The Steve Harvey Show
The Steve Harvey Show is an American sitcom television series that aired on The WB from August 25, 1996 to February 17, 2002. It was created by Winifred Hervey and directed by Stan Lathan.
| The Steve Harvey Show | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Also known as | Steve Harvey |
| Genre | Sitcom |
| Created by | Winifred Hervey |
| Directed by | Stan Lathan |
| Starring | Steve Harvey Cedric the Entertainer Merlin Santana William Lee Scott Wendy Raquel Robinson Terri J. Vaughn (seasons 2-6) Lori Beth Denberg (seasons 4-6) Tracy Vilar (season 1) Netfa Perry (season 1) Ariyan A. Johnson (season 2) |
| Composer(s) | Patrice Rushen |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 6 |
| No. of episodes | 122 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Brad Grey Bernie Brillstein Winifred Hervey Stan Lathan (all; entire series) Jeffrey Duteil (season 2) Walter Allen Bennett, Jr. (seasons 3-4) |
| Camera setup | Videotape; Multi-camera |
| Running time | 22–24 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Winifred Hervey Productions Stan Lathan Television Brillstein-Grey Communications (1996-1998) (seasons 1-2) Brillstein-Grey Entertainment (1998-1999) (seasons 3-4) Brad Grey Television (1999-2002) (seasons 4-6) Universal Television (1999-2002) (seasons 4-6) Columbia Pictures Television (1996-1997) (season 1) Columbia TriStar Television Distribution (1997-2001) (seasons 2-6) Columbia TriStar Domestic Television (2001-2002) (season 6) |
| Distributor | Columbia TriStar Television Distribution (2001) Columbia TriStar Domestic Television (2001-2002) Sony Pictures Television (2002-present) |
| Release | |
| Original network | The WB |
| Picture format | 480i (SDTV) |
| Original release | August 25, 1996[1] – February 17, 2002 |
| External links | |
| Website | |
Synopsis
Steve Hightower (Steve Harvey) is a 1970s funk legend who is now a music teacher/vice principal at Booker T. Washington High School on Chicago's West Side. Budget cutbacks meant Steve also had to teach drama and art, much to his surprise. Cedric Robinson (Cedric the Entertainer) is a Black coach at the high school, and Steve's longtime best friend. The principal of Booker T. Washington High is Steve's former classmate, Regina Grier (Wendy Raquel Robinson), whom Steve affectionately calls "Piggy", because of the fact that she was overweight in childhood.
Steve forms a strong bond with two of his students: Romeo Santana (Merlin Santana), a stylish, rich, self-absorbed ladies' man, and the equally vacuous Stanley Kuznocki, nicknamed Bullethead (William Lee Scott) - acting as their mentor, and gradually, accepts them as friends.
In season 2, the show introduced a new character, a secretary named Lovita Jenkins (Terri J. Vaughn), a woman who is fundamentally in the good mood, but nonetheless, considerably unrefined in terms of disposition. Cedric and Lovita begin dating, and eventually marry and gave birth to a child. The show also featured a succession of young actresses who served as female foils to Romeo and Bullethead; the longest-lasting of these was Lori Beth Denberg as the overachieving, socially inept Lydia Gutman. Rapper The Lady of Rage also had a recurring role as Coretta "The Ox" Cox, a physically massive, brutish teenage girl in romantic pursuit of Romeo. Coretta would call Bullethead a "broke Brad Pitt" whenever he annoyed her, but would usually refer to Lydia as "Linda", "Lisa", or "Lucy" (correctly calling her "Lydia" only once).
Steve was part of a fictional music group called "Steve Hightower and the High Tops," who would temporarily reunite to perform on occasion (the spelling of "High Tops" appears on a promotional poster that hangs on Steve's wall). The members consisted of Steve, T-Bone (played by T. K. Carter, later by Don 'D.C.' Curry), Pretty Tony (played by Ronald Isley of The Isley Brothers), and Clyde (played by Jonathan Slocumb). Two of their signature songs (performed several times on the show) were "When the Funk Hits the Fan" (and later on Harvey's eponymous talk show), and "Break Me Off a Piece of That Funk." Though Cedric was not an original member of the group, he usually sang with them on several events.
