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Meet the Browns (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns is an American sitcom created and produced by playwright, director, and producer Tyler Perry
. The show revolves around a senior family living under one roof in Decatur, Georgia
led by patriarch Mr. Brown and his daughter Cora Simmons. The show premiered on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 on TBS, and the series finished its run on Friday, November 18, 2011. It is made in the model of his play and film
of the same name. The show stars David Mann and Tamela Mann
, who starred in the earlier stage play and motion picture.
’s stage character Mr. Leroy Brown. After Pop Brown (Mr. Brown's father) died, Mr. Brown discovers a letter asking him to “Take care of the old--”. Mr. Brown later discovers that there was a second page to the letter that finished the sentence: “--Thunderbird in the garage”. By the time said page was found, Mr. Brown had already opened a home for seniors called “Brown Meadows”.
Thinking he is carrying out his father's wishes, Mr. Brown enlists the help of Cora Simmons (his daughter with Madea), Will (his nephew), and Will’s wife, Sasha, a nurse. After a fire at a nearby seniors home, Brown Meadows is filled and Mr. Brown is overwhelmed.
His new residents include Miss Daisy (an aging B-movie actress who lives in the past, and the many different characters she played in her career), Colonel Cleophus Jackson (an ex-Marine who won’t give Brown an inch), and Ms. Edna (who is still very in touch with her sexuality).
They are joined by Jesús Hernandez, a handyman studying to be a lawyer; and Brianna and Joaquin, two much-relocated foster children who finally find refuge at Mr. Brown's although it seems like an odd match. Finally, the gorgeous and not-too-smart London Sheraton (a very spoiled celebrity/heiress based on Paris Hilton
) is brought to Brown Meadows to serve her community service for a DUI conviction. Gradually, Brown and the residents of Brown Meadows learn to live with and love one another.
As Season 2 began, Brianne Gould, who played Brianna, was removed from the series for undisclosed reasons. She was replaced by Logan Browning
.
In the series, Eddie Walker, one of Will's former friends, who was close to molesting Joaquin, became the first on-screen character to die. He suffered stab wounds and the surgery done to try to save his life was performed by Will himself. Also, in season 4, Brianna's friend Antonio, is killed in a car crash involving texting while driving.
David Mann is the only cast member who appears in every episode.
Mabel "Madea" Simmons, a recurring character in many of Tyler Perry's works, is an unseen character
in this series though mentioned many times. Throughout the current four seasons, she has yet to make an on-camera appearance.
Other unseen characters include Brown's brother and sister-in-law, LB and Sarah. Both appeared in the stageplay and film adaptation of Meet the Browns but they've never graced the series. However, LB was mentioned once in the backdoor pilot episode which aired as an episode of House of Payne.
In November 2011, TBS suddenly announced that the series finale would be airing. The final two episodes aired on November 18, 2011, concluding the series with 140 episodes in total.
. All main cast members are credited only for the episodes in which they appear.
has released the first three seasons on DVD in Region 1. Season 4 will be released on January 24, 2012.
. In March 2010, Meet the Browns became TBS's #1 sitcom having a viewership of 2.3 million and among adults 18-49 having 1.2 million. In October 2010, the show continued to be TBS's #1 and #2 sitcom telecasts with an audience of 1.2 to 1.4 million among adults 18-49.
Reruns is currently airing at My Network TV & The CW only in its San Diego channel.
http://tbs.com/shows/meetthebrowns/
Tyler Perry
Tyler Perry is an American actor, director, playwright, entrepreneur, screenwriter, producer, author, and songwriter. Perry wrote and produced many stage plays during the 1990s and early 2000s. In 2005, he released his first film, Diary of a Mad Black Woman...
