Tyler Perry's House of Payne is an American
comedy-dramaComedy-drama is a genre of theatre, film and television programs which combines humorous and serious content.-Theatre:Traditional western theatre, beginning with the ancient Greeks, was divided into comedy and tragedy...
television series created and produced by playwright,
directorA film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
, and producer
Tyler PerryTyler Perry is an American actor, director, playwright, entrepreneur, screenwriter, producer, author, and songwriter. Perry wrote and produced many stage plays during the 1990s and early 2000s. In 2005, he released his first film, Diary of a Mad Black Woman...
. The show revolves around a multi-generational family living under one roof in
AtlantaAtlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
,
GeorgiaGeorgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
led by patriarch
Curtis PayneCurtis Payne is a fictional character and the protagonist of Tyler Perry's sitcom House of Payne. He resides in Atlanta, Georgia. Portrayed by actor LaVan Davis, Payne is depicted in the show to be a selfish, arrogant, and often rude character who has entitled himself the "King of the...
and his wife
EllaElla Payne is a fictional character on the TBS sitcom, Tyler Perry's House of Payne. In the series, she is depicted to be a very responsible, caring Christian woman who does many chores around the Payne house and often make major decisions that affect the family...
. The show premiered in syndication on June 21, 2006, and new episodes have been broadcast exclusively on TBS since June 6, 2007. While primarily a comedy sitcom,
House of Payne is known for featuring dark themes and subject matter, such as
substance abuseA substance-related disorder is an umbrella term used to describe several different conditions associated with several different substances .A substance related disorder is a condition in which an individual uses or abuses a...
and
addictionThe section about substance dependence in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders does not use the word addiction at all. It explains:...
, and has thus often been classified as a comedy-drama or
black comedyA black comedy, or dark comedy, is a comic work that employs black humor or gallows humor. The definition of black humor is problematic; it has been argued that it corresponds to the earlier concept of gallows humor; and that, as humor has been defined since Freud as a comedic act that anesthetizes...
. It also has elements of
slapstickSlapstick is a type of comedy involving exaggerated violence and activities which may exceed the boundaries of common sense.- Origins :The phrase comes from the batacchio or bataccio — called the 'slap stick' in English — a club-like object composed of two wooden slats used in Commedia dell'arte...
. The storyline of the show is serialized, with many references to past episodes, creating a continuing
story arcA story arc is an extended or continuing storyline in episodic storytelling media such as television, comic books, comic strips, boardgames, video games, and in some cases, films. On a television program, for example, the story would unfold over many episodes. In television, the use of the story...
.
Production history
The sitcom ran in first-run syndication for 10 episodes during the summer of 2006 on the broadcast version of WTBS, along with nine other broadcast outlets across the country, as a limited run, with additional episodes to be available for national distribution on TBS in June 2007. An order of 100 episodes was requested by TBS.
A cable record for sitcom airings was broken with 5.2 and 5.8 million for the two premiere episodes on TBS on June 6, 2007. However, the audience has declined to a recent 4.3 million as of the week ending September 30, 2007 and 2.260 and 2.099 as of May 19, 2010.
The principal cast remained the same (with the exception of
Lance GrossLance Darnell Gross is a NAACP Image Award-winning American actor currently portraying Calvin Payne in the TBS sitcom Tyler Perry's House of Payne, and other Tyler Perry productions such as the Meet The Browns film. He has also been on The Bernie Mac Show as well as Eve...
being added), led by LaVan Davis. The original format of the series centred around C.J. (
Allen Payne) and his family moving in with his Aunt Ella and Uncle
CurtisCurtis Payne is a fictional character and the protagonist of Tyler Perry's sitcom House of Payne. He resides in Atlanta, Georgia. Portrayed by actor LaVan Davis, Payne is depicted in the show to be a selfish, arrogant, and often rude character who has entitled himself the "King of the...
(
Cassi DavisCassandra "Cassi" Davis is an American actress. She is mostly known for her role as Ella Payne in Tyler Perry's House of Payne. Davis has done extensive work with director and writer Tyler Perry, and has played many roles in his various productions...
and LaVan Davis).
Robinne LeeRobinne Lee is an American actress. She appeared in Hotel for Dogs with Don Cheadle and Emma Roberts and with Will Smith in Seven Pounds.-Life and career:...
had a recurring guest stint in Season 1-2 as Malik and Jazmine's principal, Nicole Jamieson, whom C.J. soon began dating.
Rochelle AytesRochelle Aytes is an American actress. She was born in New York City and attended LaGuardia High School. She graduated with a BA in Fine Arts from State University of New York Purchase College.-Career:...
originally portrayed as Nicole Jamieson in the test pilot episodes; whereas she was Malik's math teacher. In the test run, Ella and Curtis were originally C.J.'s parents, but in its current format, Calvin is their son and C.J. their nephew. Despite his top billing, Allen Payne is not considered to be the main actor of the series, especially due to his long absence in the fifth season.
At the beginning of the fifth season,
China Anne McClain (Jazmine) and
Denise BurseDenise Burse-Mickelbury is an American actress, best known for her role as Claretha Jenkins in the television series Tyler Perry's House of Payne.-Acting career:...
(Claretha) were removed from the series. The characters were written out, with Jazmine going away to a school for gifted children in North Carolina and Claretha marrying a prince and moving away. In real life, McClain left the series for undisclosed reasons. In the beginning of Season 6, both McClain and Burse have returned. Some of the cast members of
Tyler Perry's were on
The Mo'Nique ShowThe Mo'Nique Show is an American talk show hosted by comedienne actress Mo'Nique. Aired on BET, the series began October 5, 2009. She is the first African American woman to host her own late night show. The show's second and final season premiered on Monday, October 4, 2010.On July 18, 2011, BET...
in October 2009. In the seventh season, China Anne McClain has appeared infrequently due to her work schedule for
A.N.T. FarmA.N.T. Farm is a Disney Channel television sitcom that premiered on May 6, 2011 as a special preview and continued as a regular series on June 17, 2011. The pilot episode, "TransplANTed" aired after the series finale of The Suite Life on Deck...
. Denise Burse is no longer credited as a regular cast member. She appears in a recurring role.
Larramie "Doc" Shaw, who portrays Malik, has appeared infrequently since the sixth season. This is due to Shaw's work schedules for
The Suite Life on DeckThe Suite Life on Deck is an American sitcom that aired on Disney Channel from September 26, 2008 to May 6, 2011. It is a sequel/spin-off of the Disney Channel Original Series The Suite Life of Zack & Cody...
and
Pair of KingsPair of Kings is an American television sitcom shown on the Disney XD cable channel. It was created by Dan Cross and David Hoge and stars Mitchel Musso and Doc Shaw. The sitcom's target audience are teenagers...
, a show he currently stars on Disney XD. He is still a cast member of the show.
All of the episodes from the first five seasons were directed by Tyler Perry. Throughout Season 6, each episode has been directed by actress
Kim FieldsKim Victoria Fields is an American actress and television director. She is known for her roles as Tootie Ramsey on the NBC sitcom The Facts of Life, and as Regine Hunter on the Fox sitcom Living Single...
or her mother
Chip HurdLaverne "Chip" Fields, who is sometimes credited as Chip Hurd or Chip Fields-Hurd, is an American singer, actress, television director, consultant, and dialogue coach, who has appeared in popular films, television shows, and Broadway theatre...
. Tyler Perry directed some of the episodes in Season 7 while other episodes were directed by Kim Fields, Chip Hurd and producer
Roger M. BobbRoger Marcellus Bobb is the producer for hit television shows Tyler Perry's House of Payne and Meet The Browns, and he is credited as a producer on eleven Tyler Perry films. He is also the Executive Vice President of Tyler Perry Studios.-Early life:...
