American comedy drama created by Mara Brock Akil
The Game
|
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Genre
| |
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Created by
| Mara Brock Akil
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Starring
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Theme music composer
|
- Kurt Farquhar
- Def Jef
- James D. Joiner III
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Country of origin
| United States
|
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Original language
| English
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No.
of seasons
| 2
|
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No.
of episodes
| 20
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|
Executive producers
|
- Michael Platt
- Mara Brock Akil
- Salim Akil
- Kelsey Grammer
- Wendy Raquel Robinson
- Devon Greggory
- Tom Russo
- Jordan McMahon
- James Bitonti
|
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Producers
| |
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Production locations
| Atlanta
, Georgia
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Editors
|
- Jamin Bricker
- Jean Crupper
- Paul Fontaine
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Camera setup
| Single-camera
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Running time
| 28?30 minutes
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Production companies
|
- Inphiniti Entertainment
- Akil Productions
- Grammnet Productions
- CBS Studios
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|
Network
| |
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Release
| November 11, 2021
(
2021-11-11
)
?
February 9, 2023
(
2023-02-09
)
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|
The Game
(2006)
|
The Game
is an American
comedy drama
television
revival
series based on
The CW
/
BET
2006 series of the same name
.
[1]
The series premiered on
Paramount+
on November 11, 2021.
In June 2023, the series was canceled after two seasons and was removed from
Paramount+
.
[2]
Premise
[
edit
]
The series relocates from
San Diego
to
Las Vegas
and sees new players offer a modern-day examination of Black culture through the prism of
American pro football
. The team tackles issues like
racism
,
sexism
,
classism
and more as they fight for fame, fortune, respect and love ? all while trying to maintain their souls as they each play The Game.
Cast
[
edit
]
Main
[
edit
]
Recurring
[
edit
]
- Tim Daly
as Colonel Ulysses S. Thatcher (seasons 1?2)
- Rockmond Dunbar
as Pookie
- Asiyih N’Dobe as Kai Mack
- Cecil Blutcher as Caleb Antwan Jones (season 1)
- Derrick A. King as Xavier Mitchell (season 2)
- Bryan Earl as Smoke (season 2)
- Keisha Tillis as Lula Fields (season 2)
Guest stars
[
edit
]
- Pooch Hall
as Derwin Davis (season 1)
- Coby Bell
as Jason Pitts (seasons 1?2)
- Barry Floyd as Tee-Tee (season 2)
Episodes
[
edit
]
Series overview
[
edit
]
Season 1 (2021?22)
[
edit
]
Season 2 (2022?23)
[
edit
]
Production
[
edit
]
Development
[
edit
]
In December 2019, it was announced that a revival of The Game was in the works at
The CW
. The new incarnation, to be written by original series creator
Mara Brock Akil
and Devon Greggory, would have had a new East Coast setting while allowing original cast members to return. Greggory would serve as
showrunner
and also
executive produce
the follow-up series with Akil's fellow original executive producers, Salim Akil and
Kelsey Grammer
, as well as Tom Russo.
[4]
However, The CW announced in January 2020 that they would not be moving forward with the series.
[5]
In September 2020, it was announced that CBS All Access would be developing a sequel series to
The Game
ahead of its relaunch as
Paramount+
in 2021.
[1]
The series was officially green-lit in May 2021, with Hosea Chanchez and Wendy Raquel Robinson to reprise their respective roles and the setting was relocated to
Las Vegas
.
[6]
On February 1, 2022, Paramount+ renewed the series for a second season with a 10-episode ordered.
[7]
Production of the second season began on August 8, 2022. The second season premiered on December 15, 2022.
Cancellation
[
edit
]
On June 23, 2023, it was announced that the series was canceled after two seasons.
[2]
On June 26, 2023,
The Game
was removed from
Paramount+
.
[8]
Casting
[
edit
]
In July 2021, it was reported that the new cast members would be Vaughn W. Hebron as Jamison Fields, an undrafted free agent,
Adriyan Rae
as Brittany Pitts, Jason and Kelly Pitts' daughter, (previous portrayed by Katlynn Simone), Analisa Velez as Raquel Navarro, Brittany's best friend, and
Toby Sandeman
who had been later cast as Garrett Evans, an American football player who was drafted from a
St. Louis
team to the Las Vegas Fury.
[9]
Tia Mowry-Hardrict, who was cast in
Netflix
's
Family Reunion
, made a
TikTok
video expressing that she will most likely not return to her 2 roles of
Sister, Sister
and
The Game
.
[10]
While being honored at the
Ebony
'Power 100'
, she was interviewed by
Entertainment Tonight
saying: “You know what’s so funny? Never say never. I mean, as it stands for right now, we aren’t in any talks or communication about me coming back to the show...I know it seems kind of weird, because I’m like, the only one, but you know, Melanie, I loved playing that character, and if everything works out, and if everything works out the way that it should, then who knows? I might be on the show.”
[11]
Release
[
edit
]
The first two episodes were released on November 11, 2021, with subsequent episodes releasing weekly until January 6, 2022, on
Paramount+
.
[12]
The second season premiered on December 15, 2022, with two new episodes available immediately and followed by a new episode on a weekly basis.
[13]
The first episode aired on
BET
on February 16, 2022.
