After observing the depressing lack of talent at the cafe's open mike night, the group persuades Kyle to sing the following week. Overton agrees to perform his stand-up comedy act in exchange for Kyle's participation. Kyle starts out well as he performs ""When I Fall in Love,"" but begins stuttering when Max enters in a low-cut gown and sits directly in front of him. He runs out of the cafe, thus ensuring Overton's victory. Max teases him mercilessly about his failure, while Overton believes that Kyle's unresolved feelings for Max are responsible for the incident. He urges him to get back on stage to prove himself. Kyle delivers a brilliant performance of ""My Funny Valentine."" He sings most of the song directly to a swooning Max. While the girls needle Max, Kyle thanks Overton for his advice, which he believes has freed him from Max's influence. At that moment, Max looks over her shoulder and smiles at Kyle seductively. He returns her gaze. ""Oh Lord! There they go again!"" Overton sighs.

Singing the Blues

Queen Latifah

Kim Coles

Erika Alexander

Terrence 'T.C.' Carson

John Henton

Kim Fields

David Steven Cohen

Play Ball

There's No Ship Like Kinship

Kyle and Max must deal with the consequences of their drunken night together. Kyle manages to sneak Max out of the apartment without detection; but everyone becomes suspicious when they show up at the group's rooftop gathering singing the same song, and seem hesitant to insult one another. After Kyle returns to his apartment with Overton, he and Max each confess what has happened. Overton suggests that Kyle find out if what he and Max share is love or hate. Kyle asks Max to dinner, and she accepts. This horrifies Regine, as she fears that she would be left as the only target for all of Max's scorn and ridicule. She bets Khadijah, Synclaire, Overton and Scooter (who has found a job in New York) on the outcome of the date. Kyle asks Max why she is so reluctant to open up to anyone, and she admits that she needs to protect herself from getting hurt. She nixes a relationship with Kyle because she would miss their antagonism too much. They dance and have a nice evening, but Regine wins her

There's Got to Be a Morning After

Denise Hatcher, Khadijah's high school basketball rival, comes to the Flavor office to complain about a sportswriter's comments about her coaching ability. They begin to argue about an incident in an all-star game in which they were teammates. Denise is still bitter because Khadijah was named MVP after scoring the winning basket by supposedly stepping on Denise's foot and stealing a pass intended for her. Denise challenges Khadijah to a game of one-on-one, with the MVP trophy going to the winner. While Khadijah is at the gym with Overton and Scooter, Denise shows up and throws down a thunderous dunk. Khadijah is ready to call off the game, but Max and Synclaire urge her not to quit. Khadijah trains hard, but is still hopelessly overmatched. During a time-out, Denise tries to get a weary Khadijah to concede, and boasts that she will shut her out. A rejuvenated Khadijah picks up her defense, then steals the ball and scores at the buzzer. Denise says she respects Khadijah's effort, and ad

I Love This Game

Regine grows weary of her tendency to date vain, tiresome men. She feels as though she is just going through the motions. Synclaire gives her a brochure about a seminar intended to help women break their dependence on men. When Regine attends her first session, she is shocked to find that Max is taking the class. The instructor assigns the students to take themselves on a date, but Regine and Max are so bored alone that they decide to go out together. Max explains that she took the seminar because she was not fulfilled by her one-night stands, and realized she had hit rock bottom when she slept with Kyle. She tells Regine that there is nothing wrong with seeking a relationship, as long as you don't base your self-worth on whether you have a man. They agree that they are doing just fine spending the evening without men. It is then revealed that Max and Regine are at a strip club. Overton sends Synclaire gifts from a secret admirer, but decides to call it off when she constantly speculat

They've Gotta Have It

Max drives the girls crazy by spending all her time at their apartment (even having her calls forwarded). They rejoice when Evans and Bell call her back to work. However, Max is frustrated by the loss of her clients and office and the realization that the partners will never stop punishing her for her mistake. She quits during her first day. Khadijah insists that she has acted rashly, and advises her to ask for her job back. Max refuses, insisting that a better offer will come along. After a week of rejections, Max is finally offered an interview. Although the interview goes very well, the firm decides to hire someone else. Max begins to lose confidence, although her friends assure her that she is an excellent lawyer. Max breaks down and calls Evans and Bell to plead for forgiveness, but hangs up without speaking to them. Meanwhile, Overton and Regine become convinced that an elderly woman in Max's building has committed a murder. Kyle finally talks to the woman and discovers that the

