Love, Inc. (TV series)

Last updated

Love, Inc.
LoveIncIntertitle.png
Title card
Genre Sitcom
Created byAndrew Secunda
Starring
Theme music composer
Composers
  • Kurt Farquhar
  • Steve Hopkins
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes22
Production
Executive producers
Production locations Paramount Studios (Hollywood, Los Angeles, California)
Camera setup Multi-camera
Running time20–22 minutes
Production companies
Original release
Network UPN
ReleaseSeptember 22, 2005 (2005-09-22) –
May 11, 2006 (2006-05-11)

Love, Inc. is an American television sitcom created by Andrew Secunda, which originally aired for one season on United Paramount Network (UPN) from September 22, 2005, to May 11, 2006. With an ensemble cast led by Busy Philipps, Vince Vieluf, Reagan Gomez-Preston, Ion Overman and Holly Robinson Peete, the show revolves around five matchmakers working at a dating agency. The series was produced by Chase TV, the Littlefield Company, Burg/Koules Television, and Paramount Television. It was distributed by UPN in its original run and later by LivingTV and Nelonen in the United Kingdom and Finland respectively. The executive producers were Adam Chase, Warren Littlefield, Mark Burg and Oren Koules.

Contents

The series was originally developed as a vehicle and sitcom debut for Shannen Doherty under the working title Wingwoman. Though picked up by UPN, Doherty was removed from the project at the request of the network due to her poor reception by preview audiences; she was replaced by Philipps. The show was set in New York City, but filming took place at Paramount Studios in Hollywood, Los Angeles and other locations in California. It included contemporary hip hop music and was promoted heavily by UPN to attract an urban audience, and to that end it was paired with Everybody Hates Chris as its lead-in on Thursday nights.

Love, Inc. suffered from low viewership despite its high ratings among young Hispanic women; it was canceled following UPN's merger with the WB to launch the CW in 2006. The series' cancellation, along with that of other black sitcoms, was criticized by media outlets for reducing representation of African American characters and the amount of roles for African American actors on television. Critical response to Love, Inc. was mixed; some critics praised its multi-ethnic cast, while others felt that the storylines and characters were unoriginal and Philipps' portrayal of her character was unsympathetic.

Premise

Set in New York City, the dating agency Love, Inc. features a staff of single friends desperately looking for love. Newly divorced Clea Lavoy, the founder and owner of the company, seeks out the help of her friend and employee Denise Johnson to reignite her romantic life. She struggles continually to find love despite Denise's best attempts. The future of the agency is jeopardized since its success relied on advertising Clea's "successful", nearly decade-long marriage. Love, Inc. also includes the receptionist Viviana, the style expert Francine, and the technician and photographer Barry. [1] [2]

Episodes typically depict the inner workings of the agency, such as their first experience with a lesbian client, a consultation with a former priest, and marketing strategies to appeal to geeks and agoraphobes. [2] Hired as wingmen for their clients, the employees act as "guardian angels for the conversationally challenged". [3] Each of the characters has various comedic and romantic adventures outside the agency, like Viviana's search for an eligible United States citizen to marry to secure a green card [1] and Denise's inability to find true love despite her talent in matching her clients with their "seemingly unattainable soulmates". [4]

Characters

The series features the following five main characters throughout its run:

Production

Love, Inc. was developed with the working title Wing Woman and promoted as a "new 'Hitch'-esque comedy". [18] The show's concept was based on an article in The New York Times that discussed dating services. [19] Production was handled by Chase TV, the Littlefield Company, Burg/Koules Television, and Paramount Television. [12] The Littlefield Company suggested that the show's creator, Andrew Secunda, collaborate with executive producer Adam Chase, who had previously worked on Friends . [18] [20] Marta Kauffman, Liz Tuccillo, Mark Burg and Oren Koules also contributed to the series as executive producers. [18] [21] On April 12, 2005, United Paramount Network (UPN) announced that Doherty was in talks for the lead role while Reagan Gomez-Preston was being considered for the role of the lead character's "longtime friend, co-worker and roommate" and Ion Overman for an unspecified part. [22] Overman said that she was attracted to the part since she was searching for a job and viewed the series as a "very cool concept". [23] On April 18, Holly Robinson Peete was confirmed to have joined the cast as the boss to Doherty's character. [24]

Love, Inc. was originally designed as a vehicle for Shannen Doherty, but she was replaced at the request of UPN. Shannen Doherty.jpg
Love, Inc. was originally designed as a vehicle for Shannen Doherty, but she was replaced at the request of UPN.