. The show revolves around a senior family living under one roof in Decatur, Georgia
Decatur, Georgia
Decatur is a city in, and county seat of, DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. With a population of 19,335 in the 2010 census, the city is sometimes assumed to be larger since multiple zip codes in unincorporated DeKalb County bear the Decatur name...
led by patriarch Mr. Brown and his daughter Cora Simmons. The show premiered on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 on TBS, and the series finished its run on Friday, November 18, 2011. It is made in the model of his play and film
Meet the Browns (film)
Meet the Browns is a 2008 romantic comedy-drama film released by Lionsgate on March 21, 2008. The film was based on the play of the same name by Tyler Perry.-Plot:...
of the same name. The show stars David Mann and Tamela Mann
Tamela Mann
Tamela J. Mann is an American actress and gospel singer, known for her role as Cora in Tyler Perry's plays, including I Can Do Bad All By Myself, Diary of a Mad Black Woman, Madea's Family Reunion, Madea's Class Reunion, Meet the Browns, and What's Done in the Dark...
, who starred in the earlier stage play and motion picture.
Production history
Meet the Browns follows the misadventures of Tyler PerryTyler Perry
Tyler Perry is an American actor, director, playwright, entrepreneur, screenwriter, producer, author, and songwriter. Perry wrote and produced many stage plays during the 1990s and early 2000s. In 2005, he released his first film, Diary of a Mad Black Woman...
’s stage character Mr. Leroy Brown. After Pop Brown (Mr. Brown's father) died, Mr. Brown discovers a letter asking him to “Take care of the old--”. Mr. Brown later discovers that there was a second page to the letter that finished the sentence: “--Thunderbird in the garage”. By the time said page was found, Mr. Brown had already opened a home for seniors called “Brown Meadows”.
Thinking he is carrying out his father's wishes, Mr. Brown enlists the help of Cora Simmons (his daughter with Madea), Will (his nephew), and Will’s wife, Sasha, a nurse. After a fire at a nearby seniors home, Brown Meadows is filled and Mr. Brown is overwhelmed.
His new residents include Miss Daisy (an aging B-movie actress who lives in the past, and the many different characters she played in her career), Colonel Cleophus Jackson (an ex-Marine who won’t give Brown an inch), and Ms. Edna (who is still very in touch with her sexuality).
They are joined by Jesús Hernandez, a handyman studying to be a lawyer; and Brianna and Joaquin, two much-relocated foster children who finally find refuge at Mr. Brown's although it seems like an odd match. Finally, the gorgeous and not-too-smart London Sheraton (a very spoiled celebrity/heiress based on Paris Hilton
Paris Hilton
Paris Whitney Hilton is an American businesswoman, heiress, and socialite. She is a great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton . Hilton is known for her controversial participation in a sex tape in 2003, and appearance on the television series The Simple Life alongside fellow socialite and childhood...
) is brought to Brown Meadows to serve her community service for a DUI conviction. Gradually, Brown and the residents of Brown Meadows learn to live with and love one another.
As Season 2 began, Brianne Gould, who played Brianna, was removed from the series for undisclosed reasons. She was replaced by Logan Browning
Logan Browning
Logan Laurice Browning is an American actress and singer. She is best known for playing Sasha in the 2007 film Bratz: The Movie and Brianna in Meet The Browns . She is sometimes credited as Logan L...
.
In the series, Eddie Walker, one of Will's former friends, who was close to molesting Joaquin, became the first on-screen character to die. He suffered stab wounds and the surgery done to try to save his life was performed by Will himself. Also, in season 4, Brianna's friend Antonio, is killed in a car crash involving texting while driving.
David Mann is the only cast member who appears in every episode.
Mabel "Madea" Simmons, a recurring character in many of Tyler Perry's works, is an unseen character
Unseen character
In fiction, an unseen character is a character that is never directly observed by the audience but is only described by other characters. They are a common device in drama and have been called "triumphs of theatrical invention". They are continuing characters — characters who are currently in...
in this series though mentioned many times. Throughout the current four seasons, she has yet to make an on-camera appearance.
Other unseen characters include Brown's brother and sister-in-law, LB and Sarah. Both appeared in the stageplay and film adaptation of Meet the Browns but they've never graced the series. However, LB was mentioned once in the backdoor pilot episode which aired as an episode of House of Payne.
