The Parkers
Encyclopedia
The Parkers is an American sitcom . A spin-off
of UPN's Moesha
, The Parkers featured the mother-daughter team of Nikki (played by Mo'Nique) and Kim Parker (played by Countess Vaughn
). The Parkers' signature "Heeyyy" greeting made its way into popular vernacular in the early 2000s.
. Nikki Parker (played by Mo'Nique) was forced to drop out of high school when she discovered she was pregnant with daughter Kim (played by Countess Vaughn). After Kim reaches adulthood, Nikki finally decides to go back to school. Kim is initially mortified with this decision, but eventually accepts the situation. Nikki and Kim's mother-daughter relationship evolves as roommates and as students. Nikki adjusts to the fact that her daughter is old enough to live on her own, while Kim realizes that Nikki has more going on than just being her mom. The show is a production of Saradipty Productions and Big Ticket Television. It is distributed by Paramount Domestic Television
.
).
on BET J before that channel's September 2009 conversion to Centric.
Since Tuesday September 6, 2011, The Parkers returned to BET
after a three year hiatus and reacquired.
In Europe
, the show has aired in Ireland
and the UK. In Ireland, it aired on RTÉ Two
from 2000 to 2005, usually airing Thursdays as 7.00pm. The first four seasons were aired in this evening time slot, with season five beginning in this timeslot and with the few remaining episodes moved to a late night timeslot on Fridays. After the series finished on RTÉ Two, there have been no re-runs and no current plans to run the show again. It was also shown on UK channel Trouble, which was also available in Ireland. It usually aired weekdays from 2000 to 2004 but after it was completely removed, it was shown on a one-off weekend in late 2006, with episodes airing all day.
In Australia
, it aired on Fox8
.
The show also currently airs in Jamaica
on TVJ(Television Jamaica) at 1:30pm on weekdays.
after five years, for a full length episode, The Parkers Reunion. Creator, Sara V. Finney was part of the audience for the special episode, and Yvette Wilson didn't appear due to her busy work schedule.
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
of UPN's Moesha
Moesha
Moesha is an American sitcom series that aired on the UPN network from January 23, 1996 to May 14, 2001. The series stars R&B singer Brandy Norwood as Moesha Mitchell, a high school student living with her family in the Leimert Park neighborhood of South Central Los Angeles.-Overview:The show...
, The Parkers featured the mother-daughter team of Nikki (played by Mo'Nique) and Kim Parker (played by Countess Vaughn
Countess Vaughn
Countess Danielle Vaughn is an American actress and singer. She is perhaps best known for her role as Kim Parker on the UPN television sitcom Moesha and its spin-off The Parkers.-Early life and career:...
). The Parkers' signature "Heeyyy" greeting made its way into popular vernacular in the early 2000s.
Premise
The series centered around a mother and daughter who both attend Santa Monica CollegeSanta Monica College
Santa Monica College is a two-year, public, junior college located in Santa Monica, California.Santa Monica College was first opened in 1929 as Santa Monica Junior College. Current enrollment is over 30,000 students in more than 90 fields of study...
. Nikki Parker (played by Mo'Nique) was forced to drop out of high school when she discovered she was pregnant with daughter Kim (played by Countess Vaughn). After Kim reaches adulthood, Nikki finally decides to go back to school. Kim is initially mortified with this decision, but eventually accepts the situation. Nikki and Kim's mother-daughter relationship evolves as roommates and as students. Nikki adjusts to the fact that her daughter is old enough to live on her own, while Kim realizes that Nikki has more going on than just being her mom. The show is a production of Saradipty Productions and Big Ticket Television. It is distributed by Paramount Domestic Television
Paramount Domestic Television
Paramount Domestic Television was the television distribution arm of American television production company Paramount Television, once the TV arm of Paramount Pictures...
.
Main characters
- Kimberly Ann "Kim" Parker (played by Countess VaughnCountess VaughnCountess Danielle Vaughn is an American actress and singer. She is perhaps best known for her role as Kim Parker on the UPN television sitcom Moesha and its spin-off The Parkers.-Early life and career:...
