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Rating:  - Awwww sookie sookie now!!!!!
Living Single was one of my favorite shows when it used to come on FOX and I'm so excited it came out Season 1 has been released on DVD. Living Single was such a positive depiction of African Americans. You had goal oriented people who were trying to live life in the city. Dealing with career challenges, and relationships. It was a show anyone could relate to regardless of race. This show had such a wonderful cast that had awesome chemistry. Erika Alexander as Attorney Maxine Shaw, Kim Fields as the Diva Regine, Kim Coles as the dense, but very funny Synclaire James cousin of Kadijah played by Queen Latifah. T.C. Carson as the suave ladies man Kyle, and John Henton as the handyman Overton who is in love with Synclaire. What I liked about the show is the women with the exception of Maxine were not skinny women. Kadijah always wore nice outfits to the office and looked nice when she dressed casual and even though she was an average sized woman, had no problem dating. I really liked that.
Kadijah was owner of Flava Magazine, and Synclaire worked with her as the office assistant. One of my favorite episodes is when Synclaire runs the office while Kadijah is out sick. Despite everything that happened she managed to get that Shoe La La account. Kyle works in the finance industry, and even though it's not mentioned a lot, there was one episode that showed his desire to move up in the company, and his willingness to play poker with his coworkers. Regine worked, but she was really known for her outfits, her wigs, and her love life. First episode found her dealing with the fact she was dating a married man, then another episode had her dating a man that had a young daughter.
I loved the interaction between Kyle and Maxine. They were always going at it, but you could not help but laugh. Maxine liked to date, but still getting over the pain of her ex-boyfriend "Packing his little raggedy duffel bag and left."
Even thought it was Regine, Kadijah and Synclaire who were the roommates, you would find Maxine at their house all the time eating their food. Maxine lived in the building across the street. Kyle and Overton were roommates who lived upstairs in the same building.
There is some poked at Kim Fields, but you miss it if you never watched The Facts of Life. In the "A Kiss before lying" episode there is a line where Maxine's new fiancé says "I went to a small private school called Eastland" and Regine says "Never heard of it" and then grins into the camera. I found that to be rather amusing.
I like all the episodes, but the following are my stand out episodes that I will watch a lot:
1. Whose Date is it anyway? Synclaire dates a very handsome veterinarian played by Tommy Ford (of the television show Martin)
2. Full Court Press - Khadijah goes to court after an automobile accident and Maxine helps represent her. When Khadijah throws the cake in Maxines face at the end of the episode I just laugh. Kyle and Overton Join a gym and over do their workout.
3. Great Expectations - the gang go out clubbing, Regine pours drinks on women wearing her one of a kind dress, and Maxine attracts a guy who has a gold tooth in his mouth.
4. A Kiss before lying - Maxine faces her ex (Raggedy duffle bag) and his new fiancé.
5. Just Friends - Khadijah's friendship with her old pal Scooter crosses into more then friends.
6. The Naked Truth - Overton moves in with the girls after a fight with Kyle and walks in on a naked Khadijah.
7. Crappy Birthday - the girls go to Atlanta City to celebrate Khadijah's birthday.
8. Love takes a Holiday - Kyle gets his heartbroken.
9. Fatal Distraction - Khadijah hires a writer without checking his references and has to fire him when his writing is terrible.
10. The hand that Robs the Cradle - one of my all time favorite episodes. Maxine dates a college freshman played by Terrence Howard.
11. Love they Neighbor - Synclaire finally tells Overton how she feels and gives him a whopper of a kiss.
12. Mystery Date - the girls find themselves fighting over a new guy who moves into the building played by Morris Chestnust.
13. Hot fun in the Wintertime - Synclaire has to decided who she is taking on a trip she won on a radio show, and Regine's winter party is turned into a summer party because the heat is too high in the apartment.
14. Whose the Boss - Khadijah is sick with the flu, and Synclaire sits in for her as boss.
15. Five card stud - the girls crash Kyles poker party and when one of his coworkers utters the B word, things get ugly.
16. Love is a many splintered thing - When Khadijah starts hanging out with her new boyfriend, the girls feel slighted.
17. She ain't heavy she's my mother - Khadijahs and Regines mother comes in for Mothers day. The mothers were played by real moms Chip Fields and Rita Owens.
18. What's Next - Maxine wakes up realizing she slept with Kyle. Khadijahs two men in her life run into each other and she has to make a choice. I love this episode!!!
There were some notable guest appearances in Season 1 as well.
Nia long, Tommy Ford, Miguel Nuznez - Goldie, Teri J. Vaughn (Steve Harvey Show), Isabelle Sanford as the assistant that replaces Synclaire. Flip Wilson and Ed Mcman, Terrance Howard, Cree Summer, Morris Chestnut, Melissa DeSousa (plays Carmen), Mark Curry, Jerome Betis (Football Player), Anna Marie Johnson.
In addition to all 27 episodes you have the How Ya Living extra with the cast minus Queen Latifah. Yvette Lee Bowser the shows creator and the cast discuss the show. I liked hearing the cast discuss how much fun they had. It's not explained why Queen Latifah was not present, but when you finish watching the extra feature, you don't really miss hearing what she has to say about being a part of the show.
