[12] Mowry felt playing the role of Melanie would enable her to be perceived as more mature following her appearances as Tia Landry on Sister, Sister. After Melanie gives DJ a DNA test behind Derwin's back, it causes a rift between Janay, Derwin and Melanie. Text is available under the CC BY-SA 3.0 Unported License. Feeling a void in her life, Melanie opts to continue trying to have a child, and later finds a surrogate in Tasha. BET is casting an entirely new couple to take the place of Melanie and Derwin on The Game. However, later on Melanie tells Derwin that it is not the right time. [18] The New York Times' Virginia Heffernan wrote that one of the show's objectives was "to relieve ideological tensions instead of creating or ignoring them", citing its multi-ethnic female cast of characters as one of the means of achieving this goal. How Much Is The Game Star Wendy Raquel Robinson Really Worth? The Game tv show is a 30 minute comedy series on the CW Network for its first three seasons and then on BET. After the wrapped, he portrayed Lawrence Walker opposite Issa Rae in hit HBO comedy,Insecure. The baby comes when Derwin and Melanie are at the altar. In the season finale, Tasha gives birth to her daughter, Kai. [45] Fans reacted positively to the characters' relationship, and dubbed the couple the portmanteau "Merwin",[37] which BET adopted and used to promote Mowry and Hall's appearances in the series finale. characters joined by Derwin Davis (Pooch Hall), Malik Wright (Hosea Chanchez) and Jason Pitts (Coby Bell . [18][19] From the series' inception, she intended to include story arcs relating to themes of race and celebrity. His best friend since childhood is Terrance "Tee Tee" Carter. He has also starred in Black-ish and a short called Brazilian Wavy. Two years later, Tasha is now Derwin's agent and appears to be a very successful sports agent, making Derwin a superstar & "the face of Nike", while dating a much younger man named Dant. She famously dated actor Keenen Ivory Wayans in 2007, but the relationship ended after seven years, and Daniel married Adam Touni in 2017. In season 4, Derwin also emerges as a superstar player. The Game originally aired from 2006 to 2015. Back at home Derwin becomes a shell of himself isolating himself off from everyone else because of the pain knowing that everyone is blaming him for what happened. She eventually has a one-night stand with Trey. [17] Mowry identified Melanie as the closest match to her personality in comparison to her previous roles. Keira Michelle Whitaker, portrayed by Lauren London, was a former child star and introduced in the sixth season. Melanie accepts at first feeling pressured on national television. She cited her character's relationship with Derwin as reminiscent of her own romance and subsequent marriage to actor Cory Hardrict. Both actors reprised their roles in the series finale, in which Melanie gives birth to twins. The actor is also a husband to Aviss Pinkney-Bell, father to two sets of twins (girl twins and girl/boy twins), a musician in a reggae band, and mentors disenfranchised youth in the non-profit organization, Big Brothers of America. Pookie arrives shortly after the birth and a DNA test confirms that he is Kai's father. Portrayed by Pooch Hall Aldis Hodge (GIrlfriends) Derwin Davis was one of the main characters of television series The Game Arcade from seasons 1-5, and made guest appearances in seasons 6 and 9. In "To BabyOr Not to Baby" Derwin proposes to Melanie at half-time of one of the Saber games because he thinks that Melanie might be pregnant. Entertainment Basketball League celebrity team. During this process, she lost 10 pounds (4.5kg) and straightened her hair for auditions. "[16] She added that their storyline would appeal to the show's fans, explaining: "I feel creatively we've been able to answer those who have been loyal to us. [22], Cynthia Addai-Robinson was originally cast to play Melanie,[4] but was replaced by Tia Mowry prior to development of the backdoor pilot. Girlfriends (2000-2008) Full Cast & Crew. Melanie Davis (nee Barnett ), played by Tia Mowry, is a first-year medical school student from Connecticut who has given up an offer of admission to Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore to follow her boyfriend, Sabers rising star receiver Derwin Davis, to San Diego against the advice of her parents and her cousin Joan Clayton, The show's central foursome was played by Tracee Ellis Ross, Persia White, Golden Brooks, and Jill Marie Jones. Derwin Davis Derwin DavisFirstappearance "The Game"Girlfriends, (Season 6, Episode 18) Portrayed by Aldis HYPERLINK""Hodge(2006) Pooch