Sparks (TV series)

American sitcom (1996–1998)

For other uses, see Sparks.

Sparks

Genre| Sitcom
Created by| Ed. Weinberger
Directed by| Wendy Charles Acey
Mark Corry
Stan Daniels
Kim Friedman
Leonard R. Garner Jr.
Bob Moloney
Ed. Weinberger
Starring| James Avery
Miguel A. Nunez Jr.
Terrence DaShown Howard
Kym E. Whitley
Arif S. Kinchen
Robin Givens
Theme music composer| Billy Preston
Composer| Billy Preston
Country of origin| United States
Original language| English
No. of seasons| 2
No. of episodes| 40
Production
Executive producers| Rob Dames
Bob Moloney
Lenny Ripps
Ed. Weinberger
Producers| Greg Giangregorio
Bruce Bayley Johnson
Miguel A. Núñez Jr.
Alison Taylor
Running time| 22–24 minutes
Production companies| The Weinberger Company
MTM Enterprises
20th Century Fox Television
Original release
Network| UPN
Release| August 26, 1996 (1996-08-26) –
March 2, 1998 (1998-03-02)
Related
Good News

Sparks is an American sitcom television series that aired on UPN from August 26, 1996, to March 2, 1998. The series stars James Avery, Robin Givens, Terrence Howard, Miguel A. Núñez Jr., Kym Whitley and Arif S. Kinchen. The sitcom is set in Los Angeles, California, and is about the everyday lives of a family of lawyers running a family-owned law practice. Reruns of the show aired on BET in the late 1990s.

## Content

[edit]

The show stars James Avery as Alonzo Sparks, a lawyer running a family law firm with his sons Maxey (Miguel A. Núñez Jr.) and Greg (Terrence Howard) in inner-city Los Angeles, California.[1][2]

## Cast

[edit]

### Main

[edit]

* James Avery as Alonzo Sparks
* Miguel A. Nunez Jr. as Maxey Sparks, Alonzo's first son
* Terrence DaShown Howard as Greg Sparks, Alonzo's second son
* Kym E. Whitley as Darice Mayberry
* Arif S. Kinchen as LaMarr Hicks
* Robin Givens as Wilma Cuthbert

### Recurring

[edit]

* Wanda-Lee Evans as Judge
* Phill Lewis as Detective Floyd Pitts
* Hawthorne James as Claude
* Rod McCary as Attorney Mason
* Michael Warren as Desmond

### Special guest appearances

[edit]

* Vanessa Bell Calloway as Monique
* Nell Carter as Barbara Rogers
* Terry Ellis as Deidre
* Pam Grier as Ms. Grayson
* Billy Preston as Himself
* Anna Maria Horsford as Wilma's Aunt
* Kenya Moore as Ms. Collins
* Ron O'Neal as Arthur Fairchild
* Jason Kidd as Himself

## Episodes

[edit]

### Series overview

[edit]

Season| Episodes| Originally released

|
|

First released| Last released
1| 22| August 26, 1996 (1996-08-26)| May 19, 1997 (1997-05-19)
2| 18| August 25, 1997 (1997-08-25)| March 2, 1998 (1998-03-02)

### Season 1 (1996–97)

[edit]

No.
overall| No. in
season| Title| Directed by| Written by| Original release date|  Viewers
(millions)

