The Jeffersons: Season 06 (1979)

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The biggest news attending The Jeffersons' sixth season was the return of Mike Evans as Lionel Jefferson, the role he'd created on the series' parent program, All in the Family, way back in 1971. Having been replaced by Damon Evans (no relation) from 1975 to 1979, Mike Evans stepped back into Lionel's shoes with remarkable smoothness, almost as if he'd never been gone. The other "big event" during season six was the birth of Jessica Jefferson, the daughter of Lionel and his wife, Jenny Willis Jefferson (Berlinda Tolbert). As was usually the case in sitcomland, Jessica's arrival was served up in a hectic two-part episode, replete with frantic chases to the hospital and an abundance of waiting-room tension. Since Jessica was the interracial daughter of an interracial couple, Lionel's highly opinionated dad, George Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley), found he had struck a whole new mother lode of sarcastic humor. Having occupied a new Sunday-night slot since June 1979, The Jeffersons enjoyed the best ratings it had seen in years. The program not only returned to the Top Ten, but had attained the coveted number eight ratings slot, surpassing even its source series, All in the Family. Perhaps this viewer upsurge was due to its new Sunday berth, or maybe the return of Mike Evans and the introduction of baby Jessica did the trick. Whatever the case, The Jeffersons was assured a renewal for an seventh season in the fall of 1980. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi