 20, 198921 mins
Mama emboldens Iola to finally stand up to her domineering mother. When the old woman responds wrathfully, it's Mama who suffers the surprising consequence.
Episode 25
And Mama Makes Three
Sat, May 27, 1989
After receiving a discouraging report from their fertility doctor, Vint and Naomi decide to adopt. Everything seems to go well until the adoption agency psychologist asks to meet Mama. The interview is a disaster; and the outlook for Vint and Naomi's starting a family is bleak. But then, Naomi receives some astonishing news.
