The Sinbad Show


The Sinbad Show is an American sitcom starring comedian Sinbad that premiered on September 16, 1993 on Fox. The show's main plot is about a bachelor taking in two orphaned children. Chuck Brown performed this sitcom's theme music. It was canceled after one season on April 21, 1994, with two episodes left unaired.

Overview

The series follows the life of David Bryan, a carefree bachelor, who becomes a single parent when he adopts two orphaned children, Zana and L.J. Beckley, who face several issues which they work through together.

The show follows David as he helps L.J. and Zana deal with their new lives, L.J. dealing with school, friendships, girls, and being a teenager, and Zana learning how to function in everyday life. Meanwhile, Clarence shares his antics and David's parents helping him deal with raising kids.

Characters

CharacterPlayed byDescription
David BryanSinbadDave is the father of the family. His friends often refer to him as "Red" and he is known for acting out flamboyant scenes for Zana and hitting on attractive women. He designs video games.
L.J. BeckleyWillie Ray Norwood, Jr.
L.J. is the older brother of Zana. He is 12 years old, but turns 13 in the duration of the show. He is one of the more sarcastic characters on the show. He often explains he can look after himself, but wants Zana to be safe. He tries to control what Dave does for Zana. He doesn't do that well in school, and he gets tutored by Ms. Page. He is often very surly and disrespectful towards David and other authoritative figures.
Zana BeckleyErin DavisZana is 6 years old, and has greatly depended on L.J. in the past. She loves David very much but is still insecure about moving away from him, due to her experiences with various foster homes.
Clarence HallT. K. CarterClarence works at the Big and Tall store, and has been friends with David since grade school. He is often teased about his difficulties with women, although he remains boastful about his exploits. He is known for his cluelessness. He was the former roommate of David, but his lease was voided due to nonpayment, allowing Sinbad to make room for the kids. Despite his eviction, Clarence gained a new lease in an adjoining residence and frequently visits David.

Supporting guests

The Sinbad Show was cancelled after its first season, and aired its last episode on April 21, 1994. It aired at 8:30 p.m., following The Simpsons, Thursday nights on Fox. The series was one of several shows featuring predominately black casts that were canceled by Fox around the same time. Activist Jesse Jackson protested the cancellations and called for a boycott of the network for their "institutional racism". Fox maintained that the series were low rated and the decision to cancel was not racially motivated.

Episode list

Syndication

The show aired in syndication on The Family Channel Monday to Thursday at 9:30 p.m. and weekend mornings at 11:30. It also aired on Disney Channel for a short time during the mid-1990s.

Awards and nominations