In season 9, she and Jason remarry. Though he was only supposed to be on the show for one episode, he eventually became a recurring character. During her time onThe Game,Daniel was diagnosed with stage IV non-Hodgkins lymphoma and underwent chemotherapy in 2011. [20] Heffernan called the character a "kind of Cosby Show figure" due to her initial reluctance to join the Sabre Sunbeams. Go deep inside the world of a Division One college football program and follow the players and coaches as their . [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. [17] Brock Akil originally conceived the show and the characters of Melanie and Derwin to give viewers access to the world of professional football, a sport she and her husband appreciate. 'The Game' season 9 premiered on June 3, 2015, and concluded on August 5, 2015, after airing 10 episodes. In the locker room they engage in a small altercation. Reaction to Melanie was primarily negative; critics expressed disapproval of her decision to support her boyfriend instead of enrolling in medical school. 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. He is mad that she aborted a child even if not his. 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. [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. 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. A reboot is now airing on Paramount+ featuring some of the OG stars. Wendy Raquel Robinson, who plays Hoseas on-screen mother Tasha Mack, has also reprised her role on the reboot of The Game. At the end of the episode, however, he surprises her at the airport, telling her that he is flying there, with her. The Game stars Tia Mowry as Joan's cousin, Melanie Barnett. Meanwhile, she tries to keep Melanie from ruining her marriage to Derwin, as she advised Melanie to let her doubts about DJ go, continue living the happy life and not to answer the phone getting the test results of which Melanie ignored. In the middle of Season 3, Derwin is seeing Janay and Melanie begins dating Jerome Rice. After a few "hookups" Derwin starts dating Janay. In season 6, Derwin is traded to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for Bryce Westbrook. Former President of the Sunbeams, Kelly Pitts, portrayed by Brittany Daniel, appeared in all seasons ofThe Gameexcept for the fifth and sixth. She also starred as Naomi Xplicit Lyrics on ABCs show Queens, but it was cancelled after just one season. Though their relations are rocky, Melanie, Kelly, and Tasha still maintain a close bond. Melanie also becomes friends with her former rival, Dionne, who was once Derwin's image consultant and Melanie's eventual roommate. However, later on Melanie tells Derwin that it is not the right time. ", after Kwan is injured, Malik steps in to replace him and leads the Sabers on a historical comeback win. 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. I mean nothing could touch meI got touched." [45], Mowry's performance received positive feedback from critics. [20] Melanie, and the rest of main cast of The Game, were first introduced in the Girlfriends episode "The Game". [26] In a negative review, USA Today's Robert Bianco was uncertain of Mowry's capabilities as a comedic actress, saying she frequently relied on child acting techniques that were inappropriate for an adult character. Two years later in Season 4, Melanie has decided to put her residency on hold and is focusing more on being the wife of a now famous and wealthy athlete Derwin and a stepmother to his son Derwin Junior (DJ), as the couple has now moved into a brand-new mansion and has even done a photo shoot for Essence magazine. Her acting appearances afterThe Gameended include comedyJoe Dirt 2: Beautiful Loserand award-winning sitcom,Blackish. How many children does Pooch Hall have? ITV Hub - the new home of ITV Player, ITV on demand and live TV. Jerome and Derwin fight and Melanie confesses to Jerome that she loves Derwin. Outside of acting, Mowry-Hardict and Cory Hardict have been married for over ten years and parent two children. 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. The next day, Derwin goes to Melanie's job at the diner to bring her mail and apologizes to her for the intense moment they shared and hopes to at least be friends and Melanie accepts and with some words of encouragement, she convinces and takes Derwin to go to the Sabers Victory Parade.After hearing that Melanie went toL.A.with her boyfriend, Jerome, an intoxicated Derwin goes with Malik to L.A. to seek out Melanie to profess his love for her. Since the sitcom ended, Bell has landed roles in several television series, includingMad Dogs(2016),The Quad(2017),SEAL Team(2019), and currently stars in superhero series,The Giftedas Jace Turner. Introduced in a backdoor pilot on the sitcom Girlfriends as Joan Clayton's cousin, Melanie chooses to support her boyfriend Derwin Davis' career with the San Diego Sabres, a fictional National Football League (NFL) team, rather than attend medical school at Johns Hopkins University. Find contact's direct phone number, email address, work history, and more. 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. She contrasted Melanie to white characters on television, writing that "white women seem to achieve it all and control their realities on their own terms."[13]. Entertainment Basketball League celebrity team. She identified closely with the part, observing parallels between Melanie's relationship with Derwin and her own marriage to actor Cory Hardrict. After Melanie gives DJ a DNA test behind Derwin's back, it causes a rift between Janay, Derwin and Melanie. Tasha eventually reneges on their arrangement to be with Pookie. Back in 2006, The Game was one of the first TV shows that debuted with the newly-merged The CW network. Malik comes in to fill in for Kwan and the dream team of Malik + Derwin is back together and they lead a comeback victory. During the shows original run, she had to go on hiatus to battle Stage IV Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma after being diagnosed in 2011. Get a sneak peek of the new version of this page. In the premiere episode of Season 5, Melanie admits that she had an abortion. The therapist also forces him to stand up to his mother and "grow up". During its eight-year run, Girlfriends was one of the highest-rated scripted shows . After Pookie breaks up with her, she gets back together with Rick. The actress began dating rapper Nipsey Hussle in 2013 until his untimely death in 2019. He winds up in a rivalry with rapper Franko (Rico Ball) after the latter discovers that he has been sexting Tori, and ultimately winds up being brutally beaten and injured by Franko and a group of men who presumably had their women stolen by Malik. The Game Lynn Ann Searcy / Lynn Searcy (172 episodes, 2000-2020) Reginald C. Hayes. His character was . https://t.co/V0fiLjNE7R. I know we talk a lot about how cheap Julius on Everybody Hates Chris was but Jason Pitts on The Game doesn't get enough credit for being a cheapskate. 