My Wife and Kids

*My Wife and Kids*
My Wife and Kids
	File:My Wife and Kids logo.jpg Series logo and main cast
Created by	Don Reo; Damon Wayans
Starring	Damon Wayans; Tisha Campbell-Martin; George O. Gore II; Jennifer Freeman (2001-2005); Jazz Raycole (2001); Parker McKenna Posey; Noah Gray-Cabey (2003-2005); Andrew McFarlane (2003-2005); Meagan Good (2003); Brooklyn Sudano (2003-2005)
Country of origin	United States
No. of seasons	5
No. of episodes	122 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers	Don Reo; Damon Wayans; David Himelfarb; (Seasons 1-4); Andy Cadiff; (Season 3); Dean Lorey (Seasons 4-5)
Running time	23 minutes
Original release
Network	ABC
Release	March 28, 2001 –; May 17, 2005

My Wife and Kids is an American sitcom that ran on ABC from March 28, 2001, until May 17, 2005, starring Damon Wayans and Tisha Campbell-Martin, produced by Touchstone Television. It was created by Wayans and Don Reo.

It featured the character of Michael Kyle, a loving husband and modern-day patriarch who rules his household with a unique and distinct parenting style. As he teaches his three children some of life's lessons, he does so with his own brand of wisdom, discipline and humor.

Premise

The series is premised on a self-made merchant, Michael Kyle (Damon Wayans) bringing up his family in the suburbs of Stamford, Connecticut. His family consists of the mother and wife of the family Janet "Jay" Kyle (Tisha Campbell-Martin), and three children: Michael Kyle, Jr. (George O. Gore II) usually just called "Jr", Claire Kyle (Jazz Raycole, later Jennifer Freeman) and young Kady Kyle (Parker McKenna Posey).

Broadcast history

The show was created by Don Reo, Chris Scantelli, and Damon Wayans. Reruns air in the U.S. on various local stations and in the UK on Living and Virgin 1. The series began airing in high definition on ABC Family in September 2008. The series also airs in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Brazil, Samoa, South Africa, Kenya, Singapore, Tanzania, India, Pakistan, The Philippines, Bangladesh, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Italy, the Netherlands, Cyprus, New Zealand, France, Germany, Poland and Hungary.

Cast

Jazz Raycole (The First Claire) departed after season one. It was publicly reported that she was pulled from the series by her mother over concerns about the second season opening storyline in which Raycole (as Claire) finds her friend Charmaine (portrayed by Raven-Symoné) has become pregnant.^[1] Replacement actress Jennifer Freeman was then cast in the same role with the same storyline. Given that Freeman bears no resemblance to the first actress, the second season premiere ("Mom's Away") obliquely refers to the change: upon Claire's entrance down the stairs of the set, Michael notices a difference about his daughter and declares, "I don't know what it is, but you look like a whole new person!"

During the third season, gifted piano virtuoso Noah Gray-Cabey joins the cast as young Kady's playmate Franklin, who is something of a child savant. Despite being a playmate, Franklin and Kady are openly "boyfriend and girlfriend".

Also, although season three opens with actress Meagan Good as Junior's new girlfriend Vanessa, she is replaced after five episodes by actress Brooklyn Sudano (daughter of singer Donna Summer) for undisclosed reasons. Unlike the change in Claire's role, no on-screen reference was made regarding this change. The pair consummates their relationship during this season, resulting in Vanessa becoming pregnant at season's end and setting up the series for related storylines through the remainder of the show. They become parents in the fourth season finale.

Introduced in the middle of the second season, Claire begins a relationship with the religious-minded Tony, portrayed by young actor Andrew McFarlane. The relationship continues through series end. In the episode "Breaking Up and Breaking It," McFarlane appears as Roger, Claire's first crush.

Episodes

Characters

Main

Damon Wayans - Michael Richard Kyle, father

Michael is seen as the kids' caring but slightly overbearing father and a loving yet arrogant husband compared to Martin Payne of the sitcom Martin.

Tisha Campbell-Martin - Janet Marie 'Jay' Kyle, mother
George O. Gore II - Michael Richard Kyle, Jr. (aka Junior), son and first child
Jazz Raycole - Claire Kyle #1, daughter and second child (season one)
Jennifer Freeman - Claire Kyle #2, daughter and second child (season two and until the end of the series)
Parker McKenna Posey - Kady Kyle, daughter and third child
Noah Gray-Cabey - Franklin Aloisious Mumford, Kady's genius playmate / "boyfriend" (season three and until the end of the series)
Meagan Good - Vanessa Scott, Junior's girlfriend (season three)
Brooklyn Sudano - Vanessa Scott-Kyle, Junior's girlfriend and later wife (season four and until the end of the series)
Andrew McFarlane - Tony Jeffers, Claire's boyfriend (season two and until the end of the series)

Recurrent and minor

Keenan Ivory Wayans - Ken Kyle, Michael's successful brother
Katt Williams - Bobby Shaw, a former classmate and rival of Michael and also Jay's first kiss
Damon Wayans Jr. - John, a silly friend of Junior's
Lester "Rasta" Speight - Calvin Scott, Vanessa's sensitive dimwitted father
Ella Joyce - Jasmine Scott, Vanessa's spunky mother
Sean Whalen - Larry, nerdy employee of Michael
Liliana Mumy - Rachel, One of Kady's classmates who frequently insults Michael
Jamia Simone Nash - Aretha Mumford, Franklin's younger sister
Larry Miller - Stuart Tyler, One of Michael's nemesis for several episodes in season two
Marlene Forte - Rosa Lopez, the Kyles' Nanny/Housekeeper for several episodes in season one
Lauren Tom as Annie Hoo, owner of a local Chinese restaurant who goes into competittion with Jay.
Chelsea Handler - as the dentist assistent

Cancellation

In May 2005, ABC decided to end the show, citing declining ratings. ABC officials, according to the Fulton Critic and tv.com felt the show played itself out. Wayans was also on record stating that ABC had ensured him a spot in the 2005-2006 television season hence the cliffhanger. The series did not get a proper finale, leaving the show with a cliffhanger. Some sources report that the cliffhanger would have been resolved with Jay finding out that she was not pregnant, however this theory was never confirmed by either ABC or Wayans.

