Roc (TV series)

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Roc
Roc Ella Joyce Charles S Dutton.jpg
Genre
Created by Stan Daniels
Directed by
Starring
Theme music composer
Opening theme
ComposerFred Thaler
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons3
No. of episodes72 (1 unaired) (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
  • Jeff Abugov
  • Charles S. Dutton
  • Joe Fisch
  • Vic Kaplan
  • Ehrich Van Lowe
Camera setup Multi-camera
Running time22–24 minutes
Production company HBO Independent Productions
Original release
Network Fox
ReleaseAugust 25, 1991 (1991-08-25) –
May 10, 1994 (1994-05-10)

Roc is an American television sitcom created by Stan Daniels that aired on Fox from August 25, 1991, to May 10, 1994. The series stars Charles S. Dutton as Baltimore garbage collector Roc Emerson and Ella Joyce as his wife Eleanor, a nurse.

Contents

Live performances

The four principal cast members were all accomplished stage actors, and had become acquainted with each other while appearing in various August Wilson plays on Broadway. [1] After a successful live episode (guest-starring Dutton's then-wife Debbi Morgan) was broadcast in February 1992, the producers and the Fox network agreed to air each episode of the second season as a live performance. A Fox executive reportedly said that Roc "didn't feel live" to audiences because "those actors were so good, they never made a mistake." [2]

Cast

Main cast

Recurring cast

Guests

Episodes

SeasonEpisodesOriginally released
First releasedLast released
1 25August 25, 1991 (1991-08-25)April 26, 1992 (1992-04-26) [3]
2 25August 24, 1992 (1992-08-24)May 9, 1993 (1993-05-09)
3 22August 31, 1993 (1993-08-31)May 10, 1994 (1994-05-10)

Reception and cancellation

Never a rating hit, Fox elected to cancel the show after three seasons, much to the anger of Dutton, who said that the cancellation "is very good proof that what little quality there is in television is reserved solely for white people." [4] Fox had tried to move the show to Tuesday to package it with Martin to drive ratings, and Fox Entertainment president Sandy Grushow had stated his appreciation of the show while also saying it had run its course in trying to find an audience while Dutton contended the network had long before given up on trying to promote the show, particularly when he ran into conflict with the writers (who were mostly white). [5]

Nielsen ratings

References

  1. ↑ "Charles Dutton and Ella Joyce Bring Zest to TV's 'Roc'", JET , Oct. 7, 1991, at pp. 59–61.
  2. ↑ "Why NBC Is Airing a Live Sitcom Next Season" . Retrieved May 9, 2015.
  3. ↑ Zurawik, David (October 28, 1994). "Too stark for network TV, BET airs 'lost' 'Roc' show". The Baltimore Sun . Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  4. ↑ "'Roc' axed star fumes". May 19, 1994.
  5. ↑ "'Roc' Star Blames Fox for Failure to Promote the Show". June 12, 1994.
  6. ↑ "1991–1992 Television Season Top Rated Shows". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 31, 2006. Retrieved November 16, 2006.
  7. ↑ "1992–1993 Television Season Top Rated Shows". Archived from the original on October 31, 2006. Retrieved November 16, 2006.
  8. ↑ "1993–1994 Television Season Top Rated Shows". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 31, 2006. Retrieved November 16, 2006.
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