The next day, Derwin goes to Melanie's job at the diner to bring her mail and apologizes to her for the intense moment they shared and hopes to at least be friends and Melanie accepts and with some words of encouragement, she convinces and takes Derwin to go to the Sabers Victory Parade.After hearing that Melanie went toL.A.with her boyfriend, Jerome, an intoxicated Derwin goes with Malik to L.A. to seek out Melanie to profess his love for her. Aside from the departure of the show's beloved couple, Melanie and Derwin (played by Tia Mowry-Hardrict and Pooch Hall . Tasha & Chauncey resolve their past issues and make up. [3], Mowry's twin sister Tamera Mowry accompanied her to her audition. Back in 2006, The Game was one of the first TV shows that debuted with the newly-merged The CW network. to which Melanie tells him that she doesn't love him anymore and he needs to let her go. In the premiere episode of Season 5, Melanie admits that she had an abortion. Tia Mowry played Melanie Barnett, aspiring doctor and Derwin Davis on-and-off girlfriend. With the San Diego Sabers, he won his first Championship and was named MVP in 2008. [19] Announcing her departure on Twitter, she emphasized that it was a mutual decision with the network. Additionally, the actress made a guest appearance onThe Gamefor the final season and landed in her own cooking show,Tia Mowry at Home. Later Derwin visits Malik and gets advice about how to get through this and how to not stress so much about his image and focus more on football and his career. He returned for five episodes of the reboot. Tasha comforts him, reassuring him he'll be alright because they're similar because when things get tough they don't give up. Marion "Pooch" Hall, Jr. (born February 8, 1977) is an American television and film actor, rapper, and model known for his role as Derwin Davis, the football player on The CW/BET sitcom The Game, and as Ricky in the 2011 film Jumping the Broom.He also played the character of Daryll Donovan in the . Pooch Hall played rookie Derwin Ding Dong Davis in the original series. Melanie goes to Derwin's apartment, but Derwin finds out that Janay is pregnant with his baby. [42], Melanie Barnett has been negatively received by television critics. Brittany Daniel starred as Jason Pitts amusingly dutiful wife Kelly. Before he leaves, Malik reassures his love to his mother. After Jason refuses to stop 2 months later, Kelly follows through on her promise and leaves. Her acting appearances afterThe Gameended include comedyJoe Dirt 2: Beautiful Loserand award-winning sitcom,Blackish. Episodes The Game Select a season Release year: 2006 Later Derwin visits Malik and gets advice about how to get through this and how to not stress so much about his image and focus more on football and his career. His performance on the show earned him a NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. As of 2021, Pooch Hall's is not dating anyone. Pooch Hall is an American actor best known for his starring role as Derwin Davis, a new and eager third-string wide receiver for the San Diego Sabers, on the comedy-drama television series The Game. During her time onThe Game,Daniel was diagnosed with stage IV non-Hodgkins lymphoma and underwent chemotherapy in 2011. Tasha resolved her issues with Kelly and threatened to shoot her if the incident (see above) happened again. Girlfriends-618 {The Game (Backdoor Pilot)} (1/6) added by gogirl91. Continue reading to see what Tia and the rest of the stars of The Game have done since the show originally ended in 2015. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. Melanie began her relationship with Derwin in college. In the Season 9 finale, Derwin and Melanie return to go and see a fertility specialist for further knowledge about their twins, where they learn that one of their children have a 50/50 chance of living. But the couple will not be returning for the new season. She has a strained relationship with her stepson, as she views him as a reminder of Derwin's past infidelity. It is about a group of professional football players' wives. Rick becomes a manager at ISM, and after Tasha becomes vulnerable she falls in love with Rick. Earlier this year, he also married his longtime partner, Nina Senicar, in Italy. Media commentators also panned the character's representation as a mother, such as her inability to properly care for her stepson. What happened to Derwin's friendship with Malik? In 2017, she married Adam Touni. An intoxicated Derwin goes with Malik to L.A. to seek out Melanie. He tells her that there are two Derwins: regular Derwin, and Der-win, by any means necessary (If it means protecting, his family, and the legacy). Eliana Quarles is a current undergraduate student from Washington, D.C. You can often find her scrolling through celebrity gossip accounts on TikTok, watching reality TV, or sending her friends updates on the latest celebrity