) is the first of the two protagonistProtagonistA protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
s of the series. Kim is funny and lovable, but very dimwitted. Though she is usually behind most people when it comes to academics, her big heart and dreams makes up for it. Kim is also a lead singer in her group named Free Style Unity. She is one of the most well known members of the cast, aside from Nikki. Although, at the end of the show her grades are so bad, she does not graduate from Santa Monica Community College, she goes on to become a successful fashion designer (Kim originated as a regular character on Moesha). - Nicole Ann "Nikki" Parker-Oglevee (née Alexander) (played by Mo'Nique) is the second of the two protagonists of the series. Nikki cares a lot for her family, and lets nothing stand in the way of love. Throughout the series, she has several relationships with other people but her love always remains steadfast for the Professor Oglevee, despite his apparent hatred of her. In the series finale, she finally wins him over after five years of chasing him. He proposes to her, she accepts and they marry on that same day.
- Stevie Alison Van Lowe (played by Jenna von OÿJenna von OÿJenna von Oÿ is an American actress and country music singer best known for her roles as Six LeMeure on the NBC series Blossom, and Stevie van Lowe on the UPN sitcom The Parkers.-Early life and career:...
) is from a wealthy family and is bitter about the relationship between her and her mother, but she still is a good friend towards "T" and Kim. She always talks about how she does not need companionship but in the end she realizes that's all she ever wanted. She is the back up singer in the group Free Style Unity. She goes to UCLAUniversity of California, Los AngelesThe University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
at the end of the series and goes into business with Kim. She briefly dated "T" later in the series. - Thaddeus "T" Radcliffe (played by Ken Lawson) is best friends with Kim and Stevie. Although his duty as a loyal friend, T can sometimes be side-tracked when he and the professor let their wannabe mack daddy status get in the way of true values. He is also the rapper in his, Kim, and Stevie's, group, Free Style Unity. He goes to Berklee College of MusicBerklee College of MusicBerklee College of Music, located in Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known primarily as a school for jazz, rock and popular music, it also offers college-level courses in a wide range of contemporary and historic styles, including hip...
at the end of the series. He also briefly dated Stevie later in the series. - Professor Stanley Oglevee (played by Dorien WilsonDorien WilsonDorien Wilson is an American television actor.-Career:Wilson has most notably played the parts of Professor Stanley Oglevee on the UPN sitcom The Parkers and of talk-show host Eddie Charles on HBO's series Dream On. He had a recurring role as Terrence on Sister, Sister...
) is constantly being pursued by Nikki. He loses several companions (particularly Veronica), because Nikki either scares them off or completely sabotages the relationship. He is a type of role model to "T" and often counsels him about love—sometimes with disastrous results. Twice during the series he is convinced he loves Nikki, but changes his mind. The second time he has a vision of himself in the mirror, which ultimately convinces him to crash Nikki's wedding to a man she met several weeks prior, and propose marriage. Nikki, of course, accepts and they marry on that same day. - Andell Wilkerson (played by Yvette WilsonYvette WilsonYvette Wilson in Los Angeles, California is an American comedian and actress. She is best known for her role as Andell Wilkerson on the UPN sitcom Moesha and its spinoff The Parkers. She has appeared on many comedy films such as House Party 2, House Party 3, Friday, and on Russell Simmons' Def...
, Andell originated as a regular character on Moesha) is Nikki Parker's ever loving and loyal best friend. From series three onwards, she is the owner of her self-named place of business "Andell's", a restaurant that is the setting for several episodes in the show. Throughout the show, she is usually the one keeping a level head. Though sometimes she can be pessimistic, in cases where she tries to convince Nikki that the professor will never like her or that Kim is hopelessly lost. At the end of the series, she gets married to her boyfriend Lester. Originally, Andell was in a relationship with Moesha's uncle Bernie (Bernie MacBernie MacBernard Jeffrey McCullough , better known by his stage name, Bernie Mac, was an American actor and comedian. Born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, Mac gained popularity as a stand-up comedian. He joined comedians Steve Harvey, Cedric the Entertainer, and D. L...
). He was mentioned once in the first series but was never actually seen in the The Parkers.
Recurring characters
- Mel Parker (Thomas Mikal FordThomas Mikal FordThomas Mikal Ford , known and credited also as Tommy Ford, is an American actor who is best known for his character Tommy Strawn in the sitcom Martin...
) - Nikki's well-off ex-husband and Kim's father. - Regina Foster (Kara BrockKara BrockKara Brock , is an American television and film actress, who is perhaps best known for her recurring role as Regina Foster on the television series, The Parkers, where she portrayed a sorority sister nemesis to Kim Parker . She was born in Long Beach, California, but was raised primarily in Kansas...
) - Snobbish and stuck-up colleague of Nikki and Kim's at Santa Monica Community College. - Joe Woody (Dwight Woody) - Works in the "Grub Hub" cafeteria at Santa Monica Community College. He previously played Coach Vines in Moesha.
