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For Better or Worse (2011 TV series)

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For Better or Worse
GenreComedy-drama Sitcom
Created byTyler Perry
Directed byTyler Perry
Starring
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons9
No. of episodes142 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
  • Tyler Perry
  • Ozzie Areu
Camera setupMultiple
Running time22 to 24 minutes
Production companyTyler Perry Studios
Original release
NetworkTBS (seasons 1–2)
OWN (season 3–present)
ReleaseNovember 25, 2011 (2011-11-25) –
present
Related
Why Did I Get Married?
(2007 film)
Why Did I Get Married Too?
(2010 film)

Tyler Perry's For Better or Worse is an American comedy-drama and sitcom television series created and produced by playwright and director Tyler Perry. The series is based on Perry's 2007 film Why Did I Get Married? and its 2010 sequel Why Did I Get Married Too?. It premiered on TBS on November 25, 2011.[1] Led by the comical, over-the-top antics of Marcus and Angela Williams, the ensemble follows three couples: Marcus and Angela, Joseph and Leslie, and Richard and Keisha who are at various stages of their relationships as they go through the ups-and-downs of married life and dating.

Production

TBS announced the straight-to-series order of For Better or Worse on April 26, 2011, the same day it was announced that House of Payne would be ending after its eight season.[2][3] Unlike House of Payne and Meet the Browns, which are family-oriented, For Better Or Worse targets young adults.[4] The premiere episode of the series acquired 3.33 million viewers,[5] bringing the show to the top of the charts as basic cable's No. 1 comedy series for the month of November 2011.[5][6]

In February 2012, TBS announced the thirty-five episode second season renewal, which premiered on July 13, 2012, with the first season averaging 2.9 million viewers.[7] For Better or Worse was also basic cable’s No. 1 sitcom of 2011 and the No. 1 show on all of television with African-American adults in the same year.[8][9]

A year later, on February 20, 2013, it was announced that TBS chose not to renew the series, and that the Oprah Winfrey Network since ordered a third season as part of a new deal the network made with Perry.[10] The third season of the series premiered on September 18, 2013.[11][12] The fourth season premiered on April 9, 2014. The fifth season premiered on September 17, 2014. The sixth season of the series premiered on Friday, March 27, 2015. The seventh season of the series premiered on September 11, 2015. The Eighth season of the series premiered on April 1, 2016. OWN renewed the show for a ninth season which premiered on September 30, 2016.

Cast

  • Tasha Smith as Angela Williams (Season 1–present): Marcus's spark plug of a wife, the affluent and successful owner of Lady Angie's hair salon and hair care products; originally, from Camden, New Jersey; has a degree in chemistry.
  • Michael Jai White as Marcus Williams (Season 1–present): Angela's husband, a former professional football player and owner of a highly rated sports television show C-Sports Now.
  • Jason Olive as Joseph Jetson (Season 1–present): Marcus's partner at C-Sports Now, and best friend since college, a former tennis player and Leslie's husband-to-be.
  • Crystle Stewart as Leslie Morris (Season 1–present): Angela's best friend since college, a real estate agent and Joseph Jetson's fiancee.
  • Kent Faulcon as Richard Ellington (Season 1–present): Marcus's partner and CFO at C-Sports Now, and friend since college, previously dated Marcus' assumed baby momma Keisha; a former baseball player. After finding out what kind of person she really was, Richard broke up with Keisha.
  • Cocoa Brown as Jennifer (Season 1–present): Angela's comedic childhood friend from Camden, New Jersey and stylist at Lady Angie's. She has two kids.
  • Bobb'e J. Thompson as Marcus "M.J." Williams, Jr. (Season 1–2): Marcus and Angela's son.
  • Brad James as Todd (Season 1–present): Intern at C-Sports Now. In season five, Todd learns that he fathered a child with a woman named Shawn.
  • Chandra Currelley as Miss V. (Season 1–2; Season 4–present; Guest, Season 3): Marcus and Angela's housekeeper.
  • Bobbi Kristina Brown as Tina (Season 2): Jennifer's college-aged daughter.
  • Kiki Haynes as Ro'Keisha "Keisha" Jones (Season 1, recurring; Season 2–present): Marcus's troublesome ex-girlfriend, dating Richard Ellington and has a degree in accounting. They married and then divorced.

