South Central (TV series)
Encyclopedia
South Central is an American comedy-drama
series that aired on the Fox
network from April 5, 1994 to June 7, 1994. It was cancelled following its first season, and the airing of only 10 episodes.
family, the Moseleys, and issues such as gang violence, drugs, dating, sex, school, and unemployment. Joan Moseley (Tina Lifford) is a divorced mother, raising three children with no assistance from her ex-husband. Her oldest son Marcus having been murdered years earlier by a gang member, Joan's financial situation becomes complicated after she is laid off. Her remaining children include Andre (Larenz Tate
), Tasha (Tasha Scott
), and foster son
Deion Carter (Keith Mbulo). Rounding out the cast of characters are Joan's friend "Sweets" (Paula Kelly
) and Andre's mentor
Dr. Ray McHenry (Ken Page
).
South Central featured many guest stars including Jennifer López
, Shar Jackson
, and Maia Campbell
. The series was popular among critics for what was perceived as a realistic portrayal of urban life
.
. Due to the decline in ratings of the entire night of programming, Fox cancelled all the shows on that night (which also included The Sinbad Show
and In Living Color
) and created the Tuesday Night movie. The cancellation of the series, all of which had predominately black casts, prompted Jesse Jackson
to call for a boycott of the network for perceived institutional racism
. Fox maintained that the series were low rated and the decision to cancel was not racially motivated.
Series creator Ralph Farquhar would later co-create the UPN
sitcom Moesha
, along with Sara V. Finney and Vida Spears. The series (a more traditional sitcom) was set in Leimert Park
, a middle-class neighborhood in South Central Los Angeles. Lamont Bentley
and Shar Jackson
were members of the cast.
Comedy-drama
Comedy-drama is a genre of theatre, film and television programs which combines humorous and serious content.-Theatre:Traditional western theatre, beginning with the ancient Greeks, was divided into comedy and tragedy...
series that aired on the Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
network from April 5, 1994 to June 7, 1994. It was cancelled following its first season, and the airing of only 10 episodes.
Synopsis
The series was set in South Central Los Angeles, and dealt with the lives of an African AmericanAfrican American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
family, the Moseleys, and issues such as gang violence, drugs, dating, sex, school, and unemployment. Joan Moseley (Tina Lifford) is a divorced mother, raising three children with no assistance from her ex-husband. Her oldest son Marcus having been murdered years earlier by a gang member, Joan's financial situation becomes complicated after she is laid off. Her remaining children include Andre (Larenz Tate
Larenz Tate
Larenz Tate is an American film and television actor.-Early life:Tate was born on the west side of Chicago, Illinois, the son of Peggy and Larry Tate. He is the youngest of three siblings whose family moved to California when he was nine years old...
), Tasha (Tasha Scott
Tasha Scott
Tasha Scott is an American actress and singer.Scott acted in several productions in the 1980s and 1990s. She appeared in a number television shows, including Snoops, South Central and The Parent 'Hood, and in movies such as Troop Beverly Hills, Kiss Shot and Camp Cucamonga...
), and foster son
Foster care
Foster care is the term used for a system in which a minor who has been made a ward is placed in the private home of a state certified caregiver referred to as a "foster parent"....
Deion Carter (Keith Mbulo). Rounding out the cast of characters are Joan's friend "Sweets" (Paula Kelly
Paula Kelly (actress/dancer)
Paula Kelly is a dancer and actress in motion pictures, television and theatre.-Early life and career:...
) and Andre's mentor
Youth mentoring
Youth mentoring is the process of matching mentors with young people who need or want a caring, responsible adult in their lives. Adult mentors are usually unrelated to the child or teen and work as volunteers through a community-, school-, or church-based social service program.Although informal...
Dr. Ray McHenry (Ken Page
Ken Page (actor)
Ken Page is an American cabaret singer and actor from St. Louis, Missouri, best known as the voice of the evil bag of bugs Oogie Boogie in Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas and the Kingdom Hearts series, and for playing Old Deuteronomy in the original Broadway and video cast of Cats.Ken...
).
South Central featured many guest stars including Jennifer López
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lynn Lopez is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, television personality, and fashion designer. Lopez began her career as a dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color. Subsequently venturing into acting, she gained recognition in the 1995 action-thriller...