- Veronica Cooper (Paulette Braxton) - On-and-off girlfriend of Professor Oglevee and occasional nemesis of Nikki.
- Sophia Van Lowe (Shannon TweedShannon TweedShannon Lee Tweed is a Canadian actress and model. One of the most successful actresses of mainstream erotica, she is identified with the genre of the erotic thriller...
) - Stevie's mother whom she does not have a close relationship with. - Gertrude ("Gertie") (Kym WhitleyKym WhitleyKym Elizabeth Whitley is an American actress and comedienne.-Early life:Whitley was born in Shaker Heights, Ohio. She attended Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.-Career:...
) - Is the organ player at “Mount Zion” church in which Nikki is the choir director. She is occasionally a nemesis of Nikki. - Frederick “Freddy” Jones (Kel MitchellKel MitchellKel Johari Mitchell is an American actor, comedian, singer, rapper, screenwriter, producer, parodist, dancer and musician. He was best known for his work as a regular cast member of the Nickelodeon sketch comedy series All That, his portrayal of Kel Kimble on the Nickelodeon sitcom Kenan & Kel,...
) - A flamboyant fashion design student at Santa Monica College who often has conflict with Kim. - Desiree Littlejohn (Mari MorrowMari MorrowMari Morrow is an American film and television actress and real estate agent.-Life and career:Morrow grew up in Miami, Florida. She made her television debut appearance in 1992 as Wendy Mallow on the popular television program, Baywatch. From 1995 to 1996, she portrayed Rachel Gannon on the ABC...
) - Originally, the Parkers' neighbor and Nikki's friend. Credited as a regular in the first Season but is not seen after. - Symone (Samantha Becker) - Originally a backup singer in the group Free Style Unity in the first Season but is not seen after.
- Chandra Carrington (Lark VoorhiesLark VoorhiesLark Voorhies is an American actress who rose to fame playing Lisa Turtle in Saved by the Bell, for which she was nominated for the Young Artist Award four times, winning in 1990 and 1993. She also portrayed the role as a regular on Good Morning, Miss Bliss.-Acting career:Voorhies made her acting...
) - Colleague of Nikki and Kim's at Santa Monica Community College and also a member the Triple A Sorority. - Jerel Goodrich (Trent CameronTrent CameronTrent Joseph Cameron is an American actor best known for his role as John Lee Malvo in D.C. Sniper: 23 Days of Fear and as Young Roland in The Wood.- Filmography :...
) - Kim's boyfriend turned fiance. - George and Shirley West (Earl BillingsEarl BillingsEarl William Billings is an American character actor who may best be known as Rob in the 1976-1977 television series What's Happening!!.-Life and career:Billings was born in Cleveland, Ohio, the son of Willie Mae Billings....
and Aloma WrightAloma WrightAloma Wright is an American actress. She was born in New York and raised in California.- Career :Wright was cast as Laverne Roberts for Scrubs. After six seasons, her character was killed off in My Long Goodbye. She returned in season seven playing a new character, Nurse Shirley...
) - Nikki's adoptive parents. - Constance McFarland (Suzzanne DouglassSuzzanne DouglassSuzzanne Douglas is an American film, television and stage actress, daughter of Lois Mae and Donald Douglas, Sr....
) - Nikki's haughty older sister. - Tiffany McFarland (Cherie JohnsonCherie JohnsonCherie Johnson is an American actress. She is best known for her roles on Punky Brewster and the long-running situation comedy show Family Matters, where she plays Laura Winslow's best friend Maxine "Max" Johnson. In 2009, she wrote, starred and produced the independent film I Do... I Did!,...
) - Nikki's niece and daughter of her older sister. - Quincy DeJohn (George Wallace) - Nikki's biological father, whom originally didn't know of her existence.
- Aunt Rita (Nancy Wilson) - Nikki's aunt who turned out to be her biological mother.
- Evelyn "Nana" Smith (Isabel SanfordIsabel SanfordIsabel Sanford was an American actress best known for her role as Louise "Weezy" Jefferson on the CBS television sitcoms All in the Family and The Jeffersons .-Career:...
) - Nikki's grandmother who comes onto Professor Oglvee while visiting Nikki.