The Wayans influence

Many members of the Wayans family have worked in front of the camera or behind the scenes on My Wife and Kids. In some cases, careers were accelerated. For instance, Damien Dante Wayans was a supervising producer in season three, a producer or co-producer in season four, and an executive story editor in season four and in season five.

Behind the camera

Midway through season two, Kim Wayans, who had acting experience starring in In Living Color and In the House became a regular writer for the series after writing a few season-two episodes. She became executive story editor in season three, producer in season four and supervising producer in season five. Kim never made an on-camera appearance on the show.

Damien Dante Wayans wrote and directed several episodes of the series from seasons three through five. Damon's look-alike son, Damon Wayans, Jr., wrote a season four episode and became a regular writer in the fifth season. Elvira Wayans also wrote a couple of episodes in the fifth season. Damon's cousin Craig Wayans began as a writer and executive story editor on the show in the second season, and then became supervising producer without skipping a position.

In front of the camera

Keenen Ivory Wayans appears once as Michael's brother Ken in season one's "A Little Romance".

Damon's own kids, Cara Mia, Michael and Damon Jr. appeared in episodes during the first four seasons. Jojo and Damon Jr. played Junior's friends Mike and John, respectively while Cara Mia played Claire's friend Bre in "Of Breasts and Basketball". Cara Mia's character was renamed Shante in her season three appearances.

Awards and nominations

Awards	Outcome
ASCAP Awards:
Top TV Series	(Won)
BET Comedy Award:
Outstanding Comedy Series	Nominated^[2]
Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series	Nominated
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (Damon Wayans)	(Won)
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series (Tisha Campbell-Martin)	(Won)
Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series	Nominated
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (George O. Gore II)	Nominated
Family Television Award:
Comedy	(Won)
Image Awards:
Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series	Nominated
Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series (Damon Wayans)	Nominated
Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series (Tisha Campbell-Martin)	(Won)
Outstanding Comedy Series	Nominated
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (George O. Gore II)	Nominated
Logie Award:
Most Popular Overseas Comedy	Nominated
People's Choice Award:
Favorite Male Performer in a New Television Series (Damon Wayans)	(Won)
Favorite Television New Comedy Series	(Won)
Prism Award:
TV Comedy Series Episode	(Won)
Satellite Awards:
Best Actor in a Series, Comedy or Musical (Damon Wayans)	Nominated
Best Performance by an Actor in a Series, Comedy or Musical (Damon Wayans)	Nominated
Teen Choice Award:
Choice TV Actress - Comedy (Jennifer Freeman)	Nominated
TV - Choice Comedy	Nominated
Young Artist Award:
Best Performance in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama) - Young Actor Age Ten or Younger (Noah Gray-Cabey)	(Won)
Best Performance in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama) - Young Actress Age Ten or Younger (Jazz Raycole)	Nominated
Best Performance in a TV Comedy or Drama Series - Guest Starring Young Actress Age Ten or Under (Jessica Sara)	(Won)
Best Ensemble in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama)	Nominated
Best Family Television Series (Comedy or Drama)	Nominated
Best Performance in a TV Comedy Series - Guest Starring Young Actress (Marina Malota)	Nominated
Best Performance in a TV Comedy or Drama Series - Guest Starring Young Actress Age Ten or Under (Liliana Mumy)	Nominated
Best Performance in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama) - Young Actress Age Ten or Under (Parker McKenna Posey)	Nominated

DVD release

On February 24, 2009, Lionsgate Home Entertainment released Season 1 of My Wife and Kids on DVD in Region 1.

DVD Name	Ep #	Release Date	Extra Features
Season 1	11	February 24, 2009

Syndication

ABC Family began airing My Wife and Kids in high definition on September 1, 2008. It also airs on The CW. It began aring September 7, 2009 on WCIU-TV.^[3]

International Broadcast History

Region	Title
Australia	Channel Seven, Fox 8
Belgium	My Wife and Kids on VT4
Brazil	Eu, a Patroa e as Crianças on SBT
Croatia	Moja žena i djeca
Egypt	Show Comedy
France	Ma Famille d'Abord on M6
Germany	What’s Up, Dad?
Hungary	Életem értelmei
India	My Wife and Kids (on Star World)
Israel	אשתי וילדי
Italy	Tutto in famiglia
Pakistan	Star World
Poland	"On, ona i dzieciaki" (Comedy Central Polska)
Portugal	Patriarca com Estilo
Russia	My Wife and Kids on Fox Life Russia
Saudi Arabia	Show Comedy
South Africa	My Wife and Kids on SABC 1 MZANSI 4 SHO
Tanzania	Mimi, Watoto na mke Wangu
UAE	Show Comedy
United Kingdom	My Wife and Kids on BBC ,Virgin1, Trouble, and LivingTV
Venezuela	Mi esposa e hijos
Estonia	Fox Life
Zimbabwe	ZBC TV sisonke