''Living Single'' is an American television

sitcom A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use ...

created by Yvette Lee Bowser that aired for five seasons on the Fox network from August 22, 1993, to January 1, 1998. The show centered on the lives of six friends who shared personal and professional experiences while living in a Brooklyn

brownstone Brownstone is a brown Triassic–Jurassic sandstone that was historically a popular building material. The term is also used in the United States and Canada to refer to a townhouse clad in this or any other aesthetically similar material. Type ...

Episodes

''Living Single'' centered on six people consisting of four women and two men living the single life in Prospect Heights,

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

. The series focused on two different households in one brownstone, one shared by a trio of independent women and another shared by two male friends who had known each other since childhood while living in

Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S ...

. In the first apartment, Khadijah James (

Queen Latifah Dana Elaine Owens (born March 18, 1970), known professionally as Queen Latifah, is an American rapper, actress, and singer. Born in Newark, New Jersey, she signed with Tommy Boy Records in 1989 and released her debut album ''All Hail the Que ...

), a hard-working

editor Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, photographic, visual, audible, or cinematic material used by a person or an entity to convey a message or information. The editing process can involve correction, condensation, or ...

and

publisher Publishing is the activity of making information, literature, music, software and other content available to the public for sale or for free. Traditionally, the term refers to the creation and distribution of printed works, such as books, newsp ...

of the fictional urban independent magazine ''Flavor'', lived with her sweet but naive cousin Synclaire James ( Kim Coles), an aspiring actress who worked as Khadijah's receptionist and had an affinity for

Troll doll A Troll Doll (Danish: ''Gjøltrold'') is a type of plastic doll with furry up-combed hair depicting a troll, also known as a Dam doll after their creator Danish woodcutter Thomas Dam. The inspiration came from trolls in old Scandinavian folklore ...

s, and her childhood friend from

East Orange, New Jersey East Orange is a city in Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the city's population was 69,612. The city was the state's 20th most-populous municipality in 2010, after having been the state's 14th most-po ...

, Regina "Régine" Hunter ( Kim Fields), an image-conscious boutique buyer who was on a constant search for a well-to-do man to spend her life (and his money) with. Later in the series, Régine became a costume assistant for the soap opera ''Palo Alto''. When the soap was canceled, she became a wedding planner and left the apartment to move in with her fiancé Dexter Knight ( Don Franklin). Maxine "Max" Shaw ( Erika Alexander), a sharp-tongued Attorney and Khadijah's best friend from their college days at

Howard University Howard University (Howard) is a Private university, private, University charter#Federal, federally chartered historically black research university in Washington, D.C. It is Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, classifie ...

, frequently stopped by to share her unique insights and the events of her day, to make sure that the girls' refrigerator wasn't overstocked, and to start trouble with Kyle, looking for any chance to make his life worse. Kyle Barker ( T.C. Carson) lived in the second apartment with Overton Wakefield Jones (

John Henton John Henton (born November 23, 1960) is an American actor and comedian. Henton is best known for his roles as Overton Wakefield Jones on the FOX sitcom '' Living Single'' and as Milsap Morris on the ABC/ UPN sitcom '' The Hughleys''. Life and ...

). Overton was the friendly but bucolic maintenance man for the owner of their (and neighboring) building, who held a deep affection for Synclaire and plenty of hilarious homespun wisdom for everyone else. Kyle was a

stockbroker A stockbroker is a regulated broker, broker-dealer, or registered investment adviser (in the United States) who may provide financial advisory and investment management services and execute transactions such as the purchase or sale of stock ...

whose constant verbal sparring with Max did little to mask their obvious sexual attraction to each other. Kyle and Max pursued a sexual relationship, but when he decided to take a job in London and invited Max to join him, she turned him down. Maxine subsequently became distraught over her decision and, after defending a man who claimed to be the second coming of

Jesus Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label= Hebrew/ Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and relig ...

( Harold Perrineau), she began to take her life more seriously. Through a series of events, Max decided that her purpose must be to become a mother. During the insemination process, she unknowingly picked Kyle's sperm specimen based on a list of qualities she would like for her child to have. Kyle returned in the series finale, and the two reconciled. Overton and Synclaire also got together, and their relationship culminated in marriage by the end of the fourth season. In season five, they moved in together, leaving Overton and Kyle's apartment open for new character Roni DeSantos (

Idalis DeLeon Idalis may refer to: ;People named "Idalis" or "Idalys" *Idalis DeLeón (b. 1966), an American actress, singer, and television host *Idalys Ortiz Idalys Ortiz Bocourt (born 27 September 1989) is a Cuban judoka. She competed in the over 78 ...