The series was originally designed as a star vehicle for Doherty, who portrayed Denise Johnson in the unaired pilot. [11] [25] Denise was Doherty's first role in a television sitcom. [26] Doherty said that she loved the script for the pilot immediately, describing it as "hysterical", but felt intimidated by the role given her inexperience with comedy. [27] The series was marketed initially as featuring Doherty and Peete, [28] before UPN announced that it would pick up the show on the condition that Doherty was removed and the character was recast. [29] According to TV Guide , Doherty was poorly received by preview audiences. [30] When asked about Doherty's removal from the show, executive producer Warren Littlefield said the actress was "fabulous" in the role. He believed Doherty wanted to change her negative reputation from leaving Beverly Hills, 90210 and Charmed by acting on the show. Peete praised her performance saying "we had so much fun and such a great vibe". UPN Entertainment's president cited the rationale behind Doherty's departure using the "standard going-in-a-different-direction reason". [31] Rachel Cericola of TV Fodder listed Love, Inc. as one of the "four promising sitcoms for the upcoming TV season" as a result of the behind the scenes drama involving Doherty's replacement. [21]

UPN announced that Busy Philipps was cast as Denise on July 25, and was later billed as the show's star. [26] [32] In her 2018 memoir, Philipps said she was initially reluctant to play the part due to UPN's treatment of Doherty, writing: "they had decided to replace her only after they had trotted her out at the up-fronts and used her for publicity, which I thought was a fairly shitty thing to do". [33] According to Vince Vieluf, the casting change from Doherty to Philipps led to the series being retooled as an ensemble show featuring all the members of the agency rather than focusing on Denise. Vieluf said the alterations in the series' premise were due to concerns that "people would get tired of a show that was only about the mishaps of one person's love life". [13]

Page Kennedy reported that he was considered for a part on the show, but rejected it for the role of Caleb Applewhite on the second season of the ABC drama Desperate Housewives . [34] Retired Los Angeles Lakers player Rick Fox guest-starred in three episodes as David, one of Clea's love interests. [35] Meghan Markle appeared in the episode "One on One" as a subway station worker. [36] The casting of racially diverse actors was identified with UPN's position as "the only network to actively program for an African American audience". Tim Good of the San Francisco Chronicle pointed to the show's casting as the only way in which it acts as a "positive reference". [37]

Even though the show was set in New York City, filming took place in the Bluhdorn Building at Paramount Studios in Hollywood, [38] and used the multiple-camera format. [12] Aaron Korsh wrote the nineteenth episode as freelance work. [19] Each episode title, with the exception of the pilot, was taken from the names of past sitcoms. [2] Transitions between scenes feature images of New York City set to contemporary music, such as The Black Eyed Peas' 2005 single "Don't Phunk with My Heart" and Kelis' 2003 single "Milkshake". Todd R. Ramlow of PopMatters described the music as a further attempt to appeal to "an 'urban', black-white audience," and praised it as a "nice try at crossover for a network whose shows usually target a black demographic". [1]