.
During the first five seasons, the show was rated TV-PG but due to a rapid increase of strong language and mature content (particularly, sexual) recent episodes have been rated TV-14.
Tyler Perry recently stated in an interview that
House of Payne is concluding after 222 episodes. To help replace the show, TBS has picked up a new Perry comedy,
For Better or WorseTyler Perry's For Better or Worse is an American comedy-drama series created and produced by playwright/director/producer Tyler Perry. The series is based on Perry's 2007 film Why Did I Get Married? and its 2010 sequel Why Did I Get Married Too?...
, based on Perry’s
Why Did I Get Married films.
After the final 22 episodes,
Tyler Perry's House of Payne will become the second-longest-running U.S. sitcom with a predominantly African-American cast surpassed only by
The JeffersonsThe Jeffersons is an American sitcom that was broadcast on CBS from January 18, 1975, through June 25, 1985, lasting 11 seasons and a total of 253 episodes. The show was produced by the T.A.T. Communications Company from 1975–1982 and by Embassy Television from 1982-1985...
.
On September 28, 2011, TBS ordered 42 episodes. New episodes will air on TBS, Starting on October 21, 2011.
Seasons
- The test run is included in the season one episodes.
- House of Payne Episode List
Season |
# of
Episodes |
Premiere airdate |
|
|
1 |
37 |
June 6, 2007 |
|
|
2 |
23 |
December 5, 2007 |
|
|
3 |
15 |
March 5, 2008 |
|
|
4 |
25 |
June 4, 2008 |
|
|
5 |
26 |
December 3, 2008 |
|
|
6 |
46 |
November 4, 2009 |
|
|
7 |
50 |
March 30, 2011 |
Characters
The show revolves around the Payne family. They live in suburban Atlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. It is noted that all main cast members are credited only for the episodes in which they appear.
Payne family
- Curtis Payne
Curtis Payne is a fictional character and the protagonist of Tyler Perry's sitcom House of Payne. He resides in Atlanta, Georgia. Portrayed by actor LaVan Davis, Payne is depicted in the show to be a selfish, arrogant, and often rude character who has entitled himself the "King of the...
(LaVan DavisLaVan Davis is an American singer and actor best known for his starring role as Curtis Payne on the TBS comedy-drama Tyler Perry's House of Payne. Davis has also played many roles in Tyler Perry's various productions.-Career:...
) is the show's main protagonistA protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
. He is often referred to as Uncle Curtis by his nephew C.J, his nephew's wife Janine, and their children, Malik and Jazmine. Curtis is known for his funny jokes, grumpiness, overly loud delivery and reluctance to accept his nephew's family into his home, which he believes is already crowded. He is overweight and has fainted once from a blocked artery, but he ignored the diet Ella put him on, unable to stay away from his usual fatty foods. Comedic plot points come from Curtis' unusual, often disrespectful attempts to rid his home of his nephew's kin. This also became a running gag of the show. Despite his immaturity in this matter, his maturity and responsibility are apparent in his job as the chief of the local fire department. In Season 6, Curtis was forced to retire as the chief of the fire department. His nephew C.J. took over his job. LaVan Davis won an NAACP Image Awards in 2008 for Outstanding Actor In A Comedy Series for this role. In the sixth season the character is lighter in tone.
- Ella Payne
Ella Payne is a fictional character on the TBS sitcom, Tyler Perry's House of Payne. In the series, she is depicted to be a very responsible, caring Christian woman who does many chores around the Payne house and often make major decisions that affect the family...
(née Ella Thompson) (known as Ella Williams in episode "Til Payne Do We Part") (Cassi DavisCassandra "Cassi" Davis is an American actress. She is mostly known for her role as Ella Payne in Tyler Perry's House of Payne. Davis has done extensive work with director and writer Tyler Perry, and has played many roles in his various productions...
), Curtis's wife, is the show's deuteragonistIn literature, the deuteragonist is the second most important character, after the protagonist and before the tritagonist. The deuteragonist may switch from being with or against the protagonist depending on the deuteragonist's own conflict/plot.-History:Greek drama began with simply one actor,...
She is a stay-at-home mother who is the voice of reason. Curtis has been known to take advantage of Ella's good nature—and to be punished for doing so. Ella is the family's religious voice and the glue that holds it together. A good cook, she had a restaurant service in one episode. She is quick to offer emotional and moral support to everyone in the family, such as when Janine returned home.
- Clarence James (C.J.) Payne, Jr. (Allen Payne) is the show's primary tritagonist
In literature, the tritagonist is the third most important character of a narrative, after the protagonist and deuteragonist. In Ancient Greek drama, the tritagonist was the third member of the acting troupe....
. He is an adult whose house burned down after his wife Janine accidentally started a fire while under the influence of drugs. This is how the family ended up moving into the home of his Uncle Curtis and Aunt Ella. C.J. is the father of Malik, Jazmine, Jayden, and Hayden Payne. He has recently remarried his wife Janine, who has given birth to their twin son and daughter, Jayden and Hayden. In Season 4 he found out he was adopted. C.J. works at the fire house with Curtis. At the end of Season 5 he, Janine, and the twins moved to Chicago, but they returned in Season 6 after he was offered Curtis' job and moved his family next to Curtis and Ella. Despite him being angry with and hostile towards her when she returned home, C.J. never stopped loving Janine. . In Season 6, it is apparent that he is slightly more strict and unforgiving as a parent, at least towards Malik. In the Season 6 episode "Who's Your Daddy Now?", C.J. finally met his real father who happened to be white, revealing that C.J. is biracial. In the original format of the series, C.J. was originally portrayed as Ella and Curtis' son, but his character was changed to being their nephew. C.J. was also the show's original protagonist and central character as opposed to this format, where his uncle Curtis is the main character.
- Calvin Payne (Lance Gross
Lance Darnell Gross is a NAACP Image Award-winning American actor currently portraying Calvin Payne in the TBS sitcom Tyler Perry's House of Payne, and other Tyler Perry productions such as the Meet The Browns film. He has also been on The Bernie Mac Show as well as Eve...
), the show's secondary tritagonist, is Ella and Curtis's college-age son who rarely attends the very same college classes Curtis often complains about paying for. Calvin likes to think of himself as a player until his marriage to Miranda. Much like his cousin C.J., Calvin spends a great deal of time working with his father at the firehouse until he becomes a partner at the barber shop. In Season 5, he gets a job working for the same company as Mercedes. Mercedes accidentally kisses him twice: once while they are chaperoning Malik and Alexandra's date; the other, after Calvin has a fight with Miranda. He finds out that he has a son named Calvin Jr. from his former girlfriend Tracy. He and Miranda are expecting a child when she decides they should separate, but they agree to try counselling. They get stuck in an elevator and solve their problems with help from an "elevator lady" Edi who turns out to be Dr. Marcos, the marriage-retreat counsellor. Calvin was arrested for back child support, but was bailed out of jail before the birth of his second child with Miranda. Calvin is the only main character who was originally not included in the show. He's shown as a lovable character. On "Payneful Resolution Resolution", Miranda gave birth to their baby.