news. Wikipedia is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. newwiki.sbs is an independent company and has no affiliation with Wikimedia Foundation. Tasha is best friends with Melanie Barnett and Kelly Pitts. However, a later test reveals that Derwin indeed is the father, leaving Melanie with the task of telling Derwin about the test. [21] She later made a cameo appearance alongside Derwin in Girlfriends' Season7 finale "It's Been Determined" as guests at Joan's engagement party. The most recent head coach of the San Diego Sabers, Jason Pitts, portrayed by Coby Bell, also appeared in every season ofThe Game,although he was a recurring member during Season 4 and 5. malik wright. She was concerned about the sisters' wholesome image gained from their years as child actors on the sitcom Sister, Sister, explaining, "I had a certain image of them. pic.twitter.com/5FC41I58O6. I know we talk a lot about how cheap Julius on Everybody Hates Chris was but Jason Pitts on The Game doesn't get enough credit for being a cheapskate. [24], Describing Melanie as a "vixen",[28] Mowry believes the character's imperfections allowed her to grow as an actor. In season 2, Derwin starts becoming more of a playboy jock rather than his humble church ways. During the shows original run, she had to go on hiatus to battle Stage IV Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma after being diagnosed in 2011. More posts you may like r/GirlfriendsTVshow 6 days ago Kelsey Grammer Still Has Plans to Bring Girlfriends Back eonline 21 r/GirlfriendsTVshow Join 4 days ago Davis 18 r/GirlfriendsTVshow Join 6 days ago SPOILER Start of Joan's It Girl Era 15 That might sound like a glamorous and stress-free existence, but Melanie Barnett is about to discover the truth. In the episode She eventually questions if she should have stayed with Derwin after Malik starts to do wrongdoing. Sporting a new look & attitude, Kelly declares to Jason that she "won" in the divorce because she is spending the money he is earning and she believes she got more out of the divorce material wise. RHOA OGs Kandi Burruss, Cynthia Bailey, Porsha Williams, and Kenya Moore returned for the thirteenth season, and loyal viewers of the franchise know that this is a big mix of personalities that can. Derwin rushes to the hospital, leaving Melanie at the altar. This is a list of the characters from the American comedy-drama television series The Game. BET is casting an entirely new couple to take the place of Melanie and Derwin on The Game. wendy raquel robinson. Gammage criticized the series for showing Melanie becoming a wife "at the expanse of her career and possibility of bear[ing] her own children" and portraying her as unable to care for her stepson. 2. At the press conference Derwin is bombarded with questions about the play that Kwan got hurt with members of the media insinuating that Derwin missed it on purpose, Derwin leaves the press conferences without answering further questions. Over the course of nine scintillating seasons, additional players . Related: How Tia Mowry's Divorce Will Affect Her Life And Career. I didn't know if they wanted to go where I wanted the character to go. At the start of season 4, it is revealed that Kelly is now a reality TV star, with her own show centered around the ex-wives of professional athletes. Tasha becomes the main antagonist for the first half of season five, determined to one-up Melanie at every turn; their feud intensifies after Melanie takes over a fashion show that she (Tasha) had planned. Pooch Hall as Derwin Davis Hosea Chanchez as Malik Wright Brittany Daniel as Kelly Pitts And Wendy Raquel Robinson as Tasha Mack Created by: Mara Brock Akil Executive Producers: Kelsey Grammer,. [38] Following Mowry's exit, actress Keke Palmer was offered a lead role in the series but turned it down due to scheduling conflicts with the development of her daytime talk show Just Keke. 2. Later, Malik and Derwin rekindle their friendship and campaign to have Malik replace Kwan because of his inability to get Derwin the ball. In season 6, Derwin is traded to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for Bryce Westbrook. Derwin tries to make amends with Janay by spending time with his son at her house, and it almost jeopardizes his relationship with Melanie. gogirl91 The original Derwin and Kelly are LAME! ", "Tamera Mowry to Guest Star with Twin Sister Tia on BET's "The Game", "The CW announces fall schedule: 'Melrose Place' paired with '90210', "Is Lauren London Replacing Tia Mowry on 'The Game? Malik finds out and disapproves, and due to Tasha's temper, Tasha and Kenny soon break up. When she tells him it was Trey Wiggs' he is mad that she aborted a child even if not his. Tasha Mack, the assertive mother of Malik Wright, portrayed by Wendy Raquel Robinson, remained a cast member throughout all nine seasons ofThe Game. Jerome and Derwin fight and Melanie