), a New York-area D.J., to move in. It was eventually revealed that DeSantos had a fling with Ira Lee "Tripp" Williams III, (

Mel Jackson Mel, Mels or MEL may refer to: Biology * Mouse erythroleukemia cell line (MEL) * National Herbarium of Victoria, a herbarium with the Index Herbariorum code MEL People * Mel (given name), the abbreviated version of several given names (including ...

), a songwriter whom Khadijah and Régine allowed to move in when Synclaire's room became available. Synclaire joined a comedy improv troupe where she gained the attention of Tony Jonas, a

Warner Bros. Television Warner Bros. Television Studios (operating under the name Warner Bros. Television; formerly known as Warner Bros. Television Division) is an American television production and distribution studio of the Warner Bros. Television Group division of ...

executive who cast her as a nun for a new comedy series he was developing. Along with trying to make ''Flavor'' a success, Khadijah also looked for Mr. Right. She eventually found him in childhood friend Scooter (

Cress Williams Cress Williams (born July 26, 1970) is an American actor, known for his roles in ''Prison Break'' and '' Close to Home''. His most recent roles include Mayor Lavon Hayes on The CW series ''Hart of Dixie'' and the title character on The CW's ''Bla ...

), with whom she left the brownstone for the final time in the series finale.

Cast and characters

Regular cast

– Khadijah James,

and

of ''Flavor'' Magazine, an independent magazine devoted to the interests of the African-American community. * Kim Coles – Synclaire James-Jones, Khadijah's good-natured cousin and roommate; receptionist at ''Flavor'' and aspiring actress. The role of Synclaire was originally intended for Queen Latifah's long-time friend and collaborator, Monie Love, but she was unable to take part. * Erika Alexander – Maxine "Max" Felice Shaw, strong-willed Attorney, Khadijah's best friend and former college roommate, who grew up in

Mount Airy, Philadelphia Mount Airy is a neighborhood of Northwest Philadelphia in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. __TOC__ Geography Mount Airy is bounded on the northwest by the Cresheim Valley, which is part of Fairmount Park. Beyond this lies Chestnut Hill. ...

; spends most of her time at the women's apartment. * T.C. Carson – Kyle Barker (Episodes 1–107; guest appearance in episode 118),

and Overton's roommate; Max's verbal sparring partner and on-again-off-again love interest. *

– Overton "Obie" Wakefield Jones, Kyle's roommate and the brownstone's handyman; Synclaire's sweetheart. * Kim Fields – Regina "Regine" Hunter (Episodes 1–115), Khadijah and Synclaire's gossip-loving roommate; Khadijah's childhood friend. *

– Ira Lee "Tripp" Williams (Season 5), Khadijah and Regine's new roommate; aspiring songwriter.

Recurring cast

* Chip Fields — Laverne Hunter, Regine's mother * Rita Owens — Rita James (Season 1–4), Khadijah's mother * Michael Warren — Ed James (Season 4), Khadijah's father * Barbara Montgomery – Nana James (Season 2), Khadijah's grandmother *

Khalil Kain Khalil Kain is an American actor, film producer and rapper best known for his role as Raheem Porter in the 1992 crime thriller film ''Juice'' and as the second Darnell Wilkes on the UPN/CW sitcom '' Girlfriends'' (2001–2008). He is also known fo ...

— Keith (Season 3–4), Regine's boyfriend and artist * Don Franklin — Dexter Knight (Season 5), Regine's boyfriend turned fiancé *

— Terrence "Scooter" Williams, Khadijah's childhood friend and boyfriend *

Isaiah Washington Isaiah Washington IV is an American actor and media personality. Following a series of film appearances, he came to prominence for portraying Dr. Preston Burke in the first three seasons of the series ''Grey's Anatomy'' from 2005 to 2007. Wash ...

— Dr. Charles Roberts (Season 4), Khadijah's anesthesiologist and boyfriend *

Heavy D Dwight Arrington MyersCuda, Heidi Sigmund Keeping it reel. '' Vibe'' ("born Dwight Arrington Myers")Samuels, Anita M. (January 12' 1996)Heavy D, the C.E.O. ''New York Times'' (May 24, 1967 – November 8, 2011), known professionally as Hea ...

- Darryl, Regine's boyfriend (3 episodes) *

Shaun Baker Shaun Baker is an English musician, DJ and record producer, currently based in Paderborn, Germany. Musical career Baker has been playing the worldwide club scene over 20 years. Together with his friend and partner Sebastian Wolter, he also pr ...

