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My Wife and Kids is an American sitcom which ran on ABC from March 28, 2001, until May 17, 2005, starring Damon Wayans and Tisha Campbell-Martin, produced by Touchstone Television. It was created by Wayans and Don Reo.
It featured the character of Michael Kyle, a loving husband and modern-day patriarch who rules his household with a unique and distinct parenting style. As he teaches his three children some of life's lessons, he does so with his own brand of wisdom, discipline and humor.
series is premised on a self-made merchant, Michael Kyle (Damon Wayans) bringing up his family in the suburbs of Stamford, Connecticut.
Discussion
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Quotations
And he Christopher Columbus thought the world was round. What an idiot!
I don't care about no chocolate, anyway. It gives me
ink1" href="http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/:wikipedia:diarrhea">the runs."
I may have put the '-oron' in 'moron', but I didn't put the '-upid' in 'dumb'!
Kissing can lead to touching, and touching can lead to grandchildren.
Shake, shake, shake! Shake, shake, shake! Shake your milkshake!
The boy (Junior) has a lawnchair for a front (car) seat.
Encyclopedia
My Wife and Kids is an American sitcom which ran on ABC from March 28, 2001, until May 17, 2005, starring Damon Wayans and Tisha Campbell-Martin, produced by Touchstone Television. It was created by Wayans and Don Reo.
It featured the character of Michael Kyle, a loving husband and modern-day patriarch who rules his household with a unique and distinct parenting style. As he teaches his three children some of life's lessons, he does so with his own brand of wisdom, discipline and humor.
Premise
The series is premised on a self-made merchant, Michael Kyle (Damon Wayans) bringing up his family in the suburbs of Stamford, Connecticut. His family consists of the mother and wife of the family Janet "Jay" Kyle (Tisha Campbell-Martin), and three children: Michael Kyle, Jr. (George O. Gore II), Claire Kyle (Jazz Raycole, later Jennifer Freeman) and young Kady Kyle (Parker McKenna Posey).
Broadcast history
The show was created by Don Reo and Damon Wayans. Reruns air in the U.S. on various local stations and in the UK on Trouble and Virgin 1. The series began airing in high definition on ABC Family in September 2008. The series also airs in Australia, Canada, Europe, Brazil, South Africa, Kenya, Singapore, Tanzania, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Italy, the Netherlands, Cyprus, New Zealand and Poland.
Cast
Jazz Raycole (the original Claire) departed after season one. It was publicly reported that she was pulled from the series by her mother over concerns about the second season opening storyline in which Raycole (as Claire) finds her friend Charmaine (portrayed by Raven-Symoné) has become pregnant. Replacement actress Jennifer Freeman was then cast in the same role with the same storyline. Given that Freeman bears no resemblance to the original actress, the second season premiere ("Mom's Away") obliquely refers to the change: Upon Claire's entrance down the stairs of the set, Michael notices a difference about his daughter and declares, "I don't know what it is, but you look like a whole new person!"
During the third season, gifted piano virtuoso Noah Gray-Cabey joins the cast as young Kady's playmate Franklin, who is something of a child savant. Despite being a playmate, Franklin and Kady are openly "boyfriend and girlfriend".
Also, although season three opens with actress Meagan Good as Junior's new girlfriend Vanessa, she is replaced after 5 episodes by actress Brooklyn Sudano, (daughter of legendary 1970's singer Donna Summer) for undisclosed reasons. Unlike the change in Claire's role, no on-screen reference was made regarding this change. The pair consummates their relationship during this season, resulting in Vanessa becoming pregnant at season's end and setting up the series for related storylines through the remainder of the show. They become parents in the fourth season finale.
Introduced in the middle of the second season, Claire begins a relationship with the religious-minded Tony, portrayed by young actor Andrew McFarlane. The relationship continues through series end. In the episode "Breaking Up and Breaking It," McFarlane appears as Roger, Claire's first crush.
Characters
Main
- George O. Gore II - Michael Richard Kyle, Jr., son and first child
- Jazz Raycole - Claire Kyle #1, daughter and second child (season one)
- Jennifer Freeman - Claire Kyle #2, daughter and second child (season two onward)
- Parker McKenna Posey - Kady Kyle, daughter and third child
- Noah Gray-Cabey - Franklin Aloyisious Mumford, Kady's boyfriend
- Brooklyn Sudano - Vanessa Scott-Kyle, Junior's girlfriend and later wife (2003 mid season onward)
- Andrew McFarlane - Tony Jeffers, Claire's boyfriend (season two and so on)
Recurrent and minor
- Keenan Ivory Wayans - Ken Kyle, Michael's brother
- Katt Williams - Bobby Shaw, a former classmate of Michael and Jay's
- Damon Wayans Jr. - John, a friend of Junior's
- Lester "Rasta" Speight - Calvin Scott, Vanessa's sensitive dimwitted father
- Ella Joyce - Jasmine Scott, Vanessa's spunky mother
- Sean Whalen - Larry, nerdy employee of Michael
- Liliana Mumy - Rachel, One of Kady's classmates who frequently insults Michael
- Jamia Simone Nash - Aretha Mumford, Franklin's younger sister
- Larry Miller - Stuart Tyler, One of Michael's nemesis for several episodes in season two
- Marlene Forte - Rosa Lopez, the Kyles' Nanny/Housekeeper
Cancellation
In May 2005, Damon Wayans decided to cancel the show, one day before its season five finale. The series didn't get a proper finale leaving the show with a cliffhanger.
