The BEST episodes of 227
Every episode of 227 ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of 227!
This popular sitcom that starred Marla Gibbs, who played Florence Johnston for many years on The Jeffersons, got her own show. She played Mary Jenkins, a housewife who lived with her contractor husband, Lester and their 14-year-old daughter Brenda. Mary's best friend was Rose Lee Holloway, who used to sit out with her on the stoop of the apartment building (#227) and discuss many things, especially Sandra Clark, the wise-cracking, hyperactive, and often scatter-brained woman from upstairs. Rose had a daughter named Tiffany. Next door to the Jenkins was the gossipping, yet loving, Pearl Shay, a crotchety busybody who lived with her grandson Calvin Dobbs, who was Brenda's first love. Throughout the final two seasons, several new characters appeared. Broadcast History September 1985-June 1986----Saturdays----9:30 p.m. June 1986-May 1987----Saturdays----8:30 p.m. June 1987-July 1987----Saturdays----8:00 p.m. July 1987-September 1988----Saturdays----8:30 p.m. October 1988-Jul
#1 - Low Noon
Season 3 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/3/1987
When Sandra is dating a man who wants to open a sleezy night club down the street, Mary starts a petition to keep it from opening. Meanwhile, Brenda is working on an assignment about black cowboys. While reading about he historical figures, Mary dreams that they all live in the old West. Mary is ""2-Gun Mary,"" the fastest gun in the West. Lester is the marshall and Brenda-Sue is his daughter. Rose is a school marm turned cocktail dancer, Pearl is a dancer, and Sandra owns the saloon. When bad-guy Jessie comes into town, the town bands together to defeat him (which is what Mary would like to do iun reality). When she awakens from her dream, she finds out that the petitions were successful and the club will not open.
#2 - A Good Citizen
Season 2 - Episode 17 - Aired 2/28/1987
When Sandra comes to show the ladies the new ring that her boyfriend gave her, Mary notices an article in the newspaper that mentions a robbery at the same jewelry store where Sandra and her beau first admired the ring. Mary suggests that Sandra contact the police. The police put a bug in one of Sandra's earrings so they can record her convo with her boyfriend. While he is there, he shows Sandra some bracelets and neckalaces. Just then, the police come into her apt, but Justin gets away. Sandra is afraid that he may come back, so she asks her friends to keep her company and sleeps on the Jenkins' couch. The next day when she returns to her apt fearless, Justin returns with all the ladies there, but the police come in and arrest Justin. They reveal that they were surveilling Sandra's apt.
#3 - Country Cousins
Season 3 - Episode 23 - Aired 4/30/1988
Lester is informed that he has an inheritance coming to him. But before he can collect it, he has to live with some distant relatives and discovers that they are country folk and white.
#4 - The New Neighbors
Season 3 - Episode 19 - Aired 2/20/1988
When Rose is looking for a live-in superintendent, Manny suggests his father, knowing that the Super's family will live with a 50% decrease in rent. When his family moves in, they later find out that he is also the Superintendent, but Alfonso has no skills in that area. Instead, he would rather play concert violin in a symphony. When a try-out conflicts with his job as Super, he decides to complete his job as Super, but Rose allows him one more day to complete his job so he can try out for the Orchestra. He doesn't make it, but vows to put his all into being the Super.
#5 - The Big Deal
Season 3 - Episode 18 - Aired 2/13/1988
Lester's construction company has the chance to be purchased by a multi-national company. The lawyer that is over the proposed merger sub leases the apt and next door, and he and Mary start off on the wrong foot from the beginning. He requests tickets to see the Pointer Sisters, makes Mary cook a steak, (after she'd already made fish) mistakes her for the maid and tells her to clean his apt for $3.00 and hour. When Mary can't get tickets, she, Rose and Sandra dress up as the Pointer Sisters and host a party for Thurmond. Lester decides that he does not want to sell.
#6 - And Baby Makes Three
Season 3 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/24/1987
When Mary is concerned at Calvin and Brenda's nonchalance about teenage pregnancy, she designs an experiment with their sex education class where the kids must take care of an animal. Brenda and Calvin ""adopt"" a piglet named Alberta and she is a handful. All of the kids in the class realize how hard it is to take care of animals, let alone a baby.
#7 - There Goes the Building
Season 3 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/17/1987
Sandra introduces her boyfriend to the ladies, the same man that audited the Jenkins. Mary still does not like him, however he charms everyone and eventually wins Mary over. Rose decides to sell 227 to him because she is efficient with his building (across the street) and he handles some of the 227's problems. The next day, a man shows up saying that he is going to demolish 227, but the only one who sees him is Mary. She blames Mr. Stone and tells the other residents. When Rose confronts Mr. Stone, he calls the deal off before Rose can say anything about the demolition, but Mr. Stone sends a building inspector around to persuade Rose to sell again. When Rose agrees to sell, all of the tenants meet in the basement, Mary and Sandra both sign the contract as witnesses, and Mr. Stone admits his true intentions to demolish 227 and build expensive high rise condos. The contract ends up being void because Mary did not sign her actual name, but instead signed as ""Daffy Duck."" Rose remains the
#8 - The Sing-Off
Season 3 - Episode 15 - Aired 1/23/1988
For a choir sing-off, Mary has found housing for all of the competitors except one, and for good reason. He is rude, pushy and impatient. He winds up staying with the Jenkins. He tries everything he can to guarantee that his choir will win, including taking the judges to dinner and bringing in a professional gospel singer. The D.C. choir brings in Brenda, Tiffany and friends to sing with their choir, which gives them a unique, youthful sound. The competition ends in a tie, where both teams will represent the East Coast in the California semi-finals.