2. She has a strained relationship with her stepson, as she views him as a reminder of Derwin's past infidelity. video. . [12] She considers returning to her hometown rather than continue "life as a football girlfriend". Derwin ( When The Game series premiered, Season 1 Episode 1 starred Brittany Daniels as Kelly Pitts, and Pooch Hall as Derwin Davis. He has never had a chance to express himself due to Tasha's domineering behavior and their codependency on one another. Jason leads a seminar for Sabers rookies, Derwin tries to land his first endorsement deal, and Melanie quits the Sunbeams. 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. In the season 3 finale, Rick comes back for Tasha and the fate of their relationship is unknown. [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. Details April 17, 2006 (United States) United States English Filming locations Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA Production companies Happy Camper Productions Grammnet Productions As of 2021, Pooch Hall's is not dating anyone. [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. BET picked up the sitcom, and the Season 4 premiere became the most-watched premiere in cable television history. Melanie Barnett; First appearance: The Game (Backdoor Pilot) ("Girlfriends" - episode 6.18) Last appearance: The Game (The Wedding Episode) (The Game - episode 3.22) Portrayed by: Tia Mowry: Episode count: 64: 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, Jason and Tee Tee and getting drunk. 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. The show was so successful that it is now being rebooted on Paramount+. The pair join Wendy Raquel Robinson and Hosea Chanchez, who are also reprising their . [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. What have the main cast members been up to since the show ended in 2015? Tasha comforts him, reassuring him he'll be alright because they're similar because when things get tough they don't give up. 1. View Derwin Davis's business profile as Workforce Resources, Southern Region Senior Recruiter at Union Pacific. In the season finale, Tasha gives birth to her daughter, Kai. Derwin hurts his knee in a Sabers' playoff game and can not play in the Super Bowl, so he decides not to go to Miami with the team. Derwin meets singerDrew Sidoraat 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. 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. Derwin made a return for the 100th episode and later the series finale as well. In the third season, he finally meets his father and his half sister, Pucci, whom he tries to help with her singing career. pic.twitter.com/otfLPDiXNX. OG stars, including Hosea Chanchez and Pooch Hall, have already celebrated the news on their respective social media accounts. Twins Tia and Tamera Mowry, as well as their younger brother Tahj, have grown up in the public eye. "[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. She appeared in several television shows including,The Mayor(2017), Netflix originalDear White People(2018), Disney ChannelsRavens Home(2018), and currently stars inGrand Hotelas Mrs. P. For the past 23 years, Robinson has helped thousands of young people, including singer Elle Varner, with the Amazing Grace Conservatory. Melanie's boyfriend, Derwin, is the new third-string wide . In 2017, she married Adam Touni. In season 2, Derwin starts becoming more of a playboy jock rather than his humble church ways. malik wright. 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. In season 2, after an embarrassing scandal where he punches a public figure who uses a wheelchair, he fires Tasha as his manager. 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. Pooch Hall played rookie Derwin Ding Dong Davis in the original series. As a History major, she enjoys learning about the historical development of Hollywood and celebrity culture. Additionally, Ellis landed a leading role in the upcoming Hulu original series,Mrs. America. Kelly responds by punching Tasha in the face. She famously dated actor Keenen Ivory Wayans in 2007, but the relationship ended after seven years, and Daniel married Adam Touni in 2017. Continue reading to see what Tia and the rest of the stars of The Game have done since the show originally ended in 2015. Dr. Melanie Barnett Davis; First appearance: The Game (Backdoor Pilot) ("Girlfriends" - episode 6.18) Last appearance: Pow Pow Pow (The Game) Portrayed by: Tia Mowry: Information; Nickname(s) "Mel" by Derwin Davis, "Med . See also Release Dates | Official Sites | Company Credits | Filming & Production | Technical Specs 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. 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.). In 2006, Tia began starring on The Game, which proved to be a big success. When Malik finally meets his father it is revealed that he has a younger sister, Pucci, played by Lisa Tucker. Malik finds out and disapproves, and due to Tasha's temper, Tasha and Kenny soon break up. He also is getting used to his role as the backup quarterback. 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. [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. Melanie and Derwin get back together and Derwin proposes again, and Melanie accepts, and decides she wants to marry Derwin before the baby arrives. See reviews & details on a wide selection of Blu-ray & DVDs, both new & used. He currently plays Larry James on the CW series Walker, alongside Gilmore Girls Jared Padalecki and Pretty Little Liars Keegan Allen. What happened to Derwin's friendship with Malik? After Melanie and Derwin break up again, Derwin decides to get back together with Janay since he is the father of her baby. Melanie and Derwin go see a fertility doctor about why they're having problems conceiving, and Melanie is asked if she has ever had an abortion. Looking for Pooch Hall online? Additionally, the actress made a guest appearance onThe Gamefor the final season and landed in her own cooking show,Tia Mowry at Home. [23] The CW Television Network did not provide a reason for the casting change. [6], The couple end their engagement after Melanie discovers that Derwin had sex with a singer. Playing a version of herself on the show, Sidora's character caused the main couple Melanie and Derwin to break up during the show's first season. Yall remember that scene from The Game when Derwin was on the couch dreaming about Melanie after their break up with the John Mayer song playing in the back? Even though Melanie and Derwin have relationships with other people, they still have feelings for each other. She and Jason share a kiss, which then brings back old feelings for Jason. [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.