Minor recurring characters throughout the series included Cedric's grandmother named "Grandma Puddin'" (played by Cedric the Entertainer) and Regina's boyfriend, former NFL star Warrington Steele (played by Dorien Wilson). Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell appeared in several episodes as "Junior" and "Vincent" (which All That cast member Lori Beth Denberg starred in). Wayne Wilderson played Byron, a "bougie" type character who was a television producer and a member of the Onyx Club (a professional men's group that Steve and Cedric tried to join). Dwayne Adway played Jordan Maddox, a professional basketball player who was briefly married to Regina before dying during their honeymoon. Ernest Lee Thomas made a few appearances as the Reverend who eulogized Maddox, and who married Cedric and Lovita.
Episodes
| Season | Episodes | Originally aired | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First aired | Last aired | ||||
| 1 | 21 | August 25, 1996 | May 18, 1997 | ||
| 2 | 22 | September 10, 1997 | May 13, 1998 | ||
| 3 | 22 | September 17, 1998 | May 20, 1999 | ||
| 4 | 22 | September 24, 1999 | May 19, 2000 | ||
| 5 | 22 | October 8, 2000 | May 20, 2001 | ||
| 6 | 13 | October 14, 2001 | February 17, 2002 | ||
Cast
Main
- Steve Harvey – Steven "Steve" Hightower
- Cedric the Entertainer – Cedric Jackie Robinson
- Merlin Santana – Romeo Santana
- William Lee Scott – Stanley "Bullethead" Kuznocki
- Wendy Raquel Robinson – Principal Regina Grier-Maddox
- Terri J. Vaughn – Lovita Alizé Jenkins-Robinson (1997–2002)
- Tracy Vilar – Sophia Ortiz (1996–1997)
- Netfa Perry – Sara (1996–1997)
- Ariyan A. Johnson – Aisha (1997–1998)
- Lori Beth Denberg – Lydia Liza Guttman (1998–2002)
Recurring
- Kel Mitchell – Vincent (1996–2000)
- Kenan Thompson – Junior (1996–2000)
- T. K. Carter – T-Bone (1996–1999)
- Ronald Isley – Pretty Tony (1996–2001)
- Jonathan Slocumb – Clyde (1996–2001)
- The Lady of Rage – Coretta "The Ox" Cox (1997–2000; credited during season 4 episodes as "Robin Yvette")
- Wayne Wilderson – Byron (1998–2001)
- Dorien Wilson – Warrington Steele (1998–1999)
- Samm Levine – Arthur Rabinowitz (2001)
- Don "D.C." Curry – T-Bone (1999–2001)
- Dwayne Adway – Jordan Maddox (2000)
Special guest appearances
Running gags
There were a few recurrent gags throughout the series. For instance, Lovita had several relatives named after products or items (her brother's name was Duracell; she had cousins named "Kinko", "Bruschetta," "Clinique," and "Camay").
Steve also made several references to his popular hot spot "The Nasty Kitty" and his favorite working girl, Bubblicious, even though the strip club is never seen. Steve's topical humor of popular culture was also another recurring gag. One example of these puns: "When I see that woman, I'm like Shaq doing Shakespeare - I just don't know how to act!". Another recurring gag on the show was despite being a one-time famous musician in the universe of the show, Steve was always mistaken for being other famous musicians. For example, in an episode guest starring Jerry Springer, he refers to him as "That Cop from the Village People." Another episode featured singer Teena Marie, who when Steve went to introduce himself to see if she'd remember him, answers "Oh yes! Lionel! How are you? Give my best to the rest of The Commodores" (referring to her Motown labelmate Lionel Richie).
Occasional gags referenced Bullethead's trailer park lifestyle, and Romeo's full name (he has used his full name Romeo Miguel Jesus Pele Rojas Alejandro Santana). In one episode, he wrote all of his names on paper but not prepared his assignment, resulting in an "F". Lydia almost always displayed an obsession for her allegedly classmate, Arthur Rabinowitz (whom Steve referred to as "that polite Jewish boy that does his taxes"), and for her favorite entertainer, Barbra Streisand; however, she had total disdain for classmates "Heather the cheerleader" and "Jennifer the cheerleader". One other gag was that teachers would explain to a student (amongst themselves) because of a condition or appearance ("Helmet Boy" for wearing a special helmet in gym class; "Au Natural Girl" for having a strong body odor, and "Firestarter" for one kid who kept setting items on fire).