confesses to Jerome that she loves Derwin. His character was portrayed by Pooch Hall. The revival is executive-produced by original series creator Mara Brock Akil, showrunner and writer Devon Greggory ( American Soul ), Salim Akil ( Black Lightning ), Kelsey Grammer (who produced. He currently plays Larry James on the CW series Walker, alongside Gilmore Girls Jared Padalecki and Pretty Little Liars Keegan Allen. After portraying Dr. Melanie Barnett-Davis, M.D. Meanwhile, she tries to keep Melanie from ruining her marriage to Derwin, as she advised Melanie to let her doubts about DJ go, continue living the happy life and not to answer the phone getting the test results of which Melanie ignored. I can do this. Malik's financial woes force him to sell his mansion, get rid of most his cars, and move back in with Tasha as a way to get his life on track. [23] Critics frequently billed Mowry as The Game's lead actress,[3][19][24][25] and Brock Akil referred to Melanie and Derwin as "the heart" of the series. Twins Tia and Tamera Mowry, as well as their younger brother Tahj, have grown up in the public eye. He played T.J. Henderson on Smart Guy, and he went on to star as Tucker Dobbs on Baby Daddy. After the wrapped, he portrayed Lawrence Walker opposite Issa Rae in hit HBO comedy,Insecure. After a false alarm, Melanie decides she wants to marry Derwin before the baby arrives, but on the day of the wedding the baby comes right as Derwin and Melanie are at the altar. Wilson viewed negatively Melanie's decision to have an abortion in an attempt to reconcile with Derwin, and criticized the show's depiction of an abortion causing Melanie to become barren as based on "a link that is not medically solid". In the first season Derwin goes through the hazing from Sabers captain Jason Pitts, and starting quarterback Malik Wright, whom he ultimately becomes friends with. This is a list of the characters from the American comedy-drama television series The Game. In season 4, Derwin also emerges as a superstar player. List of The Game characters - WikiMili, The Free Encyclopedia - WikiMili, The Free Encyclopedia Derwin's standout performance in training camp (and Jason's poor performance) earned Derwin a starting spot with the Sabers. 3. Most recently, she has starred as Cocoa McKellan on the Netflix series Family Reunion, which aired its final season this year. Derwin hurts his knee in a Sabers' playoff game and can not play in the Super Bowl, so he decides not to go toMiamiwith the team. She struggles to be accepted by the wives and girlfriends of the San Diego Sabers, who have formed a group named "The Saber Sunbeams". In the end, she hoped that her and Jason would get back together. She cited her character's relationship with Derwin as reminiscent of her own romance and subsequent marriage to actor Cory Hardrict. Mowry left the series in 2012 upon learning that her role would be reduced as a result of co-star Pooch Hall's decision to reduce his role on The Game to appear in the crime drama series Ray Donovan. [41] Mowry chose to not return for the revival as she believed Melanie's storyline was complete and she wanted to focus on new projects. Having insecurities about whether Derwin is the father of DJ, Melanie swabs a DNA sample of DJ while babysitting him, with the initial test revealing Derwin is not DJ's father. Maya Denise Wilkes is one of the main characters of the television series Girlfriends, portrayed by actress Golden Brooks . Hes also starred in movies including dance dramaBreaking Through(2015),Like Cotton Twines(2016), romantic dramaIn a Relationship,and horror film,Escape Room(2019). After exchanging blows with Blue, Jason and Malik asks what's gotten into him, to which he admits that he doesn't want to leave, since being traded also means he has to leave behind everyone he grown close to in the last few years (Jason,Malik,Tasha,etc.). [12] Mowry felt playing the role of Melanie would enable her to be perceived as more mature following her appearances as Tia Landry on Sister, Sister. Girlfriends: The Final Season . After fixing his relationship with Malik, Derwin attempts to get Malik back on the field with a campaign called "WMD" (What Malik DOing), Derwin admits that he has ulterior motives but he believes this is the only way him and Malik can get back to real friendship. Jason at first tries to hide his secret from Kelly, but after a couple of ugly situations, he can no longer do it and confesses. [39] Brock Akil described the changes made to The Game as a "true resurrection", with Wendy Raquel Robinson (Tasha Mack) saying future episodes would be "completely different, crisper and edgier and sexier". In the season 3 finale, Rick comes back for Tasha and the fate of their relationship is unknown. Since firing Tasha as his manager Derwin has been in the need of a new representation and hires his old agent Irv Smith to manage him prompting Tasha