— Russell Montego, Jamaican-born music editor at ''Flavor'', in love with Regine. *

Bumper Robinson Larry C. "Bumper" Robinson II is an American film, television and voice actor. He is known for his roles as Bumblebee and Blitzwing on '' Transformers: Animated'', Falcon on '' Avengers Assemble'' and Cyborg in '' Justice League: Doom''. Career ...

— Ivan Ennis (Season 3–4), ''Flavor'' copy aide and

journalism Journalism is the production and distribution of reports on the interaction of events, facts, ideas, and people that are the " news of the day" and that informs society to at least some degree. The word, a noun, applies to the occupation (p ...

major at

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, th ...

, in love with Khadijah. *

— Roni DeSantos (Season 5), popular New York City deejay and Tripp's love interest

Guest cast

* Cylk Cozart – Brad Hamilton, Regine's boyfriend who turned out to be married (Season 1, Episode 1) * Freda Payne – Miss Harper (Season 1, Episode 2) * Thomas Mikal Ford – Michael Edwards, Synclaire's date (Season 1, Episode 3) *

Jeffrey D. Sams Jeffrey D. Sams is an actor known primarily for his television work. Sams has been a main cast member of several television series, few of which have made it past their first season. These include '' Medicine Ball'', '' Sleepwalkers'', Rob Tho ...

– Greg, Maxine's ex-boyfriend (Season 1, Episode 4) * Kellita Smith - Susan, Greg's fiancée (Season 1, Episode 4) * Miguel A. Nunez – Goldie (Season 1, Episode 6 & 20) *

Montrose Hagins Montrose Hagins (June 12, 1917 – October 24, 2012) was an African-American television actress and former schoolteacher. Hagins either starred or had been a guest on many popular television shows such as: '' Seinfeld'', '' Roc'', ''227'', '' ...

– Shirley Shortridge (Season 1, Episode 7) *

Marcus Giamatti Marcus Bartlett Giamatti (born October 3, 1961) is an American actor. He is best known for being a regular member of the cast of the CBS drama series ''Judging Amy''. Early life Giamatti was born on October 3, 1961, in New Haven, Connecticut, and ...

– Jack Peabody (Season 1, Episode 7) * Dominic Hoffman – Patrick (Season 1, Episode 8) * Isabel Sanford – Mrs. Ryan (Season 1, Episode 10) * Ed McMahon – as himself (Season 1, Episode 12) * Flip Wilson - as himself (Season 1, Episode 12) *

Dres (rapper) Andres "Dres" Vargas-Titus (born March 18, 1967) is an American hip hop artist. He is known for being the lead rapper of the alternative hip hop duo Black Sheep, before recording as a solo artist. Career Dres formed Black Sheep in 1989 with M ...

– as himself (Season 1, Episode 12) * Nia Long – Stacey Evans, photographer for ''Flavor'' and Kyle's date (Season 1, Episode 13) *

Terrence Howard Terrence Dashon Howard (born March 11, 1969) is an American actor. Having his first major roles in the 1995 films ''Dead Presidents'' and '' Mr. Holland's Opus'', Howard broke into the mainstream with a succession of television and cinema roles ...

– Brendan King, Maxine's college-aged boyfriend (Season 1, Episode 17) *

Cree Summer Cree Summer Francks (born July 7, 1969) is a American-Canadian actress and singer. She has worked extensively in animation, voicing long-running characters such as Susie Carmichael in '' Rugrats'' and Elmyra Duff in ''Tiny Toon Adventures'' and ...

– Summer, Overton's date (Season 1, Episode 18) * Kelvin Mercer - Morris King, (Season 1, Episode 18) *

Morris Chestnut Morris Lamont Chestnut (born January 1, 1969) is an American actor. He first came to prominence for his role as Ricky in the 1991 film ''Boyz n the Hood''. He has appeared in feature films and on television series, including the starring role of ...

– Hamilton Brown, the new upstairs neighbor (Season 1, Episode 18) * Michael Jai White – Steve (Season 1, Episode 20) *

Charnele Brown Karen Charnele Brown (née Dozier; born October 30, 1960) is an American actress, producer, writer, fashion designer and singer. Brown is perhaps best known for her role as Kimberly Reese on NBC comedy sitcom ''A Different World'' from 1988 until ...

– Jackie, Khadijah's college friend (Season 1, Episode 21) *

Arsenio Hall Arsenio Hall (born February 12, 1956) is an American comedian, actor and talk show host. He hosted the late-night talk show, ''The Arsenio Hall Show'', from 1989 until 1994, and again from 2013 to 2014. He has appeared in ''Martial Law'', '' Com ...