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateUS viewers
(millions)
1"Pilot" Rob Schiller Andrew SecundaSeptember 22, 2005 (2005-09-22) [39] 4.6 [40]
After being contacted by her ex-boyfriend, Denise Johnson grows excited about the possibility that they will re-kindle their romance. She is disappointed to discover that he instead wants to use her skills as an expert matchmaker to find a new partner. The staff of Love, Inc. band together to help their boss Clea Lavoy adjust to single life after her husband Daniel divorces her to pursue a relationship with a much younger woman.
2"Living Single"Rob SchillerRobert PeacockSeptember 29, 2005 (2005-09-29) [41] 3.9 [40]
Denise and Francine collaborate in an attempt to help Clea distance herself from Daniel and move forward with her life. Following their discovery that Daniel's new fiancé is having an affair with another man, Denise and Francine disagree on the best way to handle the situation. Barry develops a crush on his client.
3"Mad About You" Ellen Gittelsohn Maggie Bandur October 6, 2005 (2005-10-06) [42] 3.2 [40]
Denise believes she has met her soulmate on a subway platform, leading her to return repeatedly to the station to find him. The staff of Love, Inc. are conflicted as to the best way to handle a demanding client who only agrees to date men who fulfill her extensive list of requirements.
4"Bosom Buddies" Arlene Sanford Maggie BandurOctober 13, 2005 (2005-10-13) [43] 3.92 [44]
Denise's new boyfriend Grey invites her to his birthday party for their second date. At the party, she becomes increasingly confused and paranoid as he keeps disappearing throughout the night. Clea assigns Viviana to arrange a date for the agency's first lesbian client.
5"Family Ties" Sheldon Epps Sarah FitzgeraldOctober 20, 2005 (2005-10-20) [45] 3.1 [46]
While working with an older, white man under the delusion that he is hip, Francine discovers that he is more interested in dating her than finding a potential match. Denise grows attracted to a veterinarian and lies to him about her dislike for animals to make herself more appealing to him.
6"Amen"Sheldon EppsLaurie ParresOctober 27, 2005 (2005-10-27) [16] 3.1 [46]
Clea feels conflicted about her date with Father John, a former priest from her church who renounced his vows to search for love. When the date becomes more intimate, Clea becomes hesitant about the future of their relationship. Denise and Barry help a man acclimate to his life after prison by encouraging him to search for his possible soulmate.
7"Hope & Faith"Arlene SanfordElana BerkowitzNovember 3, 2005 (2005-11-03) [47] 3.0 [40]
Clea reveals to the staff of Love, Inc. that her ex-husband frequently criticized her for not being spontaneous enough. The staff attempts to make Clea less serious. Denise and Barry try to encourage a client to overcome his anxiety and go on a second date with a woman he cares about deeply.
8"Thick & Thin" Katy Garretson Michael Curtis November 10, 2005 (2005-11-10) [48] 2.8 [40]
Denise reunites with her former college friend, who had recently lost a dramatic amount of weight, and rejects all of Denise's advice and concerns. As Clea feels more attracted to her boyfriend David, she becomes paranoid after finding out he has a female roommate.
9"One on One" Steve Zuckerman Clarence LivingstonNovember 17, 2005 (2005-11-17) [49] 3.8 [50]
After discovering that David has a highly competitive personality, Clea attempts to find something at which she can beat him. Denise and Barry help a client to connect with a woman who works behind a bulletproof window at a subway station.
10"The Honeymooners"Katy GarretsonSean ConroyNovember 24, 2005 (2005-11-24) [51] 1.8 [40]
Clea convinces Denise to spend Thanksgiving with her to avoid feeling lonely. Clea becomes increasingly attached to Denise over the course of the day. Francine and Barry encourage a client to propose to his partner.
11"Three's Company"Arlene SanfordElana BerkowitzDecember 15, 2005 (2005-12-15) [52] 3.0 [40]
Viviana accepts a marriage proposal from a younger man, but feels conflicted when her ex-boyfriend returns to rekindle their relationship. The agency begins to market its services towards geeks, and Barry and Francine experience difficulty arranging dates for a trio of clients.
12"Arrested Development" John Fortenberry Laurie ParresJanuary 19, 2006 (2006-01-19) [53] 2.2 [40]
Francine is confronted by her mother over her friendship with her biological father who abandoned her a child. Denise and Barry help a 12-year-old child arrange a date with his crush.
13"Grace Under Fire"Steve ZuckermanRobert PeacockFebruary 2, 2006 (2006-02-02) [54] 2.3 [40]
Denise, Clea, and Francine discover that Barry was enrolled previously in the military after his former Army commander, Major Curtis, recruits him for a secret mission. Denise loses the phone number of the man she met on the subway platform, but meets another man with the same name, causing her to consider dating him instead.
14"Hello, Larry"Steve ZuckermanMaggie BandurFebruary 9, 2006 (2006-02-09) [17] 2.7 [40]
Denise, Francine, and Barry are angry at their clients' demands for the perfect Valentine's Day dates. Clea plans a party for her employees and clients to appease them. The clients riot after overhearing the staff call the party "The Losers' Ball". Clea feels neglected by David, causing her to agree to go on a date with Larry.
15"Major Dad"Steve ZuckermanRobert PeacockFebruary 16, 2006 (2006-02-16) [55] 2.5 [40]
Major Curtis recruits the agency to find a suitable match for his daughter Molly. They discover Molly is secretly dating a much older man and attempt to break up that relationship. Clea struggles with whether or not she should tell David about kissing Larry.
16"Curb Your Enthusiasm" Henry Chan Sean ConroyMarch 2, 2006 (2006-03-02) [56] 2.4 [40]
Denise recruits Francine to change her new boyfriend Mike into a perfect partner. Clea and Viviana use Barry as a fake date to get revenge on a difficult client who has an offensive sense of humor.
17"Anything But Love"Steve ZuckermanAndrew SecundaMarch 23, 2006 (2006-03-23) [57] 2.5 [40]
Clea and Viviana help the agoraphobic Jamie meet his perfect match with a woman who accepts his anxiety disorder. After discovering Jamie is lying about his condition, Clean and Viviana threaten to tell Charlene the truth if he keeps being dishonest. Barry attempts to leave his girlfriend after discovering that she uses dating books to manipulate their relationship.
18"Cursed"Steve ZuckermanEmily CutlerApril 13, 2006 (2006-04-13) [58] 1.9 [40]
Confused about her relationship with David, Clea seeks advice from Viviana's psychic, Denise's therapist, and Barry. Francine is turned off when she finds out that her date cries too much.
19"Fired Up" Kevin Bright Aaron Korsh April 20, 2006 (2006-04-20) [59] 2.8 [40]
A jealous Francine confronts Denise for spending all of her free time with Mike instead of her. Barry and Vivana attempt to help Eric, a fireman with hero syndrome.
20"Full House"Steve ZuckermanRichard GoodmanApril 27, 2006 (2006-04-27) [60] 1.9 [40]
Denise tutors Viviana, who must pass a college course to extend her student visa and avoid deportation. Viviana disagrees with Denise's strict teaching style, and asks Francine for help instead. After winning entry into the Tri-State tournament in Atlantic City, Barry turns to Clea for support.
21"Dream On"Sheldon EppsClarence LivingstonMay 4, 2006 (2006-05-04) [61] 2.0 [40]
Barry announces to his co-workers that he will be using his winnings from the poker tournament to help one of them achieve their dreams. Everyone competes for his attention, and Denise questions if she has a dream of her own. Clea attempts to educate a client on how to recognize and respond to signs of interest from members of the opposite sex.
22"Friends"Steve ZuckermanAndrew SecundaMay 11, 2006 (2006-05-11) [62] 2.0 [40]
Denise feels conflicted when Mike asks her to move in with him. The staff of Love, Inc. disagree over the best method a client should use to confess his attraction for his friend.