, Shar Jackson
Shar Jackson
Sharisse "Shar" Jackson is an American television and film actress, reality television personality and rapper/singer best known for her portrayal of Niecy Jackson on the UPN show Moesha.-Early life and career:...
, and Maia Campbell
Maia Campbell
Maia Campbell is an American film and television actress. She is best known for her portrayal of Tiffany Warren in the sitcom In the House.-Early life and career:...
. The series was popular among critics for what was perceived as a realistic portrayal of urban life
Urban culture
Urban culture is the culture of towns and cities. In the United States, Urban culture may also sometimes be used as a euphemistic reference to contemporary African American culture.- African American culture :...
.
Cancellation
The show aired on Tuesday evenings following RocRoc (TV series)
Roc is an American comedy-drama television series which ran on Fox from August 1991 to May 1994. The series stars Charles S. Dutton as Baltimore garbage collector Roc Emerson and Ella Joyce as his wife Eleanor.-Early episodes:...
. Due to the decline in ratings of the entire night of programming, Fox cancelled all the shows on that night (which also included The Sinbad Show
The Sinbad Show
The Sinbad Show is an American sitcom starring comedian Sinbad that premiered on September 16, 1993 on Fox. The show's main plot is about a bachelor taking in two orphaned children. Chuck Brown performed this sitcom's theme music...
and In Living Color
In Living Color
In Living Color is an American sketch comedy television series, which originally ran on the Fox Network from April 15, 1990 to May 19, 1994. Brothers Keenen and Damon Wayans created, wrote, and starred in the program. The show was produced by Ivory Way Productions in association with 20th Century...
) and created the Tuesday Night movie. The cancellation of the series, all of which had predominately black casts, prompted Jesse Jackson
Jesse Jackson
Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr. is an African-American civil rights activist and Baptist minister. He was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988 and served as shadow senator for the District of Columbia from 1991 to 1997. He was the founder of both entities that merged to...
to call for a boycott of the network for perceived institutional racism
Institutional racism
Institutional racism describes any kind of system of inequality based on race. It can occur in institutions such as public government bodies, private business corporations , and universities . The term was coined by Black Power activist Stokely Carmichael in the late 1960s...
. Fox maintained that the series were low rated and the decision to cancel was not racially motivated.
Series creator Ralph Farquhar would later co-create the UPN
UPN
United Paramount Network was a television network that was broadcast in over 200 markets in the United States from 1995 to 2006. UPN was originally owned by Viacom/Paramount and Chris-Craft Industries, the former of which, through the Paramount Television Group, produced most of the network's...
sitcom 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...
, along with Sara V. Finney and Vida Spears. The series (a more traditional sitcom) was set in Leimert Park
Leimert Park, Los Angeles, California
Leimert Park is a neighborhood in Los Angeles, California roughly bounded by Rodeo Road on the north, 4th Avenue and Roxton Avenue on the east, Vernon Avenue on the south, and Crenshaw Boulevard on the west. Crenshaw District lies to the south, View Park to the west, Vermont Square to the east,...
, a middle-class neighborhood in South Central Los Angeles. Lamont Bentley
Lamont Bentley
Lamont Bentley was an American actor and rapper. He was known for his role as Hakeem Campbell on Moesha and the series' spin-off The Parkers.-Career:...
and Shar Jackson
Shar Jackson
Sharisse "Shar" Jackson is an American television and film actress, reality television personality and rapper/singer best known for her portrayal of Niecy Jackson on the UPN show Moesha.-Early life and career:...
were members of the cast.
Cast
- Tina Lifford — Joan Mosely
- Larenz TateLarenz TateLarenz Tate is an American film and television actor.-Early life:Tate was born on the west side of Chicago, Illinois, the son of Peggy and Larry Tate. He is the youngest of three siblings whose family moved to California when he was nine years old...
— Andre Mosely - Tasha ScottTasha ScottTasha Scott is an American actress and singer.Scott acted in several productions in the 1980s and 1990s. She appeared in a number television shows, including Snoops, South Central and The Parent 'Hood, and in movies such as Troop Beverly Hills, Kiss Shot and Camp Cucamonga...