– as himself (Season 1, Episode 21) * Mark Curry – Tony Ross, Regine's boyfriend, a standup comedian (Season 1, Episode 25) * Adam Lazarre-White - Alonzo Ford (Season 1, Episode 24 and 27) *

Cheryl Miller Cheryl D. Miller (born January 3, 1964) is an American former basketball player. She was formerly a sideline reporter for NBA games on TNT Sports and also works for NBA TV as a reporter and analyst, having worked previously as a sportscaster f ...

– Denise Hatcher, Khadijah's school basketball rival (Season 2, Episode 2)Basketball Great a Guest Star on 'Living Singe'
. ''Associated Press''. The Daily Journal (Franklin, Indiana). August 21, 1994. *

Branford Marsalis Branford Marsalis (born August 26, 1960) is an American saxophonist, composer, and bandleader. While primarily known for his work in jazz as the leader of the Branford Marsalis Quartet, he also performs frequently as a soloist with classical ens ...

– as himself (Season 2, Episode 2) *

Tamlyn Tomita Tamlyn Naomi Tomita (born January 27, 1966) is a Japanese-American actress and singer. She made her screen debut as Kumiko in ''The Karate Kid Part II'' (1986) and reprised the character for the streaming series ''Cobra Kai'' (2021). She is also ...

– Mary, business client of ''Flavor'' (Season 2, Episode 5) *

Franklin Cover Franklin Edward Cover (November 20, 1928 – February 5, 2006) was an American actor best known for starring in the sitcom '' The Jeffersons''. His character, Tom Willis, was half of one of the first interracial marriages to be seen on prime-tim ...

– Professor Fletcher, Synclaire's teacher (Season 2, Episode 6) * Michole Briana White — Olivia Imogen Jones (Season 2 Episode 7 & Season 4 Episode 24), Overton's sister * Gilbert Gottfried – Lawrence J. Friedlander, telemarketing company owner (Season 2, Episode 10) *

Wayne Federman Wayne Federman (born June 22, 1959) is an Emmy Award winning American comedian, actor, author, writer, comedy historian, producer, and musician. He is noted for numerous stand-up comedy appearances in clubs, theaters, and on television; his book ...

– Fred Meyer, Maxine's public defender (Season 2, Episode 10) * Diana Bellamy – Judge Glazer, the judge at Maxine's trial (Season 2, Episode 10) * Elayne Boosler – Dr. Sheridan, Regine's doctor (Season 2, Episode 11) * John Capodice – neighborhood ice cream man (Season 2, Episode 11) *

Deion Sanders Deion Luwynn Sanders Sr. (born August 9, 1967) is an American football coach and former player who is the head coach at the University of Colorado Boulder. Nicknamed "Prime Time", he played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons ...

– as himself (Season 2, Episode 12) *

Rosie O'Donnell Roseann O'Donnell (born March 21, 1962) is an American comedian, television producer, actress, author, and television personality. She began her comedy career as a teenager and received her breakthrough on the television series '' Star Search'' ...

– Sheri, Khadijah's high school friend (Season 2, Episode 14) *

Bobby Bonilla Roberto Martin Antonio Bonilla (, born February 23, 1963) is an American former professional baseball third baseman and outfielder who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1986 to 2001. Bonilla was one of the Major League's best batte ...

– as himself (Season 2, Episode 16) * Shemar Moore – Jon Marc, Synclaire's study partner (Season 2, Episode 18) * Phil Morris – Preston August, Maxine's boss and former boyfriend (Season 2, Episode 19) *

Phil LaMarr Phillip LaMarr (born January 24, 1967) is an American actor, comedian and screenwriter. LaMarr was one of the original featured cast members on the sketch comedy television series '' Mad TV''. His voice acting roles in animated series include J ...

– Joe, friend of Regine's boyfriend (Season 2, Episode 19) *

Vanessa A. Williams Vanessa Estelle Williams (sometimes professionally credited as Vanessa A. Williams) is an American actress and producer. She is best known for her roles as Maxine Joseph–Chadway in the Showtime drama series, ''Soul Food'' (2000–04), for wh ...

– Hellura, Kyle's date (Season 2, Episode 22) * Kadeem Hardison – Marcus Hughes, ''Village Voice'' reporter (Season 2, Episode 23) *

Roberto Durán Roberto Durán Samaniego (born June 16, 1951) is a Panamanian former professional boxer who competed from 1968 to 2001. He held world championships in four weight classes: lightweight, welterweight, light middleweight and middleweight, as ...

