What's Happening Now!!

*What's Happening Now!!*
What's Happening Now!!
	Opening titles from 1985
Genre	Sitcom
Created by	Eric Monte
Written by	Eric Monte; David Silverman; Stephen Sustaric; Michael S. Baser; Kim Weiskopf
Directed by	Michael Schultz
Starring	Ernest Thomas; Anne-Marie Johnson; Haywood Nelson; Fred Berry; Shirley Hemphill; Martin Lawrence; Ken Sagoes; Danielle Spencer;
Composers	Henry Mancini; Bruce Miller
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No. of seasons	3
No. of episodes	66 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers	Michael S. Baser; Mike Milligan; Kim Weiskopf
Producers	Larry Balmagia; Bob Peete; Michael S. Baser; Kim Weiskopf
Running time	22 minutes
Production companies	LBS Communications; Columbia Pictures Television; Coca-Cola Telecommunications (1987); (seasons 2–3);
Original release
Network	First-run syndication
Release	September 7, 1985 –; March 26, 1988
Related
	What's Happening!!;

What's Happening Now!! is an American sitcom sequel to the original ABC 1976–1979 sitcom What's Happening!!^[1] focusing on its main characters as independent people. It aired in first-run broadcast syndication from September 7, 1985 until March 26, 1988.

Premise

In the series, Roger "Raj" Thomas (Ernest Thomas) has graduated from the University of Southern California, and become a fledgling writer. He and his new wife Nadine (Anne-Marie Johnson), a social worker, move in to his old home in Watts (given to him by his mother, Mabel Thomas (Mabel King), now remarried and living in Phoenix, Arizona). His sister, Dee (Danielle Spencer), is away at college. Childhood friend, Dwayne Nelson (Haywood Nelson), has become a computer programmer, while Freddie "Rerun" Stubbs (Fred Berry) is now a used-car salesman. The old soda shop hangout, Rob's Place, has gone out of business and has been left abandoned. Reminded of his youth, and seeing an opportunity, Raj and Shirley Wilson (Shirley Hemphill), who used to wait tables there, decide to buy the business together, renaming it "Rob's."

Episodes

Season	Episodes	Originally released
Season	Episodes	First released	Last released
1	22	September 7, 1985 (1985-9-07)	March 16, 1986 (1986-3-16)
2	22	September 27, 1986 (1986-9-27)	March 28, 1987 (1987-3-28)
3	22	September 26, 1987 (1987-9-26)	March 26, 1988 (1988-3-26)

Cast

Ernest Thomas as Roger "Raj" Thomas
Anne-Marie Johnson as Nadine Hudson-Thomas^[1]
Haywood Nelson as Dwayne Nelson
Fred Berry as Fred "Rerun" Stubbs (season 1)
Shirley Hemphill as Shirley Wilson
Reina King as Carolyn Williams (season 1)
Martin Lawrence as Maurice Warfield (season 3)
Ken Sagoes as Darryl (season 3)
Danielle Spencer as Dee Thomas (recurring)^[2]

Recurring guests

Meshach Taylor as Buddy Carlton (2 episodes, seasons 1–2)

Cast change

After the first successful season, as he had done during the original What's Happening series, Fred Berry attempted to negotiate a salary increase based on what he perceived as the popularity of the "Rerun" character. In response, producers fired Berry from the series.^[3]

Home media

On June 12, 2007, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment released the first season of What's Happening Now!! on DVD in Region 1.

DVD Name	Ep #	Release Date
The Complete First Season	22	June 12, 2007

References

^ ^a ^b "NBC's 'The InBetween' Series Premiere: How You Know The Cast". International Business Times. May 29, 2019. Retrieved June 23, 2019.
^ "'What's Happening!!' co-star Danielle Spencer is ailing". Pix11. October 12, 2018. Retrieved June 23, 2019.
^ "What's Happening!!: Up From the Ashes". TVparty.com. Retrieved June 9, 2010.

External links

What's Happening Now!! at IMDb

[International_Business_Times_2019-1] "NBC's 'The InBetween' Series Premiere: How You Know The Cast". International Business Times. May 29, 2019. Retrieved June 23, 2019.

[2] "'What's Happening!!' co-star Danielle Spencer is ailing". Pix11. October 12, 2018. Retrieved June 23, 2019.

[3] "What's Happening!!: Up From the Ashes". TVparty.com. Retrieved June 9, 2010.

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