Episode 105: Family Feud

"You know what you get when you put my brain and your brain together? My brain!"

- Ellen

Vint tells the family about his plan on taking Mama, Ellen, Naomi, and Buzz with him to play Family Feud after getting a letter being invited on the show. Mama is against going, but Vint tells her they need her because she is an important factor, being the "sweet old lady." Mama agrees, but doesn't do well when the family practices playing the game. When they are on the show, they do pretty well and come very close to winning the game. It is Mama's turn to answer the final question, and the family gives her two answers, but she answers with something different, and hers turns out to be wrong, while the answers the family gave her are right. The Harpers lose, and when it is time for the episode to air, Mama asks for Carl to spare her the embarrassment. Suddenly, the power goes off on the entire block.

Story
Vinton gets an idea of taking the family, minus Sonja and Fran, on to the game show Family Feud, so that they can have a chance at winning $10,000. He's even selected each person for his team for different reasons: Buzz is the teenage heartthrob for the girls who watch, Naomi is the sex appeal of the group, Mama is the sweet old lady that Richard Dawson loves, and Ellen and Vint are the brains of the family that could probably win the money on their own. Ellen disagrees with Vint and believes she is the one between the two of them that could win the money. Mama doesn't want to go on the show, but she gives in. The family practices the game, but Mama isn't very good at it.

The time comes for the family to appear on the show. The opposing family is the very snooty Van Courtland's, who win the first round. Vint ends up winning the second match-up, and the Harpers decide to play in order to take the lead. They succeed in doing so. After a short break, the point values are doubled and the Van Courtland's win the face-off and almost win the game, but Mama gets one last chance to steal. The survey question is "Something you win up?" and the Harper's are telling Mama to answer with either "music box" or "a mechanical man," but she says "a letter," and they lose their chance at $10,000.

The episode finally airs, and everyone is ready to watch themselves on television and asks Mama to join them. She refuses, saying that she doesn't want to watch herself making a fool of herself. She makes a wish to Carl, her deceased husband, to make something happen in order to stop the show from airing to spare her from the embarrassment. His answer is a sudden power failure and the whole block is left without power. The family decides to just give up.

Supporting cast

 * Ellen Harper-Jackson : Betty White

Guest stars
Tina Payne (Tiffany "Tiff" Van Courtland); Todd Thompson (Binky Van Courtland); Gene Wood (Announcer); Bonnie Urseth (Muffy Van Courtland); Georgann Johnson (Bunny Vann Courtland); Bernard Behrens (Webster Van Courtland); Richard Dawson (Himself)