Here and Now (1992 TV series)

Here and Now is an American sitcom television series that aired on NBC from September 19, 1992, to January 2, 1993. The series starred Malcolm-Jamal Warner in the lead role, who prior to this series co-starred in The Cosby Show which ended its run in April 1992. Bill Cosby served as one of the show's executive producers along with Warner serving as executive consultant credited as M.J. Warner. The song "Tennessee" by Arrested Development was used as the show's theme song.

Here and Now
GenreSitcom
Created byTracy Gamble
Jerry Perzigian
Don Seigel
Richard Vaczy
Written byWalter Allen Bennett, Jr.
Bill Boulware
Tracy Gamble
Barry Gurstein
Brian Kahn
Mike Milligan
Jay Moriarty
Jerry Perzigian
Marco Pennette
David Pitlik
Don Siegel
Richard Vaczy
Directed byJohn Bowab
StarringMalcolm-Jamal Warner
Charles Brown
S. Epatha Merkerson
Daryl "Chill" Mitchell
Rachael Crawford
Jessica Stone
Pee Wee Love
Shaun Weiss
Opening theme"Tennessee" by Arrested Development
ComposerStu Gardner
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes15 (2 unaired)
Production
Executive producersBill Cosby
George E. Crosby
Tracy Gamble
Mike Milligan
Jay Moriarty
Richard Vaczy
ProducersBarry Gurstein
David Pitlik
Camera setupVideotape; Multi-camera
Running time23 minutes
Production companiesSAH Productions, Inc.
NBC Productions
Original release
NetworkNBC
ReleaseSeptember 19, 1992 (1992-09-19) –
January 2, 1993 (1993-01-02)

Synopsis

edit

Alexander "A.J." James (Malcolm-Jamal Warner) is a recent college graduate who majored in psychology now attending post graduate school. He returns to his old neighborhood in Harlem to become a counselor at a local youth center.[1] While working at the center he is living with Sydney (Charles Brown), his non-biological uncle who works as a doorman for a living. The series co-stars included S. Epatha Merkerson as Ms. St. Marth as the head of the youth center (Brenda Pressley played the role in the pilot episode),[2] Daryl "Chill" Mitchell as T, a former delinquent now working at the center, Rachael Crawford as Danielle, Sydney's daughter, A.J's "cousin" and occasional love interest and Jessica Stone as Amy a fellow post grad student attending the same school as A.J., also working at the center. Pee Wee Love and Shaun Weiss also co-starred as A.J.'s counselees, Ramdall and William respectively.

The series bore many similarities with Warner's previous series The Cosby Show, mostly in relation to Warner's characters. Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show and A.J. on this series were both psychology majors and worked at youth centers. Warner stated that difference between A.J. and Theo was that A.J. was "more hip and street wise".[3]

Cast

edit

Episodes

edit
No. Title Directed by Written by Original air date
1"Pilot"UnknownUnknownSeptember 19, 1992 (1992-09-19)
2"Lovers and Other Dangers"UnknownUnknownSeptember 26, 1992 (1992-09-26)
3"Trust Me"John BowabMike Milligan & Jay MoriartyOctober 3, 1992 (1992-10-03)
4"One on Won"John BowabBrian KahnOctober 10, 1992 (1992-10-10)
5"Guess Who's Coming to the Center"UnknownUnknownOctober 17, 1992 (1992-10-17)
6"A Halloween Kiss (a.k.a. The Halloween Show)"UnknownUnknownOctober 31, 1992 (1992-10-31)
7"Love Handles"John BowabBill BoulwareNovember 14, 1992 (1992-11-14)
8"Great Expectations"John BowabUnknownNovember 21, 1992 (1992-11-21)
9"A.J.'s Big Leap"John BowabBarry Gurstein & David PitlikNovember 28, 1992 (1992-11-28)
10"Take My Grandparents... Please!"UnknownUnknownDecember 5, 1992 (1992-12-05)
11"Blacksliding"UnknownUnknownDecember 12, 1992 (1992-12-12)
12"Pre-Ring Circus"UnknownUnknownJanuary 2, 1993 (1993-01-02)
13"Pennies from Heaven"TBDTBDUNAIRED

Broadcast history

edit

The series aired on Saturday nights on NBC premiering on September 19, 1992, leading off the network's Saturday night lineup at the time. It was ultimately canceled on January 2, 1993, due to low ratings with two episodes unaired out of the fifteen episodes that were produced. Bill Cosby later admitted that he felt the show's cancellation was justified due to the series not being very well written.[4]

References

edit
  1. ^ "Angel Street" & The Bedevilment of Blacks On The Tube, The Crisis Nov-Dec 1992
  2. ^ VARIETY TV REV 1991-92 17
  3. ^ The Cosby Book By Ronald L. Smith Copyright 1986, 1993
  4. ^ Life After The Cosby Show (Article on Bill Cosby), Ebony May 1994
edit