Thea

recurring characters:

1st Season 1993

Production credits:
Castle Rock Entertainment
Created by Bernie Kukoff
Co-executive producer: Bill Bryan
Supervising producer: Tom Devanney
Produced by Mary Ellen Jones
Executive story editor: Michelle Jones
Creative consultant: Margie Peters
Program consultants: Dan Cohen & F.J. Pratt, Teri Schaffer Hicks
Associate producer: Suzy Mamann Greenberg

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1. "Pilot"
   gs: Bebe Drake Massey [ Carlotta ], Kenny Ford, Jr. [ Leonard ]

   We are introduced to Thea's hectic routine, working at the supermarket checkout by day, dressing hair by night, and supervising her four demanding children. James gives his mother $25 which he learned delivering sandwiches during his school lunch hour, but she insists that he keep the money and eat his own lunch in the cafeteria henceforth. Danesha returns from taking Jerome clothes shopping, but Jerome blabs that he had to try on endless badly-fitting clothes while she talked on the phone to her new boyfriend Leonard, who is meeting her at the library later to study, and Thea insists that Jerome pick her up at home so she can inspect him. Meanwhile Jarvis is supposedly at a friend's house doing a geography assignment, but Thea has found his geography book and knows that he has been at the video arcade instead, and grounds him before she leaves to attend a memorial service. It's the night of a big video game competition, and Jarvis sneaks out to it despite James' attempts to keep him at home -- then must face Thea's righteous wrath.

   b: 3 Sep 93 pc: 080101 w: Bernie Kukoff d: Jay Sandrich

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2. "Jerome Makes the Grade"
   gs: Todd Susman [ Coach ]

   Jerome is failing English because of his desperate attempts to make the school basketball team. When Thea forces him to finish his book report on "To Kill a Mockingbird", he doesn't make the team - but gets an A on his report. Meanwhile, Danesha attempts to submit a video to America's Funniest Home Videos.

   b: 10 Sep 93 pc: 080104 w: Tom Devanney d: Jay Sandrich

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3. "Dirty Laundry"
   gs: Kenny Ford, Jr. [ Leonard ], Maia Campbell [ Alison ]

   The kids are not pleased when the washing machine breaks down, which means endless trips to the laundromat. Meanwhile, Danesha's boyfriend is in hot water after he kisses another girl, and Thea puts him through the wringer before he can come clean with Danesha.

   b: 22 Sep 93 pc: 080103 w: Bill Bryan d: Jay Sandrich

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4. "How I Got Over"
   rc: Rickey, Otis

   Thea gets a chance to train for manager; but Jerome plans a boxing match party while Thea is at her night school class.

   b: 25 Sep 93 pc: 080107 w: ______________ d: Jay Sandrich

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5. "To Tell the Truth"
   gs: Will Utay [ Lou Folger ], Cal Gibson [ Fred ]

   rc: Desiree

   Jarvis lets his younger brother drive and they get into an accident; but it's no accident that the boys don't tell their mom who was behind the wheel. To punish them, she cooks up a scheme with Lynette, who pretends to have lost her wedding ring in her trash, now at the bottom of a very fragrant dumpster.

   b: 6 Oct 93 pc: 080108 w: Don Seigel d: Jay Sandrich

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6. "Artie's Party"
   gs: Wendy Raquel Robinson [ Patrice ], Jeffrey D. Sams [ Arthur ], Clyk Cozart [ Reggie ], Rachel True [ Candy ]

   Conflict brews when Arthur plans his bachelor party and invites Jerome, whom Thea thinks is too young to attend.

   b: 13 Oct 93 pc: 080109 w: Bill Bryan & Tom Devanney d: Chuck Vinson

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7. "Here Comes Mr. Gordon"
   

   Thea acquires an unwanted admirer.

   b: 15 Oct 93 pc: 080106 w: ______________ d: Linda Day

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8. "Birthday Girl"
   gs: Mindy Seeger [ Helen ], Marcia del Mar [ Leonora ], John LaFayette [ Shopper #1 ], Cherene Snow [ Shopper #2 ], B.T. Taylor [ Shopper #3 ]

   rc: Rickey

   On her birthday, Thea's treasured gift of hot tickets to a Motown reunion concert goes flat when her boss calls her in to work a replacement shift.

   b: 3 Nov 93 pc: 080111 w: David Kukoff d: Jay Sandrich

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9. "Danesha Loooves Leonard"
   gs: Kenny Ford Jr. [ Leonard ]

