Tracee Ellis Ross prepares Return to Television

By TV Insider
JR Staff Writer

In the early 2000s, Tracee Ellis Ross moved out of her mother's enormous shadow and became a star in her own right. She starred for eight years on the hit UPN/CW series, "Girlfriends." The show was the most popular on UPN, a network geared towards the black audience.

In 2006, UPN merged with The WB to form The CW and many black sitcoms were lost in the process. "Girlfriends" survived for two years before being cancelled. Following the cancellation, there was public outrage. People called upon BET to save the day, but they did nothing besides show reruns.

The black community rallied behind "The Game," the popular spin-off of "Girlfriends," in the wake of the cancellation. But, one year later, it, too, was cancelled. But, BET played hero with the second series and brought it back to life. Upon bringing "The Game" back, there was a small glimmer of hope of "Girlfriends" being brought back, but it did not happen.

However, Tracee Ellis Ross will soon be returning to television because of BET. "The Game" has revitalized the network. Because of the success of the series, BET is producing more original sitcoms and adding them to the lineup. Outside of "The Game," BET is also showing a new series called "Let's Stay Together," which has been moderately successful. Tracee Ellis Ross has been cast for a new BET sitcom, called "Reed Between the Lines."

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Tia Mowry is glad "The Game" is Back

By Mr. Hollywood
JR Staff Writer

"The Game" helped introduce Tia Mowry to an audience who had forgotten her. Mowry, along with her twin sister, Tamera, rose to fame in the 1990s on the sitcom, "Sister, Sister." The show was a hit, but after it was cancelled, Tia and Tamera fell off.

But, in 2006, when Tia Mowry guess starred on an episode of the hit sitcom, "Girlfriends," it was clear she was back. The pilot received high ratings and "The Game" came later in the year. For the next three years, Tia Mowry rose to fame again as the scorned woman, Melanie Barnett.

Despite "The Game" bringing in high ratings for The CW Television Network, the network was looking to take it off of their schedule. "Girlfriends," the parent show of "The Game," was cancelled in 2008. Before the 2008-2009 season, The CW placed "The Game" on their Friday night schedule and the ratings plummeted.

Following the 2009 season, The CW decided not to renew "The Game." Beginning during the summer of 2009, BET showed interest in picking up "The Game." From that point until earlier this year, BET held the loved series in a limbo. With the back-and-forth over, "The Game" will return in 2011. The protagonist, Tia Mowry, could not be happier that her show is returning. She had gained fame in two decades and was upset because she felt her run was cut short.

But, in a rare case, her cancelled series was picked up by a cable network that has decided to make her the face of their original programming. New episodes of "The Game" begin on January 11, 2011.

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