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47-471: Moesha ( / m oʊ ˈ iː ʃ ə / ) is an American television sitcom that aired on UPN from January 23, 1996, to May 14, 2001. The series stars R&B singer Brandy as Moesha Denise Mitchell, an African-American teenager living with her upper middle class family in the Leimert Park neighborhood of Los Angeles . It was originally ordered as a pilot for CBS ' 1995–1996 television season but

94-483: A live studio audience using a multiple-camera setup , the latter of which continues in some modern productions such as The Big Bang Theory and Fuller House . Other formats make use of a laugh track or "canned laughter". Since the 1990s, sitcoms have since expanded to animated sitcoms , with successful shows of the genre including The Simpsons , King of the Hill , and Family Guy . Critics have debated

141-540: A 30-minute time slot. Throughout their history, American sitcoms have often drawn inspiration from British counterparts. Popular shows like All in the Family , Three's Company , and Sanford and Son were adapted from successful British series. More recently, The Office achieved significant popularity in the United States , following the success of its British counterpart. Numerous television networks in

188-451: A block with Kim and Niecy, teaching Kim how to rollerblade (later replaced with footage of Moesha & Q chasing Myles), and once again being served a meal at the diner by Andell while seated with her family. When Moesha is again distracted by a cute guy walking by, Frank tries to cover Moesha's eyes. Season 4 showed the cast around the neighborhood and Moesha, Kim, and Niecy dancing at the fountain while wearing red outfits. Season 5 showed

235-544: A core group of characters who interact in a recurring setting, such as a family, workplace, or institution. However, British sitcoms typically consist of shorter series, often six episodes, and are frequently developed by a smaller writing team. The majority of British sitcoms are half-hour comedies recorded in studio settings using a multiple-camera setup. While many adhere to traditional sitcom conventions, some have ventured into more unconventional territory. For example, Blackadder and Yes Minister/Yes Prime Minister shifted

282-486: A cousin of Girlfriends main character Joan Clayton ( Tracee Ellis Ross ). The Melanie and Derwin characters re-appeared in the Girlfriends Season 7 finale episode at Joan's engagement party. On Moesha , Brandy played herself as a celebrity doppelganger to Moesha, and ironically Brandy joined the cast of The Game in its fifth season as Chardonnay Pitts, further complicating the notion of the show existing in

329-534: A dorm room. Moesha was also the first Black-cast sitcom to have an episode devoted to teenagers and non-heterosexuality. The episode, "Labels" (aired October 1, 1996), concerned Hakeem's cousin Omar showing up at the Mitchell's home and the family fears he could be another Hakeem. Instead, he seems to be nice and responsible. Moesha, still grieving about her break-up with Q, goes out on a date with Omar. After attending

376-411: A game of chess while waving at a guy as he walks away. The opening sequence for seasons 2 and 3 features the same scenario with some changes. Moesha was still dancing in front of the fountain but with a bass guitar player behind her. Instead of just depicting Moesha with her friends, this intro sees her playing basketball and baseball with her friends and family, driving with her friends, strutting down

423-422: A movie, they meet Omar's friend, Tracy, leading Moesha to believe that Omar may be gay. Moesha later tells Kim and Niecy her suspicions, and it doesn't take long until everyone in school knows the latest gossip. When Hakeem hears the news, Moesha realizes that she may have jeopardized their friendship." There have been different versions of the opening credits theme song, which was performed by Brandy . One version

470-566: A regular gay character (Terry Bader as journalist Leslie). In 1987, Mother and Son won the Television Drama Award for portraying a woman suffering from senile dementia and her interaction with her family, presented by the Australian Human Rights Commission . In 2007, Kath & Kim ' s first episode of series 4 attracted an Australian audience of 2.521 million nationally. This

517-400: A rumor that certain plots were to be resolved on The Parkers , but those storylines were ultimately never resolved. On November 3, 2017, the cast reunited on The Real and have expressed interest in reviving the show. "Absolutely, we need a reboot to this show, because we ended on a cliffhanger." Norwood pointed out. In August 2020, Norwood revealed she was in talks for a reboot , citing

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564-514: A stand-up comedian at a friend's club. She decided to make a living off comedy and never turned back. Her big break came with Thea , a short-lived sitcom from 1993 to 1994. Thea was cancelled after 19 episodes but the show helped her get a role in House Party 3 . In addition, Wilson also had a minor role in the 1995 comedy movie Friday as Smokey's blind date and appeared in films such as Poetic Justice , starring Janet Jackson , and

611-557: A staple of the government broadcaster Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). In the 1970s and 1980s many British sitcoms also screened on the Seven Network . By 1986, UK comedies Bless This House and Are You Being Served? had been re-screened several times by ABC Television ; they were then acquired and screened by the Seven Network. In 1981, Daily at Dawn was the first Australian comedy series to feature

