227 (TV series)
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227 is an American sitcom that originally aired on the NBC network from September 14, 1985 to May 6, 1990. The program revolves around the lives of the occupants of a Washington, D.C. apartment building numbered 227, nearly all of whom are African American. While the neighborhood's location is never mentioned specifically, the opening credits include an altered photograph of a residential neighborhood close to the Washington Monument; such a neighborhood location is impossible, especially in light of the address.
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Beginnings
The series was adapted from a play written by Christine Houston about the lives of women in a predominantly black apartment building in Chicago. The setting of the series was changed to Washington, D.C. to allow the producers to feasibly show a completely black neighborhood (Washington, D.C. is 60% black, while Chicago's black population only comprises about a third, comparable to many other cities in the United States).
The show was started as a starring vehicle for Marla Gibbs, who had first shot to fame as the sassy maid Florence Johnston on The Jeffersons, and had starred in Houston's theater adaptation in Los Angeles. This role was similar in nature to that of tart-tongued Florence; Gibbs' character, housewife Mary Jenkins, loved a good gossip and often spoke what she thought, with sometimes not-so-favorable results.
The group dynamic
Mary's best friend was Rose Lee Holloway (Alaina Reed), who inherited the building early in the show's run when Mr. Calloway, the previous landlord (who was never seen) died; Rose had cooked him food on many occasions and he gave her the building because she made the best apple pie he'd ever tasted. Mary took a no-nonsense, old-fashioned approach to life, and Mary and Rose's views sometimes clashed (one time, Rose and Mary got into a fight after Mary chastised Rose for giving her daughter Tiffany ice cream money before she did homework, and Rose accused her of trying to make everyone "perfect"). Mary especially disliked one of the building's tenants, self-described "man-wise" Sandra Clark (Jackée Harry), and criticized her either behind her back or to her face many times. Over time, Mary and Sandra's relationship became much less hostile(although they still clashed at times), and many of Mary's schemes involved Sandra working with her in some way, and vice versa.
Also seen was Mary's husband Lester (Hal Williams) and her teenaged daughter Brenda (Regina King in her first nationwide acting role). Another character seen was Pearl Shay (Helen Martin), who often popped her head outside her window to comment on the various goings-on as related by Mary and Rose. Pearl lived with her grandson Calvin Dobbs (Curtis Baldwin), who was Brenda's first love. Brenda's best friend was Rose's daughter Tiffany (Kia Goodwin).
Backstage tension
As the show went on, Jackée Harry's portrayal of man-hungry Sandra became very popular and, for all intents and purposes, displaced Marla Gibbs as the show's "star." In 1987, capitalizing on her popularity, Harry decided to just go by "Jackée" (in a move reminiscient of Cher and Madonna), and the publicity stunt (coupled with Jackée becoming the de facto star of the program) offended Miss Gibbs to such a degree that they had a falling-out which lasted several years. However they are on good terms today.
Ratings and accolades
The show was high-rated from the beginning (being partnered on NBC's Saturday night line-up with shows such as Gimme a Break!, The Facts of Life, and The Golden Girls), and ranked in the Nielsen Top 30 for the first three of its five seasons (#20 in 1985-86, #14 in 1986-87, and #27 in 1987-88). 227 also earned many awards, including the first Emmy award for a black supporting actress in a sitcom (Jackée Harry won for her portrayal as Sandra in 1987).
The show made attempts to have the characters appear on game shows, where some appeared on Wheel Of Fortune, Family Feud and Love Connection.
Throughout the final two seasons, however, several new characters appeared, which threw off the tight-knit dynamic that the show had succeeded in establishing. Jackée Harry had left 227 when NBC had created a pilot for a potential series for her called Jackée, in which her character Sandra had moved to New York to work in a high-society beauty salon. Helen Martin also made an appearance as her character, Pearl Shay. However, the pilot was never picked up and Jackée never returned to the show. Actors such as Kevin Peter Hall, Paul Winfield, Lynn Hamilton, Toukie A. Smith, and Stoney Jackson were signed onto the program, as well as child actor Countess Vaughn, who expressed an interest in appearing on 227 after winning on Star Search. It was at that time that the ratings declined; the show's producers decided to end the show in 1990, in time for Brenda's graduation from high school.
Continuity errors
One of the show's continuity errors was slowing down Brenda's age; only four years of schooling took place within the show's five-year run ("barely fourteen" years old at the start of the show in September 1985, Brenda only turned 16 in January 1988). Another continuity error occurred when the writers dropped Kia Goodwin from the show's cast in January 1988, suddenly leaving Rose without a daughter, with no explanation given. (see Chuck Cunningham syndrome)
The first season of 227 is available on DVD in Region 1 from Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment. The order of the episodes in the three-disc set proved mildly confusing to former viewers, as the first part of the show's pilot was placed on the first disc, while the conclusion was placed on the second disc. Adding to the confusion was the fact that the pilot didn't even air as the first episode when the show began in 1985; the two-parter aired at the beginning of November sweeps, after five episodes had already been broadcast.
Theme song
The theme song to 227 was written by television songwriter Ray Colcord, who went on to write the themes to The Torkelsons, Boy Meets World, and Promised Land. The message conveyed in the song was the strength of family bonds; titled "There's No Place Like Home," the theme was sung by series star Marla Gibbs.
Syndication
227 has aired in syndication since 1990. As for cable, it aired from 1997 to 1999 on Black Entertainment Television and from January 19, 2004 to June 24, 2005 and September 26, 2005 to the present, it airs on TV One. In July 2006, 227 will begin syndication on TV Land.
External links
- Information about 227 from The Museum of Broadcast Communications
- 227 from TV.com
- 227 from the Internet Movie Database