Martin (TV series)

Martin
Genre Sitcom
Created by John Bowman
Martin Lawrence
Topper Carew
Starring
Theme music composer Steve Kweitt
Joey Kibble II
Mark Kibble
Paul Wright III
Composer(s) Bill Maxwell
Greg Poree
Country of origin United States
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 5
No. of episodes 132 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s) John Bowman
Topper Carew
Martin Lawrence
Billy Van Zandt
Jane Milmore
Samm-Art Williams
Producer(s) Walter Barnett
Terry Crotzer
Mark J. Greenberg
Cheryl Holliday
Bennie R. Richburg, Jr.
Robert Lawrence
Location(s) Universal Studios
Universal City, California
Cinematography William Updegraff
Gary W. Scott
Alan Walker
Camera setup Multi-camera
Running time 22–24 minutes
Production company(s) You Go Boy! Productions (1994–1997)
HBO Independent Productions
Warner Bros. Television
Distributor Warner Bros. Television Distribution
Release
Original network Fox
Original release August 27, 1992 (1992-08-27) – May 1, 1997 (1997-05-01)

Martin is an American sitcom that aired for five seasons on the Fox network, from August 27, 1992, to May 1, 1997. Reflecting the rising popularity of the Fox network throughout the 1990s, Martin was one of the network's highest-rated shows during the sitcom's run.

Summary

Set in Detroit, the series stars Martin Lawrence in the role of Martin Payne, a disc jockey with a girlfriend named Gina Waters. Martin works for the fictional radio station WZUP and later for local Public-access television station Channel 51. A common theme of the series is Martin's ornery and wayward nature. Episodes often center on Martin's inconsiderate behaviors and incessant smart mouth towards his friends, neighbors, and whoever else finds themselves in his presence. When all is said and done, however, Martin loves his family and friends—it just takes dire situations for him to show it.[1]

As the series progressed, plotlines saw Martin eventually move on to become the host of the talk show "Word on the Street," which aired on the small Detroit Public-access television station Channel 51. He retained this position until the series' final episode, in which he and Gina prepared to move to Los Angeles, from where his show would be syndicated nationally. The move coincided fortuitously with Gina's promotion by her boss Mr. Whitaker to head up his company's new Los Angeles headquarters, after having shut down the Detroit office. Pam, whom Whitaker let go two episodes earlier due to this consolidation and downsizing, went on to pursue a career in the music industry as an artists & repertoire (A&R) executive at Keep It Real Records. (This plotline is the subject of a backdoor pilot episode that was included in the Martin series for a planned sitcom on Fox starring Tichina Arnold to be called Goin' for Mine [Episode 129, "Goin' for Mine"]. This sitcom never materialized, though.) And at series' end, Cole proposed to his even more dimwitted, but attractive and devoted girlfriend Shanise (portrayed by Maura McDade), and they made plans to move into their own place. The only actor to appear in every episode as the same character is Tommy played by Thomas Mikal Ford.

In early episodes, Lawrence began with a monologue of him speaking to the camera and audience from the darkened radio studio.

In 1996, Tisha Campbell filed a lawsuit against her co-star Martin Lawrence and the show's producers for sexual harassment and verbal and physical assaults, and she did not appear in most of the season five episodes. The explanation in most of the episodes Campbell did not appear in was that Gina was "out on business", though in the two-part episode "Going Overboard" it was stated that Gina had arrived too late to board the boat for the trip alongside everyone else.[2] HBO Studios eventually settled the case with Campbell so that the show's last season could be completed.[3] Campbell did return to the Martin set to film the two-part season finale under the condition that she would not share any scenes with or interact in any way with Martin Lawrence. In the episode, Martin and Gina kept entering and exiting the sets at different times and the storyline was adjusted so that the characters were both part of it but never crossed paths.

Characters

Main characters

Supporting characters

Season 1 Season 2 Season 3 Season 4 Season 5
Martin Lawrence Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick
Tisha Campbell-Martin Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick
Thomas Mikal Ford Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick
Tichina Arnold Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick
Carl Anthony Payne II Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick
Garrett Morris Green tick Green tick(Recurring) Green tick (1 guest appearance) Red X Red X
Jonathan Gries Green tick Green tick(Recurring) Red X Green tick (archive footage) Red X

Recurring characters

Other roles played by Lawrence

One of the trademark running gags of Martin, especially early in its run, was Lawrence playing multiple characters, utilizing various costumes and prosthetic appliances. This was often done as a plot device or comic relief. Season four was the last season to feature Lawrence as multiple characters on a regular basis. This technique was rarely used in Season 5, which was the final season of the series. The only characters that appeared in Season 5 were Sheneneh, Roscoe and Elroy. Mama Payne does not appear but her voice is heard in the holiday episode "Scrooge". Most of the other characters were last seen in Season 4 and the episodes they last appeared in seemingly wrote them out of the series.

Ratings

Season U.S. ratings Network Rank
1 1992–93 11.40 million Fox #41
2 1993–94 9.29 million Fox #64
3 1994–95 8.11 million Fox #92
4 1995–96 6.70 million Fox #104
5 1996–97 6.00 million Fox #110

Episodes

Awards and nominations

Year Award Result Category Recipient
1993 People's Choice Awards Won Favorite TV New Comedy Series
1994 NAACP Image Awards Won Outstanding Comedy Series
1995 Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Martin Lawrence
Outstanding Comedy Series
1996 Nominated Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Marla Gibbs
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Carl Anthony Payne II
Thomas Mikal Ford
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Tisha Campbell-Martin
Outstanding Comedy Series
Won Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Tichina Arnold
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Martin Lawrence
1997 Nominated Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Tisha Campbell-Martin
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Martin Lawrence
Outstanding Comedy Series
1995 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards Nominated Favorite Television Show
Favorite Television Actor Martin Lawrence
1996 Favorite Television Actor Martin Lawrence

Syndication and DVD releases

Reruns air in syndication in most major U.S. cities, and also air daily nationwide on the TV One cable network. Reruns began airing on MTV2 on February 21, 2011. As of October 2015, reruns of Martin now air on BET

HBO Home Video has released all five seasons of Martin on DVD in Region 1.

DVD Name Ep # Release Date
The Complete First Season 27 January 4, 2007
The Complete Second Season 27 May 15, 2007
The Complete Third Season 27 November 6, 2007
The Complete Fourth Season 27 April 1, 2008
The Complete Fifth and Final Season 24 October 7, 2008

References

  1. "A Macho Image for a Sensitive Soul". The New York Times. November 3, 1992. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
  2. "TV Notes". The New York Times. January 15, 1997. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
  3. "‘Martin,’ Campbell reconcile". Variety. March 21, 1997. Retrieved October 18, 2014.
  4. "'Martin's' Wife Leaves Fox Series". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 18, 2014.
  5. "‘Martin,’ Campbell reconcile". Variety. March 21, 1997. Retrieved October 18, 2014.

External links

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