[14]
Reception
[
edit
]
Joe Keller, a
'stream it or skip it'
critic of the review section
Decider
of the
New York Post
states "The return of
The Game
carries on what made the original series so popular: Well-written characters dealing with real issues". He continues, "If you’re expecting gut-busting laughs, then you didn’t watch the later seasons of the original series
(seasons 4-9)
, which veered more towards drama than anything else. There’s enough that’s funny to generate some chuckles here and there, but the show then and now is character-driven, and Greggory and his writers have done a good job creating new compelling characters."
[15]
Stacey Yvonne,
Black Girl Nerds
wrote: "
The Game
has made all the right moves and delivers a set a of entertaining premiere episodes for old fans and new viewers...the setup is less sitcom-like and more comedic drama. Gone are the
multicam
shots with room for punchlines and laughs, instead we’re treated to hard hitting and heartfelt situations infused with the type of biting humor
The Game
is known for...Even though it is a sequel, it’s also an evolution." She continues, "This reboot is faithful, well thought out, and well produced, it's definitely worth tuning in."
[16]
The television news outlet
TVLine
listed
Hosea Chanchez
as an '
Honorable mention
' in their
Performer of the Week
review in January 2022 citing: "Chanchez has been a
force
throughout the season, uncovering a more vulnerable side...The actor really drove it home in the season finale, which saw Malik experience an emotional breakdown after finally being honest with himself about what he was going through". They concluded, "We have to applaud Chanchez for breathing fresh new life into a character he’s played for more than a decade-plus an outstanding turn that made us love Malik even more than we already did."
[17]
A poll was also taken from readers on their season finale recap article early January on how they would grade the finale. The poll was generally favored 65.53% with the grade "A" (excellent) with more than 270 votes out of 412 voting margin.
[18]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
a
b
"
'The Game' Revival Series In Development At CBS All Access, Which Will Be Rebranded As Paramount+"
.
shadowandact.com
. Retrieved
September 15,
2020
.
- ^
a
b
Swift, Andy (June 23, 2023).
"Paramount+ Cancels 4 Series, Including
Grease
,
The Game
and
Star Trek: Prodigy
"
.
TVLine
. Retrieved
June 23,
2023
.
- ^
a
b
"Shows A-Z ? game, the (reboot series) on paramount plus"
.
The Futon Critic
. Retrieved
February 3,
2023
.
- ^
Andreeva, Nellie (December 17, 2019).
"
'The Game' Hourlong Reboot In the Works At the CW From Creator Mara Brock Akil & Devon Greggory"
.
Deadline Hollywood
. Retrieved
December 17,
2019
.
- ^
Andreeva, Nellie (January 30, 2020).
"
'The Game' Reboot Not Going Forward At the CW"
.
Deadline Hollywood
. Retrieved
August 26,
2020
.
- ^
White, Peter (May 13, 2021).
"
'The Game': Paramount+ Hands Dramedy Reboot Official Series Order, Wendy Raquel Robinson & Hosea Chanchez To Reprise Roles"
.
Deadline Hollywood
. Retrieved
May 13,
2021
.
- ^
"The Game season 2 ordered at Paramount+ (TCA 2022 updates)"
.
Hidden Remote
. February 1, 2022
. Retrieved
February 1,
2022
.
- ^
White, Peter (June 26, 2023).
"Paramount+ Purge Continues With 'Inside Amy Schumer', 'Fantasy Football' & Nickelodeon Content Scrapped"
.
Deadline Hollywood
. Retrieved
June 27,
2023
.
- ^
White, Peter (July 29, 2021).
"
'The Game': Brittany Daniel Reprises Role As Paramount+ Dramedy Reboot Rounds Out Cast"
.
Deadline
. Retrieved
August 1,
2021
.
- ^
"Sorry 'Sister, Sister' Fans, Tia Mowry Confirms a Reboot Isn't Happening | Entertainment Tonight"
.
www.etonline.com
. August 18, 2021
. Retrieved
November 12,
2021
.
- ^
"Tia Mowry on possible return to 'The Game' for reboot: 'Never say never'
"
.
TheGrio
. October 27, 2021
. Retrieved
November 12,
2021
.
- ^
Schultz, Cody (August 31, 2021).
"The Game revival release date confirmed for November 2021"
.
Hidden Remote
. Retrieved
August 31,
2021
.
- ^
"SEASON TWO OF PARAMOUNT+'S ORIGINAL HIT SERIES "THE GAME" KICKS OFF THURSDAY, DEC. 15 WITH TWO ALL-NEW EPISODES"
.
Paramount Press Express
(Press release). October 20, 2022
. Retrieved
October 20,
2022
.
- ^
@BET (February 16, 2022).
"Guess who's back, back again. #TheGameIsBack, tell a friend?? See y'all there TONIGHT 10/9c??????"
(
Tweet
) – via
Twitter
.
- ^
"Stream It Or Skip It: 'The Game' On Paramount+, A Vegas-Based Continuation Of The Hit BET Football Dramedy"
.
Decider
. November 11, 2021
. Retrieved
November 12,
2021
.
- ^
Yvonne, Stacey (November 10, 2021).
"
'The Game' Is Bigger and Better Than Ever"
.
Black Girl Nerds
. Retrieved
January 10,
2022
.
- ^
TVLine, Team (January 8, 2022).
"Performer of the Week: Cara Gee"
.
TVLine
. Retrieved
January 10,
2022
.
- ^
Hatchett, Keisha (January 6, 2022).
"The Game Recap: Big Revelations ? Plus, Grade the Finale"
.
TVLine
. Retrieved
January 10,
2022
.
External links
[
edit
]
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Current
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Ended
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Upcoming
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Films
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