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The Office and 25 TV shows that were never supposed to be hits

By Kareem Gantt

MALIBU, CA - APRIL 14: Actors Rainn Wilson (L) and Steve Carell attend "The Office" 100th Episode Celebration at the Calamigos Ranch on April 14, 2009 in Malibu, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)
MALIBU, CA - APRIL 14: Actors Rainn Wilson (L) and Steve Carell attend "The Office" 100th Episode Celebration at the Calamigos Ranch on April 14, 2009 in Malibu, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images) /
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Promotional portrait of American actor Jimmie Walker as the character ‘J. J.’ in the television series ‘Good Times,’ mid 1970s. He poses in a hat with five portable 8-track cassette players balanced in his hands. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Promotional portrait of American actor Jimmie Walker as the character ‘J. J.’ in the television series ‘Good Times,’ mid 1970s. He poses in a hat with five portable 8-track cassette players balanced in his hands. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) /

8. Good Times (CBS)

Series run: 1974-9179 (6 seasons/133 episodes)

Before The Cosby Show displayed to Americans that African-Americans could be affluent and well-balanced, many television execs were used to making shows that depicted African-American families living in the ghetto and struggling to make ends meet.

That was the premise of Good Times, a spin-off of Maude created by Eric Monte and Mike Evans which showcases Florida and James Evans struggling to make ends meet and support their three children in the infamous Cabrini Green projects in Chicago. Good Times would be the first show ever to showcase a black two-parent home, which was at the request of the late-Ester Rolle, who refused to star on the show unless the producers gave her a husband.

The show was originally intended to revolve around the marriage of James, a no-nonsense hardworking father, and Florida, the caring, devout stay-at-home mother, and some producers, and critics, weren’t sure if a show revolving around the struggles of an African-American family living in the projects would be a ratings success.

Enter J.J. Evans, who became the show’s breakout star and a character that directly clashed with the vision Rolle and John Amos (James Evans) had with the show. With the intense behind-the-scenes drama that the show endured (that’s a story in its self), it was an amazing feat that Good Times stayed on the air as long as it did.

In 1979, Good Times was canceled, but it remains a fixture on syndication to this very day.

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