The Wayans influence
Many members of the Wayans family have worked in front of the camera or behind the scenes on My Wife and Kids. In some cases, careers were accelerated. For instance, Damien Dante Wayans was a supervising producer in season three, a producer or co-producer in season four, and an executive story editor in season four and in season five.
Behind the camera
Midway through season two, Kim Wayans, who had acting experience starring in In Living Color and In the House became a regular writer for the series after writing a few season-two episodes. She became executive story editor in season three, producer in season four and supervising producer in season five. Kim never made an on-camera appearance on the show.
Damien Dante Wayans wrote and directed several episodes of the series from seasons three through five. Damon's look-alike son, Damon Wayans, Jr., wrote a season four episode and became a regular writer in the fifth season. Elvira Wayans also wrote a couple of episodes in the fifth season. Damon's cousin Craig Wayans began as a writer and executive story editor on the show in the second season, and then became supervising producer without skipping a position.
In front of the camera
Keenen Ivory Wayans appears once as Michael's brother Ken in season one's "A Little Boo Boo".
Damon's own kids, Cara Mia, Michael and Damon Jr. appeared in episodes during the first four seasons. Jojo and Damon Jr. played Junior's friends Mike and John, respectively while Cara Mia played Claire's friend Bre in "Of Breasts and Basketball". Cara Mia's character was renamed Shante in her season three appearances.
Awards and nominations
| Awards | Outcome | | ASCAP Awards: | | Top TV Series | Won | | BET Comedy Award: | | Outstanding Comedy Series | Nominated | | Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series | Nominated | | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (Damon Wayans) | Won | | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series (Tisha Campbell-Martin) | Won | | Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series | Nominated | | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (George O. Gore II) | Nominated | | Family Television Award: | | Comedy | Won | | Image Awards: | | Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series | Nominated | | Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series (Damon Wayans) | Nominated | | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series (Tisha Campbell-Martin) | Won | | Outstanding Comedy Series | Nominated | | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (George O. Gore II) | Nominated | | Logie Award: | | Most Popular Overseas Comedy | Nominated | | People's Choice Award: | | Favorite Male Performer in a New Television Series (Damon Wayans) | Won | | Favorite Television New Comedy Series | Won | | Prism Award: | | TV Comedy Series Episode | Won | | Satellite Awards: | | Best Actor in a Series, Comedy or Musical (Damon Wayans) | Nominated | | Best Performance by an Actor in a Series, Comedy or Musical (Damon Wayans) | Nominated | | Teen Choice Award: | | Choice TV Actress - Comedy (Jennifer Freeman) | Nominated | | TV - Choice Comedy | Nominated | | Young Artist Award: | | Best Performance in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama) - Young Actor Age Ten or Younger (Noah Gray-Cabey) | Won | | Best Performance in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama) - Young Actress Age Ten or Younger (Jazz Raycole) | Nominated | | Best Performance in a TV Comedy or Drama Series - Guest Starring Young Actress Age Ten or Under (Jessica Sara) | Won | Best Ensemble in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama) | Nominated | | Best Family Television Series (Comedy or Drama) | Nominated | | Best Performance in a TV Comedy Series - Guest Starring Young Actress (Marina Malota) | Nominated | | Best Performance in a TV Comedy or Drama Series - Guest Starring Young Actress Age Ten or Under (Liliana Mumy) | Nominated | | Best Performance in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama) - Young Actress Age Ten or Under (Parker McKenna Posey) | Nominated |
DVD release
On February 24, 2009, Lionsgate Home Entertainment will release Season 1 of My Wife and Kids on DVD in Region 1 for the very first time.
| DVD Name | Ep # | Release Date | Extra Features |
|---|
| Season 1 | 11 | February 24 2009 | |
Syndication
ABC Family began airing My Wife and Kids in high definition on September 1, 2008.
International Broadcast History
| Region | Title |
|---|
| Venezuela | Mi esposa e hijos | | Brazil | Eu, a Patroa e as Crianças | | France | Ma Famille d'Abord | | Germany | What’s Up, Dad? | | Italy | Tutto in famiglia | | Poland | On, ona i dzieciaki | | Tanzania | Mimi, Watoto na mke Wangu | | Croatia | Moja žena i djeca |
External links
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