Working Nine to Nine-Fifteen

Regine convinces her boss, Mary, to consider having her boutique advertise in Flavor. Regine annoys Khadijah by crashing the pitch meeting. Mary agrees to purchase the ad if she finds the campaign acceptable, but suggests that the duo work on it together. Regine and Khadijah argue constantly, and decide to pitch individual ideas. When Mary expresses her disgust at the suggestions, Khadijah apologizes and promises that she and Regine will work together. Regine complains that Khadijah doesn't respect her, but Khadijah claims that Regine pushes people around because she underestimates her own intelligence. Their brainstorming results in a good slogan, and they rush off to tell Mary. An unemployed and extremely bored Max gets on Overton's nerves by appointing herself his apprentice and following him everywhere (even to his basement sanctuary, ""Overland""). She surprises him by installing the new water heater, but starts a fire when she forgets to install the steam release valve.

Tag: Max's

Bristle While You Work

In the hopes of spending more time with Synclaire, Overton enrolls in the art appreciation class she is taking at the night school. When the teacher marvels over one of Overton's first observations, he begins to hog the spotlight, leaving prize pupil Synclaire feeling crowded and unappreciated. She asks Overton to drop the class, but he refuses, as he feels he has uncovered a new talent. After Synclaire skips the class, Overton is overcome with guilt. Synclaire explains that she needs a place to call her own, as she is overshadowed at home and work. Overton agrees to drop the class, but decides to take an architecture course because he had enjoyed being back in school so much. Kyle places Khadijah on a strict budget to help solve her financial woes. Khadijah can't handle the prospect of buying generic foods and going without luxuries such as videos and microwave popcorn.

Tag: Synclaire paints a portrait of her friends.

School Daze

Overton's younger sister, Olivia, comes for a visit, and Overton is extremely protective of her. When Overton can't make their planned trip to the botanical gardens, Olivia suggests that she could go to a movie with Kyle (with whom she had been flirting). Overton catches them kissing in the hallway and throws a bucket of water on Kyle, ruining his suit. Meanwhile, Regine decides to become a vegetarian, and forces her beliefs on her roommates by throwing out all the meat. Khadijah plots to convert her back to meat-eating by holding a barbecue and giving her nothing to eat but celery. Regine does not give in, but she and her friends agree to respect each other's values. After a pep talk from Synclaire, Olivia finally musters the courage to ask her brother to stop treating her like a kid.

Tag: Kyle douses Overton with water, then puts out fire with one drop. John (Henton) waves and says good night to audience.

Am I My Sister's Keeper?

When Khadijah drops by Scooter's house on an errand before the Halogen Records Halloween party, Regine discovers a fax from a woman telling Scooter how much she had enjoyed the previous night. Khadijah finds a bottle of perfume under the sink, and grows increasingly suspicious. Khadijah, Regine and Scooter are embarrassed when they are the only ones in costume at the party because everyone else donated their costume money to charity. Khadijah gets upset when several women are surprised to learn that Scooter has a girlfriend, and orders him to introduce her to every woman at the party. He finally asks about her territorial behavior, and she tells him about the fax and perfume. He says that he had a business dinner with one of the company's artists, and that the perfume is a promotional item. He tells Khadijah that she needs to trust him, and points out that she is so devoted to her work that she has been neglecting him. Khadijah vows to correct this problem. Overton, Synclaire and Kyle

Trick or Trust

Max and Regine are surprised to learn that Synclaire has yet to sleep with Overton, even though they took the vacation to the Bahamas together. They encourage her to take the next step, but Synclaire is uncertain. She and Overton finally agree to have a romantic evening at his apartment the following night, as Kyle is out of town. After they experience a series of mishaps (including Overton's allergy to Synclaire's perfume), Synclaire admits that she is paralyzed with fear. She tells him that she is just not ready, and that she is feeling too much pressure from her friends. They decide to wait. Khadijah refuses to consider that her string of bad luck may have been caused by a broken chain letter.

Tag: Khadijah ecstatic over accidents, unaware that chain letter was returned.