658-574: Is currently streaming on Netflix in the US, while spinoff series The Parkers is available to stream on the platform as well. The series is also available to stream on Paramount+ , BET+ , and Hulu . On September 27, 2011, CBS Home Entertainment released Moesha: The First Season on DVD in Region 1 via Amazon.com's CreateSpace program. This is a Manufacture-on-Demand (MOD) release, available exclusively through Amazon.com. The following table summarizes

705-564: Is one of the leading channels in India, dedicated entirely to Sitcoms. Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah is the longest-running sitcom of Indian television and is also known as the flagship show of SAB TV . On Tiptoes and Shabhaye Barareh were among the first and most important sitcoms that led to the growth of this type of comedy in Iran, both receiving wide critical and audience acclaim. El Chavo del Ocho , which ran from 1971 to 1980,

752-725: The Canadian Screen Award for Best Comedy Series . In 2020, the sixth and final season of Schitt's Creek was nominated for 15 Primetime Emmy Awards . This broke the record for the most Emmy nominations given to a comedy series in its final season. During the 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards , the show became the first ever comedy or drama series to sweep the four acting categories ( Outstanding Lead Actor , Outstanding Lead Actress , Outstanding Supporting Actor , Outstanding Supporting Actress for Eugene Levy , Catherine O'Hara , Dan Levy , and Annie Murphy respectively) and one of only four live action shows, along with All in

799-753: The RTR channel. The "boom" of Russian sitcoms began only in the 2000s, when in 2004, the STS started the highly successful sitcom " My Fair Nanny " (an adaptation of the American sitcom " The Nanny "). Since that time, sitcoms in Russia have been produced by the two largest entertainment channels in the country — STS and TNT . In 2007, the STS released the first original domestic sitcom — " Daddy's Daughters " (there were only adaptations before), and in 2010, TNT released " Interns " —

846-706: The United States feature sitcoms in their programming. CBS , TBS, Nickelodeon , and Disney Channel are just a few examples of networks that air sitcoms. Yvette Wilson Yvette Reneé Wilson (March 6, 1964 – June 14, 2012) was an American comedian and actress. She was known for her role as Andell Wilkerson, the owner of the local restaurant and hangout on the UPN sitcoms Moesha (1996–2001); and restaurant owner and Nikki's (played by Mo'Nique ) best friend on its spinoff The Parkers (1999–2004). She had appeared in many comedy films such as House Party 3 , Friday , and on Russell Simmons ' Def Comedy Jam . She

893-431: The 1990s these included: Dekh Bhai Dekh (1993), Zabaan Sambhalke (1993), Shrimaan Shrimati (1995), Office Office (2001), Ramani Vs Ramani (Tamil 2001), Amrutham (Telugu 2001–2007), Khichdi (2002), Sarabhai vs Sarabhai (2005) F.I.R. (2006–2015), Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah (2008–present), Uppum Mulakum (Malayalam 2015–present), and Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain (2015–present). SAB TV

940-482: The 2010s, resulting in a decline in sitcom popularity. Nevertheless, there have been recent efforts to revive the sitcom genre. For instance, Netflix released So Not Worth It in 2021, featuring many creators from popular South Korean sitcoms. Popular South Korean sitcoms include the High Kick series, which has spawned several spin-offs. British sitcoms , like their American counterparts, often revolve around

987-417: The Family , The Golden Girls , and Will & Grace where all the principal actors have won at least one Emmy Award. Sitcoms started appearing on Indian television in the 1980s, with serials like Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi (1984), Nukkad (1986), and Wagle Ki Duniya (1988) on the state-run Doordarshan channel. Gradually, as private channels were permitted to operate, many more sitcoms followed. In

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1034-442: The U.S. television ratings for the series: Sitcom The structure and concept of a sitcom have roots in earlier forms of comedic theater, such as farces and comedy of manners . These forms relied on running gags to generate humor, but the term "sitcom" emerged as radio and TV adapted these principles into a new medium. The word was not commonly used until the 1950s. Early television sitcoms were often filmed in front of

1081-588: The United States in 1926 with the radio show Sam 'n' Henry . The subsequent success of Amos 'n' Andy , also created by Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll , solidified the sitcom's place in American radio programming. The transition to television brought about significant changes in the sitcom format. Mary Kay and Johnny , which premiered in 1947, became the first American television sitcom. Today, American sitcoms typically run for 22 minutes, allowing for approximately eight minutes of advertising within

1128-410: The cast dancing in a panoramic view as Norwood lip-syncs to the theme song on a background of clouds and a rising sun. The introduction for season 6 is similar to that of season 5, but features a twist. Since Yvette Wilson left Moesha to join the cast of The Parkers and Sheryl Lee Ralph 's character Dee became a recurring character, the season 6 opening features footage of Norwood lip-syncing over