In November 2011, TBS suddenly announced that the series finale would be airing. The final two episodes aired on November 18, 2011, concluding the series with 140 episodes in total.
Main characters
The show revolves around the misadventures of the multi-generational Brown family. They live in suburban Atlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. All main cast members are credited only for the episodes in which they appear.
- David Mann as Leroy S. Brown: The show's main 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...
, Mr. Brown is a church deacon is his mid-70s who's very proud about being savedSalvationWithin religion salvation is the phenomenon of being saved from the undesirable condition of bondage or suffering experienced by the psyche or soul that has arisen as a result of unskillful or immoral actions generically referred to as sins. Salvation may also be called "deliverance" or...
. He has one brother, Larry “L.B.” Brown, who is never mentioned, and one sister, Vera. He was married years ago, but his wife died; in the original Tyler Perry plays, they had a daughter, but the character was never mentioned in the films and only shown in the Family Reunion play. Recently he has learned that he has a daughter, Cora Simmons, the result of a prom-night escapade with Mabel "Madea" Simmons. Brown isn't overbright (mentally, that is; the word more aptly describes his outrageous dress sense) and he has the wiseguy role, making fun of characters like Edna and Reggie; but he is a nice, caring, giving man. He works part-time as a hospital janitor and also as a school enforcement officer (he once beat up a teacher he thought had done something wrong). He is somewhat good at karate, busting out his "Kangaroo" move. His catchphrases include "Stop being nasty!", "What the what?", and "The Devil is a liar!" Running gags involve Brown calling Edna different kinds of animals, making fun of Cora's fiance' Reggie's weight, and otherwise being open about his dislike for this future son-in-law. In one episode Brown begins to deal with his diabetes. He has used many variations to what the middle initial "S" is his name, in one episode it is revealed his middle name is Sakagawea . In the Madea's Big Happy FamilyMadea's Big Happy FamilyMadea's Big Happy Family is a 2010 American musical play created, written, produced, and directed by Tyler Perry. It stars Tyler Perry as Mabel "Madea" Simmons, Cassi Davis as Aunt Bam, Palmer Williams, Jr. as Uncle Monroe, and Chandra Currelley-Young as Shirley.Perry began writing "Big Happy...
movie, Brown discovers that he is not Cora's father through a paternity test on MauryMauryMaury may refer to:* Maury, Pyrénées-Orientales, town and commune in France* Maury Island, connected to Vashon Island in Puget Sound near Seattle, WA* Maury AOC, an appellation for wines made in the Roussillon wine region of France...
.
- Tamela MannTamela MannTamela J. Mann is an American actress and gospel singer, known for her role as Cora in Tyler Perry's plays, including I Can Do Bad All By Myself, Diary of a Mad Black Woman, Madea's Family Reunion, Madea's Class Reunion, Meet the Browns, and What's Done in the Dark...
as Cora Jean Simmons-Brown: Cora Simmons is Brown’s daughter with Madea. She is a teacher and a praying woman who is very active in her church, but when angered, she shows aspects of her mother, Madea. A childless widow, she later becomes engaged to Reggie Brooks, the football coach at her school who lives with his mother, Thelma. (In the play and movie, Cora had 2 adult daughters.) "Meet the Candlelight Dinner" reveals that she is allergic to laxatives; "Meet the Attraction" reveals that she's afraid of mannequins and test-dummies. In Seasons 3 and 4, she dates Reggie and Gordon and eventually chooses Reggie over Gordon. Her age is never flat-out revealed in the series; she comes closest to blurting it out in "Meet the Big Wedding" ("Mr. Brown, I am" [covers mouth] "years old!") In the TV series' continuity, Cora has known for many years that Mr. Brown is her father, and he often references raising and being there for her; in the Madea's Big Happy FamilyMadea's Big Happy FamilyMadea's Big Happy Family is a 2010 American musical play created, written, produced, and directed by Tyler Perry. It stars Tyler Perry as Mabel "Madea" Simmons, Cassi Davis as Aunt Bam, Palmer Williams, Jr. as Uncle Monroe, and Chandra Currelley-Young as Shirley.Perry began writing "Big Happy...
movie, Madea claims that Mr. Brown has given her $18 in child support: $1-per-year from her birth to age 18. It was also discovered that Cora is not Brown's daughter after appearing on MauryMauryMaury may refer to:* Maury, Pyrénées-Orientales, town and commune in France* Maury Island, connected to Vashon Island in Puget Sound near Seattle, WA* Maury AOC, an appellation for wines made in the Roussillon wine region of France...
