The Sinbad Show Explained
| Genre: | Sitcom |
| Creator: | - Gary Murphy
- Larry Strawther
- Sinbad
|
| Developer: | |
| Starring: | |
| Composer: | Kurt Farquhar |
| Opentheme: | "Hah Man" |
| Theme Music Composer: | Chuck Brown |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
| Num Seasons: | 1 |
| Num Episodes: | 24 |
| Executive Producer: | - Ralph Farquhar
- Michael Jacobs
- Gary Murphy
- Marc Sotkin
- Larry Strawther
- Michael J. Weithorn
|
| Producer: | Michael Petok |
| Company: | |
| Channel: | Fox |
The Sinbad Show is an American television sitcom starring comedian David "Sinbad" Adkins that premiered on September 16, 1993, on Fox. The show's main plot is about a bachelor taking in two orphaned children. Chuck Brown performed this sitcom's theme music. It was cancelled on April 21, 1994.[1]
Overview
The series follows the life of David Bryan (Sinbad), a carefree bachelor, who becomes a single parent when he adopts two orphaned children, Zana (Erin Davis) and L.J. Beckley (Willie Ray Norwood, Jr.), who face several issues which they work through together. The show follows David as he guides L.J. and Zana in their new lives, including counselling L.J. on dealing with school, friendships, girls, and being a teenager and helping Zana learn how to function in everyday life. Meanwhile, Clarence shares his antics and David's parents help him deal with raising kids.
Cast and characters
Main
- Sinbad as David Bryan: Dave is the father of the family. His friends often refer to him as "Red," he is known for acting out vivid scenes for Zana and hitting on attractive women. He designs video games.
- Willie Ray Norwood, Jr. as L.J. Beckley: L.J. is the older brother of Zana. He is 12 years old but turns 13 during the show. He is one of the more sarcastic characters on the show. He often explains he can look after himself but wants Zana to be safe. He tries to control what Dave does for Zana. and he gets tutored by Ms Page. He is often very moody and disrespectful towards David and other authoritative figures.
- Erin Davis as Zana Beckley: Zana is six years old and has greatly depended on L.J. in the past. She loves David very much but is still insecure about moving away from him due to her experiences with various foster homes.
- T. K. Carter as Clarence Hall: Clarence works at the Big and Tall store and has been friends with David since grade school. He is often teased about his difficulties with women, although he remains boastful about his exploits. He is known for his cluelessness. He was the former roommate of David, but his lease was voided due to non-payment, allowing Sinbad to make room for the kids. Despite his eviction, Clarence gained a new lease in an adjoining residence and frequently visited David.
Recurring
Guest stars
- Patrice Chanel as Claudette (2 episodes)
- Trina McGee as Faith (2 episodes)
- Michael Ralph as Leon (2 episodes)
- Peter Brost as Young Leon
- Salma Hayek as Gloria Contreras (3 episodes)
Cancellation
The Sinbad Show was cancelled after its first season, and aired its last episode on April 21, 1994. It aired at 8:30 p.m., following The Simpsons, Thursday nights on Fox. The series was one of several shows featuring predominantly black casts that were cancelled by Fox around the same time (others included Roc, South Central and In Living Color).[2] Activist Jesse Jackson protested the cancellations and called for a boycott of the network for their "institutional racism".[3] Fox maintained that the series were low rated and the decision to cancel was not racially motivated.[4]
Syndication
The show aired in syndication on The Family Channel Monday to Thursday at 9:30 p.m. and weekend mornings at 11:30 a.m.. It also aired on Disney Channel for a short time during the mid-1990s.
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Result |
|---|
| 1994 | | Best Actor Under Ten in a Television Series or Show | Erin Davis | |
| 1995 | | Favorite Television Actor | Sinbad | | |
Notes and References
- Book: Cotter . Bill . The Wonderful World of Disney Television . 1997 . Hyperion Books . 0-7868-6359-5 . 441–444.
- Book: Zook, Kristal Brent . Color by Fox: The Fox Network and the Revolution in Black Television. registration. Oxford University Press US. 1999. 11. 0-19-510612-1.
- Web site: Did Jackson Save FOX Series With Boycott Threat?. Rosenberg. Howard . 1994-10-19. community.seattletimes.nwsource.com. 2008-12-12.
- Book: Dines, Gail. McMahon Humez, Jean. Gender, Race, and Class in Media. SAGE. 2002. 590. 0-7619-2261-X.
