The Parkers is a Comedy Series that aired on UPN from August 30, 1999, to May 10, 2004. A spin-off of UPN's Moesha, The Parkers featured the mother-daughter team of Nikki (played by Mo'Nique) and Kim Parker (played by Countess Vaughn).The series centered around a mother and daughter who both attend Santa Monica College. Nikki Parker was forced to give up her dreams of going to college when she discovered she was pregnant with daughter Kim. After Kim reaches adulthood, Nikki finally decides to go back to school. Kim is initially mortified with this decision, but eventually accepts the situation. Most episodes revolved around Nikki's infatuation with Professor Stanley Oglevee or trying to break up any other potential romance he has.Unlike Moesha, this was a straight up comedy sitcom then a Dramady.The series finale aired on May 10, 2004 and drew in 3.6 million viewers. In the finale, Professor Oglevee finally realizes his true feelings for Nikki just as she is about to marry another man and they get married in the same episode.
Acrofatic: Despite her size, Nikki has been shown doing very extreme stunts. In Til Death Do Us Apart - And Make It Soon and some other episodes, she doubles as an Action Girl.
A Day in the Limelight: "And The Winner Is..." had each member of Freestyle Unity enter the contest behind the other members' back due to the contest not accepting groups, so Stevie, T, and Kim are seen doing solo performances.
Aloof Elder Sister/Annoying Older Sibling: Nikki's older sister Constance is pretty insufferable, pissing off Dez, Tommy, and The Professor for not letting them eat the Thanksgiving dinner until Kim and Tiffany came back. She even threw out Nikki's flowers and started bossing everyone around, who were shocked to see Nikki actually "enduring" her sister's behavior.
This also applies to Prof. Olgevee's older brother Sterling.
Brother Chuck: Nikki's friend Desiree from Season 1.
Symone, the lost member of Freestyle Unity.
The Bro Code: Andel breaks it when she makes out with Mel, Nikki's ex-husband in Et Tu Andell? Stevie does the same to Kim after dating Hakeem.
Broken Aesop: Nikki, after so many years of putting herself out there only to get rejected coldly time and time again by the professor, finally moves on for good and gets over him, planning to marry a new man who treats her well and respects her. During the series finale wedding ceremony The Professor, after having a Love Epiphany, goes to her and begs for her love, only to have her reject her husband to be so she can be with him. So, to review - obsess over someone until you have too much respect for yourself & finally move on and then the person of your obsession will come around?
Her behavior is actually Played for Drama, as Regis used her as a guinea pig for this psychology thesis; individuals with low-I Qs' who are still able to function. Kim, understandably, flips her lid.
Cross Over: With the Spin-OffMoesha. Hakeem and Moesha come to Kim's birthday party in the Halloween Episode. Another episode has Nikki working for Hakeem's mom at Magic Johnson Theaters.
The fifth season opener may be the darkest episode of the whole series. Not even Nikki's and Paris' girl fight didn't seem to be Played for Laughs, seeing that Paris did intend to take out Nikki along with the Professor.
Fake Band: Freestyle Unity, made up of T (Rapper), Kim (Vocals), and Stevie (Backup).
Faux Yay: Nikki and Veronica, off all people, acted as a lesbian couple to avoid a lesbian hitting on them. It quickly turns into Les Yay when said lesbian compliment Andell's complexion, who is actually flattered.
Femme Fatale: Paris. Kinda doubles as a Dark Action Girl as she breaks a table in half during her girl fight with Nikki in Til Death Do Us Apart - And Make It Soon, causing Nikki to back down. See Darker and Edgier for more examples.
Game Show Appearance: Nikki and her family are on a game show called Family Secrets. It's revealed that Nikki's mom and dad are actually her aunt and uncle and that her favorite aunt-a traveling jazz singer- is really her mother.