Music: ""Touch Me"" by Samantha Fox; ""Me So Horny"" by 2 Live Crew; ""Strangers in the Night"" (Frank Sinatra), hummed by John Henton

Abstinence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

Max takes a job as a telemarketer, unaware that her sleazy boss is a scam artist who sells subliminal tapes that do not contain subliminal messages. She is arrested while talking on the phone with Khadijah. Meanwhile, Overton sets up surveillance and begins recording all the girls' phone calls in the hopes of catching a prank caller. When the public defender assigned to represent Max proves to be woefully incompetent, she decides to represent herself. She points out that the boss was the only person to run, and cites this as evidence that the employees didn't realize they were committing a crime. She adds that she was making a personal call at the time that the police raided the building, and proves this through Overton's tape. The judge dismisses the case, and all the other employees ask Max to represent them. The judge recommends Max to the public defender's office, which hires her immediately.

Tag: Identity of prank caller revealed.

Double Indignity

Regine's doctor recommends that she undergo breast reduction surgery to alleviate her chronic back problems. After the surgery, Regine loses her self-esteem and begins throwing herself at men. Kyle assures her that she doesn't look any different, and states that her confidence and personality are what make her attractive to men. Kevon and the other neighborhood children blame Overton when a greedy ice cream man (who had been operating in the middle of winter) suffers a heart attack while reaching in the back of the truck for the Nutty Buddy that Overton had ordered.

Tag: Regine poses for photos at doctor's office.

Music: ""Accentuate the Positive,"" sung by Kim Coles; ""The Way We Were"" (Barbra Streisand), sung by Kim Fields

My Cups Runneth Over

Everyone is surprised by Regine's companion at Thanksgiving dinner--a charming, overweight parcel delivery guy named Darryl who does not meet any of image-conscious Regine's usual date criteria. When Scooter calls Khadijah and tells her that he wants to ask her something at the dinner, she and her friends believe that he is going to propose. She is shocked when he instead tells her that he has been offered a chance to manage a female R&B group and accompany it on a world tour. Scooter becomes angry when Khadijah does not offer her blessing. The group breaks off into boy and girl factions, who each rant about the opposite sex. When everyone re-assembles for dinner, Darryl's touching prayer prompts Khadijah to re-consider and allow Scooter to pursue his dream.

Thanks for Giving

Kyle suggests that his firm take advantage of the untapped financial potential of Africa by creating a mutual fund, and volunteers to handle the project personally. Lawrence informs Kyle that the firm is concerned about using Kyle as a representative, as his appearance--specifically his hair--isn't ""corporate"" enough. Kyle does not want his career to be curtailed over such a trivial matter, so he considers getting a haircut. However, he then suffers a nightmare in which he turns into a jester who obeys his bosses' every whim (and is forced to dance before Queen Max). He calls a meeting and informs his bosses that his hair is a symbol of his pride in his African heritage. He had believed that the firm made its decisions based on merit, and will not compromise himself. Kyle learns that only Lawrence was worried about his hair, and that his concerns were dismissed. The African mutual fund is approved, and Kyle receives a promotion. Meanwhile, Khadijah is distraught when she continually mi

A Hair-Razing Experience

Khadijah's long-time friend Sheri accepts a job as a columnist at Flavor. She quickly makes friends with Synclaire, and the two go out to lunch every day and constantly joke around at the office. An annoyed Khadijah claims that their antics are disrupting the office, but she is actually very jealous. After she loses her temper and stomps off to her room during a game of Clue at the apartment, Synclaire confronts her. Khadijah apologizes and admits that she has been feeling left out. Sheri quits her job at Flavor, as she earned more money free-lancing. Overton suffers from insomnia after buying a new box spring. He does not sleep for days, and behaves erratically. When he goes upstairs to check on Khadijah and Synclaire, he falls asleep on Khadijah's bed.

Tag: Everyone tries to get slumbering Overton out of Khadijah's room.

Music: ""Confunction Junction,"" sung by Kim Coles and Rosie O'Donnell

Khadijah hires Bobby Bonilla of the New York Mets to pen a weekly column for Flavor, just as her employees are poised to walk out over low salaries and poor working conditions. Bobby defends Khadijah, until he interprets her request for a hold on salaries as a salary cap (a major sticking point in the baseball labor dispute) and supports the strike. Khadijah insists that money is too tight to give raises, but Max warns her that she is on the verge of losing Flavor. Khadijah re-arranges her finances and agrees to give a modest salary increase. Inspired by a local video clerk's screenwriting success, Kyle and Regine try to pen an action/adventure screenplay.

Tag: Bobby Bonilla is blown away by Khadijah's fastball.