If you were a fan of Living Single then you need to own this Season 1 set. I just hope we are not kept waiting for the other season sets. I can't wait to own them all. I know the show is in syndication, but I like being able to pick which episodes I watch over and over again, and not having to deal with the commercials.
Rating: - So funny - one of the best shows back in the day :-)
This is a fantastic programme. Watching it again for the first time in years now on dvd, was a real treat. It's still funny even today. You know how some shows humour dates? This show doesn't. It's still as funny as hell. Overton (the girls' handyman neighbour) steals the show every time (as does Max) and I love the banter between all the girls and the love/hate relationship between Max and Kyle. They fight all the time and their quips are so funny. It's full of fun and quirky characters and cute 'storylines' that will have you in stitches over and over. There are times when it looks a little dated (like the episode where they went out to a club to go dancing and the now funny scene where Kyle has a brand new cell phone - a first back then), but it's got that cool 90's feel. I love this and highly recommend it to all fans of 90's shows with lot's of laughs. Look for a very young Terrence Howard in Hand That Robs The Cradle episode.
Rating: - It' About Time....FOX
I was 13 years old and in middle school and can remember back in 1993 Living Single, Martin and New York Undercover was the the exuse my language was the SH@T. Man we couold not wait till we got to the school bus stop to talk about what we saw on FOX back then Fox was like that with In Living color and all. Man I was miss them days but uhhh oh well. This show showed how sistas where going to get there's in 1990's Kadijah (Owned Flava Magazine), Regiene (Had the Boutique) Max (Lawyer) and Synclaire (Just Funny ) all of them had me rolling. I'm so pumped this show is out on DVD it really is about time. Now all the youngins nowadays can watch what I watched a good show about african americans really doing it for they selves and making a mark in society. Now fox if only we can get Martin on DVD what is the hold up.....I mean you got damn near every episode of that dumb 70's Show and The Simpsons on DVD
Rating:  - Nice to have this decent show on DVD!
"Living Single" was always one of the few shows in the 90's I really liked, and looked forward to every episode (I'm a white male). It definitely had a lot of "cross" appeal, meaning it wasn't really a "black" show per se, despite the occasional mention of race and slight "black" mannerisms and slang from the cast. It was a show that really anyone could like, as the characters are universal (single gals and guys in a Brooklyn (my hometown) brownstone in the 90's).
It's been a while since I have seen the show, and I forgot how good this cast is. truth is, this is a case of near-perfect casting. Erika Alexander as hot-shot young lawyer Max, Kim Fields as the shallow Regine, and Kim Coles as the dense Synclair are all extremely good, perfectly cast. Same with the guys, T.C. Carson as sophisticate Kyle, and John Henton as his unlikely buddy handyman Overton, they are just perfect and have decent chemistry together, as well as with the girls.
The only casting problem in my opinion, that keeps this cast from being perfect, is Queen Latifah as Khadijah. Basically, she is horrible. She is very miscast and she doesn't do anything for the role of the "mother" of the girls. For one, her extreme overuse of "black slang" is so fake and over-the-top, it brings the show down and makes herself look silly. Unlike the others who may use some slang here and there, Latifah goes to the extreme, and tries at times to make her character very "street" with all the slang and tone of voice, and she often goes from "gangsta" and "ghetto" straight into proper english, and it comes across as very confused and off-balance. She doesn't know if she wants to teach you in school, or if she wants to kick your ass in a fight. And when she does go all "gangsta" it is so abysmal, so transparent, you can't help but laugh.
Add this to the fact that Latifah really can't act very well, even on a sitcom, and that her body type and voice are unfeminine, she just doesn't fit in well with the rest of the cast at all. She seems like she would have been better cast as say, the tomboy at school trying to get on the footbal team. If they could have put someone in there who really fit the role, the cast would have been a perfect sitcom cast.
The other three girls look really, really good. One surprise was that I had forgotten just how gorgeous Kim Coles as Synclair was - she is a knockout. She's very beautiful and has a magnificent head of hair. It's a shame she gained weight as the show went on because she's really something. Erika Alexander as Max is superhot as always, and Kim Fields as Regine may be "thick" but she still looks great here.
By mid-season it seemed the show was a little more focused on how it wanted to go. The plots are decent if a little lightweight (but it is a sitcom) but this cast (minus Latifah) really makes it all work.
The featurette on disc 4 was great, as it was good to see the cast again (minus Latifah, thank goodness) and everyone still looks great, especially Erika Alexander. She's awesome. Kim Coles has a pleasant personality and I liked that she pointed out that "Living Single" did better in the ratings than their lead-in show, without naming any names ("Martin"). "Martin" actually suffered with their cast in the same way as "Living Single" - the cast, while not as good as "Living Single's" cast, was pretty decent on that show too, except for the "star" who was very unfunny and miscast. Was that "Tommy" on an episode in LS S1? What does he do?
The price is definitely right for this set too at Amazon. If you never have seen this show, and can get past the horrid Queen Latifah, this is definitely a decent 90's comedy to check out.
Rating: - Finally the wait is over.............
I patiently awaited the release of this show on dvd for my home collection and finally it's here. I sat and watched the entire set and enjoyed every minute as the first time it was aired.
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