Mama's Family
Thelma Harper and her spinster sister Fran open their home to Thelma's recently-divorced son Vinton and his teenage daughter and son, Sonja and Buzz. It's quite an adjustment for everyone, especially the cranky, argumentative Thelma, especially when Vinton becomes interested in pretty, sexy neighbor Naomi and marries her and moves her into Thelma's house.
- 1983-1990
- 6 seasons
- NBC
- Comedy
- TV-PG
Thelma Harper and her spinster sister Fran open their home to Thelma's recently-divorced son Vinton and his teenage daughter and son, Sonja and Buzz. It's quite an adjustment for everyone, especially the cranky, argumentative Thelma, especially when Vinton becomes interested in pretty, sexy neighbor Naomi and marries her and moves her into Thelma's house.
Season 6 Episode Guide
20 Episodes 1989 - 1990
Episode 1
Mama's Medicine Show
Sat, Sep 23, 1989 21 mins
Naomi and Vint read in a magazine how it will cost $168,000 dollars to raise their kid. So they set about coming up with a scheme to make some fast money. Just then Bubba comes home feeling bad, and Mama gives him some of her "Mother Harper's Tonic" and that gives Vint and Naomi an idea. They could sell the tonic and make a fortune. So Naomi gets some bottles from the recycling bin at Food Circus and they start to bottle it. It sells fast and everyone wants more. So Bubba takes it to his swim meet and Thelma takes it with her to the Church Ladies League meeting. Everyone samples some and it's a huge hit as everyone including Thelma and Iola get up and start dancing. Alberta even tells Thelma that she's gonna nominate her for CCL Woman of the Year. Bubba comes home and tells Vint and Naomi about what happened at the swim meet, his team lost every race and they sent the tonic to be analyzed and it came back that it was 35 percent alcohol, which closes down the family's business.
Episode 2
An Affair to Forget
Sat, Sep 30, 1989 21 mins
Vinton has been spending his evenings away from Naomi, educating a new locksmith. When Mama and Iola find out that the new trainee is a beautiful young woman, they fear the worst, and try to shield the pregnant Naomi from this information.
Episode 3
Mr. Wrong
Sat, Oct 7, 1989 21 mins
Iola would like a husband and family of her own. Mama encourages Iola to date, but is not pleased by Iola's choice: a boorish loudmouth.
Episode 4
Now Hear This
Sat, Oct 14, 1989 21 mins
Vint and Naomi buy an intercom for their new baby's nursery. But when Mama, and later Vint and Naomi, use it to spy on each other's private conversations, they overhear some unflattering opinions.
Episode 5
Tri-State's Most Wanted
Sat, Oct 21, 1989 21 mins
Vint and Naomi have been following the TV show, "Tri-State's Most Wanted", in order to earn big rewards by catching crooks. But after seeing him appear on the show, Mama believes that the handsome new actor at the Pepperpot Playhouse is one of the criminals.
Episode 6
Mama Fights Back
Sat, Oct 28, 1989 21 mins
Mama is not satisfied with the advice she receives from a local consumer affairs radio show. She calls in to complain, and offers advice to other callers on how to resolve their complaints. The radio station is so impressed by Mama's knowledge of local merchants and products, that they give her a radio program of her own.
Episode 7
A Blast from the Past
Sat, Nov 4, 1989 21 mins
Mama is reluctant to go to her junior high reunion because of the untrue nickname given to her by the class jerk: "Hot Pants". But then, she decides to go in order to set the record straight.
Episode 8
Psychic Pheno-Mama
Sat, Nov 11, 1989 21 mins
Mama is dubious when a psychic visits the house; but is surprised when the psychic gives Mama messages from Carl -- with personal information no one outside the family could possibly know.
Episode 9
Take My Mama, Please
Sat, Nov 18, 1989 21 mins
When Mama heckles a comic at the Big Jigger, the comic challenges her to do better, and invites her back for "Open Mike" night.
