The Parkers

The Parkers
The Parkers title card 2002-2004
Genre	Sitcom
Created by	Ralph Farquhar Sara V. Finney Vida Spears
Starring	Countess Vaughn Mo'Nique Jenna von Oÿ Ken Lawson Yvette Wilson Dorien Wilson
Theme music composer	Rodney Jerkins Countess Vaughn
Composer(s)	Kurt Farquhar
Country of origin	United States
Language(s)	English
No. of seasons	5
No. of episodes	111 (List of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)	Bill Boulware Ralph Farquhar Sara V. Finney Vida Spears Andrea Wiley
Producer(s)	Andrea Allen Michelle Listenbee Brown Gary M. Goodrich Stacey Evans Morgan Stephen K. Rose Andrea Wiley
Running time	22–24 minutes
Production company(s)	Saradipity Productions Regan Jon Productions(1999-2000) Big Ticket Television
Distributor	Paramount Television
Broadcast
Original channel	UPN Trouble
Picture format	4:3
Original run	August 30, 1999 (1999-08-30) – May 10, 2004 (2004-05-10)
Chronology
Related shows	Moesha

The Parkers was an American sitcom that aired from 1999 to 2004, and produced a total of 111 episodes during its run. A spin-off of the sitcom Moesha, The Parkers featured the Moesha cast members Countess Vaughn and Yvette Wilson. The Parkers' signature line "HEEEEYY!!!" made its way into popular vernacular in the early 2000s (decade).

Premise

The series centered around a mother and daughter who both attend Santa Monica College. 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.

Main characters

The Parkers cast early season 1: (l-r) Nikki Parker, Desiree Littlejohn, Kim Parker and Professer Oglevee (center)

• Kimberly Ann "Kim" Parker (played by Countess Vaughn) is the first of the two protagonists 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 Oÿ) 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 UCLA 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 Music at the end of the series. He also briefly dated Stevie later in the series.
• Professor Stanley Oglevee (played by Dorien Wilson) 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 Wilson, 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 Mac). He was mentioned once in the first series but was never actually seen in the The Parkers.

The Parkers cast seasons 1-5: (l-r) Professor Oglevee, Thaddeus "T" Radcliffe (back row), Andell Wilkerson, Nikki Parker, Kim Parker and Stevie Van Lowe (front row)

Recurring characters

• Mel Parker (Thomas Mikal Ford) - Nikki's well-off ex-husband and Kim's father.
• Regina Foster (Kara Brock) - 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 Tweed) - Stevie's mother whom she does not have a close relationship with.
• Gertrude ("Gertie") (Kym Whitley) - 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 Mitchell) - A flamboyant fashion design student at Santa Monica College who often has conflict with Kim.
• Desiree Littlejohn (Mari Morrow) - 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 Voorhies) - Colleague of Nikki and Kim's at Santa Monica Community College and also a member the Triple A Sorority.
• Jerel Goodrich (Trent Cameron) - Kim's boyfriend turned fiance.
• George and Shirley West (Earl Billings and Aloma Wright) - Nikki's adoptive parents.
• Constance McFarland (Suzzanne Douglass) - Nikki's haughty older sister.
• Tiffany McFarland (Cherie Johnson) - 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.
• Camille Oglevee (Veronica Redd) - Professor Oglevee's mother. She tried convince Kim to drop out of college to work for her, much to Nikki's disapproval.
• Aunt Rita (Nancy Wilson) - Nikki's aunt who turned out to be her biological mother. She explained that was unable to raise Nikki due to her career.
• Evelyn "Nana" Smith (Isabel Sanford) - Nikki's grandmother who comes onto Professor Oglvee while visiting Nikki.

Episodes

Main article: List of The Parkers episodes

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 Jackson).

Syndication

The Parkers had formerly aired in syndication 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.

Reunion

The cast of The Parkers on The Mo'Nique Show: (l-r) Ken Lawson, Dorien Wilson (back row), Jenna von Oÿ, Mo'Nique and Countess Vaughn (front row)

In 2009, the cast members of The Parkers, Countess Vaughn, Jenna Von Oy, Ken Lawson and Dorien Wilson appeared on The Mo'Nique Show 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	Nominated	Best Performance in a TV Comedy Series – Guest Starring Young Actor	Christopher Massey
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	-

DVD Release

To date, The Parkers has not been released on DVD.

External links

• The Parkers at the Internet Movie Database
• The Parkers at TV.com
• The Parkers at epguides.com