History YMMV / SanfordAndSon

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O20Sljxmy9M "The Streetbeater" by Quincy Jones]], otherwise known as the catchier-than-all-get-out theme tune to the show. It's hummed by J.D. and Turk in ''Series/{{Scrubs}}, and a remix of this song eventually became Turk's theme.

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O20Sljxmy9M "The Streetbeater" by Quincy Jones]], otherwise known as the catchier-than-all-get-out theme tune to the show.

* EarWorm: The theme song, courtesy of Quincy Jones.

* DesignatedVillain: In "A House is Not a Pool Room", Lamont buys Fred a billiards table and he and Donna are quickly annoyed about how he is neglecting them and his work to play pool with his buddies. Fred decides to sell the table to make them happy and the show treats him like he's in the wrong for wanting to keep the money for himself instead of giving it to Lamont, even though Lamont gave him the table as a gift, making it Fred's property to do with as he pleases.

* MemeticMutation: [[BlatantLies "I WANT MY DADDY'S RECORDS."]] from "Blind Mellow Jelly."

* SeasonalRot: The final season has its share of problems including a VacationEpisode in Hawaii that features Fred and Lamont running for their life from jewel thieves, a multitude of guest stars and an especially bizarre episode centered around Fred (played by Redd Foxx) entering a contest to meet his idol... Redd Foxx.

** Don Reo wrote six episodes. Reo is best known as creator and executive producer of ''Series/{{Blossom}}'', ''Series/WizardsAndWarriors'', and ''Series/TheJohnLarroquetteShow'' and co-creator and executive producer of ''Series/MyWifeAndKids''.

* MemeticMutation: [[BlatantLies "I WANT MY DADDY'S RECORDS."]] from "Blind Mellow Jelly"
* RetroactiveRecognition: John Larroquette appeared in the fifth season episode "Steinberg and Son".
** Garry Shandling wrote or co-wrote four episodes of the show before finding fame as a comedian and actor.

* MemeticMutation: "I WANT MY DADDY'S RECORDS." from "Blind Mellow Jelly"

* EnsembleDarkhorse: Grady Wilson began as a guest character --played by a different actor-- and was then reimagined and eventually took over the show for a time when Redd Foxx walked. Aunt Esther (Fred's late wife's sister) first appeared in a second-season episode and essentially became a regular from that point forward.

-->'''Fred:''' You do? Well, where are they? Look at all these [NWordPrivileges niggas]] in here! Look around here! There's enough niggas in here to make a Franchise/{{Tarzan}} movie!

** This may also qualify as HarsherInHindsight. For all of the jokes, it was firmly established on the show that Fred Sanford did indeed have a real heart problem. Then, on a VerySpecialEpisode of ''Sanford'', he suffered a very real heart attack and nearly died in part because [[CryingWolf no one believed it was legitimate]] initially. And sadly, that's almost exactly what happened to Redd Foxx some years later.

* FunnyAneurysmMoment: Redd Foxx's death from a real heart attack make Fred's [[HollywoodHeartAttack fake ones]] hard to watch, let alone laugh at.
** This may also qualify as HarsherInHindsight. For all of the jokes, it was firmly established on the show that Fred Sanford did indeed have a real heart problem. Then, on a VerySpecialEpisode of ''[[FromTheAshes Sanford]]'', he suffered a very real heart attack and nearly died in part because [[CryingWolf no one believed it was legitimate]] initially. And sadly, that's almost exactly what happened to Redd Foxx some years later.