to take legal action as a way to get her money back for a Verizon sponsorship she had recently set up for him. However, she also becomes entangled in a love triangle with Rick and Pookie (she becomes engaged to the latter), and drags Chardonnay into the mix. [29] She felt the show was evidence, alongside Sex and the City and Desperate Housewives, that women had more leading roles on television, and said this "allows women to be women and to show their different emotions and what we deal with in life period". [17] When questioned by Brock Akil, Tia responded: "I'm a woman, Mara. [2] In the first season Derwin goes through the hazing from Sabers captain Jason Pitts, and starting quarterback Malik Wright, whom he ultimately becomes friends with. When The Game series premiered, Season 1 Episode 1 starred Brittany Daniels as Kelly Pitts, and Pooch Hall as Derwin Davis. Popular drama-comedy series,The Game, a spin-off from aGirlfriendsepisode, revolved around first-year medical student Melanie Barnett (Tia Mowry) who passed on medical school to follow her boyfriend, professional football player Derwin Davis to the San Diego Sabers. conceived via surrogate and an egg donation from Brittany's twin sister, supposed to be on the show for one episode, Simon Cowell Admitted He Went Too Far With Surgeries And Got A Procedure Completely Removed, Drew Barrymore Burst Into Tears On Her Show When She Was Completely Surprised By David Letterman, Cooper Hefner Knows The Exact Moment His Dad Hugh Stopped Being Friends With Donald Trump. [12] Melanie's intellect, one of her defining characteristics, earned her the nickname "Med School". Janay discovers that Derwin is still in love with Melanie after she finds the bear she thought had been thrown away. The Game Lynn Ann Searcy / Lynn Searcy (172 episodes, 2000-2020) Reginald C. Hayes. Derwin and Melanie eventually get married, after the baby is born, in the hospital chapel. Brandy then landed her first lead role sinceMoeshain a BET sitcom she co-created and co-executive produced, titledZoe Ever After. "[26], On hearing of the twins' interest in the show, Brock Akil asked them if their management was aware of her writing style. Derwin and Melanie Davis are the hot married "it" couple, and Derwin is the San Diego Sabers' franchise player. While preparing for DJ's 3rd birthday, Melanie confesses that the reason she had the abortion was to spare Derwin from living with a reminder of her affair, which is the way she feels about DJ. Basis of this page is in Wikipedia. Go deep inside the world of a Division One college football program and follow the players and coaches as their . Melanie and Derwin go see a fertility doctor about why they're having problems conceiving, and Melanie is asked if she has ever had an abortion. ", after Kwan is injured, Malik steps in to replace him and leads the Sabers on a historical comeback win. She appeared in several television shows including,The Mayor(2017), Netflix originalDear White People(2018), Disney ChannelsRavens Home(2018), and currently stars inGrand Hotelas Mrs. P. For the past 23 years, Robinson has helped thousands of young people, including singer Elle Varner, with the Amazing Grace Conservatory. After weeks of chitter-chatter (and debate) over "Moesha," Netflix released popular "Girlfriends" spin-off "The Game" starring Tia Mowry-Hardrict, Pooch Hall, Wendy Racquel Robinson, Brittany Daniel, Hosea Chanchez and Cody Bell that, at its height, was must-see TV on social media a la "Insecure." "The Game" follows a group of dynamic women (headlined by Melanie) who all . After learning of Janay's new relationship, though against the idea at first, Derwin allows Janay to take DJ with her to live in New York, even though it means that he won't be able to be in DJ's life 24/7 like he wanted to. [18] The New York Times' Virginia Heffernan wrote that one of the show's objectives was "to relieve ideological tensions instead of creating or ignoring them", citing its multi-ethnic female cast of characters as one of the means of achieving this goal. Malik reaches a breakthrough in a therapy session with his mother. He winds up in a rivalry with rapper Franko (Rico Ball) after the latter discovers that he has been sexting Tori, and ultimately winds up being brutally beaten and injured by Franko and a group of men who presumably had their women stolen by Malik. Derwin finds out that Melanie is unable to have children because of a medical condition and takes it hard, handling it by having a party with Malik, Jason and Tee Tee and getting drunk. Melanie Barnett. This is a list of the characters from the American comedy drama television series The Game. Looking for Pooch Hall online? From creator Mara Brock Akil, "The Game" begins when Melanie Barnett (Tia Mowry-Hardrict) sacrifices her med school dream so her boyfriend Derwin Davis (Pooch Hall) can pursue a career in professional football. She