Living Single
Living Single
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Living Single

"In a '90s kind of world I'm glad I got my girls"

8.3
Yr 1993
Rt 30m
Status Ended
Comedy
Your Verdict

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Series Brief

Overview

Living Single is an American television sitcom that aired for five seasons on the Fox network from August 22, 1993, to January 1, 1998. The show centered on the lives of six friends who share personal and professional experiences while living in a Brooklyn brownstone. Throughout its run, Living Single became one of the most popular African-American sitcoms of its era, ranking among the top five in African-American ratings in all five seasons. The series was produced by Yvette Lee Bowser's company, Sister Lee, in association with Warner Bros. Television. In contrast to the popularity of NBC's "Must See TV" on Thursday nights in the 1990s, many African American and Latino viewers flocked to Fox's Thursday night line-up of Martin, Living Single, and New York Undercover. In fact, these were the three highest-rated series among black households for the 1996–1997 season.

Critical Reception

What critics are saying

Score 90 /100

Living Single is widely celebrated as a groundbreaking and timeless sitcom created by Yvette Lee Bowser. Critics praise the series for being ahead of its time by centering on the lives of six Black twenty-somethings, anchored by an exceptional cast featuring Queen Latifah, Kim Coles, Erika Alexander, and Kim Fields.

Reviews highlight the show's strong humor, memorable cast chemistry, and uplifting social commentary. Retrospectives and family-guide reviews alike commend the show for delivering positive messages regarding diversity and multicultural acceptance while establishing itself as a classic of 1990s television.

“the series provides much-needed positive messages about diversity and multicultural acceptance and makes the show even more worth watching”

“No other show on television put a microscope on the lives of six black twenty somethings before and Bowser’s genius gave us a classic.”

“It starred Queen Latifah, Kim Coles, Kim Fields, and a stunning all-Black cast.”

Transmission Paths

Where to Watch

Hulu
US
Philo
US
Why fans love it

Living Single held a firm grip on television audiences throughout its five-season run, anchoring Thursday nights on Fox. By prioritizing the personal and professional lives of six friends in a Brooklyn brownstone, the show offered a familiar and celebratory look at young adulthood that resonated deeply with viewers. It consistently ranked among the top programs in black households, standing as a primary choice for those looking for something distinct from the era’s standard network rotations.

The chemistry between the ensemble cast, including Queen Latifah, helped define the show as a central piece of the nineties TV landscape. While other networks pushed different programming strategies, this series remained a top-rated anchor for its specific audience demographic. It was an amused, romantic take on city life that successfully carved out a permanent space on the weekly calendar for millions of people.

Featured Players

Cast

Credited 75
Regulars 6
Longest run 118 eps
Queen Latifah
Queen Latifah
as Khadijah James
118 episodes
Kim Coles
Kim Coles
as Synclaire James
118 episodes
Erika Alexander
Erika Alexander
as Maxine Shaw
118 episodes
Terrence 'T.C.' Carson
Terrence 'T.C.' Carson
as Kyle Barker
118 episodes
John Henton
John Henton
as Overton Jones
118 episodes
Kim Fields
Kim Fields
as Regine Hunter
118 episodes
Mel Jackson
Mel Jackson
as Ira Lee "Tripp" Williams
13 episodes
Ron Fassler
Ron Fassler
as Mr. Larson
1 episode
Show 67 more
Dorian Gregory 1 episode Burt Ward 1 episode Ed McMahon as Himself 1 episode Charnele Brown as Jackie 1 episode Cris Carter 1 episode Regina King 1 episode Kenn Michael 1 episode Melvin Van Peebles 1 episode Joseph C. Phillips 1 episode Jasmine Guy 1 episode Tone Loc 1 episode Crystal Scales 2 episodes Freda Payne as Miss Harper 1 episode Mark Curry as Tony Ross 1 episode Duane Martin 1 episode Sherri Shepherd 1 episode Cylk Cozart as Brad 1 episode Grant Hill 1 episode Bobby Bonilla 1 episode Terri J. Vaughn as Woman #1 1 episode Terrence Howard as Brendan 1 episode Rita Owens as Rita James 2 episodes Barbara Montgomery 1 episode Anne-Marie Johnson as Sheila Kelly 1 episode Franklin Cover 1 episode Deion Sanders 1 episode Kellita Smith as Susan 1 episode Richard Whiten as Xavier St. John 1 episode Michole Briana White 2 episodes Earl Boen 1 episode Cheryl Miller as Denise Hatcher 1 episode Vanessa Williams 1 episode Jenifer Lewis 1 episode Morris Chestnut as Hamilton Brown 2 episodes Antonio Fargas as Otis Jones 2 episodes Nia Long as Stacey 1 episode Karen Malina White 1 episode Tatyana Ali 1 episode Monica 1 episode Vivica A. Fox 1 episode Don Franklin 2 episodes Thomas Mikal Ford as Michael Edwards 1 episode Bumper Robinson 4 episodes Khalil Kain 4 episodes J. Anthony Brown 3 episodes Darryl M. Bell 1 episode Rick Zieff 1 episode Lou Myers 1 episode Jeffrey D. Sams as Greg 1 episode Jennifer Aspen 1 episode Lisa Albert 1 episode CeCe Winans 1 episode Dorien Wilson 2 episodes Merrin Dungey 1 episode Lou Ferrigno 1 episode Ralph Manza 1 episode Branford Marsalis as Himself 1 episode Miguel A. Núñez Jr. as Goldie 2 episodes Shaun Baker as Russell 8 episodes Melissa De Sousa as Lisa 2 episodes William James Jones as Phil 2 episodes Patricia Belcher as Florence Jacobs 2 episodes Chip Fields as Laverne Hunter 3 episodes Cress Williams as Terrence 4 episodes Richard Lyons as Michael 2 episodes Tommy Morgan Jr. as The Waiter 2 episodes Adam Lazarre-White as Alonzo Ford 2 episodes
Signal Match

Similarity

Where Living Single overlaps with other shows, and exactly what they have in common.

Keyword Cloud

Keywords

romantic amused celebratory familiar
Technical Sheet

Details

First Aired
August 29, 1993
Status
Ended
Episode Runtime
30 minutes
Origin
US
TMDB Votes
48