Broadcast history

On August 6, 2005, UPN officially ordered thirteen episodes of the series. The network later ordered a full season of twenty-two episodes of the show on November 7, 2005, amid speculation that it would be canceled. [63] In 2006, LivingTV broadcast the series in the United Kingdom, [64] and it was broadcast by Nelonen in Finland in 2008. [65] [66] UPN paired the series with Everybody Hates Chris , Eve , and Cuts [28] to attract an "urban" audience. [67] The network moved WWE SmackDown to Fridays in favor of scheduling Thursdays as focused on sitcoms. This decision was made to establish a "night of scripted programming" and to attract more advertising from film studios to promote upcoming releases. [68] Today questioned the network's belief that Love, Inc. and Everybody Hates Chris would appeal to the same viewership, [67] and noted the difference in quality between the two, with Love, Inc. cited as the inferior show. [10] While the series retained 59% of the audience from Everybody Hates Chris initially, [69] this marketing strategy proved unsuccessful when it lost a majority of the viewership in later episodes. [70]

Cericola reported that Love, Inc. earned an average of 3.6 million viewers per episode [63] and an article in The Hollywood Reporter stated that the series garnered an average of 1.0/3  Nielsen rating/share in the 18–49 demographic. It ranked 141st among broadcast television networks in the 2005–2006 television season. [71] According to the Nielsen Company, the show achieved high ratings among "Latina adolescents Ages 12–17" and earned 3.4 million viewers in that demographic in 2005. It ranked above two other UPN sitcoms: One on One and Half & Half for Latin women in the 12–17 age demographic, [72] and in "the top half of all UPN series" for total viewership. [69] The series premiere saw a 6% increase in the 18–49 age range, 53% in women between 18 and 34, and 118% in women between 18 and 49 from the show that aired in the same time period during the previous television season. [73]

The show, as well as a majority of UPN's programs, were officially canceled as a result of the network's merger with the WB Television Network (the WB) to form the CW in 2006. [74] Fern Gillespie of The Crisis was critical of UPN's decision to cancel the series given how the network "in one swoop, wiped out five of its eight African American comedies" for the creation of the CW. Gillespie expressed disappointment at the lack of African American sitcoms on the three major networks saying: "Without that opportunity for some of the younger artists to hone and develop their skills, it will potentially have a generational impact." [75] Critic Tim Goodman identified Love, Inc. as one of six shows "geared for an African American audience" and featuring "an African American lead actress" that were canceled during the merger. He equated these cancellations as a sign of networks "eliminat[ing] niche programming". [76] The series has not been made available on Blu-ray or DVD. [2] [77]

Critical reception

Holly Robinson Peete was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for her role in the series. Holly Robinson Peete in July 2010.jpg
Holly Robinson Peete was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for her role in the series.

Love, Inc. received mixed critical feedback when it was first broadcast. Ebony 's Zondra Hughes included the show in its list of promising prime-time television shows featuring African-American actors, and identified Peete and Overman as its primary "star appeal". [78] While reviewing its broadcast on LivingTV, a reviewer from Daily Record listed the show as its "pick of the day" and suggested it for viewers who "fancy a giggle". [64] Diane Werts of Newsday found the characters to be "vibrantly well-defined" and the writing "smart, with a light touch". [79] Peete received a nomination for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series in the 37th NAACP Image Awards, [80] but lost to Tichina Arnold who starred in Everybody Hates Chris. [81] According to Philipps, Quentin Tarantino is a fan of the series. [82]

Metacritic assigned a score of 28 out of 100 based on aggregate of 17 reviews, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews". [79] The Futon Critic's Brian Ford Sullivan praised Vieluf as the standout despite his limited role, but felt the execution of the matchmaking premise was inferior to that done in the 2005 film Hitch. [8] The series was described as having "a quirky vibe, personable cast and snappy writing" by Variety 's Laura Fries, but she felt the storylines and characters required more original material. [6] Although they commended the show for its multi-ethnic cast, Jon Bonné and Gael Fashingbauer Cooper of Today wrote that it "struggles to salvage some screechingly bad jokes". [67] Paul Brownfield of the Los Angeles Times criticized the series for being "unintentionally unfunny", comparing it to the fictional sitcom Room and Bored featured in the HBO comedy drama The Comeback . [3] The Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan called the series a "grating comedy ... destined to be a footnote in history as the show that premiered after Everybody Hates Chris, and most likely faded shortly thereafter". [15]

Critics responded negatively to the character of Denise and Philipps' performance, citing both as annoying and unsympathetic. Heffernan found that Denise lacked the charm and charisma of Cher Horowitz from the 1995 film Clueless . [11] USA Today 's Robert Bianco gave the series a half of a point out of four, and summarized Philipps' performance as "constant motion; her face contorting, body twitching, voice braying" that transformed the show into something "truly unbearable". [10] Citing the series as a "one-joke affair", Matthew Gilbert of The Boston Globe wrote that the premise behind Denise had the "same irony that failed to make Alicia Silverstone's Miss Match very interesting". [14] The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 's Rob Owen favored Doherty's portrayal of the character, which he described as "brimming with self-confidence," and characterized Philipps' Denise as a "dizzyingly neurotic nutcase". [83] Ramlow asserted that the show's female characters were "needy and desperate" and "one-shtick ponies" in comparison to those from Sex and the City . [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reagan Gomez-Preston</span> American actress (b. 1980)

Reagan Amyre Gomez-Preston is an American television, film and voice actress. She is known for her roles as Zaria Peterson on The WB sitcom The Parent 'Hood (1995–1999) and Roberta Tubbs on the FOX animated comedy The Cleveland Show (2009–2013). Gomez-Preston also starred in the short-lived UPN sitcom Love, Inc. in the 2005–2006 season as Francine.