Hall(2006-present) Information Nickname (s) Rookie,Ding Dong (Franchise Player), Son (as infrom the Holy Trinity, Jason is the Father andMalik is the Holy Ghost))Occupation Football player Spouse (s) Melanie Kwan and Derwin's animosity reaches the critical level after Kwan refuses to throw Derwin the ball in the first half of a crucial game. In 2018, he was unfortunately arrested or a DUI and child endangerment, but he avoided jail time. [17] When questioned by Brock Akil, Tia responded: "I'm a woman, Mara. Though their relations are rocky, Melanie, Kelly, and Tasha still maintain a close bond. Although Melanie begins dating Jerome, she is jealous of Derwin and Janay. Sporting a new look & attitude, Kelly declares to Jason that she "won" in the divorce because she is spending the money he is earning and she believes she got more out of the divorce material wise. In the second-season finale, Kelly leaves Jason after he tries to use her to get a contract, and in season 3 they eventually agree to a divorce. She was concerned about the sisters' wholesome image gained from their years as child actors on the sitcom Sister, Sister, explaining, "I had a certain image of them. Pooch Hall is an American actor best known for his starring role as Derwin Davis, a new and eager third-string wide receiver for the San Diego Sabers, on the comedy-drama television series The Game. However, she tells him that it was actually from her affair with Trey Wiggs back when they broke up over the whole Drew Sidora debacle. for the first five seasons, Tia Mowry-Hardict announced she would not return to the show as a regular cast member in 2012. ITV Hub - the new home of ITV Player, ITV on demand and live TV. A reboot is now airing on Paramount+ featuring some of the OG stars. McHottie, Derwin and Janay try to work things out while Melanie has a fling with her boss, Dr. Buriss. [12] Melanie's intellect, one of her defining characteristics, earned her the nickname "Med School". The original series started out by focusing on Melanie Barnett (Tia Mowry), who gives up her place at Johns Hopkins University's School of Medicine to follow boyfriend Derwin Davis (Pooch Hall) to . Derwin is portrayed by Pooch Hall. He has also starred in other TV shows and movies, including the Seven Deadly Sins movies, Black Lightning, All American, Down for Whatever, and Major Crimes. Wendy Raquel Robinson, who plays Hoseas on-screen mother Tasha Mack, has also reprised her role on the reboot of The Game. After Melanie and Derwin break up again, Derwin decides to get back together with Janay since he is the father of her baby. [34] Brock Akil said she provided closure to Melanie and Derwin's story arc through their exit, explaining: "They're together, and we were able to put a period on their story. Derwin proposes to Melanie in "To Baby or Not to Baby" at half-time of one of the Saber games because he thinks that Melanie might be pregnant. Media commentators also panned the character's representation as a mother, such as her inability to properly care for her stepson. Find Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and TikTok profiles, images and more on IDCrawl - free people search website. Since firing Tasha as his manager Derwin has been in the need of a new representation and hires his old agent Irv Smith to manage him prompting Tasha to take legal action as a way to get her money back for a Verizon sponsorship she had recently set up for him. But the couple will not be returning for the new season. Who was the original Derwin Davis on Girlfriends? That might sound like a glamorous and stress-free existence, but Melanie Barnett is about to discover the truth. It's refreshing to see a couple that's not perfect on television, a couple that works through trials and tribulations. with ex-girlfriend Janay, Sports Agent Assistant For Tasha Mack Management; Later For ISM (Irv Smiff Management). At the end of season 2, Derwin finds out Janay is pregnant. When The Game series premiered, Season 1 Episode 1 starred Brittany Daniels as Kelly Pitts, and Pooch Hall as Derwin Davis. After the show ended, she made her Broadway debut in the musicalChicagoas Roxie Hart in 2015. BET picked up the sitcom, and the Season 4 premiere became the most-watched premiere in cable television history. [1][30] Vibe Vixen's Jennifer Hickman referred to Melanie as "bookwormy",[31] and Virginia Heffernan characterized her as "wholesome and a good student" in the pilot. Popular drama-comedy series,The Game, a spin-off from aGirlfriendsepisode, revolved around first-year medical student Melanie Barnett (Tia Mowry) who passed on medical school