- Malik Payne (Larramie "Doc" Shaw) is C.J. and Janine's college-aged son. He is a young adult whose interest in young women in his class is so extreme that he'll resort to desperate measures, such as trying out for the cheerleading squad, just to associate with them. Initially, he was often bullied in school as a result of his mother's past problems with drugs. As a result, he is reluctant to welcome her back to the household. It is hinted that he is allergic to peanuts and he knows how to cut hair. Beginning with Season 6, Malik has appeared infrequently due to Larramie Shaw's work schedule, as he also starred on The Suite Life on Deck
The Suite Life on Deck is an American sitcom that aired on Disney Channel from September 26, 2008 to May 6, 2011. It is a sequel/spin-off of the Disney Channel Original Series The Suite Life of Zack & Cody...
on Disney Channel and Pair of KingsPair of Kings is an American television sitcom shown on the Disney XD cable channel. It was created by Dan Cross and David Hoge and stars Mitchel Musso and Doc Shaw. The sitcom's target audience are teenagers...
on Disney XD. His absence is incorporated into the storyline, as he goes off to college during season 7, which is a major continuity error as he advanced from elementary school to college in 4 years. As he prepared to go to college, C.J., Calvin, Curtis, and Floyd think he is ensured to start having sex in college, so the Payne men buy him 3 boxes worth of condoms. It is noted that his sister Jazmine was upset about him going away to college.
- Jazmine Payne (China Anne McClain) is C.J. and Janine's daughter. She constantly feels invisible and acts out to get her father's attention while her mother is in rehab. At one point Jazmine had a brief crush on Malik's friend Kevin. Despite her apparent innocence and youth, throughout the series she was known to be cruel toward Malik and Kevin and schemed to make them miserable. She is also known to have sarcastic comments and sly plans to get what she wants. For undisclosed reasons, China Anne McClain was written out of the series during Season 5, which made her the only cast member to not appear in Season 5. She was re-introduced into the series when she returned in Season 6. It is hinted that she has a fear of mimes. On the Season 7 premiere she is a grown up 12 year old girl, when Janine allowed her to wear lip gloss, Jazmine started hang out with the wrong crowd. In Season 7, Jazmine, much like Malik, has been appearing infrequently due to China Anne McClain's work schedule, as she also star in A.N.T. Farm
A.N.T. Farm is a Disney Channel television sitcom that premiered on May 6, 2011 as a special preview and continued as a regular series on June 17, 2011. The pilot episode, "TransplANTed" aired after the series finale of The Suite Life on Deck...
on Disney Channel.
- Janine Payne (née Janine Shelton) (Demetria McKinney
Demetria Dyan McKinney is an American actress, singer, songwriter, model and dancer. She is best known for her role as Janine Payne on Tyler Perry's House of Payne....
), is C.J.'s wife and the mother of Malik, Jazmine, Jayden, and Hayden Payne. A seemingly responsible adult and mother at the very beginning of the series, she is later revealed to be a drug addict and the arsonist who burned down her and C.J.'s home. She and C.J. divorce after she leaves her family. Initially, she was only a recurring character and was rarely seen in the series except in episodes where she associates with Ella Payne, who helps her enter a rehab program and return to the family. Later in the series, she is often criticized by C.J., Curtis, and Malik for her irresponsible actions. She is apparently impregnated by her boyfriend, until an episode reveals that he's sterile. Since C.J. is the only other person she has had intercourse with (in an earlier episode, where they had an affair when C.J. was drunk), she realizes that C.J. is the father of the coming child. C.J. and Janine remarry at Calvin and Miranda's wedding; almost immediately her water breaks and she gives birth to twins Jayden and Hayden Payne. Janine's parents are Larry and Liz Shelton. She and C.J. now live in their own home with their four children. In seasons six and seven, her role in the series has grown more central as she has become a career woman focusing more on her career than her home life which C.J. looks at as her new addiction. She also has become the romantic interest of her boss (Rick FoxUlrich Alexander "Rick" Fox is a Canadian television actor and retired professional basketball player who last played for the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers in 2004.-Early life:...
).
- Miranda Payne (née Miranda Lucas) (Keshia Knight Pulliam
Keshia Knight Pulliam is an American actress. She is most recognized for her childhood role as Rudy Huxtable on the long-running NBC sitcom The Cosby Show. Currently, she appears as reformed con artist Miranda Lucas-Payne on the TBS comedy-drama Tyler Perry's House of Payne.-Personal life:Keshia...
) is Calvin's girlfriend-turned-wife. She was first introduced in Season 1 as a con artist who stole all of Calvin and Curtis' money for an art gallery. The character returned eventually, but what she did to Calvin and Curtis is only very briefly, infrequently, mentioned. She and Calvin married in the Season-4 conclusion. Miranda has a very troubled nephew; when Calvin was supposed to be in charge of the boy, it was actually the boy who ordered Calvin around. Miranda and Calvin began to have problems in Season 5. In the beginning of Season 6, a pregnant Miranda disappears; a couple of episodes later, Miranda says there is no baby, making Calvin believe she had an abortion. Fortunately, she didn't. She is actually thinking about giving the baby up for adoption. Then, while all three couples (C.J and Janine, Curtis and Ella, Calvin and Miranda) go to a marriage retreat, Miranda asks Calvin for a divorce. But when she and Calvin go to a divorce mediator and get stuck in an elevator, they resolved their marriage problems with help from an "elevator lady" Edi who turns out to be Dr. Marcos, the marriage-retreat counselor. Calvin and Miranda had their baby in Season 7.
- Jayden Payne is the older twin brother of Hayden Payne, the younger son of C.J. and Janine. He was born 3 1/2 minutes before Hayden. In the later seasons after his birth, he has grown more than Hayden. He is seen more than Hayden. In Season 7, he is seen with Hayden where it was discovered that he may have autism
Autism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. These signs all begin before a child is three years old. Autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their...
.
- Hayden Payne is the younger twin sister of Jayden Payne, the youngest daughter of C.J and Janine. She was born 3 1/2 minutes after Jayden. She was the baby of the Payne family until Miranda and Calvin's baby was born. She is seen less than Jayden. In Season 7, she is seen with Jayden where she appears normal.
- Christian Payne is Calvin and Miranda's newborn baby boy and it was unsure what they named him until he was seen in "Payneful Visit". We were not told what his name was when Miranda gives birth, but Calvin is heard saying his name when he tells Miranda that Christian is sleeping.
Family friends
- Claretha Jenkins (Denise Burse
Denise Burse-Mickelbury is an American actress, best known for her role as Claretha Jenkins in the television series Tyler Perry's House of Payne.-Acting career:...
) is Ella's friend and the Paynes' former next-door neighbour. Curtis constantly jokes about her annoyance at his presence. Claretha is a big gossip; she even rats out the family business to the media in a crime misconception. She is known for having a collection of wigs. She left at the beginning of Season 5 after marrying a "prince." In Season 6 she suddenly leaves the prince; she now goes out with Floyd. She has an exceedingly obese daughter named Huretha and was furious and disgusted when she went out with C.J. in the early seasons after Janine left. In the Season 7 episode "Payneful Visit", it is revealed that she has leukemiaLeukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
. In Season 7, she is no longer credited as a regular cast member. She appears in a recurring role.
- Floyd Jackson (Palmer Williams, Jr) is Curtis' friend and the self-absorbed, proud owner of the Barber Shop. He shows little affection towards individual people, but in times of great need will come out and show affection. His first wife disappeared on him, but after he remarried, the first wife returned looking for a divorce. When he did sign the divorce papers, it turned out she'd written a book, and since he's divorced from her he gets nothing. In Season 6 Floyd's second wife kicks him out so he moves into Curtis and Ella's back yard and started dating Claretha until his second wife returned, having lost fifty pounds because she was depressed that they were splitting up. While Floyd had been hoping to string both along without either finding out about the other, until they bumped into each other in the Payne house and both subsequently broke up with him and Claretha kicked him out. He is the longest running recurring character on House of Payne.