<i>Eve</i> (American TV series) American sitcom (2003-2006)

Eve is an American television sitcom created by Meg DeLoatch that originally aired for three seasons on UPN from September 15, 2003, to May 11, 2006. Featuring an ensemble cast consisting of Eve, Jason George, Ali Landry, Natalie Desselle-Reid, Brian Hooks, and Sean Maguire, the show revolves around two sets of male and female friends attempting to navigate relationships with the opposite sex. The executive producers were Robert Greenblatt and David Janollari; the series was produced by The Greenblatt/Janollari Studio and Mega Diva Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television for UPN.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jaleel White</span> American actor (born 1976)

Jaleel Ahmad White is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Steve Urkel on the sitcom Family Matters. The character was originally intended to be a one-time guest appearance on the show; however, he was an instant hit with audiences and White became a regular cast member. The series aired for a total of nine seasons, from 1989 to 1998. White then reprised his role as Urkel for the first time in 21 years in the 2019 series Scooby-Doo and Guess Who?.

Andrea Anders is an American actress. She is best known for her work on television, notably through her main roles on five anticipated but short-lived sitcoms, Joey, The Class, Better Off Ted, Mr. Sunshine and Mr. Mom, as well as recurring and guest roles on numerous TV series including Cruel Summer, Oz, Young Sheldon, Modern Family,Necessary Roughness, and That '90s Show. Additionally, she has been cast in nearly ten produced but unsold pilots.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Busy Philipps</span> American actress

Elizabeth Jean "Busy" Philipps is an American actress. She is best known for her roles on the television series Freaks and Geeks (1999–2000), Dawson's Creek (2001–2003), and ER (2006–2007), and for her portrayal of Laurie Keller on the ABC series Cougar Town (2009–2015), for which she received the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. She has also appeared in supporting roles in numerous films, such as The Smokers (2000), Home Room (2002), White Chicks (2004), Made of Honor (2008), He's Just Not That Into You (2009), The Gift (2015), and I Feel Pretty (2018). From 2018 to 2019, Philipps hosted her own television talk show Busy Tonight, on E!. She currently stars in the Peacock / Netflix original series Girls5eva.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holly Robinson Peete</span> American actress (born 1964)

Holly Elizabeth Robinson Peete is an American actress. She is known for her roles as Judy Hoffs on the Fox police drama 21 Jump Street, Vanessa Russell on the ABC sitcom Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, and Dr. Malena Ellis on the NBC/The WB sitcom For Your Love. She also served as one of the original co-hosts of the CBS Daytime talk show The Talk. She is also known for her portrayal of Diana Ross in the 1992 miniseries The Jacksons: An American Dream, which also aired on ABC.

<i>Everybody Hates Chris</i> American television sitcom (2005–2009)

Everybody Hates Chris is an American semi-autobiographical sitcom created by Chris Rock and Ali LeRoi and originally broadcast on UPN and The CW from 2005 to 2009. The series is based loosely on Rock's personal experiences as a teenager living in Bedford–Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York City from 1982 to 1987. However, Rock's real-life adolescence took place from 1978 to 1984, having been born in 1965.

<i>All of Us</i> American television sitcom (2003–2007)

All of Us is an American sitcom that premiered on the UPN network in the United States on September 16, 2003, where it aired for its first three seasons. On October 1, 2006, the show moved to The CW, a new network formed by the merger of UPN and The WB, where it aired for one season, then was cancelled on May 15, 2007.

<i>Sex, Love & Secrets</i> American soap opera television series

Sex, Love & Secrets is an American soap opera, created by Michael Gans and Richard Register, which originally aired on United Paramount Network (UPN) from September 27, 2005, to October 18, 2005. With an ensemble cast led by Denise Richards, James Stevenson, Lauren German, Eric Balfour, Tamara Taylor, Lucas Bryant, and Omar Benson Miller, the series focuses on rich young adults living in Silver Lake, Los Angeles and their secrets involving sex and love. With the prominent use of voice-over narrations, the show took a documentary approach to framing the characters and their storylines. The series was developed as a vehicle and television debut for Richards, and had the working titles Wildlife and Sex, Lies, and Secrets. The episodes were filmed in Los Angeles.

<i>Head over Heels</i> (American TV series) 1997 American TV series

Head over Heels is an American television sitcom created by Jeff Franklin that aired on United Paramount Network (UPN) from August 26 to October 28, 1997. It is set in the eponymous video dating agency based in Miami Beach, Florida, run by brothers Jack and Warren Baldwin. The remainder of the cast consists of their employees, played by Eva LaRue, Patrick Bristow, and Cindy Ambuehl. Connie Stevens was initially cast as the Baldwins' mother, but never appeared in the show after the pilot was rewritten. Andrew Gottlieb was a co-producer, and Vince Cheung and Ben Montanio were consulting producers.

<i>The Burning Zone</i> American television show

The Burning Zone is an American science fiction drama television series created by Coleman Luck that originally aired for one season on United Paramount Network (UPN) from September 3, 1996 to May 20, 1997. The series follows a government task force assigned to investigate chemical and biological threats. Initially, the program focused on the virologist Edward Marcase and Dr. Kimberly Shiroma. In response to the show's low ratings, Marcase and Shiroma were removed in the middle of the season. Dr. Daniel Cassian became the lead character, and a new character, Dr. Brian Taft, joined the task force. The Burning Zone initially incorporated supernatural and religious elements, but shifted towards more action-oriented storylines.

