Bustin' Loose

This was yet another attempt at TV making a series from a movie. It was not successful. "Bustin' Loose" was not that good of a vehicle for Richard Pryor, who starred in the film. It was not a good fit for Jimmie "J.J." Walker, either. The TV plot was based on the same premise as the movie. A guy got caught doing something illegal, and was given the choice of going to jail or helping some troubled kids. Walker was supposed to be playing a con man, but I guess audiences could not get the J.J. Evans character from "Good Times" out of their minds. I remember the kids were stock characters: the cute one, the tough one, etc. A low laugh factor caused this show to die an early death.