Extended Family
- Larry and Liz Shelton (Dorian Harewood
W. Dorian Harewood is an American actor. He first garnered attention for his portrayal of Simon Haley in the ABC miniseries Roots: The Next Generations.-Career:...
and Anne-Marie JohnsonAnne-Marie Johnson is an American actress and impressionist who has starred in film and on television. She is perhaps best known for her role as high school educator Althea Tibbs on the NBC/CBS television drama In the Heat of the Night. She is also known for her role as Nadine Hudson Thomas on...
) are Janine's parents and have so far appeared in 5 episodes of the series. Curtis hates their visits. They are upper-class and appear snobbish towards the Payne family. Upon their first appearance, Claretha identifies Janine's father as a "dancer" known as Dimples, though no one believes her. Liz comes off as judgmental. Her relationship with her daughter is usually tested. In a Season 3 episode she stays with the Paynes after being kicked out of her house; she annoys everyone, mostly Curtis and Janine. In a later episode, she visits the new twins and constantly criticizes Janine's parenting skills, going as far as to try to change the babies' names. When Janine finally confronts her, Liz reveals that her mother was the same way with her. Liz shows a more compassionate side during her visit in season 6 after reading a letter to C.J. written by a deceased comrade's child.
- Kelly Payne (LaVan Davis
LaVan Davis is an American singer and actor best known for his starring role as Curtis Payne on the TBS comedy-drama Tyler Perry's House of Payne. Davis has also played many roles in Tyler Perry's various productions.-Career:...
): Curtis's elderly, senile father who visits in one episode. He is shown to have a strained relationship with Curtis and Ella. Though he is referred to as "Grandpa" Kelly by Malik and Jasmine, he is actually their great-grandfather, and grandfather to their father C.J. and cousin Calvin.
- Eunice Williams (Aloma Wright
Aloma Wright is an American actress. She was born in New York and raised in California.- Career :Wright was cast as Laverne Roberts for Scrubs. After six seasons, her character was killed off in My Long Goodbye. She returned in season seven playing a new character, Nurse Shirley...
): is Ella's mother who shows signs of Alzheimer's during her visit with the family. She shows strong dislike toward Curtis, but takes a liking to everyone else. Her last name is only revealed in season 6 when Ella's maiden name is finally revealed. She reappeared in the Season 7 episode "A Mother's Payne", where Ella and her sister Evie decided to put her in an elderly home after a frightening episode resulting from her Alzheimer's disease.
- Mr. and Mrs. Lucas (Wendell Pierce
Wendell Pierce is an American actor, best known for his work in HBO dramas, including his portrayal of Detective Bunk Moreland in The Wire and trombonist Antoine Batiste in Treme.-Life and career:...
) and (Valarie PettifordValarie Pettiford is an American stage and television actress, dancer, and jazz singer. She received a Tony nomination for her role in the broadway production Fosse. She is also known for her role as "Big Dee Dee" Thorne on the UPN sitcom Half & Half.-Stage:Pettiford began her career as a dancer...
) : Miranda's wealthy parents who have appeared in a seasons 4-6. Miranda's father is a doctor. In season 6, Miranda's mother thinks Calvin has something to do with Miranda's disappearance until she resurfaces.
- Deshawn Spears (Bobb'e J. Thompson) is a recently acquired foster child of Curtis and Ella. Deshawn comes from a broken home, and was initially hostile towards the Paynes, as he has had trouble with foster homes in the past. He later comes to accept that the Paynes are nice people that will take care of him.
Other recurring characters
- Tracie Evans (played by Eva Marcille
Eva Marcille is an American actress, TV host and fashion model, who most recently played the role of Tyra Hamilton on the soap opera The Young and the Restless. She started her career by winning the third cycle of America's Next Top Model.She was previously credited by her birth name, Eva Pigford....
), is the mother of Calvin's first son Calvin Jr. and the aunt of Kyle (Malik's friend from Season 1; who influenced Malik to steal Curtis' motorcycle). Initially, C.J. developed a love interest in her shortly after his break up with Nicole. However, she later confessed to C.J. that she has been dating Calvin. She then breaks up with Calvin to reconcile with her old boyfriend. In Season 5, she returned and tells Calvin that they have a son named Calvin Jr., which upsets Miranda more when she already discovered that Calvin kissed Mercedes. In Season 6, she was in a car accident which claimed the life of her husband. She then asks Calvin and Miranda to take care of Calvin Jr. while she gets herself in order. Eventually she recuperated. She make a pass at Calvin on two occasions: once after Calvin and Miranda intervenes on her visiting unannounced; and the other was in Calvin's "man shower", indicating that she wants him back. After Calvin pushes her away, she takes Calvin Jr. away from Calvin and Miranda. She then clears Calvin's bank account for back child support, the latter of which Calvin then gets arrested for. Her son is with Calvin for the weekend and when he goes to work and Miranda is asleep, Calvin Jr. plays with matches and sets the condo on fire. Tracie shows up at the hospital after she gets a call and tells Calvin she's getting full custody of their son and she attempts to fight Miranda and Janine. But soon her son wakes up from the comaIn medicine, a coma is a state of unconsciousness, lasting more than 6 hours in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light or sound, lacks a normal sleep-wake cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions. A person in a state of coma is described as...
, and she neutralizes her problems with Calvin.
- Nicole Jamieson (played by Robinne Lee
Robinne Lee is an American actress. She appeared in Hotel for Dogs with Don Cheadle and Emma Roberts and with Will Smith in Seven Pounds.-Life and career:...
) was C.J.'s ex-girlfriend and Malik and Jazmine's assistant principal. She first appeared in the Season 1 episode "Teacher's Pet" where she visited the Payne household to bring back a hamster Jazmine took from the school. C.J. in the next episode went to the school to pick up the kids home from school only to find that Nicole in her office telling him they already left. They were trapped inside the school building due to a storm that hit Atlanta. From there, sparks started to fly between her and C.J. Their relation soon hit a bump when it is revealed how extremely jealous she gets when C.J. speaks to another woman and even mentions another woman's name. In one episode, it was shown she even gets upset when C.J. says Jazmine's name while on the phone with her, which makes C.J. and Ella believes she is crazy. When C.J. breaks up with her after a huge argument, she gets destructive and breaks dishes at the Payne's house, she even threatened to stab him. Nicole has not been seen since Season 2. In the test pilot episodes, Nicole Jamieson was originally portrayed by Rochelle AytesRochelle Aytes is an American actress. She was born in New York City and attended LaGuardia High School. She graduated with a BA in Fine Arts from State University of New York Purchase College.-Career:...
, where she was Malik's math teacher.
- Kevin (played by Kyre Batiste-Loftin), was Malik's best friend who was a recurring character from Seasons 1-6. He was much like Malik in personality though slightly more dimwitted. He was very kind-hearted and generous despite the rare times he behaved selfishly. He often was involved in Malik's crazy schemes to get girls. He is last seen in the Season 6 episode "Drinking Game" where he and Malik were drinking when they were left alone in the house. He hasn't been seen or mentioned since.
- Pookie (played by Quincy Bonds), was one of Calvin's closest friends. He was Calvin's friend since childhood. However, he and his younger brother Peanut, act nothing like Calvin as they are both ghetto
A ghetto is a section of a city predominantly occupied by a group who live there, especially because of social, economic, or legal issues.The term was originally used in Venice to describe the area where Jews were compelled to live. The term now refers to an overcrowded urban area often associated...
and appear to be thugs. They were still friendly but can be rough at times. It is stated that his real name is Pookie. He is last seen in the Season 6 episode "Payne Showers", in which Curtis throws a "man shower" for Calvin. He hasn't been seen or mentioned since. In the Meet The Browns series Renee, one of the nurses, is seen talking on the phone to a man named Pookie, who is suspected to be him because The Browns and the Paynes live around each other.