Overton and Regine get caught in a blizzard after he picks her up at the boutique. Max fears that she may be pregnant with ""stand-by"" boyfriend Michael's child. A concerned Kyle races to the store for a test, partially to get away from an ill-advised one-night stand--an annoying efficiency expert. Everyone is relieved when it turns out to be a false alarm. Regine receives word of the possible pregnancy when she calls the apartment, but cannot get the full scoop before the cellular batteries go out. Tired of Regine's whining, Overton finally slices up his precious bean bag chair and uses its contents for traction to get the van back on the road.

Tag: Overton turns to singing radio therapist to deal with bean bag grief.

Music: ""Forget Your Troubles, Come on Get Happy,"" sung by radio therapist Dr. David Scott May and John Henton

Stormy Weather

A handsome young man from Synclaire's psychology class kisses her during a study session. Synclaire pushes him away, but is still gripped by guilt. She blurts out her indiscretion during a special evening Overton had planned for their first anniversary as a couple. Overton goes ballistic, storms out of the restaurant, and refuses to talk to her. Concerned for her cousin's well being, Khadijah sends Kyle up to the apartment to check on her. He finds Overton and Synclaire's clothes strewn throughout the living room. Meanwhile, Regine is livid when Max snags a coat she had left outside the apartment to donate to charity. Max begins wearing it constantly to spite her.

Tag: Max usurps more of Regine's unwanted clothes.

The Last Temptation

When Max's former flame Preston August becomes her new boss, they try to mix business and romance, but find that it is hopeless. They fail to get any work done, and each is insanely jealous when the other confers with co-workers of the opposite sex. They realize they must break up. Kyle is furious when a typo in his Flavor bio states that he is married, until he finds that being unavailable makes him more attractive.

Tag: Kyle tries out his married persona in bar.

Legal Briefs

Regine suffers through a disastrous dinner with Darryl's closest friends, and realizes that she and Darryl don't have very much in common after he shares his dream of one day taking his wife on a cross-country fishing trip via RV. A panicked Regine heads to the bowling alley to seek advice from her friends; but Khadijah is flirting, while everyone else is caught up in Overton's pursuit of a 300 game. Regine's desperate cry for attention proves to be Overton's undoing. Regine and Darryl decide to break up, but agree to remain good friends. Max is forced to compliment Kyle constantly after losing a bet over the bowling game.

Tag: A behind-the-scenes look at the bowling scenes.

If the Crew Fits

Kyle grows weary of Synclaire's constant presence in his apartment, particularly after she ruins his iron by using it to make grilled cheese sandwiches, and scares away his date. He and Overton are at each other's throats, but have to talk things out when they get buried beneath Overton's new water bed (a suggestion of Synclaire's) while trying to prevent a flood. Khadijah and Max undertake a reconnaissance mission when a risquÃ© video of Max dancing with a stripper at a bachelorette party accidentally ends up in Kyle's hands. Their plan goes awry when Regine fails in her role as lookout.

Tag: Kyle and Christina view Max's illicit video.

Music:  ""Tootsee Roll"" (69 Boyz), sung by Queen Latifah

Space Invaders

Kyle is thrilled when he is asked to serve as escort to a beautiful princess who is doing business with his company, but finds that security precautions cramp his style. Overton enlists the help of Khadijah and ""secret weapon"" Synclaire to gain revenge on a pair of pool hustlers. Regine exposes Max's jealousy concerning Kyle and the princess by claiming that the two are pictured in the society pages. She cackles when Max tears through the paper. Max announces that she will ease Regine's boredom by taking her along to watch Max get a tattoo, but her bravado fades considerably when she sees the needles.

Tag: Kyle says good night to Hellura's bodyguard after date.

Another Saturday Night

Khadijah vies with Marcus Hughes, a pompous reporter from the Village Voice, to break a story about a promoter who fixes fights. Khadijah appears to have the upper hand when she coaxes one of the fighters into granting an interview and providing details of the scandal. Marcus tricks the maid into letting him into Khadijah's hotel room, where he hides in the bathroom and records her interview. However, Khadijah has one more trick up her sleeve: she arranges for Flavor to hit the newsstands a day earlier than usual. She taunts Marcus by noting that he may work for a big magazine, but Khadijah calls the shots at Flavor. Regine is thrilled to discover that she is the inspiration for a popular doll. Max convinces the toy company to give Regine a share of the profits, but Regine's dreams of wealth are dashed when a defect in the doll is discovered: its wig is highly flammable.

