• Air date: 29 Sep '86 25 episodes
      Thelma Harper and her spinster sister Fran open their home to Thelma's recently divorced son Vinton and his teenage son and daughter. It's quite an adjustment for everyone, especially the cranky, argumentative Thelma.
  • List of Episodes (25)
    • 1. Farewell Frannie

      29 Sep '86
      Mama finds Frannie's dairy when she goes to get Bubba for breakfast. Inside is a note telling Mama to call the executor of her will, Larwin P. Finstadler. When Mr. Finstadler arrives he informs Mama that Fran was worth $35,000. Fran's will stipulated 10% of that would go to the ""Ray of Hope Home for Wayward Girls"". But the other $31,500 was to be split evenly between Mama, and Vint and Naomi. Only one stipulation stands between Mama and the money, she has to keep from losing her temper for a p
    • 2. Where There's a Will

      04 Oct '86
      The family is in the middle of a game of scrabble when Ellen stops by with a gift for Mama and to attempt to once again apologize for missing her Aunt Fran's funeral. Mama refuses to forgive her and throws her out. Later, Naomi comes in and says she heard that Ellen was in the hospital about to under go surgery. With that, Mama drags the rest of the family to the hospital to visit her. The visit soon turns very uncomfortable for Ellen as Mama begins yelling at the family for one and then anothe
    • 3. Best Medicine

      11 Oct '86
      Mama is the editor of the years church bazaar cookbook, in it she plans to use her own recipe for Chili. Iola objects thinking it should be hers that Mama uses. Soon Naomi too throws her hat in the ring, saying she makes the best Chili. So the three decide to have to a chili cook-off with the winner getting her recipe in the cookbook. Vint, being stuck in the middle of this brewing argument, is choosen, against his will, as the judge of the contest. All three have identical supplies, with Mama
    • 4. National Mama

      18 Oct '86
      When Mama's dreams start providing the names of winning horses, the family figures they're in the money.
    • 5. Soup to Nuts

      25 Oct '86
      Mama's sister, Frannie, has just passed away, and even if she can't bring herself to tell how Frannie actually died (it was by inhaling a tooth pick in the ladies room at the Bigger Jigger). Mama is never the less determined to give her late sister something she never had, a ""perfect day"". But things soon turn from perfect to terrible as one disaster after another strikes. First Mama finds out Don and Loraine won't be there and ofcourse Buzz and Sonya won't either (for unexplained reasons) an
    • 6. Mama and Dr. Brothers

      01 Nov '86
      In this Thanksgiving episode, Mama, Bubba, Vinton, Naomi, Iola, and Aunt Effie (Dorothy Van) all go for cover in the basement when an unexpected tornado passes by Raytown.
    • 7. Cat's Meow

      08 Nov '86
      Iola is distraught when her cat Midnight dies,although everyone else is thankful,noting that the cat was as mean as a rattlesnake. But Iola refuses to let go and nothing can console her---until she decides to have it freeze-dried.She goes all out and buys a model that meows when you pet it.She leaves it with Mama for a while and Mama takes it out to the front porch and leaves it. That's where Vint falls on it as he, Naomi and Bubba are bringing in a trunk they just bought from the police surplu
    • 8. The Love Letter

      15 Nov '86
      Naomi is giving Bubba and Vint a love test to see how romantic they are,from the latest issue Lady's Circle.As it turns out Vint is a ""cold fish"" and Bubba is a ""Red Hot Romeo"".So Vint decides to try and be more romantic and talks Bubba into writing her a love letter. Vint puts it in her make up case,but Bubba moves it to her purse while Naomi watches.Thinking Bubba wrote it to her she begins to worry.Slipping it into the Lady's Circle,which is where Iola finds it,thinking Vint wrote it her
    • 9. An Ill Wind

      22 Nov '86
      Naomi is giving Bubba and Vint a love test to see how romantic they are,from the latest issue Lady's Circle.As it turns out Vint is a ""cold fish"" and Bubba is a ""Red Hot Romeo"".So Vint decides to try and be more romantic and talks Bubba into writing her a love letter. Vint puts it in her make up case,but Bubba moves it to her purse while Naomi watches.Thinking Bubba wrote it to her she begins to worry.Slipping it into the Lady's Circle,which is where Iola finds it,thinking Vint wrote it her
    • 10. Steal One, Pearl Two

      29 Nov '86
      Bubba wants to borrow $200 to buy a new drum set, while Iola's upset that she can't get her jewelry box open to put her pearls away, so she brings the box over for Vint to open. When he can't, Bubba quickly borrows a bobby pin and opens it easily. Iola heads home only to return a few minutes later in search of her beloved pearls, which have mysteriously disappeared. Iola is quick to accuse Bubba, who comes in with a brand new drum set, claiming he borrowed them from a friend of a friend who's n
    • 11. Where's There's Smoke

