Martin had no problem dressing up in drag to play his too-hood-for-her-own-good neighbor Sheneneh, or Martin's mother, the mustached Mama Payne. They broke up and got back together throughout the series, but their genuine love provided a complement to the show's constant comedy.Īlso important were Martin's relationships with his biggest adversary, Gina's best friend, Pam James, and his two best friends, the comically inept Cole Brown and the tall, bald, and possibly unemployed Tommy Strawn.īeyond the central cast, the wild gang of side characters played by Lawrence regularly stole the spotlight. Central to the show was Martin's relationship with Gina Waters, the large-headed (literally) love of his life. During the 1996-1997 television season, these shows were the three highest rated programs among African American households, with Martin serving as the jump-off for one of the best two hours of television ever organized.Ĭomedian and actor Martin Lawrence played Martin Payne, a DJ for WZUP (and eventually the host of his own talk show, 'Word on the Street'). Between New York Undercover, Living Single, and Martin, Fox's Thursday night lineup ran the triangle offense better than the Chicago Bulls did in the 1990s.

Fox was the network to watch back in the 1990s, rivaling the popularity of NBC's 'Must See TV' block of Thursday night programming with a lineup that drew an engaged urban audience. Very few programs remain every bit as entertaining over 15 years after their conclusion as Martin, a show about a big-eared radio DJ from Detroit with enough personality for an entire cast.

Youtube steve harvey episodes sitcoms