Script inconsistency: After getting off the phone with J.J.'s doctor, Thelma says that if J.J. isn't careful, his stomach pain "could" become an ulcer. A moment later, Michael says, "I can't believe J.J. HAS a stomach ulcer." There is some obvious confusion on J.J.'s condition.
Before J.J. falls asleep, Michael mentions that their father (James) used to say, "You have to play with the uniform you were issued." But this was never said by James during his time during the first three seasons.
J.J's friend, Cool Breeze, who was featured in the "Wheels" episode, was not mentioned in this episode.
As the episode ends, although he's portraying a drunk, Robert Guillaume stutters trying to say Willona's name while they talk.
When J.J.'s friends arrive at the apartment, they try to wake J.J. up, who's sleeping on the couch. Someone in the audience yells really loud "He's alive!" Watch Willona laugh and then go back to a serious looking face.
After being awakened, Thelma asks J.J. why he and Michael are sleeping on the sofa bed and not in their mother's room. J.J. says that Penny is sleeping in there, but later when Penny is awakened from all the commotion, she comes out of Thelma's room.
When Penny's hiding in the closet, nobody knows she's there, so when her mother decides to check the bedrooms for her, J.J. gladly shows her to prove Penny's not there. He shows Mrs. Gordon Thelma's bedroom and the bathroom, but completely forgets to show her Florida's bedroom and Mrs. Gordon doesn't acknowledge it either.
Goof: When Mrs. Gordon takes Penny back home, they leave her doll at the Evans' apartment, and even when Penny comes back for her dress, she never acknowledges the doll missing.
When Penny insists upon sleeping on the sofa bed with J.J. and Michael, J.J. says she can't because they're both still sleeping on the sofa bed. It's strange that they hadn't begun sharing Florida's room already.
When Michael takes over the phone call to report J.J. missing, his description of J.J. includes his wearing the denim cap. J.J. didn't wear a denim cap when he went after Carl in Part 1. The denim cap suddenly re-appeared in segment 2 of this episode when J.J. was also wearing the ice pack while trying to relieve his hangover.
At the gym, after Carl tells his friend that he's expecting J.J., he nearly trips over a dumbell when running back to the locker room.
In the previous episode we met Carl. We also find out that he is an atheist. It does not seem logical that Florida would ever date someone who does not believe in God. Florida eventually marries Carl.
Earlier in the series, Willona refered to her ex-husband as "Alvin".
Typically, Willona wears all the fashionable wigs in the series. But in this episode, Thelma wears one to cover up the new hairdo she reveals later on.
Watch Florida's clip-on earrings during the scene just before she goes to church. One falls off at one point and lands on her shoulder it then falls into her cleavage, then Thelma quickly snatches the other one off when she goes to give Florida a hug. Then a few seconds later, Florida is seen walking around with one earring again.
This is the only episode where Willona is seen smoking.
Unlike the other seasons which contain a Christmas episode, this is the only Thanksgiving episode.
When the Junior Warlords jacket is discovered in the stove, Florida (looking at J.J.) asks to whom the jacket belongs. J.J. says, "Don't look at me, I'm no junior!" Actually, he is - he's James Evans, Jr., which he is sometimes called.
When Florida discusses with Miss Bishop the age difference between her and J.J., she says she thought she was 37. In real life, Rosalind Cash, portraying Miss Bishop, was actually 37 when this episode was taped. She was born in December 1938.
One of a few episodes that ends with no applause from the studio audience.
poverty on display, feel good comedy, edgy sitcom, bad parenting, crazy neighborhood