What's Happening Now!! is an American sitcom sequel to the original ABC 1976–1979 sitcom What's Happening!![1] focusing on its main characters as independent people. It aired in first-run broadcast syndication from September 7, 1985 until March 26, 1988.
| What's Happening Now!! | |
|---|---|
 Opening titles from 1985 | |
| Genre | Sitcom |
| Created by | Eric Monte |
| Written by | Eric Monte David Silverman Stephen Sustaric Michael S. Baser Kim Weiskopf |
| Directed by | Michael Schultz |
| Starring | |
| Composers | Henry Mancini Bruce Miller |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 3 |
| No. of episodes | 66 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Michael S. Baser Mike Milligan Kim Weiskopf |
| Producers | Larry Balmagia Bob Peete Michael S. Baser Kim Weiskopf |
| Running time | 22 minutes |
| Production companies | |
| Original release | |
| Network | First-run syndication |
| Release | September 7, 1985 – March 26, 1988 |
| Related | |
Premise
editIn the series, Roger "Raj" Thomas (Ernest Thomas) has graduated from the University of Southern California, and become a fledgling writer. He and his new wife Nadine (Anne-Marie Johnson), a social worker, move in to his old home in Watts (given to him by his mother, Mabel Thomas (Mabel King), now remarried and living in Phoenix, Arizona). His sister, Dee (Danielle Spencer), is away at college. Childhood friend, Dwayne Nelson (Haywood Nelson), has become a computer programmer, while Freddie "Rerun" Stubbs (Fred Berry) is now a used-car salesman. The old soda shop hangout, Rob's Place, has gone out of business and has been left abandoned. Reminded of his youth, and seeing an opportunity, Raj and Shirley Wilson (Shirley Hemphill), who used to wait tables there, decide to buy the business together, renaming it "Rob's."
Episodes
editCast
edit- Ernest Thomas as Roger "Raj" Thomas
- Anne-Marie Johnson as Nadine Hudson-Thomas[1]
- Haywood Nelson as Dwayne Nelson
- Fred Berry as Fred "Rerun" Stubbs (season 1)
- Shirley Hemphill as Shirley Wilson
- Reina King as Carolyn Williams (season 1)
- Martin Lawrence as Maurice Warfield (season 3)
- Ken Sagoes as Darryl (season 3)
- Danielle Spencer as Dee Thomas (recurring)[2]
Recurring guests
edit- Meshach Taylor as Buddy Carlton (2 episodes, seasons 1–2)
Cast change
editAfter the first successful season, Fred Berry attempted to negotiate a higher salary than his co-stars based on what he perceived as the popularity of the "Rerun" character. Having caused similar issues during the production of the original series, which led to its cancellation, producers fired Berry from the series.[3]
Broadcast
editA partial list of stations the show was syndicated to:
Home media
editOn June 12, 2007, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment released the first season of What's Happening Now!! on DVD in Region 1.
| DVD Name | Ep # | Release Date |
|---|---|---|
| The Complete First Season | 22 | June 12, 2007 |
References
edit- ^ a b "NBC's 'The InBetween' Series Premiere: How You Know The Cast". International Business Times. May 29, 2019. Retrieved June 23, 2019.
- ^ "'What's Happening!!' co-star Danielle Spencer is ailing". Pix11. October 12, 2018. Retrieved June 23, 2019.
- ^ "What's Happening!!: Up From the Ashes". TVparty.com. Retrieved June 9, 2010.
- ^ "Retro: Atlanta, GA, Monday October 6, 1986 2 Independents". Radio Discussions. November 6, 2014.
- ^ "Retro: DC/Baltimore/Delmarva Sat, Sept 5, 1987". Radio Discussions. September 5, 2012.
- ^ "Retro: Quad Cities/Springfield/Peoria/Quincy Sat, Mar 12, 1988". Radio Discussions. January 31, 2006.
- ^ "Retro: Denver/Casper/Cheyenne/Rapid City Sat, July 4, 1987". Radio Discussions. July 4, 2012.
- ^ "Retro: Owosso, MI, Wednesday, December 20, 1989". Radio Discussions. July 8, 2017.
- ^ "Retro: Northern Wisconsin, Sat. July 9th, 1988". Radio Discussions. February 1, 2018.
- ^ "Retro: North Carolina Monday, January 6, 1986 (Part 3: Piedmont Triad)". Radio Discussions. January 6, 2016.
- ^ "Retro: Meriden, CT, Sunday, December 15, 1985". Radio Discussions. April 1, 2018.
- ^ "Retro: Kansas City, Sat. September 13th, 1986". Radio Discussions. February 20, 2015.
- ^ "KTLA Los Angeles, February 22-28, 1986". Radio Discussions. September 18, 2005.
- ^ "RETRO BOSTON TV- THANKSGIVING 1987". Radio Discussions. September 22, 2006.
- ^ "Retro: Miami, Florida Monday, November 2, 1987". Radio Discussions. March 13, 2010.
- ^ "Retro: Gulf Coast Fri, Sept 18, 1987". Radio Discussions. September 17, 2012.
- ^ "Retro:Nashville, TN-Bowling Green, KY Sat 8/15/87". Radio Discussions. June 8, 2007.
- ^ "Retro: Scranton Wilkes Barre Market - November 30, 1985 - Saturday". Radio Discussions. November 24, 2012.
- ^ "Retro: Orlando, Mon. November 24th, 1986". Radio Discussions. September 30, 2013.
- ^ "RetroNewsNow". Twitter. September 7, 2018.
- ^ "Retro: Maine Sat, June 6, 1987". Radio Discussions. June 2, 2011.
- ^ "Retro: San Francisco/Sacramento, Saturday, August 30, 1986". Radio Discussions. June 10, 2017.
- ^ "Retro: Vancouver/Victoria Sat, June 21, 1986". Radio Discussions. July 2, 2010.
- ^ "Retro: Spokane, Washington — Wednesday, December 25, 1985". Radio Discussions. February 5, 2019.
- ^ "Retro: St. Louis Sat, June 28, 1986". Radio Discussions. June 28, 2010.
- ^ "Retro: Lancaster/Baltimore/DC, Sat. December 14th, 1985". Radio Discussions. November 24, 2013.
- ^ "Retro: Wilmington, NC, Saturday, May 20, 1989". Radio Discussions. October 24, 2017.