<i>Abby</i> (TV series) American sitcom

Abby is an American sitcom created by Nat Bernstein and Mitchel Katlin that aired for one season on UPN from January 6, 2003, to March 4, 2003. The show revolves around television producer Abigail "Abby" Walker and her relationship with her ex-boyfriend Will Jeffries. After they break up in the pilot episode, they agree to live together as friends in their rent-controlled San Francisco apartment.

<i>The Big Bang Theory</i> season 2 Season of television series

The second season of the American sitcom The Big Bang Theory aired on CBS from September 22, 2008 to May 11, 2009. A DVD consisting of all 23 episodes of the season was released on September 15, 2009, and a Blu-ray version was reissued on July 10, 2012, with remastered surround sound audio, whereas the DVD version only had stereo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brandy filmography</span>

As an actress, Brandy Norwood has appeared in feature films and television shows. She made her television debut in 1993 in the ABC sitcom Thea, as the daughter of a single mother. Broadcast to low ratings, the series ran for only one season, but earned her a Young Artists Award nomination for Outstanding Youth Ensemble alongside her co-stars. In 1996, her short-lived engagement on Thea led Brandy to star in her own show, the UPN-produced sitcom Moesha, in which she played the title role of Moesha Mitchell, a Los Angeles girl coping with a stepmother as well as the pressures and demands of becoming an adult. The program debuted on UPN in January 1996, and soon became their most-watched show. The network decided to cancel the show after six seasons on the air, leaving it ending with a cliffhanger for a scrapped seventh season. Brandy was awarded an NAACP Image Award for her performance. In 1997, Brandy was hand-picked by producer Whitney Houston to play the title character in Rodgers and Hammerstein's television version of Cinderella featuring a multicultural cast that also included Jason Alexander, Whoopi Goldberg, and Houston. The two-hour Wonderful World of Disney special garnered an estimated 60 million viewers, giving the network its highest ratings in the time period in 16 years, and won an Emmy Award the following year.

<i>Shannen Says</i> 2012 American reality television series

Shannen Says is an eight-episode American reality television series broadcast on WE TV from April 10 to May 13, 2012. The show focuses on the preparations for the 2011 wedding of actress Shannen Doherty and photographer Kurt Iswarienko, with help from celebrity-wedding planner David Tutera. Doherty and Iswarienko developed the show as a way to document the stress on a couple while planning their wedding.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shannen Doherty filmography</span>

American actress Shannen Doherty has appeared in numerous television programs and motion pictures. After her television debut in Father Murphy in 1981, she landed her first major role in the dramatic western television series Little House on the Prairie (1982–1983), and reprised her role in its three television specials. Doherty received two Young Artist Award nominations for playing the oldest Witherspoon sibling Kris in the family drama Our House (1986–1988). She appeared in four films during the 1980s, including the positively-received, animated film The Secret of NIMH (1982) and the cult classic Heathers (1988). Her breakthrough role was as Brenda Walsh in the teen drama Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990–1994), but she was later dropped from the series because of backstage issues and her negative image as a "bad girl". She starred in television films in the early and mid-1990s, and played Rene Mosier in the romantic comedy Mallrats (1995) in an attempt to rebuild her career.

In 1995, Viacom and Chris-Craft Industries' United Television launched United Paramount Network (UPN) with Star Trek: Voyager as its flagship series, fulfilling Barry Diller's plan for a Paramount network from 25 years earlier. In 1999, Viacom bought out United Television's interests, and handed responsibility for the start-up network to the newly acquired CBS unit, which Viacom bought in 1999 – an ironic confluence of events as Paramount had once invested in CBS, and Viacom had once been the syndication arm of CBS as well. During this period the studio acquired some 30 television stations to support the UPN network as well acquiring and merging in the assets of Republic Pictures, Spelling Television and Viacom Television, almost doubling the size of the studio's television library.

United States of Al is an American television sitcom created by David Goetsch and Maria Ferrari. It stars Adhir Kalyan and Parker Young, with Elizabeth Alderfer, Kelli Goss, Dean Norris, and Farrah Mackenzie in supporting roles. The series follows Al (Kalyan), an interpreter from Afghanistan who moves to Columbus, Ohio, with his friend Riley (Young), a veteran of the United States Marine Corps. Executive produced by Chuck Lorre, it is produced and distributed by Warner Bros. Television.