identified closely with the part, observing parallels between Melanie's relationship with Derwin and her own marriage to actor Cory Hardrict. Melanie's boyfriend, Derwin, is the new third-string wide . After Jason quits, they later go to therapy where Kelly tells Jason she married him for his money. Derwin and Drew get close and end up having sex. From Inside The Box With Tia Mowry leaving the show, producers are looking for a new female actress to join the cast in the regular role of Kiera, a 20-year-old former child star who has been in the spotlight since she was five years old and starring on a "Cosby" style sitcom. At the Sunbeam Fashion Show, Tasha ends up being locked in the bathroom with Melanie, and they ultimately mend their friendship. [45], Mowry's performance received positive feedback from critics. Entertainment Basketball League celebrity team. Melanie and Derwin eventually get back together, even though Janay is pregnant, and they have a wedding planned; but just as the ceremony is about to start, Derwin receives word that Janay has gone into labor. Although Melanie graduated from med school, she decided not to enter her. coby bell. During season three, she dates a couple of guys (bartender Joe and gym owner Roman). Melanie struggles to balance her career with her personal life. for the first five seasons, Tia Mowry-Hardict announced she would not return to the show as a regular cast member in 2012. Three years later, she revealed she is cancer-free. Tee-Tee, his childhood friend and former assistant, is now his own boss and Malik has yet to replace him. The actress began dating rapper Nipsey Hussle in 2013 until his untimely death in 2019. Jason leads a seminar for Sabers rookies, Derwin tries to land his first endorsement deal, and Melanie quits the Sunbeams. Overview: For the first time, the event will consist of skills competitions and non-contact flag football games, rather than an actual tackle football game. His character was . Melanie Barnett; First appearance: The Game (Backdoor Pilot) ("Girlfriends" - episode 6.18) Last appearance: The Game (The Wedding Episode) (The Game - episode 3.22) Portrayed by: Tia Mowry: Episode count: 64: Melanie starts to freak out but Derwin assures her that both of their children are gonna make it because he has faith that they will and asks her to have faith too. Tia Mowry played Melanie Barnett, aspiring doctor and Derwin Davis' on-and-off girlfriend. She also starred as Naomi Xplicit Lyrics on ABCs show Queens, but it was cancelled after just one season. After the show ended, she made her Broadway debut in the musicalChicagoas Roxie Hart in 2015. [2] Discussing the direction intended for Melanie and Derwin's final appearance, Brock Akil said: "To bring these characters back to shore is such a blessing. Introduced in a backdoor pilot on the sitcom Girlfriends as Joan Clayton's cousin, Melanie chooses to support her boyfriend Derwin Davis' career with the San Diego Sabres, a fictional National Football League (NFL) team, rather than attend medical school at Johns Hopkins University. Number of seasons: 3 Number of episodes: 36 Overview: From the classroom to the locker room to the kick-off each week, viewers are transported behind-the-scenes, beyond the field and into the lives of these student athletes as they compete throughout the season. 'The Game' was created as a spinoff series of another Akil show, 'Girlfriends', and had a backdoor pilot in the sixth season of the other series. Towards the end of the season, Malik and Jason "adopt" Derwin. He continued appearing in productions including television series,Major Crimes(2016), superhero dramaBlack Lightning(2019), and a few movies such asLet the Church Say Amen, Down for Whatever,andFanatic. Biography i love her ^ who doesn't? Though their relations are rocky, Melanie, Kelly, and Tasha still maintain a close bond. Non-text media are available under their specified licenses. She has a three-year-old son with him and a ten-year-old son with rapper Lil Wayne. After dating Rick for a while, Tasha is still not happy and thus breaks up with him, leaving herself alone once more. In the final episode of Season 5, he leaves with Melanie for Baltimore so she can pursue her dream of being a doctor after he lived his of being a champion football player. After Pookie breaks up with her, she gets back together with Rick. [33] Mowry and Hall left The Game in 2012[16] after Hall accepted a lead role in the crime drama television series Ray Donovan. Derwin made a return for the 100th episode and later the series finale as well. While talking to his new sex interest, he purchases expensive things. (D.J.) After high school her boyfriend Chauncey went to college and left Tasha to be a single mother. Mowry's performance received positive feedback from critics, who agreed that the role displayed her maturity as an actress. In 2018, she became a series regular on