- Peanut (played by Clayton English), was one of Calvin's closest friends. He was Calvin's friend since childhood. However, he and his older brother Pookie, act nothing like Calvin as they are both ghetto and appear to be thugs. They were still friendly but can be rough at times. It is stated that his real name is Clayton. He is last seen in the Season 6 episode "Payne Showers", in which Curtis throws a "man shower" for Calvin. He hasn't been seen or mentioned since.
- Kyle (played by Dale Neal), was Tracie's nephew and friend of Malik. He appeared from Seasons 1-2. He is originally from Bronx, NY. Just like Malik's mother Janine, Kyle's mother had a drug problem. He was living with Tracie while his mother was battling an addiction. He and Malik stole Curtis' motorcycle, which causes Curtis to press charges against both of them. Curtis later dropped the charges after realizing that the charges were too extreme for them. It is hinted that he dropped out of school. He was last seen in the Season 2 episode "It's a Boy" and hasn't been seen or mentioned since.
- Calvin Jr. (played by Demille Cole-Heard) is the son of Calvin and Tracie. He is also Christian's half-brother. He was introduced in the Season 5 episode "Surprise! (Part 1)". He made his return in the Season 7 episode "So Hard To Say Goodbye". He was playing with matches while Miranda was sleeping; which caused a fire in Calvin and Miranda's condo. He was taken to the hospital where he was in a coma
In medicine, a coma is a state of unconsciousness, lasting more than 6 hours in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light or sound, lacks a normal sleep-wake cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions. A person in a state of coma is described as...
; then later awakened. He was then checked out of the hospital by Tracie.
The Firehouse
- Angel O. Reilz (Joyce Giraud
Joyce Giraud is a Puerto Rican actress and model. She is a two time Miss Puerto Rico and the second runner up in the 1998 Miss Universe pageant. She had previously represented Puerto Rico at Miss World 1994....
) was the co-worker of Curtis, C.J., Calvin, Keenan, and Bart at the engine 5 company firehouse. Angel is the only female of the firehouse and at times get upset with the guys for being inconsiderate of that fact. At one point she got so upset that she thinks about switching to another engine company and sueing them. Angel and Calvin had a tendency to argue all the time according to Calvin it was because she loved him. When Angel was upset she usually began to speak Spanish. Angel was also known as the best firefighter as evidenced by her several awards and medals. When the guys first meet her they assumed she was going to be a man (Curtis had read the "O" of her middle name with Angel, making it appear as "Angelo") and threw water on her as a joke. The character has not been seen or mentioned since Season 4.
- Bart Holmes (Bart Hansard) was the co-worker of Curtis, C.J., Calvin, Keenan and Angel. His last appearance was in the Season 6 episode "How Do You Like Your Roast?", in which he helped honor Curtis for his service as Firechief. The character has not been seen since.
- Keenan Jared (Cedric Pendleton) was the co-worker of Curtis, C.J., Calvin, Bart and Angel. He last appeared in the Season 7 episode "Number Five's Fight", in which he protested against C.J.'s decision to close down engine 5 company firehouse.
The Barbershop
- Delante (Jason Dirden) used to cut hair at the barbershop. He was also one of Calvin's friends. In later episodes, Delante lived in the barbershop until Floyd found him and invited him to live with him. He had a brief relationship with Dana. He got married to some girl he met at the skating rink and moves away to Arizona at the beginning of Season 5. He has not been seen since. However, Delante actually dies in one episode: he was two-timing women and when the women attacked him, he ended up in the hospital. Then Kiki punched him on the arm causing his death and everyone runs out of the room. It was used as a comedic angle other than a sympathetic angle which is usually used for death scenes.
- Kiki (Bobbi Baker
Bobbi Baker is an American actress that is best known from her role as Kiki on the Tyler Perry sitcom House of Payne. She recently had a role in the film Madea Goes to Jail.-Biography:...
) is a barber at the Barber Shop. She isn't afraid to ask questions that others are thinking and is very abrupt. In Season 5, she helped get her brother hired, but he turned out to be a drug dealer, dealing drugs in the Barber Shop. She finds out in a later episode that he was shot. Kiki hasn't been seen or mentioned since Season 5, except for a brief appearance in the Season 6 episode "Rehabilitation"
- Dana Carter (Denyce Lawton
Denyce-Marie Lawton is a model and actress known as Denyce Lawton.-Biography:Lawton is of African American and Korean descent. Born in Seoul, South Korea, Lawton is the middle child of three children, She also has a older half sister who's full Korean...
) has her own manicure stand at the Barber Shop. She is usually seen watching clients storm off angrily, not knowing what she said to anger them. In one episode her parents visited, thinking she was a doctor on vacation. She is half-African AmericanAfrican Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
/Korean. Dana hasn't been seen or mentioned since season 5.
- Zack (Gary Owen) (Season 5) is the white barber who replaced Delante. He is a nice guy but he has trouble fitting in with black people, although they do like him. It was revealed that he had a date with Kiki prior to working at the barber shop. He is now interested in Floyd's daughter Olivia. He is somewhat similar to Isaac Rosenberg (Troy Garity
Troy Garity is an American film actor. He was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film for his role as Barry Winchell in the 2003 television movie Soldier's Girl, but may be best known for his role as Isaac Rosenberg in the Barbershop films.-Early life and...
) in the films BarbershopBarbershop is a 2002 American comedy film directed by Tim Story, produced by State Street Pictures and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer on September 13, 2002. Starring Ice Cube, Cedric the Entertainer, and Anthony Anderson, the movie revolves around social life in a barbershop on the South Side of...
and Barbershop 2: Back in BusinessBarbershop 2: Black in Business is a 2004 American comedy film directed by Kevin Rodney Sullivan, produced by State Street Pictures and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer on February 6, 2004...
. Zack hasn't been seen or mentioned since season 5.
The Hernandez family
- The Hernandez family were the Paynes' new Hispanic neighbors who move into Claretha's old house bringing their own family drama. The oldest, Diego, has problems with his father; mainly due to his anger
Anger is an automatic response to ill treatment. It is the way a person indicates he or she will not tolerate certain types of behaviour. It is a feedback mechanism in which an unpleasant stimulus is met with an unpleasant response....
and depressionDepression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a person's thoughts, behaviour, feelings and physical well-being. Depressed people may feel sad, anxious, empty, hopeless, helpless, worthless, guilty, irritable, or restless...
from being in the war in Iraq. Malik becomes interested in younger daughter Alex. Calvin kissed older daughter Mercedes, keeping it from Miranda until Diego revealed the truth. Except for Diego, who last appeared in the Season 6 episode "Seal of Approval," none of the Hernandezes have been seen since Season 5.
Setting
Locations in Atlanta, Georgia include the Payne's home, a firehouse located across the street from the Paynes' house, a barbershop, and the school Malik and Jazmine attend. The Payne home is a one-story building, and 5 rooms are featured throughout the series: Curtis and Ella's bedroom, Malik and Jazmine's shared bedroom, the spare bedroom (which was Calvin's until he moved out), the kitchen, and the living room, and the outside patio. C.J. and Janine's rooms are never seen. The only part of the firehouse seen on camera was its day room. The firehouse and its characters have not appeared on any recent episodes. The barbershop is a setting often used in more recent episodes, and it is similar to that of the BarbershopBarbershop is a 2002 American comedy film directed by Tim Story, produced by State Street Pictures and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer on September 13, 2002. Starring Ice Cube, Cedric the Entertainer, and Anthony Anderson, the movie revolves around social life in a barbershop on the South Side of...
movies.
