Five Black 90's Sitcoms You Probably Forgot About

 

With so much content out there, some show's and movie's slip through the cracks of time and minds. For a variety of reasons, from show's not being given a chance to not being accessible anywhere in this digital age. Or honestly they weren't good enough to deserve to be remembered. With that in mind, I decided to focus on 5 sitcom's from the 90's with Black leads that no one remembers. 

Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer

A product of it's time, I remember the promo's for the show and some of the controversy surrounding it. Although I was too young to know why there was outrage, but not fully understand it. I just know I never watched the show when it aired for it's very short life. Chi McBride starred as Desmond Pfeiffer, a U.K. transplant who serves as Abraham Lincoln's butler in the white house during the civil war era. The show only lasted 4 episodes before being cancelled and quickly disappearing from the minds of many.

Goode Behavior

During UPN's early years they did what any upstart would do, throw things at the wall and see's what stick. That's exactly what Goode Behavior likely was, starting Sherman Helmsley and Dorien Wilson. Helmsley played a recently paroled con artist who moves in with his son and his family, Dorein plays his son a college professor who is on the path to being promoted to Dean. I honestly don't remember this show, so I can't say whether it was funny or not. It only lasted one season so I'm going to guess no.

The Preston Episodes

After leaving In Living Color with the Wayans Family, David Allen Grier decided to branch out into the sitcom world on his own.  His first shot was htis 1995 Fox network sitcom, The Preston Episodes a English college professor who moves to Manhattan after a divorce. He take's a job as a caption writer for a gossip magazine and experiences a bit of a culture clash with his coworkers. The show flew under the radar as I don't remember it one bit, and it only lasted 8 episodes with two unaired episodes in the can. Which means it probably did not showcase Grier's talent that well.

Damon

Before creating and starring in the classic 2000's sitcom My Wife and Kid's, and now starring alongside his son Damon Jr. in the CBS sitcom Poppa's House. Damon Wayans first foray as a sitcom lead was this 1998 Fox network sitcom. Wayan's starred as a Chicago undercover cop alongside his brother Bernard played by David Allen Grier who is a rent-a-cop who want's to join the force. The sitcom featured Damon navigating his home and work life. It only lasted 13 episodes which is surprising considering the comedic geniuses involved in the show.

Arsenio

After his stint as the host of the Arsenio Hall Show, Arsenio kind of disappeared from the limelight for a few years. He returned to TV in 1997 in his own ABC sitcom alongside Vivica A. Fox as his wife. The sitcom followed Arsenio as a local Atlanta sports newscaster named Michael Atwood (why he wasn't named Arsenio is very asinine). The sitcom is a traditional concept following his home and work life and how to navigate both. To be honest outside of his legendary late-night show, I've never found him to be actually funny. So I'm not shocked his sitcom was cancelled after 7 episodes never to be seen again.