Sparks (TV series)
Sparks | |
---|---|
Genre | Sitcom |
Created by | Ed. Weinberger |
Directed by | Wendy Charles Acey Mark Corry Stan Daniels Kim Friedman Leonard R. Garner Jr. Bob Moloney Ed. Weinberger |
Starring | James Avery Robin Givens Terrence Howard Miguel A. Núñez Jr. Arif S. Kinchen Kym Whitley |
Theme music composer | Billy Preston |
Composer | Billy Preston |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
No. of seasons | 2 |
No. of episodes | 40 |
Production | |
Executive producers | Rob Dames Bob Moloney Lenny Ripps Ed. Weinberger |
Producers | Greg Giangregorio Bruce Bayley Johnson Miguel A. Núñez Jr. Alison Taylor |
Running time | 22–24 minutes |
Production companies | The Weinberger Company MTM Enterprises (1996-1997) (season 1) 20th Century Fox Television (1997-1998) (season 2) |
Original release | |
Network | UPN |
Release | August 26, 1996 (1996年08月26日) – March 2, 1998 (1998年03月02日) |
Related | |
Good News |
Sparks is an American sitcom television series that aired on UPN from August 26, 1996, to March 2, 1998. The series stars James Avery, Robin Givens, Terrence Howard, Miguel A. Núñez Jr., Kym Whitley and Arif S. Kinchen. The sitcom is set in Los Angeles, California, and is about the everyday lives of a family of lawyers running a family-owned law practice. Reruns of the show aired on BET in the late 1990s.
Content
[edit ]The show stars James Avery as Alonzo Sparks, a lawyer running a family law firm with his sons Maxey (Miguel A. Núñez Jr.) and Greg (Terrence Howard) in inner-city Los Angeles, California.[1] [2]
Cast
[edit ]Main
[edit ]- James Avery as Alonzo Sparks
- Miguel A. Núñez Jr. as Maxey Sparks
- Terrence Howard as Greg Sparks
- Robin Givens as Wilma Cuthbert
- Kym Whitley as Darice Mayberry
- Arif S. Kinchen as LaMarr Hicks
Recurring
[edit ]- Wanda-Lee Evans as Judge
- Phill Lewis as Detective Floyd Pitts
- Hawthorne James as Claude
- Rod McCary as Attorney Mason
- Michael Warren as Desmond
Special guest appearances
[edit ]- Vanessa Bell Calloway as Monique
- Nell Carter as Barbara Rogers
- Terry Ellis as Deidre
- Pam Grier as Ms. Grayson
- Billy Preston as Himself
- Anna Maria Horsford as Wilma's Aunt
- Kenya Moore as Ms. Collins
- Ron O'Neal as Arthur Fairchild
- Jason Kidd as Himself
Episodes
[edit ]Series overview
[edit ]Season | Episodes | Originally released | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
First released | Last released | |||
1 | 22 | August 26, 1996 (1996年8月26日) | May 19, 1997 (1997年5月19日) | |
2 | 18 | August 25, 1997 (1997年8月25日) | March 2, 1998 (1998年3月2日) |
Season 1 (1996–97)
[edit ]No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | Viewers (millions) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | "Pilot" | Ed. Weinberger | Ed. Weinberger | August 26, 1996 (1996年8月26日) | 5.2[3] |
2 | 2 | "Palimony Suit" | Unknown | Unknown | September 2, 1996 (1996年9月2日) | 3.3[4] |
3 | 3 | "How Papa Got His Groove Back" | Unknown | Unknown | September 9, 1996 (1996年9月9日) | 3.0[5] |
4 | 4 | "A Day in the Life" | Unknown | Unknown | September 16, 1996 (1996年9月16日) | 3.6[6] |
5 | 5 | "Sid, Lies and Videotape" | Unknown | Unknown | September 23, 1996 (1996年9月23日) | 3.3[7] |
6 | 6 | "Penal Envy" | Unknown | Unknown | September 30, 1996 (1996年9月30日) | 3.2[8] |
7 | 7 | "No Sweat" | Unknown | Unknown | October 14, 1996 (1996年10月14日) | 4.3[9] |
8 | 8 | "Pillow Talk" | Unknown | Unknown | November 4, 1996 (1996年11月4日) | 4.3[10] |
9 | 9 | "One on One" | Unknown | Unknown | November 5, 1996 (1996年11月5日) | 4.3[10] |
10 | 10 | "Goode for the Gander" | Unknown | Unknown | November 11, 1996 (1996年11月11日) | 3.1[11] |
11 | 11 | "Porky's Revenge" | Bob Moloney | Ed. Weinberger | November 18, 1996 (1996年11月18日) | 3.1[12] |
12 | 12 | "Maxey Gets the Bird" | Unknown | Unknown | November 25, 1996 (1996年11月25日) | 2.9[13] |
13 | 13 | "It's the Gospel" | Unknown | Unknown | January 13, 1997 (1997年1月13日) | 4.21[14] |
14 | 14 | "I, Spy" | Unknown | Unknown | January 20, 1997 (1997年1月20日) | 4.25[15] |
15 | 15 | "Won't You Be My Neighbor" | Unknown | Unknown | February 3, 1997 (1997年2月3日) | 3.93[16] |
16 | 16 | "Love Conquers All" | Unknown | Unknown | February 10, 1997 (1997年2月10日) | 4.45[17] |
17 | 17 | "Self Defense" | Unknown | Unknown | February 17, 1997 (1997年2月17日) | 4.39[18] |
18 | 18 | "Hoop Schemes" | Unknown | Unknown | February 24, 1997 (1997年2月24日) | 4.63[19] |
