The Comeback Story

The fans have prevailed! The Game has been brought back from the grave!

After being cancelled almost two years ago, the former CW sitcom has a new home on BET networks.

The show originally aired as a spin-off of the popular sitcom Girlfriends, back in 2006.

The 30-minute sitcom was cancelled three seasons later when the CW decided to focus on one-hour dramas.

Enter BET. The network began running re-run’s of The Game, garnering BET record high ratings – better rating than when the show was on the CW.

The show found a new set of dedicated fans that were not going to let the show die.

 A viral campaign began, petitions were started, and ratings continued to soar; all of which resulted in BET reaching out to the show’s creator and executive producer Mara Brock Akil and her husband, Salim Akil, about reviving the sitcom. The rest is history.

The fans weren’t the only ones who hadn’t given up on the show.

All of the show’s actors resigned, even actor Coby Bell who had joined the cast of Burn

Notice during the shows hiatus.

Bell was able sync the two show’s recording schedules.

Many worried that the quality of the show would change once BET picked it up but with the same cast, writers, and producers on board fans began to rest easy.

What did change was the actual production of the show, BET committed to 13 episodes rather than the broadcaster’s usual 22.

They also moved the shooting location from Los Angeles to Atlanta.

The episodes were also filled out of order, like a movie, to save costs.

The Watcher’s Guide

For those of you who have been living under a rock, The Game is about the world of professional football players and the woman who love them.

The show follows Melanie Barnett (Tia Mowry) as she struggles to navigate being a professional athlete’s girlfriend when her boyfriend Derwin (Pooch Hall) becomes a wide receiver for the San Diego Sabers.

The series follows them, and the colorful cast of characters they meet along the way — the players and their wives.

Where the series left off:

Derwin and Melanie got married in the hospital chapel the same night his “son” with Janay was born. They named him Derwin Jr.

After signing their divorce papers Kelly realizes she wants Jason back.

Ultimately Jason chooses his girlfriend Camille (Stacy Dash) over Kelly.

Tasha and Kelly’s friendship is in shambles after Kelly punches Tasha for setting Jason up with Camille.

Rick Fox, Tasha’s ex-boyfriend, shows up at her house, alluding to a reconciliation between the two.

Malik… is still Malik.

The premiere summary:

The new season mirrors real life by starting two years after the season finale.

Derwin and Melanie are newlyweds. Melanie has given up on her medical school.

Derwin has become a superstar. His baby with Janay is now a toddler. Melanie is still questioning if the DJ is Derwin’s baby.

Kelly and Jason are divorced. Kelly is spending all his money, and is about to get her own reality show.

Tasha has a new young boyfriend, Terrence J.

As for Malik, he’s having an affair with the coach’s new wife, played by Megan Good.

• Sylvia Obell