** Some fans will argue that part of the problem stemmed from the overhaul in the production staff, replacing the original black writers and producers with Jewish writers and producers, causing the series to lose it's original authentic urban vibe, and turn into just another standard sitcom.
* SoBadItsGood: As ''{{Sanford and Son}}'' progressed and rose higher in the ratings, Foxx used his newfound clout to force the producers into hiring his old [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitlin%27_circuit "chitlin' circuit"]] colleagues (most of whom were NOT trained actors, and it showed) for roles on the series leading to {{Brother Chuck}} moments in the second season when sensible Aunt Ethel (another of Elizabeth's sisters played by Beah Richards), Slappy (Fred's original foil) and Officer Swanhauser (Smitty's original partner played by prolific sitcom director Noam Pitlik) were written out and replaced with over-the-top counterparts. However, the broad antics and occasional wooden line-readings are [[NarmCharm part of the charm]] of the series, and Redd Foxx picked up the slack admirably when needed.

* EarWorm: The theme song.

* SoBadItsGood: As ''{{Sanford and Son}}'' progressed and rose higher in the ratings, Foxx used his newfound clout to force the producers into hiring his old [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitlin%27_circuit "chitlin' circuit"]] colleagues (most of whom were NOT trained actors, and it showed) for roles on the series leading to {{Brother Chuck}} moments in the second season when sensible Aunt Ethel (another of Elizabeth's sisters played by Beah Richards), Slappy (Fred's original foil) and Officer Swanhauser (Smitty's original partner played by prolific sitcom director Noam Pitlik) were written out and replaced with over-the-top counterparts. However, the broad antics and occasional wooden line-readings are [[NarmCharm part of the charm]] of the series, and Redd Foxx picked up the slack admirably when needed.
* SpotlightStealingSquad: [[EthnicScrappy Julio Fuentes]], Grady, Bubba and Aunt Esther

* SoBadItsGood: As ''{{Sanford and Son}}'' progressed and rose higher in the ratings, Foxx used his newfound clout to force the producers into hiring his old [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitlin%27_circuit "chitlin' circuit"]] colleagues (most of whom were NOT trained actors, and it showed) for roles on the series leading to {{Brother Chuck}} moments in the second season when sensible Aunt Ethel (another of Elizabeth's sisters played by Beah Richards), Slappy (Fred's original foil) and Officer Swanhauser (Smitty's original partner played by prolific sitcom director Noam Pitlik) were written out and replaced with over-the-top counterparts. However, the broad antics and occasional wooden line-readings are [[NarmCharm part of the charm]] of the series, and Redd Foxx picked up the slack admirably when needed as did the supporting cast.

* SeasonalRot: The final season has its share of problems including a VacationEpisode in Hawaii that features Fred and Lamont running for their life from jewel thiefs, a multitude of guest stars and an especially bizarre episode centered around Fred (played by Redd Foxx) entering a contest to meet his idol... Redd Foxx.

* SoBadItsGood: As ''{{Sanford and Son}}'' progressed and rose higher in the ratings, Foxx used his newfound clout to force the producers into hiring his old [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitlin%27_circuit "chitlin' circuit"]] colleagues (most of whom were NOT trained actors, and it showed) for roles on the series leading to {{Brother Chuck}} moments in the second season when sensible Aunt Ethel (another of Elizabeth's sisters played by Beah Richards), Slappy (Fred's original foil) and Officer Swanhauser (Smitty's original partner played by prolific sitcom director Noam Pitlik) were written out and replaced with over-the-top counterparts. However, the broad antics and occasional wooden line-readings are [[NarmCharm part of the charm]] of the series, and Redd Foxx picked up the slack admirably when needed.

* SoBadItsGood: As ''{{Sanford and Son}}'' progressed and rose higher in the ratings, Foxx used his newfound clout to force the producers into hiring his old [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitlin%27_circuit "chitlin' circuit"]] colleagues (most of whom were NOT trained actors, and it showed) for roles on the series leading to {{Brother Chuck}} moments in the second season when sensible Aunt Ethel (another of Elizabeth's sisters played by Beah Richards), Slappy (Fred's original foil) and Officer Swanhauser (Smitty's original partner played by prolific sitcom director Noam Pitlik) were written out and replaced with over-the-top counterparts. However, the broad antics and occasional wooden line-readings are [[NarmCharm part of the charm]] of the series, and Redd Foxx picked up the slack admirably when needed.