Ep 1. A Friend in Need

George and Louise Jefferson are about to start a new life. After moving to a luxury high-rise apartment in Manhattan's East Side, they are eager to embrace their new lifestyle as wealthy and successful people. In the series premiere of "The Jeffersons," titled "A Friend in Need," the Jeffersons' son Lionel brings home a friend from college, who is African American and has a different perspective on race relations than the Jeffersons.

The episode opens with George (Sherman Hemsley) and Louise (Isabel Sanford) excitedly moving into their new apartment, which they've purchased with funds from their successful dry cleaning business. They are greeted by their new neighbor, Tom Willis (Franklin Cover), who immediately makes a comment that rubs George the wrong way. Tom is married to a white woman, something that George finds difficult to accept.

It's not long before Lionel (Mike Evans) arrives with his friend Charlie (Mel Stewart). The two young men hit it off with George, discussing business and finance. However, when they start discussing race relations, things become heated. George is appalled at Charlie's perspective, feeling that he is too complacent about the injustices of the world. Charlie, on the other hand, believes that people like George are too focused on race and perpetuate division.

Lionel tries to mediate the conversation, but it quickly devolves into an argument. Once Charlie leaves, Lionel confronts his parents about their closed-mindedness. It's hinted that his time away at college has changed him, and he no longer fully aligns with their conservative views.

Meanwhile, Louise befriends the maid who works in the building, Florence (Marla Gibbs). Florence is a sassy, no-nonsense woman who isn't afraid to speak her mind. She and Louise bond over their similar backgrounds as women of color who have overcome adversity.

Throughout the episode, the Jeffersons struggle to fit in with their new social circle. They feel alienated by the attitudes of their wealthy and white neighbors and are forced to confront their own biases. George is particularly resistant to change, but by the end of the episode, he starts to come around.

In the final scene, George is seen sitting on his balcony, pondering the day's events. He realizes that his old ways of thinking are no longer valid in his new environment. It's a sign that the Jeffersons are in for a lot of growth and self-discovery throughout the course of the series.