to follow her boyfriend, professional football player Derwin Davis to the San Diego Sabers. It is an arts and media school that mostly serves children from the ages of eight to 18 years old from disenfranchised backgrounds. He played T.J. Henderson on Smart Guy, and he went on to star as Tucker Dobbs on Baby Daddy. From Inside The Box With Tia Mowry leaving the show, producers are looking for a new female actress to join the cast in the regular role of Kiera, a 20-year-old former child star who has been in the spotlight since she was five years old and starring on a "Cosby" style sitcom. In season 2, Jason begins using steroids. After a few "hookups" Derwin starts dating Janay. His friendship with Derwin has also been damaged because of Derwin's push to get Malik benched. [37] A writer from HuffPost cited the pairing as a "big part of the winning formula for the series",[46] and Mowry attributed the positive fan response to her chemistry with Hall. The boisterous friendships among four disparate black women living in Los Angeles and their relationships provide the humor for this sex-drenched sitcom. His performance on the show earned him a NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. Derwin hurts his knee in a Sabers' playoff game and can not play in the Super Bowl, so he decides not to go toMiamiwith the team. Brandy continues to sing, act, and help the youth through various campaigns. In season 9, she and Jason remarry. [17] The producer explained that she appreciated Tia's work ethic and her strong desire to be a part of the series; she described Tia's audition as "fighting everybody's preconceived notions of her" by playing the more mature Melanie. However, later on Melanie tells Derwin that it is not the right time. However, there is currently has a reboot in the works and will return to CW with a few original cast members and an-hour long format. Reaction to Melanie was primarily negative; critics expressed disapproval of her decision to support her boyfriend instead of enrolling in medical school. Later Derwin visits Malik and gets advice about how to get through this and how to not stress so much about his image and focus more on football and his career. Later he confides in Tasha, telling her that he felt that him being traded was almost destiny since he hoped that he and Melanie could live out their dreams in the same city, but he had hoped that if he ever left it would be on his terms, further saying, "I used to be invincible, the last couple years I have been. In 2006, Tia began starring on The Game, which proved to be a big success. [2] Discussing the direction intended for Melanie and Derwin's final appearance, Brock Akil said: "To bring these characters back to shore is such a blessing. It's a man, asking 14-year-old Derwin strange questions inside a car in southwest Atlanta in 1979. Tee-Tee puts his foot down telling Malik he needs to get a new assistant and stop calling on him to fix his problems. When fans first met the cast nine seasons ago, Tia Mowry-Hardrict played Melanie Barnett, aka Med School, who gave up Johns Hopkins for her NFL rookie boyfriend, Derwin Davis, portrayed. Even though she makes it seem as though the abortion has not affected her, she seems to show feelings of guilt when she is alone. Tasha becomes the main antagonist for the first half of season five, determined to one-up Melanie at every turn; their feud intensifies after Melanie takes over a fashion show that she (Tasha) had planned. I can do this. Pooch Hall as Derwin Davis The actor starred as the wide receiver for the San Diego Sabers for the first five seasons of the sitcom and returned as a guest in Season 6 and 9. Derwin rushes to the hospital, leaving Melanie. [43] Echoing McFarland's assessment, The San Francisco Chronicle's Tim Goodman found Melanie's decision to be "a bleak little life lesson". FILE - Los Angeles Chargers secondary coach Derrick Ansley works with cornerback Michael Davis (43) before an NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Oct. 31, 2021, in Inglewood, Calif. Hall's Derwin Davis, meanwhile, was a wide receiver for the San Diego Sabers and husband of Melanie Barnett. The Philadelphia native has returned for seven episodes of the Paramount+ reboot. Melanie accepts at first feeling pressured on national television. Most recently, she has starred as Cocoa McKellan on the Netflix series Family Reunion, which aired its final season this year. video. As of 2021, Pooch Hall's is not dating anyone. Derwin also emerges as a superstar player in season 4, getting numerous endorsement deals, including Nike, and becomes the new face of the Sabers