Seasonal ratings in the United States
| Season | Network | Season premiere | Season finale | Rank | Viewers (in millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The WB | August 25, 1996[1] | May 18, 1997[2] | #147 | 2.7 household rating |
| 2 | September 10, 1997 | May 13, 1998 | #144[3] | 3.4 household rating[3] | |
| 3 | September 18, 1998 | May 20, 1999[4] | #125 | 4.1 | |
| 4 | September 24, 1999 | May 19, 2000 | #146 | 2.2 | |
| 5 | October 8, 2000 | May 20, 2001 | #138 | 2.1 | |
| 6 | October 14, 2001 | February 17, 2002 | #141[5] | 3.0[5] |
Series end
In 2001, Harvey decided to pursue other projects. He wished to end the show after the fifth season, but at the insistence of the WB network, reluctantly filmed a 13-episode sixth season.[6]
The series ended with Regina mulling over a job offer to be a principal at a private school in California. Steve, who refused to go with Regina, acts supportive despite his feelings. Regina ends up taking the job; with encouragement from Lydia, Bullethead, and Romeo, Steve decides to go after her to reveal his true feelings. Lydia, Romeo, and Bullethead have all graduated by the series' finale. Meanwhile, Cedric and Lovita win the lottery and Lovita goes into labor (Terri J. Vaughn's real-life pregnancy was written into the show that season).
Syndication
The series was first distributed to syndication to The WB, FOX, UPN, and independent affiliates in the United States by Columbia Tristar Television Distribution in September 2001, and remained airing in broadcast syndication in some U.S. markets on various local stations (such as WCIU and Me-TV in Chicago) as late as 2008. From 2001-2005, reruns aired on New York's UPN station, WWOR-TV. From 2014 to June 2016, after Bill Cosby's rape allegation, The Cosby Show reruns were replaced on WPIX by reruns of The Steve Harvey Show. The show has started airing again in syndication as of 2015.
The series aired on BET until March 2009, and was on TBS in the United States until September 24, 2011, UK Channel Trouble. It was broadcast on Ion Television until March 16, 2009.
As of 2019, reruns of the show can be seen on BET Her and getTV.
Home media
In 2003, Columbia Tristar Home Entertainment released The Best of the Steve Harvey Show, Vol. 1, on Region 1 DVD. The disc features five episodes of the series.[7]
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Result | Category | Recipient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | NCLR Bravo Awards | Nominated | Outstanding Individual Performance in a Comedy Series | Tracy Vilar |
| Nominated | Outstanding Individual Performance in a Comedy Series | Merlin Santana | ||
| 1998 | ALMA Award | Nominated | Outstanding Comedy Series | |
| Nominated | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | Tracy Vilar | ||
| Nominated | Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series | Merlin Santana | ||
| 1999 | Nominated | Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series | Merlin Santana | |
| 1998 | NAACP Image Awards | Nominated | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series | Steve Harvey |
| Nominated | Outstanding Comedy Series | |||
| 1999 | Nominated | Outstanding Comedy Series | ||
| Won | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | Cedric the Entertainer | ||
| Won | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series | Steve Harvey | ||
| 2000 | Nominated | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | Terri J. Vaughn | |
| Nominated | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | Wendy Raquel Robinson | ||
| Won | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | Cedric the Entertainer | ||
| Won | Outstanding Comedy Series | |||
| Won | Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series | Steve Harvey | ||
| 2001 | Nominated | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | William Lee Scott | |
| Nominated | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | Merlin Santana | ||
| Nominated | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | Wendy Raquel Robinson | ||
| Won | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | Terri J. Vaughn | ||
| Won | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | Cedric the Entertainer | ||
| Won | Outstanding Comedy Series | |||
| Won | Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series | Steve Harvey | ||
| 2002 | Nominated | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | Merlin Santana | |
| Nominated | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | Wendy Raquel Robinson | ||
| Won | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | Terri J. Vaughn | ||
| Won | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | Cedric the Entertainer | ||
| Won | Outstanding Comedy Series | |||
| Won | Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series | |||
| 2003 | Won | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | Terri J. Vaughn |
See also
References
- TV.com. "The Steve Harvey Show: Back to School". TV.com. Retrieved December 28, 2018.
- TV.com. "The Steve Harvey Show: Can't Buy Me Love". TV.com. Retrieved December 28, 2018.
- "Final Ratings for '97–'98 TV Season". San Francisco Chronicle. May 25, 1998.
- TV.com. "The Steve Harvey Show: My Left Gator". TV.com. Retrieved December 28, 2018.
- "How did your favorite show rate?". USA Today. May 28, 2002.
- "`The Steve Harvey Show' ends after six seasons". Jet. March 18, 2002. Retrieved August 18, 2008.
- "The Best of the Steve Harvey Show, Vol. 1". Amazon.com. Retrieved August 18, 2008.