|
|
|
|
|
|

1| 1| "Pilot"| Ed. Weinberger| Ed. Weinberger| August 26, 1996 (1996-08-26)| 5.2[3]
2| 2| "Palimony Suit"| Unknown| Unknown| September 2, 1996 (1996-09-02)| 3.3[4]
3| 3| "How Papa Got His Groove Back"| Unknown| Unknown| September 9, 1996 (1996-09-09)| 3.0[5]
4| 4| "A Day in the Life"| Unknown| Unknown| September 16, 1996 (1996-09-16)| 3.6[6]
5| 5| "Sid, Lies and Videotape"| Unknown| Unknown| September 23, 1996 (1996-09-23)| 3.3[7]
6| 6| "Penal Envy"| Unknown| Unknown| September 30, 1996 (1996-09-30)| 3.2[8]
7| 7| "No Sweat"| Unknown| Unknown| October 14, 1996 (1996-10-14)| 4.3[9]
8| 8| "Pillow Talk"| Unknown| Unknown| November 4, 1996 (1996-11-04)| 4.3[10]
9| 9| "One on One"| Unknown| Unknown| November 5, 1996 (1996-11-05)| 4.3[10]
10| 10| "Goode for the Gander"| Unknown| Unknown| November 11, 1996 (1996-11-11)| 3.1[11]
11| 11| "Porky's Revenge"| Bob Moloney| Ed. Weinberger| November 18, 1996 (1996-11-18)| 3.1[12]
12| 12| "Maxey Gets the Bird"| Unknown| Unknown| November 25, 1996 (1996-11-25)| 2.9[13]
13| 13| "It's the Gospel"| Unknown| Unknown| January 13, 1997 (1997-01-13)| 4.21[14]
14| 14| "I, Spy"| Unknown| Unknown| January 20, 1997 (1997-01-20)| 4.25[15]
15| 15| "Won't You Be My Neighbor"| Unknown| Unknown| February 3, 1997 (1997-02-03)| 3.93[16]
16| 16| "Love Conquers All"| Unknown| Unknown| February 10, 1997 (1997-02-10)| 4.45[17]
17| 17| "Self Defense"| Unknown| Unknown| February 17, 1997 (1997-02-17)| 4.39[18]
18| 18| "Hoop Schemes"| Unknown| Unknown| February 24, 1997 (1997-02-24)| 4.63[19]
19| 19| "The Great Indoors"| Unknown| Unknown| April 28, 1997 (1997-04-28)| 4.02[20]
20| 20| "Love in a Cup"| Bob Moloney| Mark E. Corry| May 5, 1997 (1997-05-05)| 3.86[21]
21| 21| "Too Hot Not to Cool Down"| Unknown| Unknown| May 12, 1997 (1997-05-12)| 3.65[22]
22| 22| "A Day in the Life II"| Unknown| Unknown| May 19, 1997 (1997-05-19)| 3.68[23]

### Season 2 (1997–98)

[edit]

No.
overall| No. in
season| Title| Directed by| Written by| Original release date|  Viewers
(millions)

|
|
|
|
|
|

23| 1| "To the Maxey"| Unknown| Unknown| August 25, 1997 (1997-08-25)| 4.27[24]
24| 2| "Maxey Loses His Spark"| Unknown| Unknown| September 1, 1997 (1997-09-01)| 3.63[25]
25| 3| "Rehearsal of Fortune"| Unknown| Unknown| September 8, 1997 (1997-09-08)| 3.78[26]
26| 4| "Dog Gone"| Unknown| Unknown| September 15, 1997 (1997-09-15)| 3.63[27]
27| 5| "When a Man is a Woman"| Stan Daniels| Lenny Ripps & Rob Dames| September 22, 1997 (1997-09-22)| 3.63[28]
28| 6| "Defending Claude"| Unknown| Unknown| September 29, 1997 (1997-09-29)| 4.36[29]
29| 7| "Don't Get Hooked on Me"| Kim Freidman| Allison Taylor| October 13, 1997 (1997-10-13)| 4.67[30]
30| 8| "Bad Reception"| Unknown| Unknown| October 27, 1997 (1997-10-27)| 4.58[31]
31| 9| "A Bride for Alonzo"| Unknown| Unknown| November 3, 1997 (1997-11-03)| 3.91[32]
32| 10| "Brotherly Love"| Unknown| Unknown| November 10, 1997 (1997-11-10)| 4.35[33]
33| 11| "Roots III"| Bob Moloney| Ron Nelson & Mark Steen| November 17, 1997 (1997-11-17)| 4.83[34]
34| 12| "It's Good to Be Negative"| Unknown| Unknown| November 24, 1997 (1997-11-24)| 4.21[35]
35| 13| "Silent Night"| Stan Daniels| Lenny Ripps & Rob Dames| December 16, 1997 (1997-12-16)| 2.64[36]
36| 14| "Flirting with Disaster"| Wendy Acey| Ron Nelson & Mark Steen| January 12, 1998 (1998-01-12)| 3.79[37]
37| 15| "She's Having My Baby"| Wendy Acey| Gisele Sanchez Rochet| January 19, 1998 (1998-01-19)| 3.81[38]
38| 16| "Cain and Abel Sparks"| Unknown| Unknown| February 16, 1998 (1998-02-16)| 3.23[39]
39| 17| "Till Your Well Runs Dry"| Unknown| Unknown| February 23, 1998 (1998-02-23)| 2.73[40]
40| 18| "Blind Justice"| Unknown| Unknown| March 2, 1998 (1998-03-02)| 3.54[41]