— Tasha Mosely - Keith Mbulo — Deion
Recurring cast
- Lamont BentleyLamont BentleyLamont Bentley was an American actor and rapper. He was known for his role as Hakeem Campbell on Moesha and the series' spin-off The Parkers.-Career:...
— Rashad - Paula KellyPaula Kelly (actress/dancer)Paula Kelly is a dancer and actress in motion pictures, television and theatre.-Early life and career:...
— Sweets - Ken PageKen Page (actor)Ken Page is an American cabaret singer and actor from St. Louis, Missouri, best known as the voice of the evil bag of bugs Oogie Boogie in Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas and the Kingdom Hearts series, and for playing Old Deuteronomy in the original Broadway and video cast of Cats.Ken...
— Dr. Ray McHenry - Michael BeachMichael Beach-Biography:Beach was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts, of Cape Verdean descent. He attended the prestigious Noble & Greenough School in Dedham, Massachusetts on scholarship from ABC . He was introduced to acting when he was sidelined by a lacrosse injury during high school by a classmate...
- Isaiah Washington - 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....
— Mayo Bonner - Maia CampbellMaia CampbellMaia Campbell is an American film and television actress. She is best known for her portrayal of Tiffany Warren in the sitcom In the House.-Early life and career:...
— Nicole - Shar JacksonShar JacksonSharisse "Shar" Jackson is an American television and film actress, reality television personality and rapper/singer best known for her portrayal of Niecy Jackson on the UPN show Moesha.-Early life and career:...
— Shanelle - Jennifer LópezJennifer LopezJennifer Lynn Lopez is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, television personality, and fashion designer. Lopez began her career as a dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color. Subsequently venturing into acting, she gained recognition in the 1995 action-thriller...
— Lucille - Clifton PowellClifton Powell-Movie career:Powell is known for playing the role of Pinky in the 2000 comedy film, Next Friday and its 2002 sequel, Friday After Next. Powell stars also in the Indie thriller Chain Letter.In 2009 he played "Bowman" in the film Just Another Day...
— Bobby Deavers - Malinda Williams — Candi
Episode list
| Series # | Season # | Prod. code | Title | Notes | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 1S79 | Pilot | Joan objects when Andre purchases a beeper. Although he insists that he needs it to keep his social life in order, Joan believes the beeper will make him a target for drug dealers or gang members. She orders him to get rid of it. Joan finds herself out of work after a series of layoffs by the school district. | April 5, 1994 |
| 2 | 2 | 1S01 | "Money" | Embarrassed by the prospect of going on welfare, Andre takes a loan from a gangster who was friends with his older brother Marcus. Joan is furious, as she fears that Andre is becoming involved with the same activities that led to his brother's death. She returns the money to the young man, and is outraged when he says that he thought of Marcus as family. She blames Marcus's gang lifestyle for his death, and declares that his fellow gang members cannot possibly understand the Moselys' pain. Joan is also disturbed by the fact that the man's mother is proud of him for hustling and dealing drugs. The woman doesn't care where her son gets the money, so long as he provides for her. | April 12, 1994 |
| 3 | 3 | 1S02 | "RTD" | After Andre brings home a terrible report card, Joan orders him to attend a session with his mentor, Ray. Andre goes against his mother's wishes by taking the bus (RTD) to Ray's office. Andre and Rashad have a confrontation with a gang member, who tries to steal their radio. Rashad jumps out the window, but the guy pulls a gun on Andre. The gunman's friend recognizes Andre as Marcus's brother and defuses the situation. Andre becomes smitten with Ray's secretary, a smart and wealthy girl named Nicole. He decides to go to church with Ray that Sunday in the hopes of seeing her again. While riding the bus, Andre has a run-in with the same guy, who beats him and steals his basketball shoes. When Andre shows up for church with a black eye and no shoes, Nicole's parents conclude that he is a thug and forbid her from seeing him. Nicole and Andre spend hours talking on the phone. | April 19, 1994 |