Gay Bar Reveal: In the episode, "Since I Lost My Baby", Nikki teams up with Veronica to end Stanley's relationship with a woman named Angela. They (along with Andell) later discovered that Angela's ex-boyfriend Chris turns out to actually be a woman when they find her at the club Chris works at, learning that Angela is a lesbian, and that they ended up at a gaybar. Hilarity Ensues.
Graduate from the Story: Combine this with the Grand Finale. Everyone graduates except Kim, Nikki is the Valedictorian, and she marries the Professor.
Halloween Episode: Kim's birthday is October 31st and her party is the focus of one episode. Another year has the cast having a halloween party at the home of the professor's new girlfriend.
He Who Must Not Be Seen: Shaquan is only mentioned by Kim, usually during their phone conversations. She finally appears in the finale.
Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Nikki can be pretty obnoxious, even a bully towards some, but out of most of the characters, she has the biggest heart, and is generally nice most of the time.
Heroic BSOD: The fourth season finale and final season opener was a kick in the face for Nikki, as the Professor proposes to Paris, causing her to pass out, along with Kim who goes to Harvard with Regis, leaving her lonely and depressed.
Male Gaze: Stevie, but Veronica trumps her in this trope.
Mama Bear: Nikki's older sister Constance in the first Thanksgiving Episode grew aware of this. Constance, just because you're ignorant of your daughter's wild intention and accusing Kim of being a bad influence when it's the other way around, doesn't mean you go and call your niece a liar. Besides from that, Nikki is willing to go through hell and high water for Kim.
Marshmallow Hell: This happens whenever Nikki puts someone in a headlock.
Put on a Bus: Of all people, Kim., who goes away to Harvard in the fourth season finale. She later come back on in the final season in "Mama, I'm Baaack!"
Shout Out: Kim daydreams that everyone is on an episode of Dallas.
Thanksgiving Episode: One episode has Nikki and her sister fighting and another has Nikki and Kim fighting over the menu.
Teen Pregnancy: It's why Nikki got married to Kim's dad (they later divorced) and had to put off going to college until Kim turned 18.
The Reveal: In the finale, we finally see Kim's best friend, Shaquan, who turns about to be Korean, which may be a shock to those who expected her to be black.
The Cameo: In various seasons, the cast from Moesha, Shirley Caesar, Yolanda Adams, and Tweet.
Token White: Stevie, Kim's best friend Shaquan as the Token Asian.
Too Dumb to Live: The Professor, as much as you would want to get away from Nikki, is it worth becoming the next victim of the woman you proposed to, who got away with killed her fourth-ex husbands and collect their insurance, and suddenly reappears when you're in the newspaper for your inheritance after she coldly turns you down?
It also doesn't help that Paris would have been sent to jail, if it wasn't for the Professor causing a mistrial. Nikki lampshades this herself.
Nikki: Your honor, we have eleven guilty votes, and one dumbass not-guilty vote.
True Companions: Pretty much the whole gang, especially in the Christmas episode, "Secret Santa".
What Happened to the Mouse?: Several characters, most notably Dez, Tommy, and the other characters from Moesha.
What the Fu Are You Doing? and Waif-Fu: Nikki has her own way of fighting called, "Nikki Tae-Bo", which she uses to take out a burglar in one episode. Paris on the other hand, in the finale season, seems to have some experience in martial arts as she breaks a table in half during her would-been fight with Nikki.
What Could Have Been: At the end of Moesha, several Cliffhangers (Myles' kidnapping, the positive pregnancy test in the trash at Moesha's apartment, etc.) were originally to be resolved in the 3rd season of The Parkers, but the idea was scrapped, and it was decided to just have characters from Moesha visit The Parkers in several Cross Over episodes.
Why Waste a Wedding?: In the series finale, Nikki, who had planned to marry another man, instead marries the professor after he declares his love for her.
Zany Scheme: What Nikki frequently comes up with to make money, get Kim and/or her friends, and/or herself out of trouble, and to snag Professor Oglevee.
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