1175-454: The cast of The Parkers as Andell Wilkerson, Nikki's childhood friend. Several Moesha cast members (including Brandy Norwood, William Allen Young, Shar Jackson, Sheryl Lee Ralph, and Marcus T. Paulk) made crossover appearances on The Parkers . Lamont Bentley, being the most frequent, appears in three episodes. Though not a direct spin-off of Moesha , the show Girlfriends was created by Moesha writer Mara Brock Akil and exists in

1222-510: The exact definition of a sitcom, mostly regarding productions created at the turn of the 21st century. Many contemporary American sitcoms use a single-camera setup and do not feature a laugh track, instead more resembling documentaries or the comedy-dramas of the 1980s and 1990s. Although there have been few long-running Australian-made sitcoms, many American and British sitcoms have been successful in Australia, since sitcoms are considered

1269-547: The film parody Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood . In 1995, she got the most important role of her career: Andell Wilkerson , a supporting character on the sitcom Moesha , which starred one of her castmates from Thea , R&B singer Brandy Norwood . Wilson's Andell character was the owner of The Den, a local teen hot spot on the show. In 2000, she left Moesha for its spin-off The Parkers , where she also played Andell Wilkerson , who

1316-647: The first sitcom, filmed as a comedy (unlike dominated "conveyor" sitcoms). Sitcoms, or "시트콤" in Korean, gained significant popularity in South Korea during the 1990s. This popularity was fueled by the success of shows like Dr. Oh's People , LA Arirang , and Men and Women . The use of computer graphics (CG) in sitcoms began to increase in the late 1990s as more broadcasters adopted CG technology. This led to more visually dynamic and creative sitcoms. However, viewer preferences shifted towards dramas and thrillers in

1363-496: The focus from domestic or workplace settings to the world of politics. A more recent development in British comedy is the mockumentary , a style that blends documentary and comedic elements. Shows like The Office , Come Fly with Me , W1A , People Just Do Nothing , and This Country have successfully employed this format to explore a variety of topics and characters. Sitcoms, or situation comedies, made their debut in

1410-421: The life of a black upper-middle-class family through the eyes of a typical girl named Moesha. Her father Frank, a widower and Saturn car salesman (and later owner of his own dealership, Brothers Saturn), has married Dee, the vice principal at Moesha's high school, much to Moesha's disapproval. The series was created by Ralph Farquhar, along with the writing team of Sara V. Finney and Vida Spears. The settings for

1457-531: The most controversial episodes, "Secrets and Lies" (aired February 7, 2000), the Mitchell family learned from Aunt Hattie that Frank is the biological father of Dorian, whom the Mitchells and Dorian himself believed to be Frank's nephew. The shocking news of Frank's infidelity during his first marriage turned the family upside-down and resulted in Dorian's rebellion and Moesha moving out of the family home and into

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1504-425: The portion of the theme song where Yvette Wilson and Sheryl Lee Ralph appeared in the previous season's opening. Given her popularity for four seasons on Moesha , Countess Vaughn left the show in 1999 for her spin-off, The Parkers , which premiered on August 30, 1999, on UPN . It centered on Kim attending community college with her mother, played by comedian Mo'Nique . Leaving Moesha , Yvette Wilson joined

1551-521: The same universe as Moesha . The character Maya Wilkes ( Golden Brooks ) from Girlfriends lives in Leimert Park like the characters of Moesha , and appeared in an episode babysitting for her sister-in-law Barbara Lee, who happened to be Dorian's birth mother. Niecy appeared in a season 1 episode of Girlfriends . The CW series The Game was spun off from Girlfriends with the loose thread of main character Melanie Barnett ( Tia Mowry ) being

1598-469: The same universe. By the sixth season, ratings for Moesha had dropped and UPN opted not to renew or air the series for a seventh season. The series ended on an unresolved cliffhanger with Myles being kidnapped by a rival of Dorian, Moesha considering moving in with Hakeem or her best friend Niecy, and a positive pregnancy test being found in the trash at Moesha's dorm room, without positive identification as to whose it was. Entertainment Weekly reported

1645-762: The series from 2000 to 2003, as did Trouble from 2003 to 2006. From 1 November 2019, the programme started airing on Trace Vault following its rebrand from The Vault. Since 2008, the show has aired in international syndication in Spain, Italy, Portugal, Israel, the Middle East, Russia, France, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Belgium, Ireland, South Africa, Latin America, Brazil, and Australia. In Spain, it ran on Disney Channel from 2005 to 2011 in an edited format deemed suitable for children's television. The series