Diego is seen is Volume 7- Disk 1 offering Calvin advise about women..
Current cast members
Original cast
- Allen Payne as Clarence James "C.J." Payne, Jr.
- LaVan Davis
LaVan Davis is an American singer and actor best known for his starring role as Curtis Payne on the TBS comedy-drama Tyler Perry's House of Payne. Davis has also played many roles in Tyler Perry's various productions.-Career:...
as Curtis "Pops" Payne
- Cassi Davis
Cassandra "Cassi" Davis is an American actress. She is mostly known for her role as Ella Payne in Tyler Perry's House of Payne. Davis has done extensive work with director and writer Tyler Perry, and has played many roles in his various productions...
as Ella Payne
- Lance Gross
Lance Darnell Gross is a NAACP Image Award-winning American actor currently portraying Calvin Payne in the TBS sitcom Tyler Perry's House of Payne, and other Tyler Perry productions such as the Meet The Browns film. He has also been on The Bernie Mac Show as well as Eve...
as Calvin Payne
- Larramie "Doc" Shaw as Malik Payne (Seasons 1-5, infrequently in seasons 6-present)
- China Anne McClain as Jazmine Payne (Seasons 1 - 4, 6 - present, infrequently in season 7)
- Demetria McKinney
Demetria Dyan McKinney is an American actress, singer, songwriter, model and dancer. She is best known for her role as Janine Payne on Tyler Perry's House of Payne....
as Janine Payne (Infrequently in first two seasons)
- Denise Burse
Denise Burse-Mickelbury is an American actress, best known for her role as Claretha Jenkins in the television series Tyler Perry's House of Payne.-Acting career:...
as Claretha Jenkins (Seasons 1-4, briefly in 5, 6-present, recurring role in Season 7)
- Keshia Knight Pulliam
Keshia Knight Pulliam is an American actress. She is most recognized for her childhood role as Rudy Huxtable on the long-running NBC sitcom The Cosby Show. Currently, she appears as reformed con artist Miranda Lucas-Payne on the TBS comedy-drama Tyler Perry's House of Payne.-Personal life:Keshia...
as Miranda Payne (Season 3 - present)
- Palmer Williams Jr. as Floyd Jackson (recurring role, Seasons 2 - present)
- Bobb'e J. Thompson as Deshawn Spears (recurring role, Season 7 - present)
Other cast
- Keke Palmer
Lauren Keyana "Keke" Palmer is an American actress and singer who rose to fame for her performance in the 2006 film Akeelah and the Bee. She also starred as the title character in the Nickelodeon sitcom True Jackson, VP...
as Nikki Grady-Simmons (Season 1)
- Eva Marcille
Eva Marcille is an American actress, TV host and fashion model, who most recently played the role of Tyra Hamilton on the soap opera The Young and the Restless. She started her career by winning the third cycle of America's Next Top Model.She was previously credited by her birth name, Eva Pigford....
as Tracie (Seasons 1-2 and Season 5-present)
- Bart Hansard as Bart Holmes (Seasons 1-4 and 6)
- Cedric Pendleton as Keenan Jared (Seasons 1-4, 6 and 7)
- Joyce Giraud
Joyce Giraud is a Puerto Rican actress and model. She is a two time Miss Puerto Rico and the second runner up in the 1998 Miss Universe pageant. She had previously represented Puerto Rico at Miss World 1994....
as Angel (Seasons 1-4)
- Dorian Harewood
W. Dorian Harewood is an American actor. He first garnered attention for his portrayal of Simon Haley in the ABC miniseries Roots: The Next Generations.-Career:...
as Larry Shelton (Seasons 1, 3, and 5)
- Anne-Marie Johnson
Anne-Marie Johnson is an American actress and impressionist who has starred in film and on television. She is perhaps best known for her role as high school educator Althea Tibbs on the NBC/CBS television drama In the Heat of the Night. She is also known for her role as Nadine Hudson Thomas on...
as Liz Shelton (Seasons 1, 3, 5 and 6)
- Robinne Lee
Robinne Lee is an American actress. She appeared in Hotel for Dogs with Don Cheadle and Emma Roberts and with Will Smith in Seven Pounds.-Life and career:...
as Nicole Jamieson (Seasons 1-2)
- Rochelle Aytes
Rochelle Aytes is an American actress. She was born in New York City and attended LaGuardia High School. She graduated with a BA in Fine Arts from State University of New York Purchase College.-Career:...
as Nicole Jamieson (2006 Test Pilot Episodes)
- Katie Rowlett as Beverly (Season 1)
- Arvell Poe as Fishbone (Season 1)
- Kyre Batiste-Loftin as Kevin (Seasons 1-6)
- Jamie Moore
Jamie Moore may refer to:* Jamie Moore * Jamie Moore * Jamie Moore , Grammy Award-winner, Gospel song writer-See also:*Jaime Moore, British trampolinist*James Moore...
as Walter (Season 1)
- Dale Neal as Kyle (Seasons 1-2)
- Wilbur Fitzgerald
Wilbur Fitzgerald is an American television actor. He played the role of Bruce Bennett on the television show Prison Break.Fitzgerald also played District Attorney Darnelle on In the Heat of the Night....
as Bill (Season 1)
- Femi Emiola
Femi Emiola is an American actress. She is best known for her roles in the TV series Wicked Wicked Games and in the web series If Looks Could Kill. Her first name is prononuced "F-eh-mi" and means "love me" or "marry me" in Yoruba.-Early life:...
as Sheila (Season 3)
- Jason Dirden as Delante (Seasons 3-4)
- Denyce Lawton
Denyce-Marie Lawton is a model and actress known as Denyce Lawton.-Biography:Lawton is of African American and Korean descent. Born in Seoul, South Korea, Lawton is the middle child of three children, She also has a older half sister who's full Korean...
as Dana Carter (Seasons 3-5)
- Bobbi Baker
Bobbi Baker is an American actress that is best known from her role as Kiki on the Tyler Perry sitcom House of Payne. She recently had a role in the film Madea Goes to Jail.-Biography:...
as KiKi (Seasons 3-6)
- Michael Jai White
Michael Jai White is an American actor and martial artist who has appeared in numerous films and television series. He is the first African American to portray a major comic book superhero in a major motion picture, having starred as Al Simmons, the protagonist in the 1997 film Spawn...
as Bryan (2006 Test Pilot Episode and Season 3)
- Robin Givens
Robin Simone Givens is an American model and film, television, and stage actress. She is best known for her role as Darlene Merriman on the television series Head of the Class.-Early life:...
as Tanya (Seasons 3-4)
- Wendell Pierce
Wendell Pierce is an American actor, best known for his work in HBO dramas, including his portrayal of Detective Bunk Moreland in The Wire and trombonist Antoine Batiste in Treme.-Life and career:...
as Jeffrey Lucas (Seasons 4-5)
- Valarie Pettiford
Valarie Pettiford is an American stage and television actress, dancer, and jazz singer. She received a Tony nomination for her role in the broadway production Fosse. She is also known for her role as "Big Dee Dee" Thorne on the UPN sitcom Half & Half.-Stage:Pettiford began her career as a dancer...
as Sandra Lucas (Seasons 4-7)
- Demille Cole-Heard as Calvin Jr. (Seasons 5-present)
- Marlene Forte as Rosalita Hernandez (Season 5)
- Mel Rodriguez as Carlos Hernandez (Season 5)
- Renee Victor
Renée Victor is an actress best known for her role as Lupita on Weeds. She provided voice acting for Bethesda Softworks' 2011 video game The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim....