– as himself (Season 2, Episode 23) * Jenifer Lewis – Delia Deveaux, talk show host (Season 2, Episode 25) * Will Ferrell – talk show guest (Season 2, Episode 25) *

Q-Tip (musician) Kamaal Ibn John Fareed (born Jonathan William Davis, April 10, 1970), better known by his stage name Q-Tip, is an American rapper, record producer, singer, and DJ. Nicknamed The Abstract, he is noted for his innovative jazz-influenced style of ...

- Roberto Hughes (Season 2, Episode 26) * Bill Erwin – Mr. Foster, store owner (Season 2, Episode 26) *

Regina King Regina Rene King (born January 15, 1971) is an American actress and director. She is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and four Primetime Emmy Awards. In 2019, '' Time'' magazine named her o ...

– Zina, possible new roommate (Season 2, Episode 26) *

Tatyana Ali Tatyana Marisol Ali is an American actress and singer best known for her role as Ashley Banks on the NBC sitcom ''The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'' from 1990 to 1996. She starred as Tyana Jones on the TV One original series '' Love That Girl!'', a ...

– Stephanie James (Season 3), Khadijah's half-sister *

CCH Pounder Carol Christine Hilaria Pounder (born December 25, 1952) is a Guyanese-American actress. She has received four Primetime Emmy Award nominations for her roles in ''The X-Files'', '' ER'', '' The Shield'', and ''The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agenc ...

– Nina Shaw (Season 3), Maxine's mother *

Gladys Knight Gladys Maria Knight (born May 28, 1944), known as the "Empress of Soul", is an American singer, actress and businesswoman. A seven-time Grammy Award-winner, Knight recorded hits through the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s with her family group Gladys K ...

— Odelle Jones (Season 4), Overton's mother *

Antonio Fargas Antonio Juan Fargas (born August 14, 1946) is an American actor known for his roles in 1970s blaxploitation and comedy movies, as well as his portrayal as Huggy Bear in the 1970s TV series ''Starsky & Hutch''. Early life Fargas was born in New Y ...

— Otis Jones (Season 4), Overton's father * Denise Nicholas — Lilah James (Season 4), Synclaire's mother * Ron O'Neal — Clinton James (Season 4), Synclaire's father * Kenny Blank - as Damon Barker (Season 4), Kyle's brother. * Dorien Wilson — Rev. Leslie Taylor (Season 3–4), pastor at the group's church *

Grant Hill Grant Henry Hill (born October 5, 1972) is an American former professional basketball player who is a co-owner and executive of the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He attended Duke University and is widely consider ...

– as himself (Season 3, Episode 3) * John O'Hurley – as Jean Luc Gerard, Regine new boss (Season 3, Episode 5) *

Eartha Kitt Eartha Kitt (born Eartha Mae Keith; January 17, 1927 – December 25, 2008) was an American singer and actress known for her highly distinctive singing style and her 1953 recordings of "C'est si bon" and the Christmas novelty song " Santa ...

– as Jacqueline Richards, Kyle's client (Season 3, Episode 8) *

Alonzo Mourning Alonzo Harding Mourning Jr. (born February 8, 1970) is an American former professional basketball player who has served as vice president of player programs and development for the Miami Heat since June 2009. Mourning played most of his 15-yea ...

– as himself (Season 3, Episode 10) * Burt Ward – as himself (Season 3, Episode 11) *

Dean Cain Dean George Cain ( Tanaka; born July 31, 1966) is an American actor. From 1993 to 1997, he played Clark Kent / Superman in the TV series '' Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman''. Cain was the host of '' Ripley's Believe It or Not!'' a ...

– as himself (Season 3, Episode 11) * Cris Carter – as himself (Season 3, Episode 12) * Michael Boatman – as Brent, Palo Alto Actor (Season 3, Episode 13) * Dorian Gregory – as Mountie Robeson (Season 3, Episode 13) *

Melvin Van Peebles Melvin Van Peebles (born Melvin Peebles; August 21, 1932 – September 21, 2021) was an American actor, filmmaker, writer, and composer. He worked as an active filmmaker into the 2000s. His feature film debut, '' The Story of a Three-Day Pass'' ...

– Warner Devant, Regine's date (Season 3, Episode 16) *

Mario Van Peebles Mario Van Peebles (born January 15, 1957) is an American film director and actor best known for directing and starring in ''New Jack City'' in 1991 and '' USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage'' in 2016. He is the son of actor and filmmaker Melvin V ...