Tag: The doll bursts into flames.

Who's Scooping Who?

Synclaire is offered a role in a play about a group of strangers waiting for an ATM. The quirky director decides that the perfect ending for the play would be for Synclaire to scamper across the stage in the nude. Synclaire is unsure about showing her ""ta-ta's"" on stage, but Overton tells her that the decision is hers alone. Synclaire is prepared to back out of the play, but changes her mind when she sees a poster that refers to her as the star. Max refuses to believe that Khadijah is friends with Vinnie of the rap group Naughty By Nature, even after Regine confirms her story. (She says that Vinnie used to look up Regine's dress and made her eat flies when they were children.) Max mocks Khadijah when she can't get in touch with Vinnie, but is speechless when the group shows up on Khadijah's doorstep. Max hits on Treach, but finds that he is ""too freaky"" for her, and the group agrees to attend Synclaire's play (after learning there is nudity involved).

Tag: Slow-motion replay of Synclai

Raw Talent

Khadijah and Regine send their mothers to the Bahamas as a Mother's Day gift, and Khadijah's grandmother comes to stay with her. Rita expresses concern about the fact that Nana has been wandering off, and fears that her age is showing. Nana vanishes, and Khadijah is stunned to find that she has returned to New Jersey for a rendezvous with her boyfriend, the town baker. With Khadijah as a buffer, Nana finally has a talk with Rita about her need for a personal life. After Laverne reminds her about her affair with a snorkel instructor, Rita agrees to give Nana a break, provided that she be more honest in the future. Overton videotapes the events as a gift for his mother. While researching his family tree, Kyle discovers that his great-great-grandfather invented the sipping straw, only to be bilked out of his money by a hustler who was one of Max's ancestors. Kyle has the last laugh when he learns that the pain of losing their fortunes was what first brought his great-great-grandparents to

To Grandmother's House We Go

Thanks to Synclaire's letter, the talk show Delia invites the roommates to appear in a segment entitled, ""Roommates From Heaven, Roommates From Hell."" While the ""roommates from hell"" end up sobbing and hugging one another, the girls are in danger of being bumped because they are too happy, and thus, not interesting. Regine tries to liven things up by speaking of her roommates' faults and portraying herself as the glue that holds everything together. A furious Khadijah blurts out that she only asked her to move in because Laverne begged Rita to help her daughter find a place to live. Regine is humiliated, and feels unappreciated. Khadijah assures her that she has grown to accept her quirks, but Regine does not want to stay where she isn't wanted. She decides to move out. Khadijah, however, is certain that the whole thing is just another ploy for attention.

Tag: Everyone leaves Khadijah, who insists that Regine is coming back.

Talk Showdown

Regine begins the process of moving out of the apartment. Khadijah and Synclaire interview a prospective new roommate, an obnoxious woman who smokes and has creditors on her tail. In spite of this, Khadijah is willing to give her a try--until she insults Regine. Unable to cope with the tension, Synclaire begins to display as many traits of a nicotine addict as are possible without actually smoking or chewing tobacco. She pleads with Khadijah to apologize to Regine and ask her to stay. Just as Regine is about to depart, Khadijah breaks down and apologizes. Regine refuses to reconsider, as she believes that it is time for her to move on. Khadijah slams the door in her face. Meanwhile, Max is actually purchasing groceries when the store is held up. Kyle stumbles through the door and subdues the man. Max is certain that he has saved her life. She runs across the store and flings herself on him, and later offers to cook him dinner as an expression of her gratitude. Kyle confesses to Overton

The Shake-Up

Living Single is an American television sitcom that aired for five seasons on the Fox network from August 22, 1993, to January 1, 1998. The show centered on the lives of six friends who share personal and professional experiences while living in a Brooklyn brownstone.

Throughout its run, Living Single became one of the most popular African-American sitcoms of its era, ranking among the top five in African-American ratings in all five seasons. The series was produced by Yvette Lee Bowser's company, Sister Lee, in association with Warner Bros. Television. In contrast to the popularity of NBC's "Must See TV" on Thursday nights in the 1990s, many African American and Latino viewers flocked to Fox's Thursday night line-up of Martin, Living Single, and New York Undercover. In fact, these were the three highest-rated series among black households for the 1996–1997 season.

Singing the Blues

Seasons5

Season 2 Episodes27

Cast6

Crew1

Discussion

Episode Summary