as Consuela Hernandez (Season 5)
- Susie Castillo
Susie Castillo is a former beauty queen who held the Miss USA title and competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe pageants...
as Mercedes Hernandez (Season 5)
- J.R. Ramirez as Diego Hernandez (Seasons 5-6)
- Veronica Sixtos as Alexandra Hernandez (Season 5)
- Roberto Roman as Andy Rodriguez (Season 5)
- Boris Kodjoe
Boris Frederic Cecil Tay-Natey Ofuatey-Kodjoe , better known as Boris Kodjoe, is an Austrian-born German actor and former fashion model who works primarily in the United States...
as David (Season 5)
- Aloma Wright
Aloma Wright is an American actress. She was born in New York and raised in California.- Career :Wright was cast as Laverne Roberts for Scrubs. After six seasons, her character was killed off in My Long Goodbye. She returned in season seven playing a new character, Nurse Shirley...
as Eunice (Seasons 5 and 7)
- Gladys Knight
Gladys Maria Knight , known as the "Empress of Soul", is an American singer-songwriter, actress, businesswoman, humanitarian, and author...
as Herself (Season 5)
- Kinnik Sky as Nurse Jones (Season 5)
- Essence Atkins
Essence Uhura Atkins is an American actress. She is best known for the roles of Dee Dee Thorne on the UPN sitcom Half & Half and as Yvette Henderson on the The WB sitcom Smart Guy...
as Monica (Season 6)
- Rick Fox
Ulrich Alexander "Rick" Fox is a Canadian television actor and retired professional basketball player who last played for the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers in 2004.-Early life:...
as Roland (Seasons 6-7)
- Heavy D as P-Rock (Season 7)
- Janet Hubert-Whitten
Janet Louise Hubert , also previously known as Janet Hubert-Whitten, is an American film and television actress. She is best known for playing her role of Vivian Banks on the sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air from 1990 to 1993.-Biography:Hubert was born in Chicago, Illinois. She spent her early...
as Evie (credited as Evelyn) (Season 7)
- Corey Holcomb
Corey Holcomb is an American stand-up comedian, radio host, and actor. Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Holcomb got his start in comedy with the help of another Chicago-area comedian, Godfrey....
as Damon (Season 7)
- Sherman Hemsley
Sherman Alexander Hemsley is an American actor, most famous for his role as George Jefferson on the CBS television series All in the Family and The Jeffersons, and as Deacon Ernest Frye on the NBC series Amen. He also played Earl Sinclair's horrifying boss, a Triceratops named B.P...
as George JeffersonGeorge Jefferson is a fictional character played by Sherman Hemsley in American television sitcoms All in the Family and its spin-off The Jeffersons...
(Season 7)
- Marla Gibbs
Marla Gibbs is an American television and film actress and singer. She is best remembered for playing Louise and George Jefferson's sarcastic maid, Florence Johnston, on The Jeffersons and spinoff Checking In...
as Florence Johnston (Season 7)
- Sheryl Lee Ralph
Sheryl Lee Ralph is an American actress, singer, and activist.-Personal life:Raised between Mandeville, Jamaica, and Long Island, New York, Sheryl Lee Ralph was born in Waterbury, Connecticut to an African American father and a Jamaican mother. Sheryl attended Uniondale High School in Uniondale, NY...
as Felicia Starr (Season 7)
Reception and Criticism
The national premiere received 5.9 million viewers on June 2007. And at the time was basic cable’s biggest sitcom audience ever. The show remained basic cable’s #1 sitcom until TBS’s August 2008 premiere of Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns. For the first quarter of 2011, House of Payne and Meet the Browns ranked among television’s Top 5 primetime sitcoms with African-American adults 18-34 and 18-49.
However, the program has received mostly negative reviews.
Entertainment WeeklyEntertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
called it a "Bleak Premise" and referred to the laugh track as a "grating laugh track." They also wrote that "Perry should unleash Madea on the Payne household. They could use the laugh."
Movie Web said "I try not to be cynical about tv shows, particularly sitcoms. I know how hard it is to try to write a funny, relevant and interesting television show. I also know that it takes a perfect storm of talent, writing and zeitgeist to capture these elements for an audience. Sadly, Tyler Perry's House of Payne fails to do so."
The New York Times said "Indeed, if ever a show could cause actual physical pain, TBS' House of Payne might be the one. Glaringly, shamefully, insultingly inept, this new cable comedy from filmmaker Tyler Perry isn't just the worst sitcom of the year, it's one of the worst of the modern era." The New York Times went on to write "And what's worse, you have to imagine the people at TBS know how terrible the show is, and they are proceeding nonetheless. The other option — that they really think this horrendous mish-mash of old jokes and ugly stereotypes fills some TV void — is too hideous to contemplate."
VarietyVariety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
said "In the first episode, "House of Payne" rolls through a collection of stereotypes and characters familiar to TV auds......" They went on to say " It's old-fashioned in structure, sets and characters. Despite having his name in the title, Payne is straitjacketed into a straight-man role; the saving grace is the grumpy father figure Chester as Davis huffs and puffs his way through the unnatural dialogue. As the mother Ella, Cassi Davis is all exaggeration—from the bug eyes to the girth—and she isn't given the material to make her character either outrageously humorous or poignantly comforting. She doesn't seem particularly real."
The Washington Times said "Three generations of an African American family share -- sometimes -- what looks like an enormous house in the Atlanta suburbs, and things sort of happen to them. Some things happen repeatedly, such as the patriarch of the family telling everybody to "get out" or "go home," apparently desiring the company of none of them". The Washington Times went on to write "At times one wishes that, yes, "House" were Payne-less". And that the program has "A Long way to go before jelling as a believable unit". And that the acting styles "Conflict or seem barely to exist." The Washington Times also criticized the program for some of the subject matters, such as Janine's becoming a crack addict stating that "It's commendable to try to introduce serious and topical material in sitcoms, but the way it's done here is awkward and cringe-inducing."
Imdb has an average rating of 2.5 out of 10 stars.
Common Sense MediaCommon Sense Media , commonly known as CSM, is a San Francisco-based non-profit organization which serves as a guide for parents that has reviews for most media types, including books, movies, video games, music, and websites, and rates them in terms of violence, sex, and profanity. The website...
has an average rating of 2 out of 5 stars.
Special appearances
- Tyler Perry
Tyler Perry is an American actor, director, playwright, entrepreneur, screenwriter, producer, author, and songwriter. Perry wrote and produced many stage plays during the 1990s and early 2000s. In 2005, he released his first film, Diary of a Mad Black Woman...
as Mabel "Madea" Simmons (Seasons 1-3)
- Tamela Mann
Tamela J. Mann is an American actress and gospel singer, known for her role as Cora in Tyler Perry's plays, including I Can Do Bad All By Myself, Diary of a Mad Black Woman, Madea's Family Reunion, Madea's Class Reunion, Meet the Browns, and What's Done in the Dark...
as Cora Simmons (Seasons 1 and 6)
- David Mann as Mr. Leroy Brown (Seasons 1 and 6)
- Lamman Rucker
Lamman Rucker is an American actor. He currently appeared on the TBS sitcom Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns.-Early life:...
as Will Brown (Season 1)
- Gladys Knight
Gladys Maria Knight , known as the "Empress of Soul", is an American singer-songwriter, actress, businesswoman, humanitarian, and author...
as Herself (Season 5)
- Boris Kodjoe
Boris Frederic Cecil Tay-Natey Ofuatey-Kodjoe , better known as Boris Kodjoe, is an Austrian-born German actor and former fashion model who works primarily in the United States...
as David (Season 5)
- Rick Fox
Ulrich Alexander "Rick" Fox is a Canadian television actor and retired professional basketball player who last played for the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers in 2004.-Early life:...
as Roland (Seasons 6-7)
- Sherman Hemsley
Sherman Alexander Hemsley is an American actor, most famous for his role as George Jefferson on the CBS television series All in the Family and The Jeffersons, and as Deacon Ernest Frye on the NBC series Amen. He also played Earl Sinclair's horrifying boss, a Triceratops named B.P...
as George JeffersonGeorge Jefferson is a fictional character played by Sherman Hemsley in American television sitcoms All in the Family and its spin-off The Jeffersons...