## Reception

[edit]

Kevin D. Thompson of The Palm Beach Post gave the show a mostly-negative review, criticizing Avery's performances and the "normal cardboard cutout characters".[1] Frederic M. Biddle of the Boston Globe also criticized the performances of the lead actors and thought that Núñez's and Howard's characters were "silently perpetuating stereotypes equating character with Caucasian features".[2]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "Comic 'Sparks' has life but doesn't catch fire". Palm Beach Post. August 26, 1996. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
2. ^ a b Frederic M. Biddle (August 26, 1996). "Givens is good, but 'Sparks' fizzles". Boston Globe. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
3. ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. September 4, 1996. p. 3D.
4. ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. September 11, 1996. p. 3D.
5. ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. September 18, 1996. p. 3D.
6. ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. September 25, 1996. p. 3D.
7. ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. October 2, 1996. p. 3D.
8. ^ Graham, Jefferson (October 9, 1996). "Baseball on NBC helps CBS". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
9. ^ DeRosa, Robin (October 23, 1996). "Fox gets major league boost to No. 3". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
10. ^ a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. November 13, 1996. p. 3D.
11. ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. November 20, 1996. p. 3D.
12. ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. November 27, 1996. p. 3D.
13. ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. December 4, 1996. p. 3D.
14. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 13-19, 1997)". The Los Angeles Times. January 22, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
15. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 20-26, 1997)". The Los Angeles Times. January 29, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
16. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 3-9, 1997)". The Los Angeles Times. February 12, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
17. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 10-16, 1997)". The Los Angeles Times. February 20, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
18. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 17–23, 1997)". The Los Angeles Times. February 26, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
19. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 24-March 2, 1997)". The Los Angeles Times. March 5, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
20. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (April 28–May 4, 1997)". The Los Angeles Times. May 7, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
21. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (May 5–11, 1997)". The Los Angeles Times. May 14, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
22. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (May 12–18, 1997)". The Los Angeles Times. May 21, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
23. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (May 19–25, 1997)". The Los Angeles Times. May 29, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
24. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Aug. 25-31, 1997)". The Los Angeles Times. September 4, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
25. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Sept. 1-7, 1997)". The Los Angeles Times. September 10, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
26. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Sept. 8–12, 1997)". The Los Angeles Times. September 17, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
27. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Sept. 15–21, 1997)". The Los Angeles Times. September 24, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
28. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Sept. 22–28, 1997)". The Los Angeles Times. October 1, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
29. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Sept. 29-Oct. 5, 1997)". The Los Angeles Times. October 8, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
30. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Oct. 13-19, 1997)". The Los Angeles Times. October 22, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
31. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Oct. 27-Nov. 2, 1997)". The Los Angeles Times. November 5, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
32. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 3-9, 1997)". The Los Angeles Times. November 12, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
33. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 10-16, 1997)". The Los Angeles Times. November 19, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
34. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 17-23, 1997)". The Los Angeles Times. November 26, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
35. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 24-30, 1997)". The Los Angeles Times. December 3, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
36. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Dec. 15-21, 1997)". The Los Angeles Times. December 24, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
37. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 12-18, 1998)". The Los Angeles Times. January 21, 1998. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
38. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 19-25, 1998)". The Los Angeles Times. January 28, 1998. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
39. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 16-22, 1998)". The Los Angeles Times. February 25, 1998. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
40. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 23-March 1, 1998)". The Los Angeles Times. March 4, 1998. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
41. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (March 2–8, 1998)". The Los Angeles Times. March 11, 1998. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.

## External links

[edit]

* Sparks at IMDb

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