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Ramlow, Todd R. (September 22, 2005). "Love Stinks". PopMatters . PopMatters Media, Inc. Archived from the original on July 11, 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Muir (2007): p. 86
  3. 1 2 Brownfield, Paul (September 22, 2005). "Don't make a date with 'Love, Inc.'". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on July 11, 2016.
  4. ↑ "About the Show". UPN. Archived from the original on September 9, 2006.
  5. 1 2 Jicha, Tom (September 22, 2005). "Not Much To Love In Upn Series". Sun-Sentinel . Tribune Publishing. Archived from the original on November 21, 2016.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Fries, Laura (September 18, 2005). "Review: 'Love, Inc.'". Variety . Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on July 22, 2016.
  7. ↑ Freed, David A. (September 12, 2005). "New kids in the box". Chicago Tribune . Tronc, Inc. Archived from the original on October 24, 2015.
  8. 1 2 Sullivan, Brian Ford (August 3, 2005). "The Futon's First Look: "Love, Inc." (UPN)". The Futon Critic. Archived from the original on November 21, 2016.
  9. ↑ Murphy, Jill. "Love Inc". Common Sense Media. Archived from the original on July 14, 2016.
  10. 1 2 3 Bianco, Robert (October 14, 2005). "Funny, there's nothing to 'Love'". USA Today . Gannett Company. Archived from the original on April 15, 2016.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 Heffernan, Virginia (September 22, 2005). "Matchmaker, Matchmaker". The New York Times . Archived from the original on May 29, 2015.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 "About This Show". The Futon Critic. Archived from the original on November 21, 2016.
  13. 1 2 3 "Vice Vieluf – Love Is All We Need". Starry Constellation Magazine. January 13, 2014. Archived from the original on July 22, 2016.
  14. 1 2 Gilbert, Matthew (September 22, 2005). "Not much to like on 'Love'". The Boston Globe . Boston Globe Media Partners, LLC. Archived from the original on July 22, 2016.
  15. 1 2 Ryan, Maureen (September 22, 2005). "'Everybody Hates Chris' is rock-solid fun". Chicago Tribune. Tronc, Inc. Archived from the original on July 22, 2016.
  16. 1 2 "Amen". The Futon Critic. Archived from the original on November 21, 2016.
  17. 1 2 "Hello, Larry". The Futon Critic. Archived from the original on November 21, 2016.
  18. 1 2 3 "Development Update: February 24". The Futon Critic. February 24, 2005. Archived from the original on November 21, 2016.
  19. 1 2 Gervich (2008)
  20. ↑ Gervich (2008): p. 121
  21. 1 2 Cericola, Rachel (September 3, 2005). "Fall TV: 4 Sitcoms for Fall". TV Fodder. Archived from the original on April 13, 2016.
  22. ↑ "Development Update: April 12". The Futon Critic. April 12, 2005. Archived from the original on November 21, 2016.
  23. ↑ "Ion Overman – Where Is The Love". Starry Constellation Magazine. January 13, 2014. Archived from the original on July 22, 2016.
  24. ↑ "Development Update: April 18". The Futon Critic. April 18, 2005. Archived from the original on November 21, 2016.
  25. ↑ Terrace (2008): p. 628
  26. 1 2 Labrecque, Jeff (August 18, 2006). "Shannen Doherty is an expert on leaving". Entertainment Weekly . Time Inc. Archived from the original on July 11, 2016.
  27. ↑ Haffenreffer, David (May 19, 2005). "TV Stars' Salaries Exposed; Interview With Donald Trump". Showbiz Tonight . CNN. Archived from the original on July 22, 2016.
  28. 1 2 "Fox, UPN bringing new series to fall schedule". The Augusta Chronicle . Morris Communications. May 20, 2005. Archived from the original on July 22, 2016.
  29. ↑ "Shannen Doherty". NNDB . Soylent Communications. Archived from the original on July 11, 2016.
  30. ↑ Silverman, Stephen M.; Jessen, Monique (May 26, 2005). "Naked Paris Hilton Goes for Only $46,000". People . Time Inc. Archived from the original on September 30, 2015.
  31. ↑ Porter, Rick (July 24, 2005). "'Love, Inc.' crew sticks up for booted Doherty". Zap2it. Archived from the original on November 9, 2016.
  32. ↑ "Busy Philipps Joins the Cast of UPN's New Comedy "Love, InC."". The Futon Critic. Archived from the original on November 21, 2016.
  33. ↑ Philipps (2018): p. 220
  34. ↑ Pace, Gina (November 8, 2005). "'Desperate Housewives' Actor Fired". CBS News . CBS Broadcasting inc. Archived from the original on July 22, 2016.
  35. ↑ Stewart, Larry (November 3, 2005). "Kissing Is Part of Job When Fox Is in 'Love". Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on December 3, 2015.
  36. ↑ Truong, Peggy (April 10, 2018). "A Definitive List of Every TV Show and Movie Meghan Markle Has Been In". Cosmopolitan . Retrieved September 26, 2018.
  37. ↑ Good, Tim (May 3, 2006). "As if TV weren't white enough ... when the WB, UPN go off the air, guess who loses out?". San Francisco Chronicle . Hearst Corporation. Archived from the original on March 10, 2016.
  38. ↑ midnight (August 6, 2005). "NBC, UPN & The WB Fall 2005 Primetime Network Programs". Backstage . Backstage, LLC. Archived from the original on November 21, 2016.
  39. ↑ "Pilot". The Futon Critic. Archived from the original on November 21, 2016.
  40. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 "Episode List: Love, Inc". TV Tango. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
