Half & Half (UPN): In the final season of UPN, this show reigned as the network's best comedy behind a certain Chris Rock show. Rachel True and Essence Atkins starred as half-sisters Mona and Dee Dee Thorne. These two sisters have completely opposite personalities. Mona, who works at a record company with her childhood friend Spencer (Chico Benymon), is free-spirited and laid back. Dee Dee, a law student who later becomes a sports agent, is reserved and a little more uptight. The girls share a father in Charles Thorne (Obba Babatunde) who is married to former actress “Big” Dee Dee (Valarie Pettiford), Dee Dee's mother. Charles's ex-wife is Phyllis (Telma Hopkins), a therapist who is the mother of Mona. Big Dee Dee and Phyllis can't stand each other and battle all the time. Mona and Dee Dee each deal with life and love as they try to better their sisterly relationship. The show's biggest strength is in its ensemble cast. As each of the actors became more comfortable with their characters, the chemistry between them got better. In its final days, it was still on the way up with an expanded role for supporting character Adam (Alec Mapa), one of the few gay Asian characters to appear on TV.
Living Single (FOX): Living Single starred Queen Latifah as Khadijah, the founder and publisher of an entertainment magazine. She lives with her goofy cousin Synclaire (Kim Coles) and their somewhat shallow childhood friend Regine (Kim Fields). Khadijah's college friend, lawyer Max (Erika Alexander), is always around as are neighbors Kyle (T.C. Carson) and Overton (John Henton). This show presented a portrait of four professional women dealing with life and love before Sex and The City and Girlfriends and even predates Friends in its portrayal of a mixed gender group of friends. It helped Queen Latifah hone her acting skills before she became the Academy Award nominee she is today. It was smart, funny, and never talked down to its audience during its five seasons on the air. You can catch reruns of this show daily on the cable channel Oxygen and in syndication.
A Different World (NBC): Many black sitcoms are spinoffs of white shows. Benson was a spinoff of Soap. The Jeffersons was a spinoff of All In The Family. Good Times was a spinoff of Maude. A Different World, on the other hand, was a spinoff of The Cosby Show, one of the most successful black sitcoms of all time. Featuring a memorable theme song sung by Aretha Franklin for much of its run, the show was initially a vehicle for The Cosby Show's Lisa Bonet. However, Bonet left after the first season and it became more of an ensemble show. It took place at the historically black (and fictional) Hillman College and revolved around a group of students trying to make it through the college experience. They included Jaleesa (Dawnn Lewis), Whitley (Jasmine Guy), Kim (Charnele Brown), Freddie (Cree Summer), Dwayne Wayne (Kadeem Hardison) and his friend Ron (Darryl M. Bell). It was the first (and may end up being the only) show to take place at a historically black college and portray a part of black life that is rarely seen in entertainment. Although it lasted for six seasons, I don't think it gets the love that it should. It's arguably the best show Bill Cosby produced that he didn't star in.
Article comments
1 - Brent
My impression of "A Diffent World" is that it got significantly better once the nominal star, Lisa Bonet, departed. Cosby created the show as a vehicle for her (reportedly a vehicle away from him) but once it stopped being about Bonet's character and focussed on the trials and relationships of the other characters it became much richer.
2 - Al Barger
Bernie Mac was one of the best sitcoms ever made, black or otherwise. The audience was dwindling, what with being switched around and not promoted, but it was great. They had a pretty good long run, plenty long enough for good syndication. This one will be remembered as a classic and popular on DVD years from now when mediocre crapola that was more popular at the time like Will and Grace is long forgotten.
3 - chantal
I agree that Roc was a truly unique and wonderful show, showcasing the acting talents of four very superb actors. It's a shame the show never got the credit and ratings it deserved. It was funny, smart, socially conscious without being preachy, and it portrayed a slice of Black life without playing into the hands of stereotype.
4 - Rebecca
Living Single was always a fave of mine. Kim Fields, Queen Latifah, Kim Coles all on the same show. That's a pretty good group of folks. As I recall, the show was biting and funny.
As for A Different World, the show got much better once Lisa Bonetr got off the ship. I always felt she couldn't act and seemed disinterested.
5 - Son of Jor-El
Good article, very well written. I guess you were not trying to include some of the over top comedy.... I thought Martin was pretty funny, and witty in its early seasons. But I can understand why you may have left Martin off of the list.
6 - Baronius
When Roc worked, it worked really well. It was inconsistent though. In season three, it quickly used up whatever benefits the live format provided, and just became flat.
Roc's dad was a really funny character, and the actor who played him sure knew what he was doing.
7 - Nancy
Puh-leeze.
Frank's Place.