– Cole Front, Regine's date (Season 3, Episode 16) * Brian McKnight – as himself (Season 3, Episode 17) * Jasmine Guy – Dr. Jessica Bryce, Khadijah's therapist (Season 3, Episode 19) * Monica – Marissa, Khadijah's date's sister (Season 3, Episode 24) *

Giancarlo Esposito Giancarlo Giuseppe Alessandro Esposito (; born April 26, 1958) is an American actor and director. He is best known for portraying Gus Fring in the AMC crime drama series ''Breaking Bad'', from 2009 to 2011, and in its prequel series ''Better C ...

– Maxine's client (Season 3, Episode 24) * Jack Carter – Ray Kellum, eccentric man (Season 3, Episode 26; Season 4, Episode 9) * Bobcat Goldthwait – mugger (Season 3, Episode 27; Season 4, Episode 1) *

Tone Loc Anthony Terrell Smith (born March 3, 1966), better known by his stage name Tone Lōc (), is an American rapper, actor, and producer. He is known for his raspy voice, his hit songs " Wild Thing" and " Funky Cold Medina", for which he was nomin ...

– as Lester Tate, picked on Kyle in high school (Season 4, Episode 8) * Vivica A. Fox – as Darryl's fiancée (Season 4, Episode 9) *

Jeff Blake Jeffrey Bertrand Blake (born December 4, 1970) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons. Blake was a member of seven teams during his career, playing his longest stint with the Cin ...

– as himself (Season 4, Episode 10) *

Sullivan Walker Sullivan Walker (20 November 1946 – 20 February 2012) was a Trinidadian actor who played numerous small and recurring roles on television shows from 1980 until 2005. Walker migrated to New York from Trinidad and Tobago in 1969 and became a ...

– as Dr. Booker Burghardt Mountebank (Season 4, Episode 12) *

Evander Holyfield Evander Holyfield (born October 19, 1962) is an American former professional boxer who competed between 1984 and 2011. He reigned as the Undisputed championship (boxing), undisputed champion at cruiserweight (boxing), cruiserweight in the late 1 ...

– as himself (Season 4, Episode 15) * Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – as himself (Season 4, Episode 15) * Susan L. Taylor – as herself (Season 4, Episode 15) * Estelle Harris – as Esther Brooks, owner of the brownstone (Season 4, Episode 15) * CeCe Winans – as LaTrice, in the choir of the group's church (Season 4, Episode 16) *

Sherri Shepherd Sherri Shepherd (born April 22, 1967) is an American actress, comedian, author, broadcaster, and television personality. She currently hosts the daily syndicated daytime talk show, '' Sherri''. From 2007 to 2014, Shepherd was a co-host of the da ...

– comedian (Season 4, Episode 17) * Joseph Marcell — Reese, the women's house cleaner (Season 4, Episode 19) *

Jim Brown James Nathaniel Brown (born February 17, 1936) is a former American football player, sports analyst and actor. He played as a fullback for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL) from 1957 through 1965. Considered to be one ...

– as himself (Season 4, Episode 20) *

Kenya Moore Kenya Summer Moore (born January 24, 1971) is an American actress, model, producer, author, television personality, and entrepreneur. She is best known for winning the Miss USA pageant in 1993 and being a main cast member on Bravo's reality ser ...

– as Lisa DeLongPre, Kyle's Date (Season 4, Episode 21) * Tracy Vilar – as Ava Rivera (Season 4, Episode 22) *

Desmond Howard Desmond Kevin Howard (born May 15, 1970) is an American former football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. He played college football at Michigan, where he won the Heisman Trophy as a senior. Howard w ...

– as himself (Season 4, Episode 24) * Marsha Warfield – Agnes Finch, cruise social director (Season 5, Episodes 1 and 2) * Montell Jordan – as himself (Season 5, Episode 2) *

Vincent Mason Vincent Lamont Mason Jr. (born March 24, 1970) is an American rapper, producer and DJ who is one third of the hip hop group De La Soul. Mason is also known as Maseo, P.A. Pasemaster Mase and Plug Three. Early life Mason graduated from Amit ...

- as Christopher Thompson (Season 5, Episode 3) * Cedric Ceballos – as himself (Season 5, Episode 3) *

Chaka Khan Yvette Marie Stevens (born March 23, 1953), better known by her stage name Chaka Khan (), is an American singer. Her career has spanned more than five decades, beginning in the 1970s as the lead vocalist of the funk band Rufus. Known as the " Q ...

