Sparks (TV series)

For other uses, see Sparks (disambiguation).
Sparks
GenreSitcom
Created byEd. Weinberger
Directed byWendy Charles Acey
Mark Corry
Stan Daniels
Kim Friedman
Leonard R. Garner Jr.
Bob Moloney
Ed. Weinberger
StarringJames Avery
Robin Givens
Terrence Howard
Miguel A. Núñez Jr.
Arif S. Kinchen
Kym Whitley
Theme music composerBilly Preston
ComposerBilly Preston
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes40
Production
Executive producersRob Dames
Bob Moloney

Lenny Ripps
Ed. Weinberger
ProducersGreg Giangregorio
Bruce Bayley Johnson
Miguel A. Núñez Jr.
Alison Taylor
Running time22–24 minutes
Production companiesThe Weinberger Company
MTM Enterprises
(1996-1997)
(season 1)
20th Century Fox Television
(1997-1998)
(season 2)
Original release
NetworkUPN
ReleaseAugust 26, 1996 (1996-08-26) –
March 2, 1998 (1998-03-02)
Related
Good News

Sparks is an American sitcom television series that aired on UPN from August 26, 1996, to March 2, 1998. The series stars James Avery, Robin Givens, Terrence Howard, Miguel A. Núñez Jr., Kym Whitley and Arif S. Kinchen. The sitcom is set in Los Angeles, California, and is about the everyday lives of a family of lawyers running a family-owned law practice. Reruns of the show aired on BET in the late 1990s.

Content

The show stars James Avery as Alonzo Sparks, a lawyer running a family law firm with his sons Maxey (Miguel A. Núñez Jr.) and Greg (Terrence Howard) in inner-city Los Angeles, California.[1][2]

Cast

Main

Recurring

Special guest appearances

Episodes

Series overview

SeasonEpisodesOriginally released
First releasedLast released
122August 26, 1996 (1996-08-26)May 19, 1997 (1997-05-19)
218August 25, 1997 (1997-08-25)March 2, 1998 (1998-03-02)

Season 1 (1996–97)

No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date Viewers
(millions)
11"Pilot"Ed. WeinbergerEd. WeinbergerAugust 26, 1996 (1996-08-26)5.2[3]
22"Palimony Suit"UnknownUnknownSeptember 2, 1996 (1996-09-02)3.3[4]
33"How Papa Got His Groove Back"UnknownUnknownSeptember 9, 1996 (1996-09-09)3.0[5]
44"A Day in the Life"UnknownUnknownSeptember 16, 1996 (1996-09-16)3.6[6]
55"Sid, Lies and Videotape"UnknownUnknownSeptember 23, 1996 (1996-09-23)3.3[7]
66"Penal Envy"UnknownUnknownSeptember 30, 1996 (1996-09-30)3.2[8]
77"No Sweat"UnknownUnknownOctober 14, 1996 (1996-10-14)4.3[9]
88"Pillow Talk"UnknownUnknownNovember 4, 1996 (1996-11-04)4.3[10]
99"One on One"UnknownUnknownNovember 5, 1996 (1996-11-05)4.3[10]
1010"Goode for the Gander"UnknownUnknownNovember 11, 1996 (1996-11-11)3.1[11]
1111"Porky's Revenge"Bob MoloneyEd. WeinbergerNovember 18, 1996 (1996-11-18)3.1[12]
1212"Maxey Gets the Bird"UnknownUnknownNovember 25, 1996 (1996-11-25)2.9[13]
1313"It's the Gospel"UnknownUnknownJanuary 13, 1997 (1997-01-13)4.21[14]
1414"I, Spy"UnknownUnknownJanuary 20, 1997 (1997-01-20)4.25[15]
1515"Won't You Be My Neighbor"UnknownUnknownFebruary 3, 1997 (1997-02-03)3.93[16]
1616"Love Conquers All"UnknownUnknownFebruary 10, 1997 (1997-02-10)4.45[17]
1717"Self Defense"UnknownUnknownFebruary 17, 1997 (1997-02-17)4.39[18]
1818"Hoop Schemes"UnknownUnknownFebruary 24, 1997 (1997-02-24)4.63[19]
1919"The Great Indoors"UnknownUnknownApril 28, 1997 (1997-04-28)4.02[20]
2020"Love in a Cup"Bob MoloneyMark E. CorryMay 5, 1997 (1997-05-05)3.86[21]
2121"Too Hot Not to Cool Down"UnknownUnknownMay 12, 1997 (1997-05-12)3.65[22]
2222"A Day in the Life II"UnknownUnknownMay 19, 1997 (1997-05-19)3.68[23]

Season 2 (1997–98)