1692-532: The show has earned an estimated $ 1 billion in syndication fees alone for Televisa . Gliding On , a popular sitcom in New Zealand in the early 1980s, won multiple awards during its run including Best Comedy, Best Drama and Best Direction at the Feltex Awards . The first Russian sitcom series was "Strawberry", which resembled "Duty Pharmacy" in a Spanish format. It was aired from 1996 to 1997 on

1739-514: The show include the Mitchell household, teen hangout The Den, and in some cases, Crenshaw High School , the school attended by Moesha, Kim, Niecy, and Hakeem. The sitcom was set in the Leimert Park neighborhood of Los Angeles. The show dealt with real social issues affecting teenagers, such as premarital sex, the death of a parent, teen pregnancy , drug use, race relations, sexuality, dementia , and day-to-day issues teenagers faced at home and school such as gender prejudice and inequality. In one of

1786-410: The show's success on Netflix . The show aired in syndication on UPN , Fox , and The WB affiliates. The series aired on WGN America (now NewsNation ) from 2005 to 2008, The N from 2005 to 2009, Up TV , BET Her , and BET until mid 2016, Fuse until 2019, Bounce TV until 2021, and currently airs on Dabl since 2023. On Up TV, it was edited for content to make it more "family-friendly" and

1833-411: Was also known for her role as Rita in the 1995 F. Gary Gray film Friday . Wilson died from cervical cancer at the age of 48. Before she started her career in the entertainment business, Wilson attended San Jose State University and majored in communications . In 1991 she was a contestant on the game show Supermarket Sweep . Wilson first entered comedy when she lost a bet and had to perform as

1880-927: Was criticized by several social commentators as inappropriately disrespectful to the office of the Prime Minister. The show nevertheless proved very popular with both television audiences and critics, becoming the most-watched Australian scripted comedy series of 2011. It was nominated at the 2012 Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards for Best Television Comedy Series. Although there have been several notable exceptions, relatively few Canadian sitcoms attained notable success in Canada or internationally. Canadian television has had much greater success with sketch comedy and dramedy series. The popular show King of Kensington aired from 1975 to 1980, at its peak garnering an average of 1.5 to 1.8 million viewers weekly. The 1999 movie Trailer Park Boys

1927-507: Was declined by the network. It was then later picked up by UPN, which aired it as a mid-season replacement . It went on to become the biggest success for the nascent network and one of the greatest hits over the course of the network's entire run. The series was a joint production for UPN by Regan Jon Productions, Saradipity Productions, and Jump at the Sun Productions in association with Big Ticket Television . The series focused on

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1974-530: Was followed up by a television series of the same name that ran from 2001 to 2018, airing in Canada, the U.S., and the U.K. Corner Gas , which ran for six seasons from 2004 to 2009, became an instant hit, averaging one million viewers per episode. It has been the recipient of six Gemini Awards and has been nominated almost 70 times for various awards. Other noteworthy recent sitcoms have included: Call Me Fitz , Schitt's Creek , Letterkenny , and Kim's Convenience , all of which have been winners of

2021-465: Was often edited heavily for broadcast on BET and BET Her due to airtime constraints. In the UK, Moesha aired on Channel 4 from 1996 until 1998, with only the first three seasons being broadcast. It also aired on Nickelodeon from 1996 to 2000, who only showed episodes from the first four seasons which were edited so they would be more suitable for broadcast on children's television. Paramount Channel aired

2068-459: Was the best friend of Mo'Nique 's character Nikki Parker. After The Parkers ended, she went on to appear in shows like HBO 's Def Comedy Jam and Fox Network shows. Wilson final acting role was in 2005's Ganked . She started her own company by the name Tigobitties Inc. Wilson had two daughters and two grandchildren. married to record producer Jerome Harry from 2001 until her death in 2012. Wilson suffered from kidney disease, having survived

2115-559: Was the highest rating for a first episode in the history of Australian television, until the series premiere of Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities in 2009, which garnered 2.58 million viewers. In 2013, Please Like Me received an invitation to screen at the Series Mania Television Festival in Paris, was praised by critics, and earned numerous awards and nominations. Also in 2013, At Home with Julia

2162-546: Was the most-watched show on Mexican television and had a Latin-American audience of 350 million viewers per episode at its popularity peak during the mid-1970s. The show continues to be popular in Central America as well as in Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Spain, the United States, and other countries. Syndicated episodes average 91 million daily viewers in all its American markets. Since it ceased production in 1992,

2209-423: Was used for season 1, a second version was used for seasons 2 and 3, and a third version was used for the final three seasons. Although the same recording of the theme song was used for the last three seasons, two different openings were used for each of the first three seasons. The opening sequence for season 1 shows Moesha dancing in front of a fountain, walking with friends, dancing in a moving car, and winning at

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