Common Sense Media Review
By Melissa Camacho
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Classic sitcom features family, neighbors, and innuendo.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 9+?
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227
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
The classic comedy series 227 follows the lives of a group of folks living in a Washington, D.C. apartment building. Marla Gibbs stars as Mary Jenkins, who lives at 227 Lexington Place with her husband Lester and her daughter Brenda (Regina King). She's also friends with her neighbors, including Rose (Alaina Reed Hall), the obnoxious Sandra (Jackée Harry), and the elderly Pearl (Helen Martin), who enjoys sitting at the window of her first floor apartment talking to the others. Her grandson Calvin (Curtis Baldwin) is also part of the fray. Dealing with the day-to-day challenges of life isn't always fun or easy, but with her family and friends around her, Mary knows that she can get through anything.
Is It Any Good?
This lighthearted family comedy series features the antics of a quirky group of building tenants in a middle-class urban community. The ensemble of quirky but relatable characters centers around Mary Jenkins and her nuclear family, who deal with the highs and lows of everyday life. During its five-year-run, 227 kept up with changing styles, music, and even appearances by celebs like (a very young) Bobby Brown, as well as a few new cast members like Toukie A. Smith and Paul Winfield. But like many shows that featured nearly or all-Black casts at the time, the series and its sometimes superficial, but universally positive life-lessons, was intended appeal to multi-racial viewers. Some may find the humor a little dated, while others may think that it doesn't go far enough to address social issues of that time period. Nonetheless, if you're looking for a great example of a solid mid-1980s sitcom, this one will fit the bill.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the evolution of the situation comedy genre. How do sitcoms of the 1980s differ from the ones on TV today? What has stayed the same over the years?
Sitcoms that first aired in the 1980s like The Cosby Show, Family Matters, and 227 center around middle and upper-middle class Black nuclear families. What stereotypes were they challenging? Have onscreen representations of Black communities improved as a result?
TV Details
- Premiere date : September 14, 1985
- Cast : Marla Gibbs , Jackee Harry , Alaina Reed Hall
- Network : Hulu
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Friendship
- Character Strengths : Communication , Integrity , Perseverance , Teamwork
- TV rating :
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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