| 4 | 4 | 1S03 | "CO-op" | While working as a cashier at the local co-op market, Joan appears in a television news segment about black-owned businesses. Bobby, her boss, publicly declares himself a hero for providing employment to a down-on-her-luck woman who had been forced to go on food stamps. Joan is completely humiliated, and lights into Bobby for sharing her business with the whole city. Bobby insists that he simply wanted to generate good publicity for the co-op, but later apologizes for his insensitivity. Isaiah comes to the store and tries to take back the items Ujamaa is stocked with but Bobby talks him out of it. Tasha is distressed that she cannot attend track meets or hang out with her friends because she must watch Deion every day. He refuses to obey her, and begins to scream and physically attack her at one point. When Tasha takes Deion to a therapy session, his psychiatrist senses her frustration and gives her a chance to get some things off her chest. Tasha is happy when Deion reaches out to her, if only momentarily. | May 3, 1994 |
| 5 | 5 | 1S04 | "Men" | Joan and Isaiah meet up again at the co-op, and have a much more pleasant encounter than their first meeting. Sweets invites him to a party, and Tasha later catches them kissing. Andre is enraged. He had encouraged Ray to ask her out, and believes his mother should give him a chance. Joan declares that she and Ray are only friends, and orders Andre to mind his own business. However, she tells Isaiah that she cannot get into a serious relationship because her life is already too complicated. Andre sneaks out of the house to see Nicole. | May 10, 1994 |
| 6 | 6 | 1S05 | "Dad" | Tasha is overjoyed when her father, James, unexpectedly shows up for her 14th birthday party; but her mother and brother are less than thrilled. Despite Nicole's pleas, Andre refuses to behave civilly toward his father. Andre confronts a group of gang members who try to crash the party. He is furious when James comes off as the hero by defusing the situation peacefully. Andre tells him off and starts a shoving match. After James criticizes Joan's parenting skills (and suggests that she might be responsible for Marcus's death), she screams at him and throws him out of the party. Tasha follows her father and spends the rest of the day with him. Andre discovers some surprising information; although he had assumed that James abandoned the family, Joan actually ended the marriage. When Tasha returns, Joan tells her that she doesn't have to turn her back on her father, but could show her mother some appreciation. | May 17, 1994 |
| 7 | 7 | 1S06 | "Gun" (Part 1) | Nicole and Andre continue to see each other behind her parents' backs. Tired of being pushed around and threatened, Andre begins carrying a gun in the hopes of gaining respect around the neighborhood. Although Andre tries to hide it in the upper reaches of his closet, Deion quickly finds out about the weapon. | May 24, 1994 |
| 8 | 8 | 1S07 | "Gun" (Part 2)" | Andre pulls his gun on a boy who bumps into him at a party. A mortified Nicole decides that her parents were right about Andre. She breaks up with him. Andre insists on accompanying Nicole on the bus to ensure that she makes it home safely. She refuses to say a word to him for the entire ride. | May 24, 1994 |
| 9 | 9 | 1S08 | "Dog" | Deion becomes enchanted with a stray dog that begins hanging around the house. The usually emotionless boy smiles, laughs and imitates the dog. Joan fears that the dog has health problems and orders the kids to get rid of it. Andre and Tasha try to follow their mother's instructions, but Deion throws a fit. Andre gets into a fist fight with Rashad after he catches him making out with Tasha's friend Janelle in the Mosely house. The commotion upsets the dog, which bites Janelle. Meanwhile, Andre still can't get Nicole to give him the time of day. The co-op has a "black dollar day." | May 31, 1994 |
| 10 | 10 | 1S09 | "Date" | In the hopes of having the house to herself for a date, Joan sends Deion to Disneyland with Sweets. She also pushes Tasha to go to a teen social night with Andre. Andre ignores Tasha when he and Rashad hook up with two older women, but she quickly makes friends at the gathering. Andre is stunned when he returns to the party to see Tasha performing onstage with the musical guest. | June 7, 1994 |
Syndication
Episodes of South Central aired in the United States on TV One.Awards
| Year | Award | Result | Category | Recipient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Viewers For Quality Television Awards Viewers For Quality Television Viewers for Quality Television was an American nonprofit organization founded in 1984 to advocate network television series that members of the organization voted to be of the "highest quality." The group's goal was to rescue "...critically acclaimed programs from cancellation despite their... |
Won | Founder's Award | |