organization. From 2018 to 2019, she starred as Cassie Brown on Lee Daniels Fox drama series Star. Derwin Davis was one of the main characters oftelevision series The Game Arcade from seasons 1-5, and made guest appearances in seasons 6 and 9. Melanie Barnett. Malik attended Richmond High School, Richmond, California and led the football team to a Conference Championship state title. The actress starred in the original series as Melanie Barnett-Davis, an aspiring doctor who struggled with her role as the girlfriend of NFL player Derwin Davis. overall No. Derwin finds out that Melanie is unable to have children because of a medical condition and takes it hard, handling it by having a party with Malik and Jason and getting drunk. Jerome and Derwin fight and Melanie confesses to Jerome that she loves Derwin. Melanie and Derwin get back together and Derwin proposes again, and Melanie accepts, and decides she wants to marry Derwin before the baby arrives. She also published her first book,Oh Baby: Pregnancy Tales and Advice from One Hot Mama to Anotherand portrayed step-mother Stephanie Turner-Phillips inInstant Momuntil 2015. Melanie starts to freak out but Derwin assures her that both of their children are gonna make it because he has faith that they will and asks her to have faith too. In 2015, he joined the cast of #HBO's series Insecure, which premiered in 2016. pic.twitter.com/z89R8LS98E. Synopsis: From creator Mara Brock Akil, "The Game" begins when Melanie Barnett (Tia Mowry-Hardrict) sacrifices her med school dream so her boyfriend Derwin Davis (Pooch Hall) can pursue a career in professional football. Melanie and Derwin eventually get back together, even though Janay is pregnant, and they have a wedding planned; but just as the ceremony is about to start, Derwin receives word that Janay has gone into labor. [12] She considers returning to her hometown rather than continue "life as a football girlfriend". pic.twitter.com/otfLPDiXNX. Simply the Worlds Most Interesting Travel Site, Where The Original Cast Of The Game Is Now, Tia And Tamera Mowry's Different Opinions About Making 'Twitches 3', How Tia Mowry's Divorce Will Affect Her Life And Career. Amazon.ca - Buy Game: Complete Series at a low price; free shipping on qualified orders. [42], Melanie Barnett has been negatively received by television critics. Joan and her cousin Melanie debate a top medical school in Baltimore vs a medical school in San Diego, where her boyfriend Derwin plays football professionally; Melanie is jealous of Derwin' Joan and her cousin Melanie debate a top medical school in Baltimore vs a medical school in San Diego, where her boyfriend Derwin plays football professionally; Melanie is jealous of Derwin's ambitious, beautiful Image Consultant, Dionne. I didn't know if they wanted to go where I wanted the character to go. He tells her that there are two Derwins: regular Derwin, and Der-win, by any means necessary (If it means protecting, his family, and the legacy). 2023 Pro Bowl Games - Season 1 Episode 1. Mon, Apr 30, 2007 30 mins. With the San Diego Sabers, he won his first Championship and was named MVP in 2008. [29] She said the following about the character's reception in The Washington Post: Through the course of playing Melanie, some people would love her, some would hate her, some would judge her[.] Some time later, Malik is depressed and intent on revenge against Franko, but after a conversation with his mother in which she reveals that he is about to become a big brother, he seems to have given this up. It is discovered that Malik's back was injured during the last season; he blames his injury on Keith, who decided to get a better defense to help win games versus getting a good offensive line to protect Malik. "[3], Following Melanie and Derwin's exit, two characters, draft pick Bryce "The Blueprint" Westbrook and child star Keira Whitaker, portrayed by Jay Ellis and Lauren London, respectively, were introduced on the series. Derwin and Melanie Davis are the hot married "it" couple, and Derwin is the San Diego Sabers' franchise player. She received nominations for two NAACP Image Awards and a Teen Choice Award for the role. In the first season Derwin goes through the hazing from Sabers captain Jason Pitts, and starting quarterback Malik Wright, whom he ultimately becomes friends with. https://twitter.com/47BLUR/status/1209337149528707073, https://twitter.com/KieannaMichelle/status/1208574736067780611, https://twitter.com/dejalenai/status/965006074628669440. Back in 2006, The Game was one of the first TV shows that debuted with the newly-merged The CW network. [15] At the end of the show's