"The Upshaws," with its distinct tone (and Epps', Fields' and Sykes' comedic timing) means Black American families are no longer solely portrayed as respectability politics incarnate. When it arrived on Netflix in 2021, The Upshaws stood out as a refreshing twist on the typical family sitcom. The first half ended with a big cliffhanger after a relatively bright start to the eighth episode. Maisel." This story has been shared 5,875 times. Reginas relationship with her sister Lucretia hasnt been good lately, either, mainly because of the continued sniping between Lucretia and Bennie. Mike Epps as Bennie, Journey Christine as Maya, Kim Fields as Regina and Wanda Sykes as Lucretia in "The Upshaws" on Netflix. The comedy is also her first big part, after popping up on Empire as a young Cookie Lyons. After Regina throws Bennie out, she starts cleaning house; Bennie tries his old tricks to get back in her good graces; Lucretia's affair takes a turn. Godzilla. In the new multicam comedy The Upshaws (Netflix), star and co-creator Wanda Sykes' Lucretia gets compared to these (and some even less flattering objects and . Still, one family sitcom on the now-defunct urban network UPN managed to evade "The Cosby Show" bandwagon before "The Upshaws": the Golden Globe-nominated series "Everybody Hates Chris." Kim Fields Regina Upshaw. Gabrielle Dennis Tasha Lewis. Its a rough situation for any family to emerge from, and over the course of this season, the parents do their damndest to get back on solid financial ground. They fight. However, they also aren't the "typical" nuclear family, because Bennie has another son, Kelvin (Diamond Lyons) who is the same age as his daughter Aaliyah with a former fling, Tasha (Gabrielle Dennis). Aramide A. Tinubu is a film critic and entertainment writer who has been published in Ebony, Jet, Essence, Bustle, The Daily Mail, IndieWire and Blavity. And throughout, the show is consistently dedicated to portraying the realities of blended families, especially in scenes in which Regina and Tasha, or Kelvin and Aaliyah, have to relate to each other. It's a good role for the actress who is. Click here to read the full article. Now that the shows into its third season (called Part 3, but you get the idea), a lot of those gags have fallen away, leaving a more confident character-focused sitcom in its place. Maya is the baby of the fam, and is brought to life by Journey Christine. In the second episode, for instance, he tells a guy hes dating to not be so extra in front of his daughter, and that leads the boyfriend to break up with him because Bernard needs to go on the journey of being queer and comfortable in his own skin. The Interest Of Love Episode 16 Recap, Review & Ending Explained, Crash Course in Romance Episode 9 Recap & Review. Between the ups and downs of this Indiana clan, led by father Bennie (Mike Epps) and mother Regina (Kim Fields), theres a lot of love here. (Along with the insults, the show regularly offers up groan-worthy lines like Bennie wagging his eyebrows at his wife with, Forget the coffee I got something hot and black waiting for you right now.) The quips dont improve, but the back half of the 10-part season does offer a serialized storyline about how Bennies tendency to use shortcuts in life which often involve keeping secrets from his wife and culminate in a major betrayal of trust leads to a second serious rupture in their marriage. The shows excellence has always come from its ability to highlight the hilarity of everyday life. The titular Upshaws is the kind of family you'd want to join if only for the drama. Whats more, theres Bennie Sr. and Jr.s evolving relationship, as the younger tries to trust his father again after a lifetime of disappointment. Lara Solanki / Netflix. is better with her on the cast list. joining the likes of Craig Ferguson and Anjelah Johnson in providing a side-splitting set for the network. Moreover, while attempting to solve the problems, she loses customers due to her sarcasm and poor work coordination. Network: That makes The Upshaws most striking character its protagonist: Bennie Upshaw, a father of three children with Regina, as well as of a teenage boy he sired with his former mistress, Tasha (Gabrielle Dennis). Starring: Mike Epps, Wanda Sykes, Kim Fields Creators: Regina Y. Hicks, Wanda Sykes Watch all you want. Lucretia Turner is one of the main characters in The Upshaws she is the older sister of Regina sister-in-law of Bennie and aunt of Aaliyah, Bernard and Maya. Bennie and Reginas older daughter, Aaliyah, is played by Khali Daniya-Renee Spraggins, another actor who's fairly new to television. The show, as always, underscores how the matriarch typically ends up with the heavier load when it comes to caring for a two-parent household. The series stars Sykes, Mike Epps, Kim Fields, Page Kennedy, Diamond Lyons, Khali Spraggins, Jermelle Simon, Gabrielle Dennis, and Journey Christine. From a teen pregnancy to the devastation of her husband fathering a child outside of their marriage, Regina has been through a lot, and Fields imbues her with passion and humor. Other notable television works that Sykes appeared on include the political satire "Alpha House," "Black-ish," and "Broad City." Some of the biggest laughs this time around come from Reginas reactions when, while shes juggling five different things, Bennie saunters in and asks her to heat up something for him, as if hes never used a microwave. So much love that you might need help keeping track of all the characters and the actors who play them. Lucretia agrees to hire Bennie as a worker in the garage after