Karen Burroughs Hannsberry talks about that
Launch of her Good Times blog with CMH
I’m so excited to announce that Karen Burroughs Hannsberry, author of Classic Movie Hub’s Noir Nook column, has started a new blog! It’s called “Ain’t We Lucky We Got ‘Em” and focuses on the 1970s television series Good times. We sat down with Karen to find out more about her latest writing project!
You’ve been writing about classic films for many years – what made you decide to venture into classic television?
I’ve always loved classic television – for me it’s part of classic film. Ever since I was little, I watched TV shows that were before my time Leave it to beavers and blonde and of course, i love lucy. And now I still love the shows from the past. In fact, my favorite TV show of all time is The Dick Van Dyke Show.
why Good times? And why now?
I have the whole Good times series on DVD and I’ve watched them every day for the last few years. It seemed like every time I watched an episode I noticed something different, something interesting, something I wish I could share with other fans of the series. Then in 2020 I was interviewed by Will McKinley for GetTV on the subject Good times, and that only served to increase my obsession with the show. I initially considered writing a book, especially in light of the show’s 50th anniversary in 2024, but ultimately decided to blog. It’s more immediate and fits in better with the other projects I’m working on. It was the perfect marriage!
what do you like Good times?
How much time do you have? There are so many reasons. It’s set in my hometown of Chicago. It made history by being the first television show to feature a black nuclear family. It uses comedy to discuss a variety of societal ills, from poverty to child abuse to gang violence. It was filmed in front of an enthusiastic and raucous live studio audience. The characters have numerous personality traits to be admired and even emulated. And it’s funny!
What are you going to write about on your blog?
I’ll be writing about each of the show’s 133 episodes, including an overview of the plot, my personal insights, information about guest stars, and a discussion of the pop culture references that make up such an important part of this series. I will also have posts focusing on each of the main cast, trivia, character analysis and much more!
And what’s behind the name of your blog?
It comes from a line in the show’s theme song (remember the Stone Age when shows had words to accompany their theme songs?): “Ain’t we lucky we got ’em – Good Times!”
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A big thank you to Karen for interviewing us!
You can visit Karen’s new blog at goodtimesblog.com – some articles have already been published for you to enjoy!
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–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub
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