#9 - Pilot
Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 10/26/1985
When the landlord dies, everyone believes that Sandra will become the new landlord, including Sandra. She assures Mary that once she becomes the new landlord that Mary will have to find a new place to live after her lease runs out. The tenants all go to the will reading and it is dicovered that he actually leaves the building to Rose. However, when Mary thought that Sandra would get ownership of the building, she called a building inspector to check out 227. He states that 227 is in need of numerous repairs, more than the tenants can afford.
#10 - The Talk Show
Season 3 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/2/1988
Sandra gets a job on a low budget television station, Channel 87. She tried out for the weathergirl, but bombed! So the station manager gives her another chance hosting her own talk show. Mary, Lester, Rose and Pearl agree to be on the show and talk about various things (bake sale, rummage). But the station manager wants ""Sex In The 80's"" as a topic, which makes them feel uncomfortable (except Pearl).
#11 - Snowbound
Season 3 - Episode 13 - Aired 1/9/1988
When Mary and Lester's flight to Hawaii is cancelled due to the blizzard, they go home only to find Rose, Pearl, Sandra and Calvin in their apt, which is one of two apts in 227 with working heat. They all stay there, including the Jenkins' cab driver, whose cab was stuck in the snow, for at least two days before everyone starts to get on everyone else's nerves. When they realize how they were acting, and that Mary and Lester had to put up with their attitudes in addition to missing their flight, they decide to recreate Hawaii in the apt for Mary and Lester.
#12 - Come Into My Parlor
Season 2 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/29/1986
When Brenda meets a cute boy she decides to invite him to her party Saturday night. After getting permission to actually have the party, she then hears Sandra tell a story about how when she was young and wanted to get to know a boy better, she would ""mistakenly"" tell him the wrong day of the party. Brenda tries the idea and invites Ken over for Friday night instead, hoping that when he gets there he will meet her parents and stay for dinner. But Mary and Lester decide to go out to eat and are not home when Ken arrives. Brenda decides to let him come in anyway, just to have a drink, but then Calvin shows up to drop off chairs for the party. When she tells them they need to leave, Mary and Lester arrive home and the boys hide. Mary and Lester eventually catch the boys in the house.
#13 - Mary's Brother
Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/21/1985
When Mary's brother Lewis comes to town on business, she decides to set him up on a date with Rose. The next day when Rose won't give Mary any details about the date, they get in to an argument where Rose finally admits that she thinks Mary's brother is ""self-centered"" and ""egotistical."" They stop speaking. Meanwhile, Lewis asks Sandra out on a date, and Mary fears that Sandra may be her future sister-in-law. When Mary spies on the ending of Sandra's and Lewis' date, and notices that all he talks about is himself and his job, she realizes where Rose is coming from. Sandra leaves Lewis on the stoop, dissatisfied with the date, and the next day Mary apoligizes and she and Rose make-up.
#14 - A Young Man's Fancy
Season 1 - Episode 16 - Aired 1/18/1986
Pearl goes to Baltimore to visit her sister and the Jenkins watch Calvin for her. When he tries out for the romantic lead for a school play and doesn't get it, he becomes depressed. Sandra boosts his confidence and makes him feel better, however, he mistakes her kindness for affection and begins to fall in love with Sandra. When Brenda hears how silly Calvin is acting over Sandra, she goes and talks to him and expresses to him that she cares for him more than Sandra would ever, and she tells him that he is her best friend. Calvin gets over his crush really fast after that.
#15 - No, My Darling Daughter
Season 4 - Episode 21 - Aired 4/15/1989
Lester hires a young ex-con from the persuasion on Mary. They both admit that he is doing a great job and are happy with him until he asks Brenda out. They object and eventually tell Mike that he is not allowed to see Brenda. He feels dejected and decides he may as well not take the GED test as planned, because people will always see him as an ex-con. The real Joe Clark of the ""Lean on Me"" fame comes and gives him words of encouragement and he decides to take the test. The Jenkins apologize for the way they treated him.
#16 - Babes in the Woods
Season 4 - Episode 14 - Aired 2/11/1989
Mary goes on a hike with the Buttercups, the group of young girls (like the Girl Scouts) that Alexandria wants to join. Sandra comes along also, thinking that the handsome leader would be there. They all get lost and decide to stay in a cabin until the next day. Brenda and Lester hear on the radio that a woman escaped from a mental institution and is on the loose in the park. The ladies later hear the same message. When the ladies meet Ranger Granger they assume she is the escaped lunatic disguised as a ranger. When she is sleeping, they tie her up. That's when the real lunatic showed up. The ladies wind up tying Lucinda Merkle up, and the police take her back to the asylum.