much pleading, but she does not reinstate him as manager. Bennies wife Regina (Kim Fields) thinks she can scrape together the !0% of the bail money she needs to get a bail bondsman involved, but when he tells her she needs proof of employment, she curses the fact that she quit her hospital billing department job that day. Bennies teenage son Kelvin, whom he fathered with another woman, is played by Diamond Lyons, a newcomer to the acting business. This could be another mistake, where Bennie has messed up big time. The Upshaws season 2 is now streaming on Netflix. Your login session has expired. She is portrayed by Wanda Sykes. Her friends also push her to steal from the shop. Save for one noteworthy update to the Black family sitcoms of yore, Sykes and her co-creator Regina Y. Hicks largely listless series wouldve fit right into the network TV comedy landscape 20 years ago. Undeterred, she signed on to play Dr. Karl in "Bad Moms" from 2016 a character she returned to in 2017 for "A Bad Moms Christmas.". In need of a break, Regina crashes Lucretia's homecoming weekend; Bernard attempts to connect with his daughter; Aaliyah deals with a friendship breakup. The series stars Sykes, Mike Epps, Kim Fields, Page Kennedy, Diamond Lyons, Khali Spraggins, Jermelle Simon, Gabrielle Dennis, and Journey Christine. Lucretia agrees to hire Bennie as a worker in the garage after much pleading, but she does not reinstate him as manager. Push It Productions is the production company involved with producing the series. Heading into this latest batch of episodes, the Upshaws are going through it even more than usual. Epps, Fields and Sykes, all decades-long sitcom veterans, know what theyre doing in front of a studio audience, which makes some of the stuff the teens do stand out more, and not in a good way. 5,875, This story has been shared 3,906 times. The fun ride picked up from season one's cliffhanger and went on to narrate a fun story filled with laughter, awkwardness, and some crises, ultimately resulting in a big twist in the finale. This led her to join "The Chris Rock Show" in 1997 as a member of the writing team and occasional on-screen presence, paving the way for spots on "The Downer Channel," "The Drew Carrey Show," "Crank Yankers," and Larry David's "Curb Your Enthusiasm" shortly thereafter. Regina Upshaw (sister)Bennie Upshaw (brother-in-law)Bernard Upshaw (nephew)Aaliyah Upshaw (niece)Kelvin Upshaw (step-nephew)Maya Upshaw (niece)Sydeny (grandniece]] The titular Upshaws is the kind of family youd want to join if only for the drama. Maya tells Regina that she is having a good time with Regina and is enjoying her mothers unemployment. Opening Shot: Bennie (Mike Epps) and Lucretia (Wanda Sykes) are in holding cells after being arrested for buying stolen auto parts. Appears in But while "Good Times" was supposed to be an authentic look into the Black experience, Amos and Rolle became increasingly disillusioned with the stereotypes in the show specifically Jimmie Walker's buffoonish portrayal of J.J., which they felt echoed the lazy Black man stereotype made popular by the 1930s vaudevillian Stepin Fetchit. When The Upshaws first came out in 2021, we thought that the series had the bones of a good sitcom, but was weighed down by old-fashioned gags. Bennie tells Regina about his new job, in which he has built his own garage in the driveway of their home. Assistiu? [5], On August 20, 2019, Netflix gave production a series order. Starring: Mike Epps,Wanda Sykes,Kim Fields Creators: Regina Y. Hicks,Wanda Sykes Watch all you want. You can follow Sykes on Twitter or Instagram. Also, she tries to keep Bennies predicament away from her daughters, 15-year-old Aaliyah (Khali Spraggins) and 8-year-old Maya (Journey Christine). Cujo. Its the natural evolution of most sitcoms of this type; once showrunners Regina Y. Hicks and Sykes, along with veteran writers like Annie Levine and Jon Emerson, got the hang of the characters and the actors who play them, they were able to concentrate on getting the characters and their personalities to drive the humor. Epps has a long history of bringing the funny, with multiple stand-up specials available on Netflix: Only One Mike, Dont Take it Personal, and the latest, Indiana Mike. So, whether you're simply unfamiliar with their previous projects or are just being introduced to them, let's take a look at where you might have seen these actors before. Season 5 Return Date Info, Love 'Yellowstone'? Youre going to want a seat at this dinner table. Sykes also does voice work, appearing on animated series such as Bob's Burgers, Vampirina, and Harley Quinn and has done a number of standup specials, including Wanda Sykes: Not Normal, which is streaming on Netflix. Bennie tries to diffuse the situation by trying to explain, but the scene cuts to Bennie inside a prison cell with Lucretia in another one opposite to him. The Upshaws combining comedy veterans like Mike Epps and Wanda Sykes with TV sitcom newcomers makes for an interesting dynamic that's fun to watch and adds a layer of realism to the parent/child relationships. Now, why did this happen? By focusing on these dynamics (and doing so quite well), The Upshaws is able to carve out a unique place in the history of Black sitcoms. By the end of these eight episodes, the show demonstrates why it put the mother through the ringer, setting up an interesting arc for season four. Episode 2 of The Upshaws season 3 begins with Regina and Bennie attempting to persuade Lucretia to give Bennie his job back. Hector and Bernard Jr are sitting in a caf, and Hector breaks up with Bernard. Come 2006, she landed her first comedy special on HBO titled "Wanda Sykes: Sick & Tired," and in 2009 she returned for "Wanda Sykes:I'ma Be Me" collectively earning her three Emmy Awards nominations between the two. Wanda Sykes pulls double duty on The Upshaws as Lucretia, older sister to Regina, and the series co-creator. Between the ups and downs of this Indiana clan, led by father Bennie (Mike Epps) and mother Regina (Kim Fields), there's a lot of love here. Gender Beyond that, it's also clear that Netflix allowed the show's creators to speak directly to Black Americans without watering anything down to make the show or the characters more "palatable" for a wider audience. 