The Game will be getting second revival on Paramount+ as the streamer sets a November 11th kickoff, via Deadline. This will be the third launch for the series after previously airing on The CW and BET.
A spin-off of the hit sitcom, Girlfriends, The Game follows the trials and tribulations of being the wives and girlfriends of pro athletes. The original series starred Tia Mowry-Hardwick (Sister, Sister) as the lead, Melanie Barnett, and Pooch Hall (Jumping the Broom) as her love interest and rising football star, Derwin Davis. The series ran from 2008-2010 for three seasons before getting canceled at The CW. BET picked up the series in 2011 and ran for six more seasons until 2015, where it became more of a drama.
The Paramount+ revival will bring the series from sunny San Diego to Las Vegas, and it will center around the intersections between Black culture and the sports industry. The Las Vegas team will tackle several social issues as they fight for fame, fortune, and love — all while trying to maintain their souls as they each play The Game.
“We’re going to come deep with some issues because 2021 is different than 2008,” showrunner and writer Devon Greggory (American Soul) told Deadline.
Wendy Raquel Robinson (Dear White People) and Hosea Chanchez (Black Lightning) will reprise their roles as the mother-son duo Tasha Mack and Malik Wright, respectively. While it’s been years since fans have seen Tasha and Malik on screens, Greggory thinks that they have “evolved in a way where they’re only entertaining.”
“[The Game] never got old, it just had the opportunity to reboot itself,” he added, according to Deadline. “A lot of the times series don’t get that opportunity while on the air, and I think that’s a mistake for a lot of television entities and different production companies. We should be able to evolve while we’re on the air.”
Colby Bell (The Gifted) and Brittany Daniel (Sweet Valley High) will also be reprising their roles as Jason and Kelly Pitts, respectively. Original series creator, Mara Brock Akil (Girlfriends), will executive produce alongside Greggory and original executive producer Kelsey Grammer (Frasier).
The Game will stream on November 11, exclusively on Paramount+.