FoxsStar, as Cassie, Carlottas (Queen Latifah) younger sister. Feeling defeated, Derwin apologizes to Jerome and says he won't get in the way anymore but Jerome punches Derwin in the face causing the two to fight. Upon her return, she reconnects with Jason, Brittany and Tasha, but Chardonnay is not so keen on this (at first). She returns to Derwin's apartment only to find out that Janay is pregnant with Derwin's child. Mon, Apr 30, 2007 30 mins. Even though she makes it seem as though the abortion has not affected her, she seems to show feelings of guilt when she is alone. The famous twins also played teen witches in the Disney Channel Original Movies Twitches and Twitches Too. Her brother is Cameron, who is portrayed by Tahj Mowry (Tia Mowry's younger brother). In the season finale, Tasha gives birth to her daughter, Kai. when that fails he tries one more time, telling her, "You look me in my eyes and you tell me you don't love me?" The Game (TV series) Wiki is a FANDOM TV Community. While Tamera got more involved with daytime television as a former co-host of The Real,Tia has continued on the acting route. Derwin and Melanie later get married in a private ceremony in the hospital chapel with his vows to her as the ending. The actress starred in the original series as Melanie Barnett-Davis, an aspiring doctor who struggled with her role as the girlfriend of NFL player Derwin Davis. Suddenly. Melanie Barnett Davis Melanie Barnett Davis First appearance The Game (Backdoor Pilot) (" Girlfriends" - episode 6.18) Last appearance The Championship Episode (The Game) Portrayed by Tia HYPERLINK " wry"Mowry Information Nickname(s) "Mel" by Derwin Davis, "Med School" by Tasha Mack, "Girl Melanie" by Malik Wright Occupation Doctor Spouse(s) Derwin HYPERLINK " _Davis" Davis (husband, 2009 . In 2015, he joined the cast of #HBO's series Insecure, which premiered in 2016. pic.twitter.com/z89R8LS98E. [18][19] From the series' inception, she intended to include story arcs relating to themes of race and celebrity. pilot. Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Derwin Davis Jr (step-son, with Derwin) Hamilton has had 9 productions including Off-Broadway which opened in 2015, Broadway which opened in 2015, US Tour which opened in 2016, US Tour which opened in 2017, which opened in 2019, US Tour . After returning home Derwin and Melanie have a truth moment and he reveals that he missed it on purpose because of Kwan's attempt to threaten the legacy. [7], Producers Mara Brock Akil and Kelsey Grammer developed The Game as a spin-off of the sitcom Girlfriends. The actor starred as the wide receiver for the San Diego Sabers for the first five seasons of the sitcom and returned as a guest in Season 6 and 9. Malik also has to deal with the different lifestyle that he is forced to live now that he is no longer the superstar quarterback. She left the show in 2012 and is not currently starring in the reboot. Janay finds "Dr. Grizzly", the stuffed bear Derwin bought Melanie, and Derwin throws the bear into a waste basket, but later recovers it and hides it in a drawer. Singer and actress Brandy joined the cast of The Game in 2019 to play Chardonnay Pitts, Jasons second wife. [26] To prepare for the role, she frequently consulted her cousin, retired NFL fullback Jameel Cook, and other professional athletes. Derwin Davis: Main: Guest: Guest: Brandy Norwood: Chardonnay Pitts: Recurring: Main: Lauren London: Keira Whitaker: Main: . [12] She considers returning to her hometown rather than continue "life as a football girlfriend". Derwin Davis was one of the main characters oftelevision series The Game Arcade from seasons 1-5, and made guest appearances in seasons 6 and 9. Feeling a void in her life, Melanie opts to continue trying to have a child, and later finds a surrogate in Tasha. Aldis Hodge portrayed the original Derwin in the Girlfriends pilot. The Game stars Tia Mowry as Joan's cousin, Melanie Barnett. After the owner tells Derwin that Kwan is the starter this adds further contentiousness to their relationship. Derwin proposes to Melanie in "To Baby or Not to Baby" at half-time of one of the Saber games because he thinks that Melanie might be pregnant. In the second-season finale, Kelly leaves Jason after he tries to use her to get a contract, and in season 3 they eventually agree to a divorce. [20] Heffernan called the character a "kind of Cosby Show figure" due to her initial reluctance to join the Sabre Sunbeams. [8][9] She turns to Tasha and Kelly for help in handling the stress of being in a relationship with a professional football player;[10] Tasha and Kelly's advice includes the idea of using an ultraviolet light to check for fluids on hotel bed sheets. Melanie and Derwin get back together and Derwin proposes again, and Melanie accepts. In the first season Derwin goes through the hazing from Sabers captainJason Pitts, and starting quarterback,Malik Wright.