   When Danesha's romance with Leonard disrupts the household, Jarvis and Jerome hatch a plan to split up the lovebirds.

   b: 17 Nov 93 pc: 080105 w: Teri Schaffer Hicks d: John Bowab

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10. "Mama, I'm Full"
    gs: John Walter Davis [ Unknown ]

    rc: Rickey

    Thea must work at the market on Thanksgiving, so she entrusts Danesha with the cooking of the family feast.

    b: 24 Nov 93 pc: 080112 w: Michelle Jones d: Chuck Vinson

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11. "Good Stock"
    gs: James Boyce [ Farley Reynolds ]

    Jerome finds he has a knack with stocks which leads Thea to lend him a real investment stake.

    b: 1 Dec 93 pc: 080113 w: Bernie Kukoff & Michelle Jones d: Chuck Vinson

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12. "A Christmas Story"
    gs: Denise Dowse [ Unknown ], Vickilyn Reynolds [ Unknown ], Wesley Jonathan [ Unknown ]

    rc: Rickey, Otis

    Synopsis needed.

    b: 15 Dec 93 pc: 080114 w: Tom Devanney d: Chuck Vinson

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13. "Danesha Project"
    gs: Bumper Robinson [ Cliff Colver ], Countess Vaughn [ Charlene ], Wesley Jonathan [ Riddick ], Tamika Hinton [ Pam ], Tiombe Lockhart [ Diane ], Glenndon J. Chatman [ Dexter ], Marcus T. Paulk [ Cedric ]

    rc: Otis

    Danesha has a social studies project on single parents to do for school with the help of her classmate, Cliff Croverd, who just happens to be the most popular guy in school. Guess who they choose to interview about the experience of single parenthood?

    b: 22 Dec 93 pc: 080115 w: David Pollock & Elias Davis d: Tony Singletary

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14. "Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow"
    

    Thea finds herself in a hairy situation when she can't afford mandated improvements to her in-home salon and an inspector wants to close it down. (Postponed from an earlier date)

    b: 12 Jan 94 pc: 080110 w: ______________ d: Chuck Vinson

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15. "Who's Zoomin' Who?"
    gs: Omar Gooding [ Dwayne ], Ebonie Smith [ Marcella ], Wesley Jonathan [ Riddick ]

    rc: Otis

    A popular girl uses Jerome to make her boyfriend jealous, while Jerome is using the relationship for his own ends. Meanwhile, when Clark can't make time to fix Thea's plumbing, she decides to strike a blow for womankind by tackling the pipes herself.

    b: 16 Jan 94 pc: 080116 w: Teri Schaffer Hicks d: Jay Sandrich

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16. "Of Fish and Men"
    

    Danesha is paired with a basketball star for a school project, but finds that he could use a lesson in teamwork when he tries to pass all the work off on her.

    b: 29 Jan 94 pc: 080117 w: ______________ d: John Bowab

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17. "Call me Thea"
    gs: Timothy McNeil [ Repairman ], Jim Boeke [ Marvin ], Brett E. Bartlett [ Customer #2 ], Rob Maron [ Customer #1 ]

    rc: Roy, Walt, Claude

    Thea takes a day off, leaving the kids to do the household chores, and visits her favorite barbecue restaurant, Mickey's, only to discover that Mickey has died and new owner Roy's cooking is awful. Enter new head chef Thea.

    b: 4 Feb 94 pc: 080119 w: Bernie Kukoff & Michelle Jones d: Paul Kreppel

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18. "TCB"
    

    Also known as "Thea Changes Jobs," so this is presumably the episode where Thea really takes over the diner.

    b: 11 Feb 94 pc: 080118 w: ______________ d: Paul Kreppel

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19. "The Pie Queen and the Loan Duck"
    gs: Troy Evans [ Mitch Mallard ], Robert Covarrubias [ Raymond Alvarez ], Bari K. Willerford [ Manny ], Kimberly Maynard [ Shelli ]

    rc: Roy, Walt, Claude

    Thea's oldest son Jarvis needs space and privacy to study for his college SATs; Thea is outraged when she learns that Mitch Mallard, the banker who holds the mortgage on the diner, eats there for free -- while Thea's kids have to pay.

    b: 19 Feb 94 pc: 080120 w: Teri Schaffer Hicks d: John Bowab