Ep 12. George and the Manager

George and the Manager is the twelfth episode of the second season of The Jeffersons. The episode first aired on December 6, 1975, and was directed by Jack Shea, written by Jerry Ross and Deidre Fay.

In this episode, we see George Jefferson, the protagonist of the show, struggle to keep up with his business dealings. George is a businessman who owns and operates a chain of laundromats and dry cleaners. He hires a young manager named Tom Willis, a white man, to help him run his business.

George initially has reservations about hiring a white manager, but he decides to give Tom a chance. Tom turns out to be a great manager, and George is pleased with his work. However, George's pride is quickly hurt when he realizes that Tom is earning more money than he is.

George becomes jealous and confronts Tom about his salary. Tom tries to explain to George that he is earning more money because he has more experience and is running the business successfully. However, George refuses to listen and becomes angrier.

The situation escalates when George fires Tom from his job, despite his wife Louise's protests. Louise tells George that he is being unfair and that Tom deserves a chance to prove himself. However, George dismisses her concerns, saying that he knows what is best for his business.

Later on, George realizes that he made a mistake by firing Tom, and he tries to apologize to him. However, Tom is hurt and refuses to accept George's apology. The episode ends with George feeling remorseful for his actions and realizing that he needs to learn to trust and respect his employees.

Overall, George and the Manager is an episode that examines the themes of pride, jealousy, and respect. The episode also touches on issues of race and racial tensions, as George initially has reservations about hiring a white manager but learns to respect and trust Tom despite his race. The episode is a valuable lesson on how pride and jealousy can lead to making bad decisions and hurting others.