August 26, 1996 (1996-08-26) – May 19, 1997 (1997-05-19)
Goode Behavior is an American sitcom that premiered August 26, 1996, on UPN. The series was cancelled after one season, airing its last episode on May 19, 1997, for a total of 22 episodes.[1]
Synopsis
Willie Goode (Sherman Hemsley) is a newly paroled convicted con artist. He is also the father of Franklin Goode (Dorien Wilson), his estranged son. Franklin is a college professor and is in the process of being promoted to Dean of Humanities at Chapel Hill University in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The two must peacefully co-exist when Willie arrives at Franklin's house unannounced to fulfill the conditions of his probation; he must live at his son's house, under house arrest. Caught in the middle of the family feuding are Franklin's wife Barbara (Alex Datcher), a local news anchor, and their teenage daughter Bianca (Bianca Lawson).
When Franklin finally realizes his dream of being included in Chancellor Willoughby's weekly card game, Willie seizes the opportunity to do the kind of father/son bonding he regrets not doing when Franklin was a child - he teaches his son to play poker.
When Willie takes a job at the TV station where Barbara, his daughter-in-law, is an anchor, it's not long before his expertise as a con man puts him in front of the camera as the stations new consumer advocate. Franklin is thrilled that his father has found a way to use his "talents" for good, until the bribes start arriving. To keep the popular new consumer advocate off their backs, businesses will do just about anything - including installing a swimming pool in the Goode's backyard. But Willie's days as an on-air personality may be numbered.
When Franklin convinces Willie to attend therapy sessions to help cure his need for running schemes, Willie devises a plan to run a pyramid scheme out of the therapy sessions and everybody joins in. When Franklin finds out about the plan, he is infuriated and tries to break up the sessions, but with surprising results.
As a dodge to keep from getting sent back to prison, and to keep from having to get a job, Willie enrolls into school in his son's Anthropology class. Meanwhile, Bianca hatches a scheme to sell term papers.
Just before Valentine's Day, Willie develops a crush on a colleague of Franklin's, Dr. Pamela Fordham (Janet Hubert-Whitten). Bianca and Rolanda (Countess Vaughn) try to offer advice, but to no avail. When Franklin fixes the woman up with another academic, a lovesick Willie decides to pick up his spirits at Mr. Bobo's Girlie Hut. While there, he asks one of the strippers to be his date at Franklin and Barbara's Valentine's Day party, but the stripper mistakes Willie's invitation for a job offer.
Willie's helpers at his restaurant all decide to leave, so Willie finally decides to hire someone. He hires the wise talking Raquel, just as he mistakes a food critic for a bum & throws him out. An old prison buddy, Jimmy the Brain, talks Willie into a scheme to sell hair growth tonic.
Wild Orchid guest as a trio that Willie "discovers" when he decides to audition acts to perk up business at Willie's Chili. Tone Loc is the record executive Willie hopes will sign the act and propel them all to fame and fortune.
Willie devises a plan to bring in extra revenue into his new restaurant by claiming to be an Indian descendant, and using reservation status, bring in casino equipment with slots & gambling. Barbara gets bitten by the gambling bug.