No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date Viewers
(millions)
231"To the Maxey"UnknownUnknownAugust 25, 1997 (1997-08-25)4.27[24]
242"Maxey Loses His Spark"UnknownUnknownSeptember 1, 1997 (1997-09-01)3.63[25]
253"Rehearsal of Fortune"UnknownUnknownSeptember 8, 1997 (1997-09-08)3.78[26]
264"Dog Gone"UnknownUnknownSeptember 15, 1997 (1997-09-15)3.63[27]
275"When a Man is a Woman"Stan DanielsLenny Ripps & Rob DamesSeptember 22, 1997 (1997-09-22)3.63[28]
286"Defending Claude"UnknownUnknownSeptember 29, 1997 (1997-09-29)4.36[29]
297"Don't Get Hooked on Me"Kim FreidmanAllison TaylorOctober 13, 1997 (1997-10-13)4.67[30]
308"Bad Reception"UnknownUnknownOctober 27, 1997 (1997-10-27)4.58[31]
319"A Bride for Alonzo"UnknownUnknownNovember 3, 1997 (1997-11-03)3.91[32]
3210"Brotherly Love"UnknownUnknownNovember 10, 1997 (1997-11-10)4.35[33]
3311"Roots III"Bob MoloneyRon Nelson & Mark SteenNovember 17, 1997 (1997-11-17)4.83[34]
3412"It's Good to Be Negative"UnknownUnknownNovember 24, 1997 (1997-11-24)4.21[35]
3513"Silent Night"Stan DanielsLenny Ripps & Rob DamesDecember 16, 1997 (1997-12-16)2.64[36]
3614"Flirting with Disaster"Wendy AceyRon Nelson & Mark SteenJanuary 12, 1998 (1998-01-12)3.79[37]
3715"She's Having My Baby"Wendy AceyGisele Sanchez RochetJanuary 19, 1998 (1998-01-19)3.81[38]
3816"Cain and Abel Sparks"UnknownUnknownFebruary 16, 1998 (1998-02-16)3.23[39]
3917"Till Your Well Runs Dry"UnknownUnknownFebruary 23, 1998 (1998-02-23)2.73[40]
4018"Blind Justice"UnknownUnknownMarch 2, 1998 (1998-03-02)3.54[41]

Reception

Kevin D. Thompson of The Palm Beach Post gave the show a mostly-negative review, criticizing Avery's performances and the "normal cardboard cutout characters".[1] Frederic M. Biddle of the Boston Globe also criticized the performances of the lead actors and thought that Núñez' and Howard's characters were "silently perpetuating stereotypes equating character with Caucasian features".[2]

References

  1. ^ a b "Comic 'Sparks' has life but doesn't catch fire". Palm Beach Post. August 26, 1996. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  2. ^ a b Frederic M. Biddle (August 26, 1996). "Givens is good, but 'Sparks' fizzles". Boston Globe. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  3. ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. September 4, 1996. p. 3D.
  4. ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. September 11, 1996. p. 3D.
  5. ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. September 18, 1996. p. 3D.
  6. ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. September 25, 1996. p. 3D.
  7. ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. October 2, 1996. p. 3D.
  8. ^ Graham, Jefferson (October 9, 1996). "Baseball on NBC helps CBS". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
  9. ^ DeRosa, Robin (October 23, 1996). "Fox gets major league boost to No. 3". Life. USA Today. p. 3D.
  10. ^ a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. November 13, 1996. p. 3D.
  11. ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. November 20, 1996. p. 3D.
  12. ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. November 27, 1996. p. 3D.
  13. ^ "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. December 4, 1996. p. 3D.
  14. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 13-19)". The Los Angeles Times. January 22, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  15. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 20-26)". The Los Angeles Times. January 29, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  16. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 3-9)". The Los Angeles Times. February 12, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  17. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 10-16)". The Los Angeles Times. February 20, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  18. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 17–23)". The Los Angeles Times. February 26, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  19. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 24-March 2)". The Los Angeles Times. March 5, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  20. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (April 28–May 4)". The Los Angeles Times. May 7, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  21. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (May 5–11)". The Los Angeles Times. May 14, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  22. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (May 12–18)". The Los Angeles Times. May 21, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  23. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (May 19–25)". The Los Angeles Times. May 29, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  24. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Aug. 25-31)". The Los Angeles Times. September 4, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  25. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Sept. 1-7)". The Los Angeles Times. September 10, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  26. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Sept. 8–12)". The Los Angeles Times. September 17, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  27. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Sept. 15–21)". The Los Angeles Times. September 24, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  28. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Sept. 22–28)". The Los Angeles Times. October 1, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  29. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Sept. 29-Oct. 5)". The Los Angeles Times. October 8, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  30. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Oct. 13-19)". The Los Angeles Times. October 22, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  31. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Oct. 27-Nov. 2)". The Los Angeles Times. November 5, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  32. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 3-9)". The Los Angeles Times. November 12, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  33. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 10-16)". The Los Angeles Times. November 19, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  34. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 17-23)". The Los Angeles Times. November 26, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  35. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 24-30)". The Los Angeles Times. December 3, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  36. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Dec. 15-21)". The Los Angeles Times. December 24, 1997. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  37. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 12-18)". The Los Angeles Times. January 21, 1998. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  38. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 19-25)". The Los Angeles Times. January 28, 1998. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  39. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 16-22)". The Los Angeles Times. February 25, 1998. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  40. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 23-March 1)". The Los Angeles Times. March 4, 1998. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  41. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (March 2–8)". The Los Angeles Times. March 11, 1998. Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon