Over the years, Lawrence developed a repertoire of characters and was often well-cast in support of Burnett, particularly in the movie spoofs (i.e., spoofing Ann Blyth in the "Mildred Pierce"-inspired skit). But the younger actress really excelled at playing Mama, the crusty, crabby, sourly realistic matriarch of a Southern family with Burnett as her disappointed daughter. With no makeup, a gray wig and support hose, Lawrence created a three dimensional character, alternating between the monstrous and the sympathetic. These sketches of "The Family" eventually evolved into the primetime sitcom "Mama's Family" (NBC, 1983-84; syndicated 1986-90).

Lawrence was also blossoming and coming into her own in other ways. In 1968, she played the soubrette Carrie Pipperidge in a production of "Carousel" at the Dallas Music Hall. CBS also put her into "The Jimmie Rodgers Show", a 1969 summer series. She had a hit record with 1972's "The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia", written by her first husband Bobby Russell. A frequent guest on game and talk shows and an effervescent personality in her own right, Lawrence demonstrated a growing popular appeal in the heartland. She made guest appearances on other TV series, including "The Love Boat", and also played light roles in TV-movies, like "Having Babies" (ABC, 1976) and "Anything for Love" (NBC, 1985). From 1987-88, Lawrence hosted the daytime version of the game show "Win, Lose or Draw" and while she was not the first woman to host a game show, it was nevertheless a rare occurrence. She launched a daytime talk show, "Vicki!" dedicated to entertainment, such as reuniting the casts of classic TV series in 1992. She also co-produced the effort alongside her second husband, Al Schultz. The show, a precursor of the type made popular by Rosie O'Donnell later in the decade, ran in syndication for two seasons, but Lawrence and distributor Group W began a public war when Lawrence quit the show claiming her input into program content and her husband's involvement as a producer had been disregarded. Although she eventually returned to the show, it was for a brief time; sagging ratings and the ongoing bad feelings resulted in its cancellation. Lawrence wrote of the events in her autobiography, "Vicki!: The True-Life Adventures of Miss Fireball", published in 1995.