#17 - Play it Again, Stan
Season 4 - Episode 11 - Aired 1/14/1989
When Mary and Lester are on their way to the airport their tickets are stolen by a pick pocket who is running from the cops. As Lester and the police officer go after the man Mary waits in the cab and imagines their lives as the movie Casablanca. In the end, Lester gets the tickets back and they go off to the airport.
#18 - The Butler Did It
Season 3 - Episode 21 - Aired 3/12/1988
Mary and Rose win a raffle contest and their prize is a butler for a week. They both become quickly annoyed with his presence and ""loan"" him to Sandra. When it is time for him to go home, his boss comes over to the Jenkins and fires him. With no where to go, Alfred fakes a back ache and have the Jenkins' waiting on him hand and foot. His boss later come back and wants to take him back. He admits to Mary that it's only because it was in his father's will to that he must continue to employ Alfred in order to receive money.
#19 - The Facade (a.k.a. Tangled Web)
Season 3 - Episode 11 - Aired 12/12/1987
When Mary goes to a seminar about success, she meets a business man who wants to build a $50 million museum. She tells him that Lester is a big time contractor and sets up a meeting date. She uses Sandra's boyfriend's penthouse across the street to prove to Mr. Mortimer that she and Lester have lots of money. When Sandra's boyfriend comes home early, Mary's plan begins to fall apart. She admits what was going on to Mr. Mortimer and his wife. They understand, because Mrs. Mortimer says she, too, would do almost anything to aid in her husband's success. They end up using Lester's company for a smaller project.
#20 - Check Snub
Season 2 - Episode 22 - Aired 6/6/1987
The Social Security office says that Pearl is dead, and the resulting protest lands Pearl, Mary and Rose in jail.
#21 - Rich Kid
Season 2 - Episode 20 - Aired 4/11/1987
Calvin befriends a new kid named Ron who says that his money comes from his rich uncle. He buys Calvin a new pair of shoes and offers to take Calvin and Brenda to a Stevie Wonder Concert. Mary doesn't like the way Ron is ""trying to buy friends."" For $50, Ron gets Calvin to give someone a sealed package and in return he receives $1000 to give back to Ron. Once Pearl and Mary find out, they conclude that Ron is a drug dealer. Mary goes to talk to Ron's mother about his free spending and the fact that he is a drug dealer, but his mother refuses to believe Mary. Calvin confronts Ron about using him to deliver drugs and Ron admits that he used Calvin and all it cost him was a pair of shoes. Later that day at a drug meeting, Ron's mother shows up and tells the 227 residents that Ron was stabbed to death in a drug deal gone bad.
#22 - Brenda's Last Date
Season 1 - Episode 15 - Aired 1/11/1986
Pearl asks Mary if Lester would have a man-to-man talk with Calvin about sex and Brenda asks her parents if she could go to the dance Friday night. They believe that she is too young to date (14). From Mary's persuading, Lester talks to Calvin and ends his talk with, ""If you mess around with my daughther, I'll rip your head off."" Scared, Calvin breaks the date anyway. But Brenda still wants to go and comes up with a plan. Brenda tells her parents that she will go to the library Friday night, while Calvin tells his grandmom that he is going to see Haley's Comet. When Mary finds out, she goes to the dance and takes Brenda home. At home she and Brenda have a heart-to-heart talk, where Mary says she and Lester will relax the rules a little.
#23 - The Bed of Rose's
Season 1 - Episode 14 - Aired 1/4/1986
Sandra starts dating a man who works with her and Lester, however she finds him boring. She leaves it up to the Jenkins to cancel their date. When he comes to the apartment, he meets Rose and she goes out on the date instead. The two hit it off very well. He asks Rose to go to New York with him and Mary and Sandra disagree on what Rose should do. Mary thinks she should not go, because they may end up sleeping together, which would be too soon for the time they were dating. Sandra thinks she should live life to the fullest. Rose finally decides to go and Mary apoligizes for meddling into Rose's business. Rose has a great time but does not reveal if they went through it or not.
#24 - A Daughter Is a Precious Thing
Season 1 - Episode 11 - Aired 11/30/1985
Brenda desperately tries to get Calvin to notice her. When Mary doesn't seem to help Brenda out, she seeks romantic advice from Sandra. This ultimately upsets Mary when she finds out that Sandra alters Brenda's appearance.
Watch Now:Amazon#25 - Football Widow
Season 1 - Episode 10 - Aired 11/23/1985
Mary is upset that whenever Lester watches the football game, she doesn't get any attention. So she gets two tickets from Sandra for her and Lester to go to the game, with the hopes that he can teach her about the game and she'll get some attention. At the game, Mary insults the other fans and cheers for the wrong team. She and Lester end up having to leave early to avoid a fight.