.
- Lamman RuckerLamman RuckerLamman Rucker is an American actor. He currently appeared on the TBS sitcom Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns.-Early life:...
as William "Will" Brown, MDDoctor of MedicineDoctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
: Will is Brown’s nephew, a doctor who loves his uncle so much that he provides free medical services to the retirement-home residents. He and his wife Sasha have become adoptive parents to Brianna and Joaquin Ortiz. According to Brown, Will will never get to meet his father; Vera, his alcoholic mother, met his father while she was drunk.
- Denise BoutteDenise BoutteDenise Boutte is an American actress and model, who has appeared in the films Why Did I Get Married? as Trina, Death Valley: The Revenge of Bloody Bill, as Mandy, and Sister's Keeper....
as Sasha Brown (neeNEENEE is a political protest group whose goal was to provide an alternative for voters who are unhappy with all political parties at hand in Belgium, where voting is compulsory.The NEE party was founded in 2005 in Antwerp...
Bohem-Brown), RNRNRN or Rn may stand for:* rn , a Usenet news client* RN the code for County Roscommon, Ireland* RN, the published memoirs of American President Richard Nixon* Air Horizons's IATA code...
: Sasha, Will's wife, is a nurse who decides to work for Brown helping to look after the retirement-home residents. Sasha and Will start their family by adopting Brianna and Joaquin Ortiz. In one episode Sasha becomes pregnant, then miscarries.
- Tony Vaughn as Colonel Cleophus Jackson: The Colonel is a former military man who still lives as if he’s in the military. His motto is “Shoot now, ask questions later.” He’s a very disciplined, very formal, and very official man, but underneath that hard exterior is a soft heart. His wife died several years ago and he's estranged from their only child, daughter Karen. He takes up with Edna Barnes; in Season 3 they moved out of Brown Meadows to a house down the street.
- Juanita Jennings as Edna Wright Barnes Grey Foster Jackson: 66-year-old childless widow Edna has always wanted to be a singer but has never actually pursued this dream. Most of her close friends and relatives have passed. She's extremely in touch with her sexuality--she can relate EVERYTHING to sex--and acts like "late 60s" is the new 40. In Season 3, she and her fiance', the Colonel, moved down the street from Brown Meadows. A running gag involves Brown comparing Edna to various animals.Edna is a 66-year old woman.
- Brianne Gould (Season 1) / Logan BrowningLogan BrowningLogan Laurice Browning is an American actress and singer. She is best known for playing Sasha in the 2007 film Bratz: The Movie and Brianna in Meet The Browns . She is sometimes credited as Logan L...
(Season 2-present) as Brianna Janae Ortiz: Brianna is a foster child who comes from a broken home and an unsafe foster environment. At age 16, she knows the foster-care system too well. She's very bright, but has anger problems that stem from her tragic childhood. The only relationship she nurtures is with her brother Joaquin; she feels like they are alone in the world. At the end of Season 1, Brianne Gould left the series for undisclosed reasons and Logan Browning took over the role from the beginning of Season 2.
- Gunnar Washington as Joaquin Ortiz: Joaquin is Brianna’s 12-year-old brother. As the siblings are veterans of the foster-care system, Joaquin in particular is very anxious to find a good home and feel settled. He and Brianna have their moments of discord, but mainly they look after each other. Overall, he just wants to be loved.
