WBNX-TV, Cleveland's CW

Are We There Yet?

Are We There Yet? Are We There Yet?

Weeknights 5:30pm

Are We There Yet? is a new, multi-camera family sitcom based on the hit movie starring Ice Cube and Nia Long. Developed for television by Emmy Award-winning Executive Producer/Director Ali LeRoi (The Chris Rock Show, Everybody Hates Chris), the series picks up where the 2005 film left off, with reformed ladies’ man Nick Persons (Terry Crews, Everybody Hates Chris) now married to beautiful but harried former single mom Suzanne Kingston and adjusting to life with her two boisterous kids, Lindsey and Kevin. After a disastrous road trip that found Nick engaged in escalating warfare with Lindsey and Kevin—both of them suspicious of any man in Suzanne’s life other than their estranged father, Frank—things have calmed somewhat in the new Kingston-Persons household. But only somewhat.

Nick, a former collector of sports memorabilia, is still learning to balance the demands of a new family with his job as a field sports reporter for local news station KAWT. He receives advice (and the occasional headache) from his best friend, Martin, a slick operator who’s not above bribing Kevin to pretend he’s an orphan in order to secure an autographed jersey from A-Rod. Suzanne, meanwhile, operates a successful event-planning business that requires her to perform all manner of unusual tasks. She’s assisted at work by her best friend, Gigi, a serial dater who provides Suzanne with a sounding board and insights from the singles’ scene. Ice Cube rounds out the cast in a recurring role as Suzanne’s brother, Terrence, a self-serious Special-Ops team member willing to resort to extreme measures to solve even mundane domestic disputes.

However, the heart of Suzanne’s life—and, increasingly, of Nick’s—are relationships with Lindsey and Kevin. Lindsey is a textbook teenage girl: It’s not that she won’t talk to her parents…it would just be easier if they did it via text message. Kevin has an imagination that knows no bounds. He is given to flights of fancy and moments of clarity that don’t belong in the head of a twelve year old. He can truly wreak havoc just by making sense. Troy, is Kevin’s best friend. Mischievious and wise beyond his years, Troy is constantly escaping his mother’s watchful eye to hang with the Kingston-Persons family. After a rocky start, Kevin and Lindsey realize how much Nick cares for them—and how much he and and Suzanne love each other—and settle into this blended family. As for their new grandmother, it’s not quite as easy for her. A modern woman with a touch of cougar and and sharp wit, she’s not so happy that her son has taken on a woman with “baggage,” but tries her hardest to support him. Just don’t call her Grandma.

Watercooler

The CW will broadcast the 15th annual Young Hollywood Awards on Thursday, August 1.  This star-studded red-carpet event has long been regarded as the “Oscars of Young Hollywood,” spotlighting the accomplishments of the entertainment industry’s rising stars.  Nominees will be announced next month.

Eight years after its final episode aired, Everybody Loves Raymond is still making waves around the world, Deadline reports.  The BBC is filming a pilot for a UK remake of the Emmy-winning comedy later this month, with British actor-writer Lee Mack and Catherine Tate (Nellie on The Office) in the starring roles originated by Ray Romano and Cleveland’s Patricia Heaton.  You can see Raymond, weeknights at 12 and 12:30am on WBNX.

Congratulations to Shenae Grimes (Annie on 90210), who was married to UK musician and fashion model Josh Beech last week.   The wedding was held in Ashford, England, says Us Weekly, with Shenae’s close friend and costar AnnaLynne McCord (Naomi) among the guests.  The groom’s band, Beech, just released its debut EP; and the bride has officially changed her name to Shenae Beech

Colin Donnell (Tommy Merlin on Arrow) is a big fan of the stage.  “When I got to college I quickly realized there was nothing else I loved as much as theatre,” he tells TVG.  “It’s my first love,” having won rave reviews for his Broadway run in Anything Goes.  This summer in New York, he’ll be acting and singing in Shakespeare in the Park’s musical production of Love’s Labor Lost.

The Vampire Diaries co-creator Julie Plec says the most satisfying story to tell this past season was taking Elena from human to new vampire to emotionless, and back to feeling again.  “We took her to dark, angry places, and as writers—and for Nina (Dobrev), too—it was such a fun year to explore all the different sides of Elena,” she admits to TV Guide.