Recurring

  • Teka Brandon as Dominique Williams: Keisha's daughter. Originally believed to be Marcus's daughter, until Season 2.
  • Cedric Stewart as Tyrik (Season 2): Contractor and Angela's old flame from college. Jermaine L. Brantley originated the role in the first season.

Episodes

Main article: List of Tyler Perry's For Better or Worse episodes
SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast airedNetwork
110November 25, 2011 (2011-11-25)December 23, 2011 (2011-12-23)TBS
235July 13, 2012 (2012-07-13)December 7, 2012 (2012-12-07)
35526September 18, 2013 (2013-09-18)December 11, 2013 (2013-12-11)OWN
15April 9, 2014 (2014-04-09)June 11, 2014 (2014-06-11)
14September 17, 2014 (2014-09-17)December 17, 2014 (2014-12-17)
42211March 27, 2015 (2015-03-27)June 5, 2015 (2015-06-05)
11September 11, 2015 (2015-09-11)October 16, 2015 (2015-10-16)
52010April 1, 2016 (2016-04-01)May 27, 2016 (2016-05-27)
10September 30, 2016 (2016-09-30)November 25, 2016 (2016-11-25)
620June 10, 2017 (2017-06-10)July 22, 2017 (2017-07-22)

Reception

The sitcom was welcomed to generally mixed reviews from critics. Boston Herald said "This is more soap than sitcom, an upscale Dynasty crossed with Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? with a dash of urban sass. It knocks you back with a bracing dose of its characters’ resentments and rages."[13] Opportunity LOL said "I am curious why Tyler Perry wrote for most characters to be so ostentatiously wealthy as it brings the style a little too close to day-time soap operas. Wait a second, did Tyler Perry convince me to watch a soap opera?".[14]

References

  1. ^ "TBS Sends Tyler Perry Comedies to Friday Nights". The Futon Critic. October 20, 2011. Retrieved April 22, 2013.
  2. ^ Itzkoff, Dave (April 26, 2011). "TBS Orders Its Third Tyler Perry Series". The New York Times.
  3. ^ Gorman, Bill (April 26, 2011). "TBS Orders Tyler Perry's 'For Better or Worse'". TV by the Numbers.
  4. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (April 26, 2011). "TBS Orders Third Tyler Perry/Debmar-Mercury Sitcom, Ends 'House Of Payne'". Deadline Hollywood.
  5. ^ a b Seidman, Robert (November 28, 2011). "'Tyler Perry's For Better or Worse' Premieres to 3.4 Million Friday Night on TBS". TV by the Numbers.
  6. ^ "TBS's Friday Night Launch of "Tyler Perry's For Better or Worse" Is Basic Cable's #1 Comedy Series for the Month of November". The Futon Critic. November 30, 2011.
  7. ^ Goldberg, Lesley. "TBS Orders More of Tyler Perry's 'For Better or Worse'". The Hollywood Reporter.
  8. ^ Ho, Rodney (February 15, 2012). "TBS cancels 'Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns,' gives 'For Better or Worse' 35 episodes". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
  9. ^ Kondolojy, Amanda (February 15, 2012). "'Tyler Perry's For Better Or Worse' Renewed by TBS with 35 Episode Order". TV by the Numbers (Press release).
  10. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (February 20, 2013). "OWN Picks Up Tyler Perry's Sitcom 'For Better Or Worse', Orders Third Season". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 22, 2013.
  11. ^ Bibel, Sara (July 25, 2013). "OWN Greenlights 'It's Primetime' Starring Deion Sanders, Announces Lindsay Lohan Interview to Air August 18". TV by the Numbers.
  12. ^ Kondolojy, Amanda (August 20, 2013). "Tyler Perry's Popular Sitcom 'For Better or Worse' Comes to OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network". TV by the Numbers.
  13. ^ Perigard, Mark (November 25, 2011). "Tyler Perry's 'Better' is one of his worst". Boston Herald.
  14. ^ Haynes, Robert (December 16, 2011). "Opportunity LOL Reviews: "Tyler Perry's For Better or Worse" Television Show". Opportunity LOL.
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