What's Happening Now!! Explained

Genre:Sitcom
Creator:Eric Monte
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:Michael Schultz
Runtime:22 minutes
Channel:First-run syndication

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

See main article: List of What's Happening Now!! episodes.

Cast

Recurring guests

Cast change

After the first successful season, Fred Berry attempted to negotiate a higher salary than his co-stars based on what he perceived as the popularity of the "Rerun" character. Having caused similar issues during the production of the original series, which led to its cancellation, producers fired Berry from the series.[2]

Broadcast

A partial list of stations the show was syndicated to:

CityStation
AtlantaWGNX 46[3]
BaltimoreWBAL 11[4]
BloomingtonWYZZ 43[5]
BostonWLVI 56
CharlotteWCCB 18
ChicagoWFLD 32
DallasKTVT 11
DenverKWGN 2[6]
DetroitWKBD 50[7]
Green BayWGBA 26[8]
GreensboroWGGT 48[9]
Greenville/Spartanburg/AshevilleWLOS 13
Greenwood/GreenvilleWABG 6
HartfordWTIC 61[10]
HoustonKHTV 39
IndianapolisWRTV 6
JacksonWJTV 12
Kansas CityKZKC 62[11]
Los AngelesKTLA 5[12]
ManchesterWMUR 9[13]
MemphisWMC 5
MiamiWBFS 33[14]
MilwaukeeWCGV 24
MinneapolisKMSP 9
MobileWPMI 15[15]
NashvilleWZTV 17[16]
New YorkWNEW 5[17]
OrlandoWOFL 35[18]
PhiladelphiaWTAF 29[19]
PhoenixKPHO 5
PittsburghWPGH 53
Portland, MaineWPXT 51[20]
RaleighWRAL 5
SacramentoKTXL 40[21]
San FranciscoKBHK-TV 44
SeattleKCPQ 13[22]
ShreveportKTBS 3
SpokaneKSKN 22[23]
St. LouisKDNL 30[24]
Tampa BayWFTS 28
Washington, D.C.WDCA 20[25]
WilmingtonWSFX 26[26]

Home media

On June 12, 2007, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment released the first season of What's Happening Now!! on DVD in Region 1.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 'What's Happening!!' co-star Danielle Spencer is ailing . Pix11 . October 12, 2018 . June 23, 2019.
  2. Web site: What's Happening!!: Up From the Ashes. TVparty.com. June 9, 2010.
  3. Web site: Retro: Atlanta, GA, Monday October 6, 1986 2 Independents. November 6, 2014. Radio Discussions.
  4. Web site: Retro: DC/Baltimore/Delmarva Sat, Sept 5, 1987. September 5, 2012. Radio Discussions.
  5. Web site: Retro: Quad Cities/Springfield/Peoria/Quincy Sat, Mar 12, 1988. January 31, 2006. Radio Discussions.
  6. Web site: Retro: Denver/Casper/Cheyenne/Rapid City Sat, July 4, 1987. July 4, 2012. Radio Discussions.
  7. Web site: Retro: Owosso, MI, Wednesday, December 20, 1989. July 8, 2017. Radio Discussions.
  8. Web site: Retro: Northern Wisconsin, Sat. July 9th, 1988. February 1, 2018. Radio Discussions.
  9. Web site: Retro: North Carolina Monday, January 6, 1986 (Part 3: Piedmont Triad). January 6, 2016. Radio Discussions.
  10. Web site: Retro: Meriden, CT, Sunday, December 15, 1985. April 1, 2018. Radio Discussions.
  11. Web site: Retro: Kansas City, Sat. September 13th, 1986. February 20, 2015. Radio Discussions.
  12. Web site: KTLA Los Angeles, February 22-28, 1986. September 18, 2005. Radio Discussions.
  13. Web site: RETRO BOSTON TV- THANKSGIVING 1987. September 22, 2006. Radio Discussions.
  14. Web site: Retro: Miami, Florida Monday, November 2, 1987. March 13, 2010. Radio Discussions.
  15. Web site: Retro: Gulf Coast Fri, Sept 18, 1987. September 17, 2012. Radio Discussions.
  16. Web site: Retro:Nashville, TN-Bowling Green, KY Sat 8/15/87. June 8, 2007. Radio Discussions.
  17. Web site: Retro: Scranton Wilkes Barre Market - November 30, 1985 - Saturday. November 24, 2012. Radio Discussions.
  18. Web site: Retro: Orlando, Mon. November 24th, 1986. September 30, 2013. Radio Discussions.
  19. Web site: RetroNewsNow. September 7, 2018. Twitter.
  20. Web site: Retro: Maine Sat, June 6, 1987. June 2, 2011. Radio Discussions.
  21. Web site: Retro: San Francisco/Sacramento, Saturday, August 30, 1986. June 10, 2017. Radio Discussions.
  22. Web site: Retro: Vancouver/Victoria Sat, June 21, 1986. July 2, 2010. Radio Discussions.
  23. Web site: Retro: Spokane, Washington — Wednesday, December 25, 1985. February 5, 2019. Radio Discussions.
  24. Web site: Retro: St. Louis Sat, June 28, 1986. June 28, 2010. Radio Discussions.
  25. Web site: Retro: Lancaster/Baltimore/DC, Sat. December 14th, 1985. November 24, 2013. Radio Discussions.
  26. Web site: Retro: Wilmington, NC, Saturday, May 20, 1989. October 24, 2017. Radio Discussions.

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