Half & Half
Half & Half is an American sitcom that aired on UPN from September 23, 2002, to May 15, 2006. The show focuses on the lives of two paternal half-sisters in their twenties who were estranged throughout their childhood, and are finally developing a close relationship. The series is set in San Francisco.
It was the second-most-watched show on UPN's Monday night line-up and fourth overall on the network. The show was on The CW's first draft line-up in March 2006, but due to several circumstances—including The CW's contractual obligation to pick up Reba, the uncancelling of All of Us, and the pick-up of the Girlfriends spin-off The Game—Half & Half was left off the final Fall 2006 schedule and ended production. The series has aired in reruns on Global TV in Canada, Trouble in the United Kingdom and in local syndication in the United States. Starting October 5, 2015 reruns began airing on Bounce TV. Since 2017, BET Her has added to the show to its daily schedule.
Premise
The show's plot centers around the lives of half-sisters Mona and DeeDee and their growing relationship. Mona, the elder, at first resents DeeDee because she was the one who had been living with their father while Mona lived with her mother, becoming the more level-headed one. Second-born DeeDee was spoiled and became the more fashionable, upscale, and materialistic of the two. Through the series the half-sisters grow on each other and deal with issues from the past until they can deal with each other as people in the here and now. They learn to love each other and ease into the roles they would have had if they had grown up together, and take on helping each other with work, dating, and their parents.Cast
Main
- Rachel True as Monique Alexandra "Mona" Rose Thorne. The elder of the two sisters and daughter of Phyllis Thorne. Mona's father, Charles Thorne, left them after a year of separation in her early childhood, and married Big DeeDee, producing little DeeDee. There are a few flashbacks showing the two together as children, Mona mostly displaying bitterness and jealousy toward her sister; in one flashback she's pushing DeeDee in a swing and she gives it some extra power, ejecting the smaller girl from the swing. Phyllis managed to convince Mona, in a story she often repeats in the first four episodes, that Charles left them after being charmed by flight-attendant Big DeeDee, so Mona is now bitter toward DeeDee and their father. Mona has since come to love DeeDee dearly and assume the "big sister" role. Phyllis and Mona have a typical mother-daughter relationship; Mona is often annoyed when Phyllis butts into her apartment unannounced or meddles in her love life, but she knows her mother means well and loves her very much. Mona's relationship with her father is strained at first, but when the tension lessens she loves him. Mona and Big DeeDee don't have much of a relationship, but once they get to know each other better Big DeeDee sometimes offers Mona advice and they grow somewhat closer. Constantly at the beck and call of her boss Kai, Mona is somewhat resentful but fears angering her enough so she doesn't show it outright. Mona and Spencer have a very close relationship and always manage to stay friends after attempts to "go further" don't work out.
- Essence Atkins as Deirdre Chantal "Dee Dee" Thorne, Esq. The younger of the two sisters and daughter of Big DeeDee LaFontaine Thorne. She was the product of father Charles' second marriage and the spoiled baby. She grew to be the more self-centered, materialistic, fashion-savvy, typical rich girl like her mother, but slowly matures to a more well-rounded individual under Mona's influence. DeeDee was not fully aware of her sister's spite toward her as a child, but was given ample clues, and continues with this naivete until the show's first episode when Mona is upfront about it. Just as with Mona, her mother can often be seen in DeeDee's apartment above Mona's. She knows her father loves her and loves him as any daddy's girl would. She can often get what she wants from him in typical baby-girl fashion as can her mother. She is very much like Big DeeDee in various other ways they love each other. Deedee shares a similar relationship with Phyllis as Mona does with Big DeeDee, and can be seen in later episodes having serious talks with each other, often the mother giving advice to DeeDee. DeeDee has many dates and boyfriends throughout the series, sometimes to the consternation of her sister, and can be naive and headstrong about what she wants which can get her either ahead, in trouble, or nowhere at all. She becomes a lawyer after graduating top of her college class prior to the series, even once getting hired by a sports firm, later dating a superior named Brett, with whom she originally had a contentious relationship.
- Telma Hopkins as Phyllis Thorne, Mona's mother. She is a loving and caring, if not a bit over-bearing, crazy and paranoid at times, mother to Mona. Being a psychiatrist, she loves to get involved in her daughter's life and often advises her, whether her daughter wants the advice or not, about anything and everything she can: men, her sister, her father, her job, her friends, and any other problem that may arise in the plot. When Mona doesn't listen she is always there, often saying "What did I tell you? I'll tell you what I told you. I told you...", chastising her daughter or anyone else who didn't listen to her. Later in the series she becomes closer with DeeDee as well, adopting a sort of close aunt relationship with the younger woman. Phyllis was not happy about her husband's new wife and is almost constantly at odds with Big DeeDee, who can be cited as the creator of the nickname. She even made up an elaborate and constantly told lie about how Big DeeDee came "walking down the aisle pushing her little cart and she gave a wink and an extra bag of peanuts," and Charles was "off to the bathroom, and let's just say the friendly skies have never been so...friendly." At the beginning they were perpetually at each other's throats, and though throughout the series the rage simmers down, they still toss each other casual insults when they meet. They have displayed friendliness toward each other, as seen on one occasion where they get together and happily sing a duet for their daughters though they were arguing as usual not long before and long after that. Phyllis is on amicable grounds with Spencer and the two may occasionally have a conversation without Mona.
- Valarie Pettiford as Deirdre "Big Dee Dee" LaFontaine Thorne, DeeDee's mother. She is a fashionista, and always likes to look good. She is a stereotypical rich socialite, dropping names, carrying a small dog around in a bag, being controlling, wearing very expensive clothes and being a bit of a drama queen. She sometimes acts as a superficial mother/friend figure to DeeDee, but knows how and when to be a true mother to her daughter. She can get almost anything she wants from her husband. She holds this fact and many others over Phyliss' head with joy and pride. She and Phyllis never make it to completely friendly grounds within the series, though they come very close at times. Though she is hardly close with Phyllis, Big DeeDee can be very warm and even motherly toward Mona, at times offering to give her things or invite her to events, as well as having few serious conversation with her nemesis' daughter.
- Chico Benymon as Spencer Williams, Mona's best friend and co-worker. Later in the series they have a serious relationship but stay good friends at all times.
- Alec Mapa as Adam Benet, Mona's openly gay assistant who sometimes comes on to Spencer. He is also very nosy and gossipy.
Recurring
- MC Lyte as Kai Owens, Mona's boss
- Obba Babatundé as Charles Thorne, Mona and Dee Dee's father; ex-husband of Phyllis and current husband of Big Dee Dee
- Estelle Harris as Sophie, Mona's grandmother, who is white and Jewish
- Joey Lawrence as Brett Mahoney
- Coby Bell as Firefighter Glen
- Keith Robinson as Neil Crawford
- Michelle Williams as Naomi Dawson
- Penny Bae Bridges as Young Mona
- Gabby Soleil as Young Dee Dee
- Yvette Nicole Brown as Ceci
- Louis Gossett, Jr. as Ray Willis, Spencer's father
- Suzy Nakamura as Tina
- Lamman Rucker as Chase
- Charles Divins as Lorenzo
- Rowena King as Camille
Episodes