(Season 7)
- Marla Gibbs
Marla Gibbs is an American television and film actress and singer. She is best remembered for playing Louise and George Jefferson's sarcastic maid, Florence Johnston, on The Jeffersons and spinoff Checking In...
as Florence Johnston (Season 7)
- Sheryl Lee Ralph
Sheryl Lee Ralph is an American actress, singer, and activist.-Personal life:Raised between Mandeville, Jamaica, and Long Island, New York, Sheryl Lee Ralph was born in Waterbury, Connecticut to an African American father and a Jamaican mother. Sheryl attended Uniondale High School in Uniondale, NY...
as Felicia Starr (Season 7)
Syndicated reruns
- The CW Television Network began airing reruns of Tyler Perry's House of Payne on its CW Plus
The CW Plus is a group of primarily digital sub-channels, analog, and non-broadcast cable television outlets for the CW Television Network, for markets below the top 99 television media markets in the United States....
stations on September 22, 2008.
- My Network TV, a branch of the Fox Network, has begun airing reruns of the series in some cities as well.
- Peachtree TV, a branch of TBS, has also begun airing syndication of House of Payne
House of Payne was the only situation comedy to be sold into broadcast syndication for the 2008-2009 television season.
Madea connections
Tyler PerryTyler Perry is an American actor, director, playwright, entrepreneur, screenwriter, producer, author, and songwriter. Perry wrote and produced many stage plays during the 1990s and early 2000s. In 2005, he released his first film, Diary of a Mad Black Woman...
's claim to fame is with the popularity of character Mabel "Madea" Simmons, who has appeared in numerous Tyler Perry plays and their film adaptations. When the series debuted on TBS in June 2007, Perry made a guest appearance as Madea. Actor David Mann reprised his Mr. Brown role, and Keke PalmerLauren Keyana "Keke" Palmer is an American actress and singer who rose to fame for her performance in the 2006 film Akeelah and the Bee. She also starred as the title character in the Nickelodeon sitcom True Jackson, VP...
returned as Nikki, a bully who stole $20 worth of Malik's lunch money over a period of time, money which Madea, Nikki's foster mother, used at a casinoIn modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
. Perry returned as Madea for a Christmas episode of the show on December 5, 2007. Perry again returned as Madea to act as Curtis's wife on March 5, 2008. She has appeared in one episode every season, save seasons 4 and 5. She can be considered a minor antagonistAn antagonist is a character, group of characters, or institution, that represents the opposition against which the protagonist must contend...
on the show as she is one of Curtis' arch enemies.
In the series, Janine's drug problem and going to rehab are possible references to Diary of a Mad Black Woman. The events of the episodes "Sad, Sad, Leroy Brown" parts 1 and 2 came directly before the movie Meet the BrownsMeet the Browns is a 2008 romantic comedy-drama film released by Lionsgate on March 21, 2008. The film was based on the play of the same name by Tyler Perry.-Plot:...
, when Brown learns his father has died. The events of the episode "Weeping May Endure for a Night" happened somewhere in the middle, directly after the funeral and the reading of the will, where Brown found out that his father left him a broken-down house which Brown turned into a retirement home. Even though in the episode "Weeping May Endure for a Night" the Paynes claim to have attended the funeral of Brown's father, in Meet the Browns they are nowhere to be seen. This may be because Lance Gross, who plays Calvin Payne in the series, plays a character named Michael in the film and LaVan Davis, who plays Curtis Payne, plays a bus driver. Curtis claimed Brown made them wait in the cemetery for two hours while he gave his father a tour of Atlanta (his last request), but in the movie, Brown stayed the entire time. The episodes serve as a backdoor pilot to Tyler Perry's Meet the BrownsTyler Perry's Meet the Browns is an American sitcom created and produced by playwright, director, and producer Tyler Perry. The show revolves around a senior family living under one roof in Decatur, Georgia led by patriarch Mr. Brown and his daughter Cora Simmons. The show premiered on Wednesday,...
, a spin-off of the film and play as well as House of Payne.
Meet the Browns crossovers
There have been crossovers on House of Payne from Meet the BrownsMeet the Browns is a play written by Tyler Perry in 2004. In it, Cora and Mr. Brown are headed to Brown's side of the family. In Madea's Class Reunion, it is revealed that Brown is actually Cora's father, so he is taking his new daughter to his family...
:
- In the episode "I Can Cry If I Want To", Brown attended Curtis's 50th birthday party and stresses the Paynes out while he is there.
- In the episode "Sad, Sad, Leroy Brown (Part 1)", when Brown's house burnt down and he gets kicked out of Cora's best friend's house. He stays at the Paynes' residence, much to Curtis's dismay and soon becomes a pestering houseguest.
- In the episode "Sad, Sad, Leroy Brown (Part 2)", when the Paynes tries to kick Brown out of the house, Brown claimed that Curtis broke his back, but Curtis knows the truth that Brown's back was not in pain, and he only faked it to get the Paynes to let him stay with them. However, Ella believes Brown and insisted on him staying with them until his back gets better.
- In the episode "Weeping May Endure for a Night", Brown, Cora, and Will come by the Paynes' residence after Pop Brown's funeral. Brown is upset because Pop Brown left him a run-down house which makes Brown think his daddy hates him until he realizes that Pop Brown wanted him to open up a retirement home.
- In the episode "Oh Christmas Payne", Brown and Cora drop in for a visit.
Releases
Lionsgate Home EntertainmentLionsgate Home Entertainment is the home video and DVD distribution arm of Lions Gate Entertainment and most former Artisan Entertainment releases. Its library of more than 8000 films owes some of its size to output deals with other studios...
has released the first 6 seasons on DVD in Region 1 in eight volume sets.
| DVD Title | Ep # | Release Date | Blu-ray DiscBlu-ray Disc is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the DVD format. The plastic disc is 120 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm thick, the same size as DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray Discs contain 25 GB per layer, with dual layer discs being the norm for feature-length video discs...
|
| Tyler Perry's House of Payne Volume 1 |
1-20 |
December 4, 2007 |
|
| Tyler Perry's House of Payne Volume 2 |
21-40 |
July 1, 2008 |
|
| Tyler Perry's House of Payne Volume 3 |
41-60 |
January 13, 2009 |
|
| Tyler Perry's House of Payne Volume 4 |
61-80 |
June 16, 2009 |
|
| Tyler Perry's House of Payne Volume 5 |
81-100 |
January 12, 2010 |
|
| Tyler Perry's House of Payne Volume 6 |
101-124 |
February 8, 2011 |
|
| Tyler Perry's House of Payne Volume 7 |
125-148 |
April 5, 2011 |
|
| Tyler Perry's House of Payne Volume 8 |
149-172 |
June 14, 2011 |
|
| Tyler Perry's House of Payne Volume 9 |
173-196 |
January 24, 2012 |
|
| Tyler Perry's House of Payne Volume 10 |
197-222 |
TBA |
|
External links