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The Game
The Game title card
Created by	Mara Brock Akil
Starring	Tia Mowry Hardrict Brittany Daniel Wendy Raquel Robinson Pooch Hall Coby Bell Hosea Chanchez
Opening theme	Kurt Farquhar Def Jef James D. Joiner III
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No. of seasons	3
No. of episodes	64 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers	Mara Brock Akil Kelsey Grammer Kenny Smith Jr
Production locations	San Diego, California
Camera setup	Multiple-camera
Running time	30 minutes (approx. 22 min)
Original release
Network	The CW
Release	October 1, 2006 – present
Related
Girlfriends

The Game is an American comedy-drama television series that was created by Mara Brock Akil and produced by Kelsey Grammer. Premiering on October 1, 2006, the series debuted as the only new comedy series chosen for The CW's primetime schedule. Along with Runaway, it was one of only two series on the new network not to be inherited from either of its predecessor networks, The WB and UPN, during the network's first season. The series is a spinoff of the long-running UPN/CW sitcom, Girlfriends.

As The CW moved to make its schedule free of half-hour comedies, series creator Brock Akil attempted to convince the network to air the series as an hour-long, single-camera series like the other shows on CW. On May 20, 2009, Entertainment Weekly announced that the series was officially cancelled.

The Game is currently being shopped to the BET network which airs the series in syndication. BET and CBS Television Studios are currently negotiating the licensing fee BET would need to release the rights to the series to cable..

Origin

With the growing success of Girlfriends, the series' creator and producers decided to capitalize on their success and create a second series that would serve as a spinoff. On April 17, 2006, an episode of Girlfriends focused on a young woman who decides to put her pending career plans on hold for the rising success of her star athlete boyfriend. The character, Melanie Barnett, was introduced in the episode as being the first cousin of Joan Clayton, Girlfriends' principal character.

The episode performed well and gained enough interest for The CW network to pick up the backdoor pilot as a new series for its fall 2006-07 primetime line-up. Originally, actress Renee Bruce was cast for the role of Melanie but was later replaced with Tia Mowry (of CBS Television Distribution's own Sister, Sister fame). Before debuting on The CW, more cast changes occurred. Aldis Hodge and Jennifer Baxter, both whom appeared in the pilot episode, were replaced by Pooch Hall and Brittany Daniel respectively. Coby Bell, Hosea Chanchez and Wendy Raquel Robinson were the remaining cast members.

Backdoor pilot

Synopsis

As the series premieres, Melanie Barnett (Tia Mowry) is a first-year medical school student who has given up an offer of admission to Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore (widely regarded as one of the two best medical schools in the country) to follow her boyfriend Derwin Davis (Pooch Hall), a professional football player, to San Diego, against the advice of her parents. Derwin Davis is a first-year rookie with a fictional team called the "San Diego Sabers". As Melanie settles into her new life, she meets Tasha Mack (Wendy Raquel Robinson), the mother of Sabers' starting quarterback Malik Wright (Hosea Chanchez), and Kelly Pitts (Brittany Daniel), the wife of Sabers' captain Jason Pitts (Coby Bell). As she learns to balance her new roles as both med student and the partner of a professional football player, Tasha and Kelly immediately warn her to keep a close eye on her boyfriend because of the numerous "gold diggers" who approach the professional football players.

Differences between The Game Universe and the real world

While every fictional television series presents a universe that differs from the real world, there are two significant distinctions on The Game that are worth noting. First, the principal male characters (Derwin, Jason and Malik) are members of a fictional professional football league. This is particularly evidenced by the fact that the men play for the San Diego Sabers (as opposed to the Chargers), and by the fact that the NFL is never referred to by name.

Second, while a number of real-life athletes and entertainers have made cameo appearances on The Game, three persons have portrayed fictional versions of themselves as recurring characters:

• Actress/singer Drew Sidora, a former girlfriend of Malik, has Derwin appear in one of her music videos. Drew and Derwin's mutual attraction eventually leads them to have sex with each other. Malik, Jason, Kelly and Tasha all become aware of the relationship and are unable to stop it. Melanie finds out in the finale of Season 1, ending the relationship in the premiere of Season 2.
• Actress Robin Givens begins a no-strings-attached relationship with Malik, but he falls deeply in love with her. She rejects his marriage proposal, but changes her mind after Malik convinces her that the image of them as a married couple would be good for their careers. Eventually, the one-sided relationship falls apart, and Robin gives a televised interview falsely implying that Malik is gay.
• Former NBA star Rick Fox is a sports agent at the same firm as Tasha. Smitten with each other at first sight, the two eventually fall deeply in love, over the initial misgivings of Malik and the objections of Rick's mother (portrayed by Penny Marshall). However, when Rick is promoted and Tasha is fired, she mistakenly believes that he was simply using her.