– as herself (Season 5, Episode 6) * Keyshawn Johnson – as himself (Season 5, Episode 7) * Tionne 'T-Boz' Watkins – hitchhiker (Season 5, Episode 8) * Harold Perrineau – Walter Jackson, Maxine's client (Season 5, Episode 9) * Joyce DeWitt – as herself (Season 5, Episode 12) *

DJ Premier Christopher Edward Martin (born March 21, 1966), known professionally as DJ Premier (also known as Preemo), is an American record producer and DJ. He is considered one of the greatest hip hop producers of all time. He was half of the hip hop du ...

as Keyshawn King (Season 5, Episodes 9 and 12)

Home media

Warner Home Video Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Inc. (formerly known as Warner Home Video and WCI Home Video and sometimes credited as Warner Home Entertainment) is the home video distribution division of Warner Bros. It was founded in 1978 as WCI Home Vide ...

released the complete first season of ''Living Single'' on DVD in Region 1 on February 14, 2006. The entire series is also available for digital download on Amazon.com and the

iTunes Store The iTunes Store is a digital media store operated by Apple Inc. It opened on April 28, 2003, as a result of Steve Jobs' push to open a digital marketplace for music. As of April 2020, iTunes offered 60 million songs, 2.2 million apps, 25,00 ...

Warner Archive The Warner Archive Collection is a home video division for releasing classic and cult films from Warner Bros.' library. It started as a manufactured-on-demand (MOD) DVD series by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on March 23, 2009, with the inten ...

subsequently released seasons 2–5 on DVD in Region 1. These are Manufacture-on-Demand (MOD) releases, available from Warner's online store and Amazon.com.

Production

and Kim Coles both had development deals with Fox.Bash, Alan (December 17, 1994).
Single and Loving it...Twice
. ''USA Today''. Chillicothe Gazette (Chillicothe, Ohio). In March 1993, Fox announced that Queen Latifah and Coles would star in a comedy sitcom called ''My Girls'', about roommates in New York City. The character of Khadijah was created for Queen Latifah. Khadijah is an entrepreneur who started an urban-lifestyle magazine, much as Latifah is an entrepreneur who started her hip-hop record label. Fox changed the show's name to ''Living Single'' three weeks before its television debut. Creator Yvette Lee Bowser's initial goal was to develop a show about herself and her friends that would change the portrayal of young Black people on television. Her overall goal was to portray Black characters positively and less stereotypical. She also noted that the women represented on ''Living Single'' are four different sides of herself, saying in an interview, "I've been as ditsy as Synclaire, as superficial as Regine, as bitter as Max, and as focused and driven as Khadijah." In May 1997, Fox announced that it had ordered 13 episodes of the fifth season of ''Living Single'' but would be delayed until January 1998. Three months later, Fox made a change to its fall schedule, delayed the airing of a new comedy called ''Rewind'', and decided to debut ''Living Single''s fifth season on September 11. The final episode of the fifth season aired on January 1, 1998.

Crossovers

*'' The Crew'': In one episode "The Mating Season" of the short-lived Fox sitcom ''The Crew'', Regine becomes a passenger on a flight and argues with a sassy stewardess in hopes of upgrading to first class. In another episode, "The Worst Noel," Synclaire also becomes a passenger. The episode served as a bridge for ''The Crew'' and its lead-in show, ''Living Single''. *'' Half & Half'': Erika Alexander and T.C. Carson reprised their roles of Maxine Shaw and Kyle Barker on the UPN sitcom, ''Half & Half'' (a series produced by ''Living Single'' creator Yvette Lee Bowser). In the episode ("The Big Performance Anxiety Episode," third season), ambitious law student Dee Dee learns that her mother's co-star in a play is engaged to Maxine, Dee Dee's idol. However, her mother gets Maxine's beau, Kyle, fired because she fears he will take attention away from her. The episode also revealed that Maxine and Kyle remained a couple and were the proud parents of their seven-year-old daughter named Kyla.

Syndication

''Living Single'' started reruns in syndication on September 22, 1997, through various Fox, UPN, and WB affiliates; these were later CW affiliates in terms of UPN and WB. The series formerly reran on

USA Network USA Network (simply USA) is an American basic cable television channel owned by the NBCUniversal Television and Streaming division of Comcast's NBCUniversal through NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. It was originally launched in 1977 as Madi ...

Logo TV Logo TV (often shortened to Logo, and stylized as Logo.) is an American basic cable channel owned by Paramount Media Networks, a division of Paramount Global. Launched in 2005, Logo was originally dedicated to lifestyle and entertainment progr ...

, and

Oxygen Oxygen is the chemical element with the symbol O and atomic number 8. It is a member of the chalcogen group in the periodic table, a highly reactive nonmetal, and an oxidizing agent that readily forms oxides with most elements ...