Ratings
| Season | Episodes | Premiere | Finale | U.S. ratings (in millions) | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1999-2000 | 22 | August 30, 1999 | May 22, 2000 | 2.6 million | #127 |
| 2 | 2000-2001 | 23 | September 4, 2000 | June 29, 2001 | 2.3 million | #156 |
| 3 | 2001-2002 | 22 | September 10, 2001 | May 20, 2002 | 4.26 million | #126 |
| 4 | 2002-2003 | 25 | September 23, 2002 | May 19, 2003 | 3.74 million | #136 |
| 5 | 2003-2004 | 19 | September 15, 2003 | May 10, 2004 | 3.6 million | #177 |
Series finale
The Parkers series finale aired on May 10, 2004 and drew in 3.6 million viewers. In the finale, Professor Oglevee finally realizes his true feelings for Nikki just as she is about to marry another man (Mel JacksonMel Jackson
Melton Jackson is an African-American actor, producer, spoken word artist and R&B musician.- Career :Film...
).
Syndication
The Parkers had formerly aired in syndicationTelevision syndication
In broadcasting, syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast radio shows and television shows by multiple radio stations and television stations, without going through a broadcast network, though the process of syndication may conjure up structures like those of a network itself, by its very...
on BET J before that channel's September 2009 conversion to Centric.
Since Tuesday September 6, 2011, The Parkers returned to BET
Black Entertainment Television
Black Entertainment Television is an American, Viacom-owned cable network based in Washington, D.C.. Currently viewed in more than 90 million homes worldwide, it is the most prominent television network targeting young Black-American audiences. The network was launched on January 25, 1980, by its...
after a three year hiatus and reacquired.
In Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, the show has aired in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and the UK. In Ireland, it aired on RTÉ Two
RTÉ Two
RTÉ Two is a free-to-air general entertainment channel operated by Irish state broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann. RTÉ Two is available throughout the island of Ireland through digital terrestrial service Saorview, VHF and UHF bands, and is also available via satellite to Irish subscribers of...
from 2000 to 2005, usually airing Thursdays as 7.00pm. The first four seasons were aired in this evening time slot, with season five beginning in this timeslot and with the few remaining episodes moved to a late night timeslot on Fridays. After the series finished on RTÉ Two, there have been no re-runs and no current plans to run the show again. It was also shown on UK channel Trouble, which was also available in Ireland. It usually aired weekdays from 2000 to 2004 but after it was completely removed, it was shown on a one-off weekend in late 2006, with episodes airing all day.
In Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, it aired on Fox8
FOX8
Fox8 is an Australian cable and satellite channel available on Foxtel, Austar and Optus Television's subscription platforms...
.
The show also currently airs in Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
on TVJ(Television Jamaica) at 1:30pm on weekdays.
Reunion
In 2009, the cast members of The Parkers, Countess Vaughn, Jenna Von Oy, Ken Lawson and Dorien Wilson appeared on The Mo'Nique ShowThe Mo'Nique Show
The Mo'Nique Show is an American talk show hosted by comedienne actress Mo'Nique. Aired on BET, the series began October 5, 2009. She is the first African American woman to host her own late night show. The show's second and final season premiered on Monday, October 4, 2010.On July 18, 2011, BET...
after five years, for a full length episode, The Parkers Reunion. Creator, Sara V. Finney was part of the audience for the special episode, and Yvette Wilson didn't appear due to her busy work schedule.
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Result | Category | Recipient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | NAACP Image Awards | Nominated | Outstanding Comedy Series | |
| Won | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | Mo'Nique | ||
| 2002 | Nominated | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | Yvette Wilson | |
| Nominated | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | Dorien Wilson | ||
| Won | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | Mo'Nique | ||
| 2003 | Nominated | Outstanding Comedy Series | |
|
| Nominated | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | Mo'Nique | ||
| 2004 | Won | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | Dorien Wilson | |
| Won | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | Mo'Nique | ||
| 2005 | Nominated | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | Dorien Wilson | |
| Nominated | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | Mo'Nique | ||
| 2003 | Young Artist Award Young Artist Award The Young Artist Award is an accolade bestowed by the Young Artist Foundation, a non-profit organization founded in 1978 to recognize and award excellence of youth performers, and to provide scholarships for young artists who may be physically and/or financially challenged.The Young Artist... |
Nominated | Best Performance in a TV Comedy Series – Guest Starring Young Actor | Christopher Massey Christopher Massey Christopher Michael Massey is an American actor, comedian and rapper best known for starring as Michael Barret in Nickelodeon television series Zoey 101. Massey has received many awards and nomination including a Young Artist Award and Emmy Awards nominations... |
| 2004 | BET Comedy Awards | Nominated | Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series | |
| Nominated | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | Dorien Wilson | ||
| Nominated | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series | Mo'Nique | ||
| Nominated | Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series | |
||
| Nominated | Outstanding Comedy Series | |