Episode 10
Bubba's House Band
Sat, Nov 25, 1989 21 mins
Bubba invites a punk rock band, the Bonecrushers, to stay at Harper House.
Episode 11
Mama Takes Stock
Sat, Dec 2, 1989 21 mins
Vint fears he will lose his job when Kwik Keys is taken over by the Bernice Corporation and turned into a frozen yogurt shop. But then, Mama discovers that she actually has stock shares in Bernice -- and a say in whether they can take over Kwik Keys.
Episode 12
War of the Roses
Sat, Dec 9, 1989 21 mins
When a unique hybrid rose shows up in Mama's garden, Mama and Iola quarrel over its ownership, as Iola believes one of her roses cross-pollinated with one of Mama's to produce the beautiful rose.
Episode 13
Mama Takes a Dive
Sat, Dec 16, 1989 21 mins
After Mama is turned down for a bank loan for a new furnace, she slips and falls on a roll of pennies left on the floor of the bank. Her injuries are minor, but the rest of the family encourages Mama to sue the bank for a million dollars for negligence.
Episode 14
Mama Gets Goosed
Sat, Dec 23, 1989
Mama's cousin sends her a live goose for Christmas. The rest of the family wants to keep it as a pet. but Mama wants to have it for Christmas dinner.
Episode 15
The Big Nap
Sat, Jan 20, 1990 21 mins
Thelma spends her nights watching a detective movie marathon. When Iola's mother disappears and the family searches for her, Thelma dreams she's a private eye on The Case of the Missing Mother.
Episode 16
Pinup Mama
Sat, Jan 27, 1990 21 mins
Bubba has a photography project for school. The whole family participates. But when Bubba's secret gag photo of Mama's head on a pin-up model's body accidentally gets printed on a flyer for a senior citizens' dance, confusion and chaos ensue.
Episode 17
Guess Who's Going to Dinner
Sat, Feb 3, 1990 21 mins
Vinton has won a free Mother's Day dinner for two at a new restaurant. But he faces a hard decision. Which mother should he take out: Mama or mother-to-be Naomi?
Episode 18
Look Who's Breathing
Sat, Feb 10, 1990 21 mins
When Vint is called away by a sudden work emergency, Mama --who would rather be at a bingo game-- has to substitute as Naomi's childbirth coach. Mama is disbelieving about natural childbirth, and inadvertently scares the class by telling them about what childbirth and parenthood will really be like.
Episode 19
There Is Nothing Like the Dames
Sat, Feb 17, 1990 21 mins
Vint and Naomi have finally found a new place to live, a rundown mobile home; and are preparing to move to a trailer park. However, the unsightly trailer breaks down in Mama's driveway just seconds before Mama has to entertain the Dames, a snobbish women's club Mama wants to join.
Episode 20
Bye Bye Baby
Sat, Feb 24, 1990 21 mins
In the Series Finale, Mama is trying to calm Naomi down, who freaks out when Vint leaves her to go to work. Mama tells her the story of how great Carl was when their first child was born. Of course she's lying just to make Naomi feel better. She then tells Iola the real story. Seems she had to take the bus to the hospital when Carl refused to come out of the bathroom, as she went into to labor. Bubba, who's trying to make the college Water Polo team, is driving Mama nuts by running up and down the stairs. When Naomi finally goes into labor, after seemingly being pregnant forever, she refuses to go to the hospital until she gets her hot rollers. Vint, who gets home just then, goes to get the car and panics and smashes his pickup into Mama's car, then promptly passes out when Mama tells him to calm down. Bubba (who made the Water Polo team) and Iola show up a little later and hear a baby cry coming from the trailer. As it turns out, Mama had to deliver the baby, and now they need to pick a name for the Harper's newest addition, a beautiful girl. Vint suggests they call it Thelma, but Naomi wants to name it Tiffany. They compromise and name it Tiffany Thelma.