- Terri J. VaughnTerri J. VaughnTerri J. Vaughn is an American film and television actress. She is best known for her role as high school secretary Lovita Alizé Jenkins-Robinson on the WB sitcom The Steve Harvey Show. Vaughn also portrayed first-grade teacher Jonelle Abrahams on the UPN/CW sitcom All of Us...
as Renee LaToya Smith: A nurse at the hospital where Will, Sasha, Brown, and Derek work, Renee was a recurring character in Season 3 who became a regular in Season 4. She claims to have 4 kids.
- Robert Ri'chardRobert Ri'chardRobert Andrew Ri'chard is an American television and movie actor.-Early life:Ri'chard was born Robert Andrew Richard in Los Angeles, California...
as Derek Porter: A frat student who lives next-door to Brown Meadows and often helps out there, in-between masterminding or participating in Brown's antics. He debuts in Season 3 as a recurring character; in the next season he's promoted to a regular.
Recurring characters
- Jenifer LewisJenifer LewisJenifer Jeanette Lewis is an American film and television actress and singer.-Early life:Lewis was born in Kinloch, Missouri, to a nurse's aid mother and a factory worker father. She attended college at Webster University in Webster Groves, Missouri...
as Vera Brown: Mr. Brown's younger sister and Will's mother. Vera means well but she is a loud, controlling alcoholic who spoils Will and subtly despises Sasha. She appeared with Mr. Brown, Cora, and Will in the film version of the series. In one episode, Vera and Brown have an argument and Vera says, "I'm about to be an only child," which indicates that their brother LB has died--or does not exist.
- Tasha SmithTasha SmithTasha Smith is an American actress. She has appeared in numerous movies and plays.-Career:Smith is known for her role in Daddy's Little Girls, a Tyler Perry-directed movie, where she played the villain Jennifer...
as Tanya Ortiz: Joaquin and Brianna's biological mother, who only wants them back for money. She is either in denial or simply ignoring the fact that one of her former boyfriends molested Brianna. She serves as a major antagonistAntagonistAn antagonist is a character, group of characters, or institution, that represents the opposition against which the protagonist must contend...
to the series.
- Lisa Arrindell Anderson as Karen: The Colonel's pushy daughter.
- Ciara Wilson as Simone Taylor: Brianna's dimwitted, somewhat childish best friend who experienced a pregnancy scare. She is similar to Mr. Brown.
- Courtney Gray as Jamal: Brianna's male best friend. In one episode, Brianna noticed that he'd been eating very frequently. Later, the Browns caught him stealing food from them. He is confronted by Brianna at school and he reveals that his parents recently split up, he stayed with his mother, who lost their house, and they'd been living in their van without food, so he began stealing food.
- Bernard Jones as Milo: A detention-prone student at Cora's school.
- Leland L. JonesLeland L. JonesLeland L. Jones is an American actor author of, "Djibouti Pier 17".-Filmography:*Single Ladies *Meet the Browns *Acceptance *Daddy's Little Girls *Broken Bridges *The Gospel...
as Gordon Bob: The principal at Cora's school. He still has feelings for her but can't get her to leave Reggie for him.
- Maurice G. Smith as Reggie Brooks: Cora's fiance', the school's football coach. He lives with his mother, Thelma.
- Laura Hayes as Mrs. Thelma Brooks: Reggie's sometimes overbearing, sometimes caring, mother.
- Njema Williams as "Benny": Local bum who is usually hustling with (or against) Brown.
Past characters
- K Callan as Daisy LaRue: Daisy is a former B-movie actress and "legend in her own mind"; she really misses her career. She has made a lot of money but she's frugal. Whenever someone tries to talk to her about money or anything else she doesn't want to discuss, she "goes into character" to avoid the conversation. She will often act like she believes she is in Manhattan or Los Angeles, etc., rather than Brown Meadows in suburban Atlanta. She never married due to never finding anyone like her high school crush, but she has dated the best of them. In season 3, she moved to Palm Beach, Florida with her cousin Lorraine (the late Rue McClanahanRue McClanahanRue McClanahan was an American actress, best known for her roles on television as Vivian Harmon on Maude, Fran Crowley on Mama's Family, and Blanche Devereaux on The Golden Girls, for which she won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in 1987.-Early life:McClanahan was born Eddie Rue...