Cast

Main

• Tia Mowry Hardrict as Melanie Barnett - Melanie Barnett is the show's main Protagonist. Melanie Barnett is a medical student who gave up John Hopkins University to move to San Diego with her boyfriend Derwin Davis. Melanie is the cousin of Los Angeles attorney-turned-restauranteur Joan Clayton. In the first season finale, Melanie breaks up with Derwin after overhearing that Derwin cheated on her with Drew Sidora. After Melanie ends her relationship with Derwin, she becomes involved with Jerome Rice and they date, until she breaks up with him in the season two finale, confessing she is still in love with Derwin. Throughout season two and three, Melanie struggles and goes through changes as she tries to repair her relationship with Derwin, and get her life together. In season three, Melanie becomes promiscuous, finally gets her white coat and begins work at the hospital and goes through rough patches with Derwin. In the season three finale, Melanie finally marries Derwin during a private ceremony.

• Pooch Hall as Derwin Davis - Derwin Davis is a rookie for the San Diego Sabers and boyfriend of Melanie Barnett. Derwin cheats on Melanie with Drew Sidora in season one, and Melanie ends the relationship. In season two, after several failed attempts to win Melanie back, he begins to date other women for short periods of time, including Janay. He injures himself during a game thus, preventing him from playing. In the season two finale, he finds out his ex-girlfriend Janay is pregnant with his baby. In the season three finale, Derwin's son is born and he finally marries Melanie in a private ceremony.

• Coby Bell as Jason Pitts - Jason Pitts is the husband of Kelly Pitts, father of Brittany Pitts, and captain of the San Diego Sabers. When Kelly admitted to marrying him for the money, he eventually admits that he married Kelly because she was easy to impress and that he knew Kelly would worship him. In season two, Jason begins using steroids, and it eventually makes his performance better, but he quits when Kelly takes Brittany and leaves. In the season three finale, Jason gets arrested for hitting Kelly's ex-boyfriend, and leaves with his girlfriend Camille in the court room, rather than Kelly.

• Brittany Daniel as Kelly Pitts - Kelly Pitts is the wife of Jason Pitts, mother of Brittany Pitts, and President of the Sunbeams. Kelly and Jason met when she was a cheerleader and she married Jason. In the second season finale, Kelly leaves Jason after Jason tries to use her to get a contract. During season three she dates a couple of guys, but in the end she hoped her and Jason would get back together, but he leaves with his girlfriend Camille instead, leaving Kelly heartbroken.

• Hosea Chanchez as Malik Wright - Malik Wright is the San Diego Sabers quarter back and the son of Tasha Mack. He considers himself a playboy and is quite cocky about it. He falls in love with Robin Givens and convinces her to marry him as a publicity stunt. In the beginning, he lived with his mom but eventually gets his own place for the purpose of being able to party every night. In the third season, he finally meets his father and meet his half sister Pucci whom he tries to help with her singing career.

• Wendy Raquel Robinson as Latasha "Tasha" Mack - Tasha Mack is the mother of Malik Wright and starts off as his manager. Malik eventually fires Tasha. She started her own management company but then joined with Irv. In season three, she falls in love with Rick Fox whom also works for Irv. Tasha dumps Rick when Irv fires her and assumes Rick knew all along. In the season three finale, Rick comes back for Tasha, and they get back together.

Recurring

• Erica Gluck as Brittany - Daughter of Jason and Kelly Pitts
• Shanti Lowry as Dionne - Derwin's publicist and Melanie's eventual roommate
• Barry Floyd as Terrence (Tee-Tee) - Malik's assistant and childhood friend
• Rick Fox as Himself - Tasha's co-worker and later love interest
• P.J. Byrne as Irv - Owner of Irv Smiff Management
• Robin Givens as Herself - Malik's wife for a short period of time (married for publicity)
• Drew Sidora as Herself - Singer and one of Derwin's love interests
• Gabrielle Dennis as Janay - Derwin's ex-girlfriend and son's mother
• Lee Majors as Coach Ross - Coach of the San Diego Sabers
• Mehcad Brooks as Jerome - Melanie's ex-boyfriend
• Kendra C. Johnson as Renee Royce - One of Malik's love interests
• Chaz Lamar Shepherd as Trey Wiggs - Melanie's college friend
• Lashontae "Tae" Heckard as Jazz - San Diego Sabers groupie
• Bumper Robinson as Juvon - San Diego Sabers football player
• Lisa Tucker as Pucci - Malik's half sister
• Stacey Dash as Jason Pitt's girlfriend sportcaser Camile