19 | 19 | "The Great Indoors" | Unknown | Unknown | April 28, 1997 (1997年4月28日) | 4.02[20] |
20 | 20 | "Love in a Cup" | Bob Moloney | Mark E. Corry | May 5, 1997 (1997年5月5日) | 3.86[21] |
21 | 21 | "Too Hot Not to Cool Down" | Unknown | Unknown | May 12, 1997 (1997年5月12日) | 3.65[22] |
22 | 22 | "A Day in the Life II" | Unknown | Unknown | May 19, 1997 (1997年5月19日) | 3.68[23] |
Season 2 (1997–98)
[edit ]No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | Viewers (millions) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
23 | 1 | "To the Maxey" | Unknown | Unknown | August 25, 1997 (1997年8月25日) | 4.27[24] |
24 | 2 | "Maxey Loses His Spark" | Unknown | Unknown | September 1, 1997 (1997年9月1日) | 3.63[25] |
25 | 3 | "Rehearsal of Fortune" | Unknown | Unknown | September 8, 1997 (1997年9月8日) | 3.78[26] |
26 | 4 | "Dog Gone" | Unknown | Unknown | September 15, 1997 (1997年9月15日) | 3.63[27] |
27 | 5 | "When a Man is a Woman" | Stan Daniels | Lenny Ripps & Rob Dames | September 22, 1997 (1997年9月22日) | 3.63[28] |
28 | 6 | "Defending Claude" | Unknown | Unknown | September 29, 1997 (1997年9月29日) | 4.36[29] |
29 | 7 | "Don't Get Hooked on Me" | Kim Freidman | Allison Taylor | October 13, 1997 (1997年10月13日) | 4.67[30] |
30 | 8 | "Bad Reception" | Unknown | Unknown | October 27, 1997 (1997年10月27日) | 4.58[31] |
31 | 9 | "A Bride for Alonzo" | Unknown | Unknown | November 3, 1997 (1997年11月3日) | 3.91[32] |
32 | 10 | "Brotherly Love" | Unknown | Unknown | November 10, 1997 (1997年11月10日) | 4.35[33] |
33 | 11 | "Roots III" | Bob Moloney | Ron Nelson & Mark Steen | November 17, 1997 (1997年11月17日) | 4.83[34] |
34 | 12 | "It's Good to Be Negative" | Unknown | Unknown | November 24, 1997 (1997年11月24日) | 4.21[35] |
35 | 13 | "Silent Night" | Stan Daniels | Lenny Ripps & Rob Dames | December 16, 1997 (1997年12月16日) | 2.64[36] |
36 | 14 | "Flirting with Disaster" | Wendy Acey | Ron Nelson & Mark Steen | January 12, 1998 (1998年1月12日) | 3.79[37] |
37 | 15 | "She's Having My Baby" | Wendy Acey | Gisele Sanchez Rochet | January 19, 1998 (1998年1月19日) | 3.81[38] |
38 | 16 | "Cain and Abel Sparks" | Unknown | Unknown | February 16, 1998 (1998年2月16日) | 3.23[39] |
39 | 17 | "Till Your Well Runs Dry" | Unknown | Unknown | February 23, 1998 (1998年2月23日) | 2.73[40] |
40 | 18 | "Blind Justice" | Unknown | Unknown | March 2, 1998 (1998年3月2日) | 3.54[41] |
Reception
[edit ]Kevin D. Thompson of The Palm Beach Post gave the show a mostly-negative review, criticizing Avery's performances and the "normal cardboard cutout characters".[1] Frederic M. Biddle of the Boston Globe also criticized the performances of the lead actors and thought that Núñez' and Howard's characters were "silently perpetuating stereotypes equating character with Caucasian features".[2]
References
[edit ]- ^ a b "Comic 'Sparks' has life but doesn't catch fire". Palm Beach Post. August 26, 1996. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
- ^ a b Frederic M. Biddle (August 26, 1996). "Givens is good, but 'Sparks' fizzles". Boston Globe. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
- ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today . September 4, 1996. p. 3D.
- ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today . September 11, 1996. p. 3D.
- ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today . September 18, 1996. p. 3D.
- ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today . September 25, 1996. p. 3D.
- ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today . October 2, 1996. p. 3D.
- ^ Graham, Jefferson (October 9, 1996). "Baseball on NBC helps CBS". Life. USA Today . p. 3D.
- ^ DeRosa, Robin (October 23, 1996). "Fox gets major league boost to No. 3". Life. USA Today . p. 3D.
- ^ a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today . November 13, 1996. p. 3D.
- ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today . November 20, 1996. p. 3D.
- ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today . November 27, 1996. p. 3D.
- ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today . December 4, 1996. p. 3D.
- ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 13-19)". The Los Angeles Times . January 22, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
- ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 20-26)". The Los Angeles Times . January 29, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
- ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 3-9)". The Los Angeles Times . February 12, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
- ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 10-16)". The Los Angeles Times . February 20, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
- ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 17–23)". The Los Angeles Times . February 26, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
- ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 24-March 2)". The Los Angeles Times . March 5, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
- ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (April 28–May 4)". The Los Angeles Times . May 7, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
- ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (May 5–11)". The Los Angeles Times . May 14, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
- ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (May 12–18)". The Los Angeles Times . May 21, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
- ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (May 19–25)". The Los Angeles Times . May 29, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
- ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Aug. 25-31)". The Los Angeles Times . September 4, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
- ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Sept. 1-7)". The Los Angeles Times . September 10, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
- ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Sept. 8–12)". The Los Angeles Times . September 17, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
- ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Sept. 15–21)". The Los Angeles Times . September 24, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
- ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Sept. 22–28)". The Los Angeles Times . October 1, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
- ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Sept. 29-Oct. 5)". The Los Angeles Times . October 8, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
- ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Oct. 13-19)". The Los Angeles Times . October 22, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
- ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Oct. 27-Nov. 2)". The Los Angeles Times . November 5, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
- ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 3-9)". The Los Angeles Times . November 12, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
- ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 10-16)". The Los Angeles Times . November 19, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
- ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 17-23)". The Los Angeles Times . November 26, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
- ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 24-30)". The Los Angeles Times . December 3, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
- ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Dec. 15-21)". The Los Angeles Times . December 24, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
- ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 12-18)". The Los Angeles Times . January 21, 1998. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
- ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 19-25)". The Los Angeles Times . January 28, 1998. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
- ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 16-22)". The Los Angeles Times . February 25, 1998. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
- ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 23-March 1)". The Los Angeles Times . March 4, 1998. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
- ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (March 2–8)". The Los Angeles Times . March 11, 1998. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
External links
[edit ]- 1996 American television series debuts
- 1998 American television series endings
- 1990s American black sitcoms
- 1990s American legal television series
- American English-language television shows
- UPN sitcoms
- Television shows set in California
- Television series created by Ed. Weinberger
- Television series by MTM Enterprises