fifth season, Melanie and Derwin move to Baltimore after he is traded to play for a team based in the city, and she finally enrolls at Johns Hopkins University. Melanie goes to Derwin's apartment, but Derwin finds out that Janay is pregnant with his baby. [26] She also described The Game as an opportunity to showcase her individuality. The special feature, "Away Game", is the first episode of the television series, The Game, . Later Melanie confesses to Jerome that she loves Derwin and goes to Derwin's apartment, but Derwin finds out that Janay is pregnant with his baby. In the final episode of Season 5, he appears to have gone back to his old habits by breaking up with Jenna. Jason at first tries to hide his secret from Kelly, but after a couple of ugly situations, he can no longer do it and confesses. This is a list of the characters from the American comedy-drama television series The Game. Even though Melanie and Derwin have relationships with other people, they still have feelings for each other. [11] Halfway through the show's first season, Derwin proposes marriage to Melanie on live television, during the halftime of a Sabres game. . [9] Melody K. Hoffman of Jet wrote that, through her performance in the show, Mowry had demonstrated her love for acting and her capacity to portray a woman. Rick becomes a manager at ISM, and after Tasha becomes vulnerable she falls in love with Rick. The Game (TV series) Wiki is a FANDOM TV Community. Be the first to contribute! Derwin tries to reuniting with Melanie but Melanie shows up with football player and Derwin's rival Trey Wiggs to move her stuff from Derwin's apartment. Malik finds out and disapproves, and due to Tasha's temper, Tasha and Kenny soon break up. She starts to turn off her friends with the reality show (the cameras constantly following her), and her life starts to spiral out of control. He goes to rehab after issues. Mowry received positive feedback from fans, who "were fairly obsessed with Melanie and Derwin's journey early on". After she breaks up with Derwin, she confides in her old friend Trey Wiggs. Tasha and Melanie having a very heated argument about Tasha representing both Malik and Derwin and Tasha is fired by Melanie. Back at home Derwin becomes a shell of himself isolating himself off from everyone else because of the pain knowing that everyone is blaming him for what happened. The latest movie news, trailers, reviews, and more. What happened to Derwin's friendship with Malik? Malik gets arrested after looking for Tee-Tee one night for assaulting a cop after being pulled over for drunk driving. [13] Melanie eventually reconciles with Derwin, and the couple marry. This is by far the largest collection of Darwin manuscripts and papers ever published with 113,625 images, 26,978 newly transcribed and 7,000 pages of previously published transcriptions. !0; Born in Brockton, Massachusetts, Hall attended Taunton High School. What happens to Malik on the game? He then tries to help his girlfriend who into drugs and alcohol. This is a list of the characters from the American comedy-drama television series The Game. She even guest starred on one episode of former costar Tia Mowrys show, Family Reunion. [2] In the first season Derwin goes through the hazing from Sabers captain Jason Pitts, and starting quarterback Malik Wright, whom he ultimately becomes friends with. [29] She felt the show was evidence, alongside Sex and the City and Desperate Housewives, that women had more leading roles on television, and said this "allows women to be women and to show their different emotions and what we deal with in life period". [51], chronic traumatic encephalopathy in sports, NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series, Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Actress Comedy, "Time Out: What Ever Happened to the Sunbeam Sisterhood? Biography i love her ^ who doesn't? Eliana Quarles is a current undergraduate student from Washington, D.C. You can often find her scrolling through celebrity gossip accounts on TikTok, watching reality TV, or sending her friends updates on the latest celebrity news. there is currently has a reboot in the works, Oh Baby: Pregnancy Tales and Advice from One Hot Mama to Another. She also starred as Naomi Xplicit Lyrics on ABCs show Queens, but it was cancelled after just one season. After dating Rick for a while, Tasha is still not happy and thus breaks up with him, leaving herself alone once more. [20] Heffernan called the character a "kind of Cosby Show figure" due to her initial reluctance to join the Sabre Sunbeams. Derwin meets singer Drew Sidora at a party he attends