So why do I have this interest in this reboot? I recently watched a series of reboots that were awful and didn’t seem necessary to bring back. The most recent reboot of the sitcom, Mad About You, had a significant run on TV in the 90s, and made me mad that I wasted my time watching it. I was not so impressed with what happened to the middle age Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt characters but I definitely would be interested and probably could relate more to the next stage in life of the Living single cast.
Living Single, released 1994
Since the fifth season was canceled right in the center of that run and two of the main characters were fired, there are some themes that could serve as the bases for ideas that were not fully explored during that truncated and worst 5th season of that series. The complaints of the network that the show was too urbane, you could tell the approved scripts may not have been written by the same staff, or by writers too scared to take chances. You could tell that the scripts had devolved into more slap stick comedy, when appropriate the actors and actresses could play that role, but also needed to tackle more serious themes and not being so inane. I wish they had taken a serious look and explored the characters Sinclair’s acting career, also exploring a pregnant Max which would have been hilarious, Regine finally marrying well initially moving to Park Avenue, or Kyle making partner in NY and his fund becoming something of a literal Blackrock. The “blackness” of the show is what made it so successful, the original formula worked, but ultimately it was as if the executives wanted crossover appeal and didn’t think sponsors would approve I’m sure, and wanted to water it down to latte, so to speak.
Episode One
The idea of the first episode should be a celebration. The character Sinclair had a long run with the theatrical troupe it would be amazing to have an after party when she wins a Tony for one of those roles.
The first scene opens with Sinclair who with the assistance of her daughter are in the upstairs expanded walk in closet and master bathroom of the original brownstone getting ready for her party that is being thrown in her honor.
There is a three way call initiated by Regine who was driving back from Georgia.
A newly divorced Regine was returning to Brooklyn and was to take up residence in the basement apartment after her unceremonious dismissal from her Georgia mansion after the divorce from her media mogul husband. They are having an animated chat about the first of many times they shared that bathroom getting ready for any shenanigans or just the start of the day.
Regine apologizes for her inability to be there in time for the party but she’s looking for to finally being back home in Brooklyn. The audience will also be introduced to Regine’s fabulously spoiled daughters, I haven’t decided which actors should play her obnoxious twins of color, who seem to be an exact replicas of the original Regine character asking why the maid hadn’t pressed and folded their Gucci gear before it was packed…
To read the rest of the treatment in its entirety navigate to the series on Medium https://medium.com/series/season-of-reboot-1a0b206d322b