)after she realized that she had Alzheimer's diseaseAlzheimer's diseaseAlzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
, but she made a trip back to attend Edna and Colonel's Season-4 wedding.
- Antonio Jaramillo as Jesus Hernandez: Jesus is a handyman who worked at Brown Meadows to save up for law school; in Season 3 Brown fired him to save money. When he comes back in Season 4 for Edna and Colonel's wedding, he claims that he has become a lawyer and is doing well. He has a love/hate relationship with London.
- Arielle Vandenberg as London Sheraton: London is a very privileged celebrity who is famous for absolutely no reason. Although she has no clue about hard work, she has to do community service at Brown Meadows, due to having several DUIs. She may appear dim, but at times she shows almost startling intelligence. In Season 2, her family forces her to move after her probation, but she occasionally visits Brown Meadows, like for Edna and Colonel's Season-4 wedding. She is similar to the character London TiptonLondon TiptonLondon Leah Tipton is a fictional character in Disney's Suite Life franchise which consists of The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and its spin-off The Suite Life on Deck...
from the show The Suite Life of Zack & Cody; both Londons are portrayed as dumb, both are heiresses, and both depend on their unseen-but-mentioned fathers.
- Jeanette Sousa as Carmen Martinez: Carmen only appears in early Season-1 episodes; she is Brianna and Joaquin's social worker, Sasha's good friend, and very attractive.
Seasons
| Season | Ep # | First Airdate | Last Airdate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | 10 | January 7, 2009 | February 4, 2009 |
| Season 2 | 26 | May 27, 2009 | September 16, 2009 |
| Season 3 | 42 | November 4, 2009 | June 9, 2010 |
| Season 4 | 54 | June 16, 2010 | December 22, 2010 |
| Season 5 | 8 | October 28, 2011 | November 18, 2011 |
DVD releases
Lionsgate Home EntertainmentLionsgate Home Entertainment
Lionsgate Home Entertainment is the home video and DVD distribution arm of Lions Gate Entertainment and most former Artisan Entertainment releases. Its library of more than 8000 films owes some of its size to output deals with other studios...
has released the first three seasons on DVD in Region 1. Season 4 will be released on January 24, 2012.
| DVD Title | Ep # | Release Date |
|---|---|---|
| Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns - Season 1 | 1-20 | August 30, 2011 |
| Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns - Season 2 | 21-40 | October 4, 2011 |
| Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns - Season 3 | 41-60 | November 22, 2011 |
| Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns - Season 4 | 61-80 | January 24, 2012 |
Setting
Locations seen in the show set in Atlanta, Georgia include Brown Meadows and the school where Cora and Mr. Brown work. The Brown Meadows Home is a two-story building, and throughout the series 5 rooms have been featured: the kitchen, the living room, the dining room, Brianna's room, and Mr. Brown's room. The outside patio is also on display. Will and Sasha's, Joaquin's, Cora's, and residents' rooms have not been seen so far. Season 3 takes us into the hospital where Will, Sasha, Renee, and Mr. Brown work. Season 4 shows The Colonel and Edna's home.Ratings
When the series premiered on January 7, 2009, it received a viewership of 4,027,000 viewers based on Nielsen ratingsNielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
. In March 2010, Meet the Browns became TBS's #1 sitcom having a viewership of 2.3 million and among adults 18-49 having 1.2 million. In October 2010, the show continued to be TBS's #1 and #2 sitcom telecasts with an audience of 1.2 to 1.4 million among adults 18-49.
Syndication
Meet the Browns debuted in September 2010 in more than 70 percent of the U.S. several major station groups, including Fox, Tribune, Weigel, CBS, Capital, Cox, Meredith, Granite and Belo.Reruns is currently airing at My Network TV & The CW only in its San Diego channel.
http://tbs.com/shows/meetthebrowns/