      06 Dec '86
      Vinton is chosen to play Santa @ the Raytown Mall. However, with too much practice, he loses his voice! So Mama fills in the last second as Santa Claus. She deals with many brats, but was touched by a little girl who wanted tools for her unemployed daddy. Mama's also upset that her star's missing (the one her husband made for her on their 1st Christmas).
    • 12. Fly Naomi

      13 Dec '86
      Unhappy with the rut she's gotten into, Naomi decides to make a change and arrives home with the news that, after seeing an ad in the paper, she's decided to attend school to train as a flight attendant. Vint gets upset because she didn't ask him first. While, Bubba joins the debate team to be near a girl he likes. Naomi aces her first exam, which only serves to make Vint more upset. With a growing rift between Vint and Naomi, Iola tries to make her move and asks Vint to have ice cream with her
    • 13. Santa Mama

      20 Dec '86
      Vinton is chosen to play Santa @ the Raytown Mall. However, with too much practice, he loses his voice! So Mama fills in the last second as Santa Claus. She deals with many brats, but was touched by a little girl who wanted tools for her unemployed daddy. Mama's also upset that her star's missing (the one her husband made for her on their 1st Christmas).
    • 14. Desperately Seeking Anyone

      10 Jan '87
      Mama and Naomi's plan to find a date for Iola backfires when the date is more interested in Mama.
    • 15. Porn Again

      17 Jan '87
      Mama is appalled when she finds a girlie magazine named Casanova under Bubba's bed while cleaning. She firsts wants to know were Bubba could get such a magazine. It soon comes out that Naomi, who wasn't paying much attention, sold it to him a few days before at Food Circus. Thinking something needs to be done, Iola has the idea to boycott Food Circus until they stop selling magazine's like that. Iola, Mama, Aunt Effie and Pearl form MOP (Mothers Opposing Pornography), and set out to picket in f
    • 16. Have it Mama's Way

      24 Jan '87
      An anonymous letter convinces Vint that he's adopted, so he sets out to find his biological mother.
    • 17. Birthright

      31 Jan '87
      An anonymous letter convinces Vint that he's adopted, so he sets out to find his biological mother.
    • 18. Grandma USA

      07 Feb '87
      Mama is surprised to learn she was entered in the Grandma USA contest by Bubba. She is at first reluctant to compete, but changes her mind when she finds out the grand prize is a dream kitchen, complete with a self cleaning oven. Vint then starts to wonder why they would select Mama over all the other entries, Bubba says it's because he sent in Naomi's picture instead of Mama's. A fact this is only discovered after they are greeted by the host, Raytown personality Eddie Edwards, and he thinks N
    • 19. Buck Private Bubba

      14 Feb '87
      Mama emerges as a contender in an arm-wrestling competition.
    • 20. Mama's Cousin

      21 Feb '87
      Mama's worldly cousin (Vicki Lawrence in a dual role) annoys Mama with her neverending stories.
    • 21. Mama with the Golden Arm

      28 Feb '87
      Mama emerges as a contender in an arm-wrestling competition.
    • 22. It Takes Two to Watusi

      07 Mar '87
      Naomi's best friend Luann has just been divorced and Naomi wants to set her up with a friend of her's for a double date with her and Vint to play miniature golf. But before Luann ever arrives, her date calls to say he can't make it. Naomi then suggests Bubba could be a last minute stand-in. Mama nearly goes through the roof and says no. Not wanting Bubba to associate with the likes of Luann. After a lengthy discussion, Mama gives in and let's Bubba decide for himself, while trying to lay a guil
    • 23. Fangs Alot, Mama

      14 Mar '87
      Vint's former Army Sargent come to town on a recruiting trip and he and Vint go out for a night of beers. Meeting Bubba a little later, Sarge remarks what a fine soldier he'd make. Of course, has no real interest in joining up, until he gets dumped by his girlfriend. Taking some advice from the Sargent he enlists in the military. Problem is, the break up doesn't take. Bubba soon regrets his enlistment when his girlfriend comes back to apologize and they get back together. Already having sig
    • 24. The Best Policy

      21 Mar '87
      Vint brings home a new electric blanket he received for signing up for a life insurance policy. A few minutes later, his insurance agent arrives for him to sign the papers, and as it turns out it's an old boyfriend of Naomi's, Stony Hall. Stony explains that the policy is worth $200,000 in case of accidental death and much to Mama's dismay, Vint announces that Naomi is his sole beneficiary. Following the announcment, Vint starts having accidents. First, he almost electrocutes himself while wor
    • 25. After the Fall

      28 Mar '87
      Vint brings home a new electric blanket he received for signing up for a life insurance policy. A few minutes later, his insurance agent arrives for him to sign the papers, and as it turns out it's an old boyfriend of Naomi's, Stony Hall. Stony explains that the policy is worth $200,000 in case of accidental death and much to Mama's dismay, Vint announces that Naomi is his sole beneficiary. Following the announcment, Vint starts having accidents. First, he almost electrocutes himself while wor