3,214, This story has been shared 2,191 times. She is known on the small screen as Daphne Lido on Black-ish, Barb Baran on The New Adventures of Old Christine, and played herself on Curb Your Enthusiasm. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, It would be wise of those in Hollywood seeking expert comics and strong writers to keep the offers coming because she's one talent they don't want to miss out on. Only those politics weren't always just in front of the camera: The show's now-disgraced creator, Bill Cosby, imposed demanding "excellence" clauses on the actors which Lisa Bonet, who portrayed Denise Huxtable on the series and its spinoff, "A Different World," pushed back against, after which she was written out of his series. That makes Fields The Upshaws most reliable source of wildcard energy, especially when she gets to stretch beyond the confines of Reginas upstanding motherhood. The episode ends on a cliffhanger, with Regina, Lucretia, and Bennie learning that the garage is flooded, just after Lucretia reemployed Bennie. Shes also starred in two music videos, her own Work and Nina Wests Drag is Magic.. 850, This story has been shared 847 times. Jermelle Simon as Bernard Upshaw Jr., Bennie and Regina's eldest child and only son together. The Upshaws remains an important part of the current Golden Age of Black TV, a working-class sitcom focusing on an underrepresented family structure. [5][6] On October 26, 2022, Netflix renewed the series for a third season. Hector excuses himself and leaves thereafter. A couple of his stand-up specials are currently streaming on Netflix. HBO's 'Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' special highlights the right way to do a reunion. The Upshaws season 3 plot. The Upshaws, Netflix's newest multi-camera sitcom, . 'The Marvelous Mrs Maisel', 'BoJack Horseman', 'Bad Moms' and 'The Simpsons' are some of the projects she has worked on. Thrives on New Orleans Saints football, The West Wing and taco trucks. But we do get why the show is one of Netflixs most popular comedies. Watch Part 3 Now She spent much of the late 1980s and early 1990s building her reputation as a rising star in the stand-up game, eventually getting her big break as an opening act for Chris Rock. Ciara Bravo on how she learned to shoot up for. Heres how it works. Bernard Jr then enters the house and requests a sandwich from his mother. In the meantime, Kelvin (Diamond Lyons), the son Bennie had with a woman named Tasha (Gabrielle Dennis) when he and Regina were on a break, is still uncomfortable after his kiss with Aaliyahs bestie Savannah (Daria Johns). Well, youre in luck because were laying it all out for you from detailing the entire cast to connecting the dots on this family tree. In the new multicam comedy The Upshaws (Netflix), star and co-creator Wanda Sykes ' Lucretia gets compared to these (and some even less flattering objects and animals) by her ne'er-do-well. Today's best Netflix deals Netflix Basic $9.99 /mth View Deal at Netflix Netflix Standard $15.49 /mth View Deal at Netflix Her next two flicks were 2000's "Nutty Professor II: The Klumps" and 2001's "Pootie Tang," and though substantial parts would be few and far between for some time, she came back to the cinema in full force as soon as the opportunity arose. The Upshaws cast is led by comedian Mike Epps and features some well-known names, including Wanda Sykes and Kim Fields. The Upshaws S03E03. Kelvin is also the same age as Aaliyah. The reality, though, was that portraying one's respectability to white people is not, and never was, a shield from systemic oppression or personal racism. Following that, Lucretia enters and taunts Bennie and Regina. Theres a lot more to Bernard than his custom UPS uniform. Young teen Aaliyah is the scene-stealer of the Upshaws, and shes played by newcomer Khali Daniya-Renee Spraggins. Get ready for more time with "The Upshaws!" The popular Netflix sitcom is officially. It also features his four odd children, Kelvin (Diamond. Like Epps and Fields, Sykes is also a comedy legend, appearing in scripted series like The New Adventures of Old Christine, rom-coms like Monster-in-Law and her own stand-up specials. Hes also a rapper. In other words: forget your respectability politics. Other notable television roles for Gabrielle Dennis include Pippy Rosewood on Rosewood, Tilda Johnson on Luke Cage, Brianna Harrelson on S.W.A.T. The heads of this Indianapolis family are car mechanic Bennie Sr. (Mike Epps) and his high school sweetheart Regina (the always-fantastic Kim Fields). Black women are told we can do anything if we follow the rules. Sykes is an executive producer on the series, which hails from her production company, so its fair to assume the comedian has at least some control over her onscreen role. Buliding Owner Since Aaliyah is trying to fit in, she caves and steals a top. 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