Special guest appearances

• Jared Allen
• Nnamdi Asomugha
• Napoleon Harris
• Ephraim Salaam
• Danny Clark
• Chico Benymon
• Tisha Campbell-Martin
• Duane Martin
• Rocky Carroll
• Chamillionaire
• Rockmond Dunbar
• Vivica A. Fox
• Kevin Frazier
• Tomiko Fraser
• Cory Hardrict
• Hill Harper
• Jim Hill
• Mo'Nique Imes-Jackson
• Chad Johnson
• Shawn Johnson
• Mike Jones
• Lil' Kim
• Lisa Leslie
• Eva Marcille
• Lee Majors
• Willie McGinest
• Lonette McKee
• Daryl Mitchell
• Tahj Mowry
• Musiq
• Shaun Phillips
• Jerry Rice
• Charles Robinson
• Soulja Boy Tell 'Em
• Kenny Smith
• Tasha Smith
• Nick Swisher
• Too Short
• Serena Williams
• Stevie Williams
• Kellen Winslow II
• Jaleel White

Episodes

U.S. Ratings

Seasonal ratings based on average total viewers per episode of The Game on The CW:

Lawsuit

In September 2006, writer Staci Robinson filed a $40 million lawsuit against the CW, CBS, Warner Brothers, and Grammnet Productions for copyright infringement. Robinson alleged that after she applied for a job as writer's assistant to series creator and executive producer, Mara Brock Akil in 2001, she sent her novel, Interceptions, to Akil. After receiving the novel, Robinson was interviewed for the job but later declined the position. Robinson further alleged that Akil and a CW screenwriter stole the idea from her novel to create the series. The suit was settled out of court under a non-disclosure agreement in September 2007.

Syndication

Syndicated reruns of The Game air on BET, as of February 16, 2009.

Awards and nominations

DVD releases

Season Releases

The First Season
Set details			Special features
22 Episodes 3-Disc Set N/A Aspect Ratio N/A Mins Languages: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround)			Includes the backdoor pilot episode from Girlfriends Rift and Separate Interview with Mara Brock Akil To Baby...Or Not To Baby Commentary with Mara Brock Akil The Iceman Cometh Commentary with Mara Brock Akil All-Star Blues Commentary with Mara Brock Akil When the Chickens Comes To Roost (Parts 1 & 2) Offseason interview with Mara Brock Akil File:The GameS1DVD.jpg
Release date
United States (Region 1)
September 1, 2009

References

1. Ausiello, Michael. "Fall TV cheat sheet: What's in? What's out?". ausiellofiles.ew.com. Retrieved 2009-08-01.
2. Matt Mitovich (30 June 2009). "The Game On? BET Hopes to Resurrect Canceled CW Series". TV Guide. Retrieved 2009-07-01.
3. ^ However, the connection to Joan Clayton and Girlfriends was apparently severed by the third season. In the episode "A Delectable Basket of Treats", Melanie asks TV Guide columnist Rochelle Thomas why Girlfriends had been cancelled.
4. However, references are occasionally made to actual NFL players, including Michael Vick, Adam "Pacman" Jones, and Jerry Rice (who made an cameo appearance in one episode).
5. "Hollywood Reporter: 2006-07 primetime wrap". May 25 2007. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |source= ignored (help)
6. Klein, Gary (2007-09-02). "Tam High grad, TV networks settle suit". marinij.com. Retrieved 2008-10-04.
7. The Game - Press Release Gives The Game Plan for The 1st Season on DVD

External links

• The Game at IMDb
• Template:Tv.com show
• The Game at epguides.com
• The Game at Yahoo! TV
• Malikwright.com

• 2000s American television series
• 2006 television series debuts
• 2009 television series endings
• American television sitcoms
• Black sitcoms
• Black television drama series
• American comedy-drama television series
• CW network shows
• Television series by CBS Paramount Television
• Television shows set in California
• Television spin-offs