  41. ↑ "Living Single". The Futon Critic. Archived from the original on November 21, 2016.
  42. ↑ "Mad About You". The Futon Critic. Archived from the original on November 21, 2016.
  43. ↑ "Bosom Buddies". The Futon Critic. Archived from the original on November 21, 2016.
  44. ↑ "With UPN's Entire Thursday on the Rise, "Everybody Hates Chris" Climbs to Best Performance Since Premiere Across the Board". The Futon Critic. October 14, 2005. Archived from the original on November 21, 2016.
  45. ↑ "Family Ties". The Futon Critic. Archived from the original on November 21, 2016.
  46. 1 2 "UPN's Thursday Line-Up Scores with "Everybody Hates Chris"". The Futon Critic. Archived from the original on November 21, 2016.
  47. ↑ "Hope & Faith". The Futon Critic. Archived from the original on November 21, 2016.
  48. ↑ "Thick & Thin". The Futon Critic. Archived from the original on November 21, 2016.
  49. ↑ "One on One". The Futon Critic. Archived from the original on November 21, 2016.
  50. ↑ "Led by "Everybody Hates Chris," UPN's Thursday Comes on Strong in November Sweep". The Futon Critic. November 18, 2005. Archived from the original on November 21, 2016.
  51. ↑ "The Honeymooners". The Futon Critic. Archived from the original on November 21, 2016.
  52. ↑ "Three's Company". The Futon Critic. Archived from the original on November 21, 2016.
  53. ↑ "Listings". The Futon Critic. Archived from the original on November 21, 2016.
  54. ↑ "Grace Under Fire". The Futon Critic. Archived from the original on November 21, 2016.
  55. ↑ "Major Dad". The Futon Critic. Archived from the original on November 21, 2016.
  56. ↑ "Curb Your Enthusiasm". The Futon Critic. Archived from the original on November 21, 2016.
  57. ↑ "Anything But Love". The Futon Critic. Archived from the original on November 21, 2016.
  58. ↑ "Cursed". The Futon Critic. Archived from the original on November 21, 2016.
  59. ↑ "Fired Up". The Futon Critic. Archived from the original on November 21, 2016.
  60. ↑ "Full House". The Futon Critic. Archived from the original on November 21, 2016.
  61. ↑ "Dream On". The Futon Critic. Archived from the original on November 21, 2016.
  62. ↑ "Friends". The Futon Critic. Archived from the original on November 21, 2016.
  63. 1 2 Cericola, Rachel (November 7, 2005). "UPN Shows Love to "Love, Inc."". TV Fodder. Archived from the original on April 9, 2016.
  64. 1 2 "Pick of the Day: Love, Inc. LivingTV, 7:30pm". Daily Record . Trinity Mirror. April 8, 2006. Archived from the original on July 22, 2016.
  65. ↑ "TV Guide" (PDF). Helsinki Times . Helsinki Times Ltd. August 29, 2008. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
  66. ↑ "TV Guide" (PDF). Helsinki Times . Helsinki Times Ltd. September 12, 2008. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
  67. 1 2 3 Bonné, Jon; Cooper, Gael Fashingbauer (January 25, 2006). "FAs two networks pair up, it's time to get real". Today . NBC News. Archived from the original on July 22, 2016.
  68. ↑ Jicha, Tom (May 20, 2005). "Upn Wrestles With Schedule". Sun-Sentinel . Tribune Publishing. Archived from the original on November 21, 2016.
  69. 1 2 Sullivan, Brian Ford. "UPN to Keep the 'Love' Going for the Full Season". The Futon Critic. Archived from the original on November 21, 2016.
  70. ↑ Aurthur, Kate (September 24, 2005). "Arts, Briefly; Viewers Love 'Chris'". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 22, 2016.
  71. ↑ "Series". The Hollywood Reporter . Prometheus Global Media. May 26, 2006. Archived from the original on July 22, 2010.
  72. ↑ Servaes (2013): p. 347
  73. ↑ "UPN's Strategy of Targeting Young Women Pays Off! "Top Model" and "Chris" Premieres Lead UPN to Its Best Week Ever as a Five Night Network Among Women 18–34". The Futon Critic. Archived from the original on November 21, 2016.
  74. ↑ McCann (2009): p. 291
  75. ↑ Gillespie, Fern (October 2006). "Major Networks Black Out African American Comedies". The Crisis . NAACP. Archived from the original on July 22, 2016.
  76. ↑ Warner (2015): p. 98
  77. ↑ "Love, Inc. (2005)". TVShowsOnDVD.com . TV Guide Online. Archived from the original on July 22, 2016.
  78. ↑ Hughes, Zondrat (October 2005). "Prime-Time 2005: More Stars, More Soul, More Sensation". Ebony . Ebony Media Corporation. Archived from the original on July 22, 2016.
  79. 1 2 "Love, Inc. : Season 1". Metacritic. Archived from the original on July 22, 2016.
  80. ↑ "Randy Jackson, Aisha Tyler, Kimberly Elise, James Pickens JR., and Kevin Frazier Join New Naacp President and Ceo Bruce S. Gordon to Announce the "37th Naacp Image Awards" Nominations". The Futon Critic. January 10, 2006. Archived from the original on July 7, 2013.
  81. ↑ "Winners of the 37th annual NAACP Image Awards". Hürriyet Daily News . Doğan Media Group. February 27, 2006. Archived from the original on July 22, 2016.
  82. ↑ Philipps (2018): p. 226
  83. ↑ Owen, Rob (September 22, 2005). "On the Tube: HBO serves up Sunday Night comedy with 'Extras,' "Curb'". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . Block Communications. Archived from the original on November 21, 2016.

Book sources

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.