What's Happening Now!!
{{short description|American sitcom (1985-88)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox television
| image = whatshappeningnow.jpg
| caption = Opening titles from 1985
| genre = Sitcom
| creator = Eric Monte
| based_on =
| starring = {{Plainlist|
- Ernest Thomas
- Anne-Marie Johnson
- Haywood Nelson
- Fred Berry
- Shirley Hemphill
- Martin Lawrence
- Ken Sagoes
- Danielle Spencer
}}
| composer = Henry Mancini
Bruce Miller
| country = United States
| language = English
| num_seasons = 3
| num_episodes = 66
| list_episodes = List of What's Happening Now!! episodes
| executive_producer = Michael S. Baser
Mike Milligan
Kim Weiskopf
| producer = Larry Balmagia
Bob Peete
Michael S. Baser
Kim Weiskopf
| director = Gary Brown
Tony Singletary
Gary Shimokawa
Tony Csiki
Joey Rosenzweig
Robert M. Priest
M. Neema Barnette
Arlando Smith
Phil Olsman
Art Washington
Judy Elterman
Mike Milligan
Ginger Grigg
Pat Fischer-Doak
Gail L. Bergmann
| writer = Eric Monte
David Silverman
Stephen Sustaric
Michael S. Baser
Kim Weiskopf
| company = {{Plainlist|
- LBS Communications
- Columbia Pictures Television
- Coca-Cola Telecommunications (1987)
(seasons 2–3)
}}
| runtime = 22 minutes
| channel = First-run syndication
| first_aired = {{Start date|1985|09|07}}
| last_aired = {{End date|1988|03|26}}
| related = {{Plainlist|
}}
}}
What's Happening Now!! is an American sitcom sequel to the original ABC 1976–1979 sitcom What's Happening!! focusing on its main characters as independent people. It aired in first-run broadcast syndication from September 7, 1985 until March 26, 1988.
Premise
In the series, Roger "Raj" Thomas (Ernest Thomas) has graduated from the University of Southern California, and become a fledgling writer. He and his new wife Nadine (Anne-Marie Johnson), a social worker, move in to his old home in Watts (given to him by his mother, Mabel Thomas (Mabel King), now remarried and living in Phoenix, Arizona). His sister, Dee (Danielle Spencer), is away at college. Childhood friend, Dwayne Nelson (Haywood Nelson), has become a computer programmer, while Freddie "Rerun" Stubbs (Fred Berry) is now a used-car salesman. The old soda shop hangout, Rob's Place, has gone out of business and has been left abandoned. Reminded of his youth, and seeing an opportunity, Raj and Shirley Wilson (Shirley Hemphill), who used to wait tables there, decide to buy the business together, renaming it "Rob's."
Episodes
{{Main|List of What's Happening Now!! episodes}}
{{:List of What's Happening Now!! episodes}}
Cast
- Ernest Thomas as Roger "Raj" Thomas
- Anne-Marie Johnson as Nadine Hudson-Thomas
- Haywood Nelson as Dwayne Nelson
- Fred Berry as Fred "Rerun" Stubbs (season 1)
- Shirley Hemphill as Shirley Wilson
- Reina King as Carolyn Williams (season 1)
- Martin Lawrence as Maurice Warfield (season 3)
- Ken Sagoes as Darryl (season 3)
- Danielle Spencer as Dee Thomas (recurring){{cite web | title='What's Happening!!' co-star Danielle Spencer is ailing | work=Pix11 | date=October 12, 2018 | url=https://pix11.com/2018/10/12/whats-happening-co-star-danielle-spencer-is-ailing/ | access-date=June 23, 2019}}
=Recurring guests=
- Meshach Taylor as Buddy Carlton (2 episodes, seasons 1–2)
=Cast change=
After the first successful season, as he had done during the original What's Happening series, Fred Berry attempted to negotiate a salary increase based on what he perceived as the popularity of the "Rerun" character. In response, producers fired Berry from the series.{{cite web|url=http://www.tvparty.com/recwhats3.html|title=What's Happening!!: Up From the Ashes|website=TVparty.com|access-date=June 9, 2010}}
Home media
On June 12, 2007, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment released the first season of What's Happening Now!! on DVD in Region 1.
| class="wikitable" |
| DVD Name
!Ep # !Release Date |
|---|
| The Complete First Season
| align="center"|22 | June 12, 2007 |
References
External links
- {{IMDb title|id=0088640|title=What's Happening Now!!}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:What's Happening Now}}
Category:1985 American television series debuts
Category:1988 American television series endings
Category:1980s American black sitcoms
Category:American English-language television shows
Category:First-run syndicated sitcoms
Category:American sequel television series
Category:Television series about marriage