with Malik, and Drew asks Derwin to be in her new video, which he accepts not knowing he will play her love interest. In Season 6 Derwin is traded to Baltimore in exchange for Bryce "The Blueprint" Westbrook (or just 'Blue'), much to his chagrin. [23] The CW Television Network did not provide a reason for the casting change. Melanie was created by producer Mara Brock Akil. Towards the end of season 1, Derwin cheats on Melanie with Drew Sidora and Melanie ends their relationship. After talking about it, Derwin and Melanie begin a truth pact, meaning not matter how much it hurts, how long its been, big or small, they have to tell each other the truth. After returning home Derwin and Melanie have a truth moment and he reveals that he missed it on purpose because of Kwan's attempt to threaten the legacy. Derwin Davis says he sees a face in his mind, clear today as it was 40 years ago. Three years later, she revealed she is cancer-free. She has a strained relationship with her stepson, as she views him as a reminder of Derwin's past infidelity. While talking to his new sex interest, he purchases expensive things. Aside from the departure of the show's beloved couple, Melanie and Derwin (played by Tia Mowry-Hardrict and Pooch Hall . Season 3 Janay was in her last trimester with baby DJ and gave birth on the day of Melanie and Derwin's wedding, during their vows. Derwin rushes to the hospital, leaving Melanie at the altar. Basis of this page is in Wikipedia. But I think they connected with her they enjoyed her vulnerability, they enjoyed relating to her. After Melanie runs into Derwin at the store while running an errand for Jerome, Melanie realizes she misses Derwin and decides to pay him a visit, and they share a passionate kiss. Derwin tells her, "You look me in my eyes and you tell me you don't love me?" As revenge, he is having an affair with the owner's wife. On August 5, 2015, after nine seasons,The Gamecame to an end. Mowry's performance received positive feedback from critics, who agreed that the role displayed her maturity as an actress. Today, the cast of Girlfriends is still busy in TV and movies. [48], Mowry received two nominations for NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series at the 39th and 43rd NAACP Image Awards. [7] Following their break-up, Melanie has sex with several men, and Derwin impregnates another woman. After exchanging blows with Blue, Jason and Malik asks what's gotten into him, to which he admits that he doesn't want to leave, since being traded also means he has to leave behind everyone he grown close to in the last few years (Jason,Malik,Tasha,etc.). [49][50] She was also nominated for the Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Actress Comedy in the 2007 Teen Choice Awards. Malik figures out how to get rid of Parker, but his plan backfires when she tells her husband that she was sleeping with him. After they break up once more in the middle of season 3, this time due to her infidelity with Dr. Buriss/Dr. She left the show in 2012 and is not currently starring in the reboot. While discussing her career in his 2010 book Encyclopedia of African American Actresses in Film and Television, author Bob McCann wrote that Mowry demonstrated maturity through her more dramatic role in the series. In season 2, Melanie begins dating Jerome Rice and Derwin begins to date Janay Brice. Though he was only supposed to be on the show for one episode, he eventually became a recurring character. Tasha resolved her issues with Kelly and threatened to shoot her if the incident (see above) happened again. Derwin and Melanie broke up in season 2 and a few episode later Derwin started dating Janay. Melanie becomes friends with Kelly Pitts, the wife of veteran wide receiver Jason Pitts, and Tasha Mack, mother and manager of the Sabers star quarterback Malik Wright. "[26], On hearing of the twins' interest in the show, Brock Akil asked them if their management was aware of her writing style. [44] When discussing the transition to BET, Britney Wilson of Clutch was critical of the deterioration of female friendships on the show, citing "the disintegration of the female identity" as signs of The Game's declining quality. Later Derwin attempts to build a friendship with Kwan off the field with the hope that it will build more chemistry on the field, but Kwan is non receptive and he soon learns that his friendship with Malik has been destroyed because of the Kwan situation. She left the show in 2012 and is not currently starring in the reboot. [14][15] As a result, Derwin considers her to be an unfit parent and allows her only limited contact with the child.