Good Times: Original cast reacts to controversial trailer for Netflix’s animated reboot

Last Updated on April 5, 2024

The first trailer for Netflix’s animated reboot of the iconic ’70s sitcom Good Times was released last week, and the reaction has been… let’s say, mixed.

The original Norman Lear sitcom ran for six seasons from 1974 to 1979 and earned praise for its portrayal of a working-class Black family. The animated reboot follows a new generation of the Evans family as they keep their heads above water in a Chicago housing project, but the tone of the trailer, complete with a drug-dealing baby, didn’t exactly rub fans the right way.

While speaking with THR, original Good Times stars John Amos (James Evans) and BernNadette Stanis (Thelma) shared their thoughts on the trailer. Both actors made it clear that they aren’t ready to pass judgment until they’re able to see full episodes. “I really can’t form an opinion, as I’ve not seen any of the episodes yet,” Amos said. “Norman — and the entire cast and company — set the bar pretty high. They’ll have a hard time reaching that level of entertainment [and] education. I wish them the best. I see people aspiring to that, but I don’t see anybody reaching that goal, especially in an animated version.“

Stanis wonders if some fans would have assumed that the original cast was involved in the Good Times reboot. “Probably a lot of people don’t know how Hollywood works,” Stanis said. “A lot of times, you use a certain name to open up the door for a new show. That could be what it is. But I’m sure a lot of people will be a little confused at first because they have to think that it’s us. They think, ‘Oh, my God! That’s got to be Thelma, J.J. [Jimmie Walker] and Michael [Ralph Carter].’ And then you come in there, and you don’t see anything like that.” Along with Jimmie Walker (J.J.), Stanis does have a small voice part on the show. “I think they did that because they knew what their show was going to be like,” Stanis explained. “So I guess they figured, if you put us in there, it wouldn’t look so bad or whatever.“

The Good Times reboot stars J.B Smoove, Yvette Nicole Brown, Jay Pharoah, Marsai Martin, and Gerald “Slink” Johnson. Brown has defended the show on X, saying, “This show is edgier and more irreverent than the Good Times of our childhood but it’s still a show about family, fighting the system and working to make things better despite where you start out in the world.“

Good Times will premiere on Netflix on April 12th.