Amen

This is one of the episodes I remember watching for the first time in the 1980s. I will never forget the scene where Sherman Hemsley's character eats the tainted salad and then has to get through the rest of the trial, becoming sicker with each passing moment. It shows how far the deacon will go to win a case, and it also shows that in an ironic way, he does save the church and make it possible for good things to happen in the community. I also like the authenticity of the courtroom set. And Jester Hairston has a fun bit as a long-winded witness. But mostly, I like how this episode plays in a way like a drama. With the exception of the deacon's more exaggerated moments, a trial like this could really happen, and the seriousness of the judge and the jury seems very realstic.