Sparks is an American sitcom television series that aired on UPN from August 26, 1996, to March 2, 1998. The series stars James Avery, Robin Givens, Terrence Howard, Miguel A. Núñez Jr., Kym Whitley and Arif S. Kinchen. The sitcom is set in Compton, California, and is about the everyday lives of a family of lawyers running a family-owned law practice. Reruns of the show aired on BET in the late 1990s.
Content The show stars James Avery as Alonzo Sparks, a lawyer running a family law firm with his sons Maxey (Miguel A. Núñez Jr.) and Greg (Terrence Howard) in inner-city Compton, California.
Cast Main James Avery as Alonzo Sparks Miguel A. Nunez Jr. as Maxey Sparks, Alonzo's first son Terrence DaShown Howard as Greg Sparks, Alonzo's second son Kym E. Whitley as Darice Mayberry Arif S. Kinchen as LaMarr Hicks Robin Givens as Wilma Cuthbert
Recurring Wanda-Lee Evans as Judge Phill Lewis as Detective Floyd Pitts Hawthorne James as Claude Rod McCary as Attorney Mason Michael Warren as Desmond
Special guest appearances Vanessa Bell Calloway as Monique Nell Carter as Barbara Rogers Terry Ellis as Deidre Pam Grier as Ms. Grayson Billy Preston as Himself Anna Maria Horsford as Wilma's Aunt Kenya Moore as Ms. Collins Ron O'Neal as Arthur Fairchild Jason Kidd as Himself
Episodes Series overview
Season 1 (1996–97)
Season 2 (1997–98)
Reception Kevin D. Thompson of The Palm Beach Post gave the show a mostly-negative review, criticizing Avery's performances and the "normal cardboard cutout characters". Frederic M. Biddle of the Boston Globe also criticized the performances of the lead actors and thought that Núñez's and Howard's characters were "silently perpetuating stereotypes equating character with Caucasian features".
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