. Syndication carriage on the local level fizzled out in 2006. Reruns of the series currently run daily on cable networks TV One,

MTV2 MTV2 (formerly M2) is an American pay television channel owned by the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. The channel launched initially as an all-music video service, once the original MTV had started to shift its programm ...

Bounce TV Bounce TV is an American digital multicast television network owned by Katz Broadcasting, a subsidiary of E. W. Scripps Company. Promoted as "the first 24/7 digital multicast broadcast network created to target African Americans", the channel fe ...

, WCIU and VH1. As of January 11, 2018, all episodes began streaming on Hulu.

BET Black Entertainment Television (acronym BET) is an American basic cable channel targeting African-American audiences. It is owned by the CBS Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global via BET Networks and has offices in New York City, Los ...

will air reruns of the series starting October 11, 2021.

Reunion specials

An hour-long retrospective special, ''Living Single: The Reunion Show'', aired on TV One on September 22, 2008. Coles, Henton, Fields, Carson and

Alexander Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history. Variants listed here are Aleksandar, Al ...

reunited to share fond memories with the fans.

and

were unavailable to participate. The special featured clips and revealing secrets of the cast from the show's five-year run. From August 24 to 26, 2018, TV One aired a weekend marathon of "Living Single" to highlight the 25th anniversary of the show. Coles, Henton, Fields, and Carson reunited once again to share memories with the fans, to share their thoughts on the characters they portrayed and provided a tribute to Rita Owens (Queen Latifah's real-life and TV mother), who had passed in early 2018.

, Erika Alexander and

were unavailable to participate.

Reception

During ''Living Single''s first season, it consistently garnered higher ratings than ''

Martin Martin may refer to: Places * Martin City (disambiguation) * Martin County (disambiguation) * Martin Township (disambiguation) Antarctica * Martin Peninsula, Marie Byrd Land * Port Martin, Adelie Land * Point Martin, South Orkney Islands Austr ...

'', which aired in the time slot immediately before it on Thursday nights, and it quickly became the fourth highest-rated show aired on Fox. Throughout its run, ''Living Single'' became one of the most popular

African-American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ensl ...

sitcoms of its era, ranking among the top five in African-American ratings in all five seasons.Bash, Alan (January 26, 1995).
2 Tales of Singles in the City, Yet Strangers in the Night
. ''USA Today''. The News Journal (Wilmington, Delaware). p. D1, D2.Zurawik, David (May 6, 1996).
Blacks, Whites Have Divided Taste in TV
. ''The Baltimore Sun''. Kenosha News (Kenosha, Wisconsin). p. 13.de la Viña, Mark (February 26, 1996).
Surveys Show Blacks, Whites Mostly View Their Own on TV
. ''Philadelphia Daily News''. p. 7.Johnson, Allan (April 18, 1997).
The Difference Between Black and White Viewers a Study in Contrast
. ''Chicago Tribune''. p. Tempo 1, Tempo 3. Newspaper critics contrasted ''Living Single'' with the NBC sitcom ''

Friends ''Friends'' is an American television sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994, to May 6, 2004, lasting ten seasons. With an ensemble cast starring Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Li ...

'' which was inspired by the former. ''Living Single'' featured successful Black characters including an attorney, a stockbroker, and a business owner, in contrast to ''Friends'', which featured white characters including a waitress, a folk singer, and an unemployed actor. Show creator Yvette Lee Bowser was disappointed that Warner Bros. did not promote ''Living Single'' nearly as much as it did ''Friends''.Braxton, Greg (February 1, 1996).
'Single' Asks for a Little Help
. ''Los Angeles Times''. p. F24. ''Living Single'' was never one of the highest-rated programs among audiences during its run from 1993 to 1998. Indeed, the show had struggled to break into lists of top television programs viewed by larger audiences and never broke into the Top 50, though it was a higher performer for the Fox network itself. Those who loved and watched the show regularly have told show creator Yvette Lee Bowser that they connect with its characters, love the cast, and are inspired by the positive, elegant, and professional portrayal of Black people on television. Bowser noted that "People say our characters remind them of themselves, their friends or their relatives. They all know someone like one of the characters."

Awards and nominations

In 1995 and 1996, Living Single was nominated for

Primetime Emmy Award The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the Primetime ...

s for Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic) for a Comedy Series (Bryan Hays).And the Emmy Nominees Are
. ''The Los Angeles Times''. July 19, 1996. p. F22.

References

External links

* ''(archived)'' * {{NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Comedy Series 1993 American television series debuts 1998 American television series endings 1990s American black sitcoms English-language television shows Fox Broadcasting Company original programming 1990s American romantic comedy television series Television series by Warner Bros. Television Studios Television shows filmed in California Television shows set in New York City