The Steve Harvey Show is a sitcom starring Steve Harvey and Cedric the Entertainer that aired on The WB for six seasons from the late 1990's to the early 2000's. Reruns can be seen daily on the music channel BET Her (formerly called Centric), Saturdays on TBS, & as of October 1, 2018, Get TV.
Steve Harvey plays Steve Hightower, a former funk singer who becomes a high school music teacher and finds out that the principal of the school is the girl he used to torment in high school due to her weight. Hilarity Ensues.
Not to be confused with Harvey's self-titled TV talk show, which premiered in 2012, or his radio series The Steve Harvey Morning Show.
The show's cast included:
- Steve Harvey as the main character Steven "Steve" Hightower;
- Cedric the Entertainer as Cedric Jackie Robinson, (Steve's best friend and the school's football coach);
- Merlin Santana and William Lee Scott as Romeo Santana and Stanley "Bullethead" Kuznocki, (two best friends who look up to Steve as their personal mentor and who look up to Cedric, Lovita, and Principal Regina, as almost like honorary parental figures);
- Wendy Raquel Robinson as Principal Regina Grier, (who eventually becomes Steve's love interest throughout the show);
- Terri J. Vaughn as Lovita Alizé Jenkins-Robinson (Cedric's love interest and eventual wife on the show);
- Lori Beth Denberg as quirky, awkward student Lydia Liza Guttman (Romeo and Bullethead's best friend and sometimes acts like she has a crush on Romeo);
- Kel Mitchell as Vincent;
- Kenan Thompson as Junior;
- (as former troublemaking students who became good friends of Steve and Cedric and with Romeo and Bullethead)
- Tracy Vilar as Sophia Ortiz (1996-1997)
- (Only played in one season of the show as one of Romeo, Bullethead, and Lydia's best friends and briefly as a love interest.)
- Netfa Perry as Sara (1996–1997)
- (Only played in one season of the show as one of Romeo, Bullethead, and Lydia's best friends and briefly as a love interest.)
- Ariyan A. Johnson as Aisha (1997–1998)
- (Only played in one season of the show as one of Romeo, Bullethead, and Lydia's best friends.)
- The Lady of Rage (Robin Yvette) as Coretta "The Ox" Cox (a somewhat girly tomboy and former female bully who develops a huge crush on Romeo and Bullethead throughout the show)
Tropes:
- Acquired Situational Narcissism: Lydia most often becomes full of pride whenever she gets in with the cool crowd, but Romeo and Bullethead have also had their brushes with it.
- Cedric had this when he was named Teacher of the Year in one episode.
- Age-Inappropriate Dress:
- Regina (who is in her mid to late 30's) is accused of not being in touch with the students. Her solution? Dressing like them. She resorts to wearing shirts that show her belly button and wearing her hair in Girlish Pigtails with loud, colorful accessories. She goes back to normal when Cedric reminds her of how embarrassing her parents were when they tried to act and dress young when she was a teenager.
- This is played with when it comes to Lovita. She dresses inappropriately for her job but not necessarily her age as she is portrayed as younger and more hip than Steve, Cedric, and Regina. No one really calls her out on it, except Steve (when he wants to make fun of her) and Regina (when Lovita takes it too far).
- Alleged Car Ced's Hyundai. It has multiple bumper stickers on it to hold the body up and cover up its many dents, it frequently breaks down because Cedric tries to listen to the radio while he drives, and once it would not start simply because Cedric rolled the windows down. When he and Lovita are expecting their baby, she implores him to sell it but in the end, he keeps it and Lovita buys a used minivan.
- Altar the Speed: Subverted when Romeo and his Girl of the Week decide to go to Missouri to elope. Butt-Monkey Lydia spills the beans to Steve and Regina. They arrive just in time to stop the couple from getting married. Of course, the girl is never seen or mentioned again.
- Babies Ever After: Cedric & Lovita spend the whole final season dealing with Lovita's pregnancy. It's assumed they had the baby shortly after the series ended.
- Bachelor Auction: In "Going, Going, Gone", Regina hosts a "Win A Date with a Handsome Bachelor" event for her sorority. Steve initially isn't bid on at all but at the last minute a very attractive young woman bids $2000 for him. Ced (who really didn't want to participate at first) is involved in a bidding war between his girlfriend Lovita and another woman. Later in the episode, it is revealed that the young woman who bid on Steve was actually bidding on behalf of her boss, an older woman who is using Steve to make her husband jealous because he's been ignoring her. In Ced's case, the other woman beats out Lovita. Ced is excited to go out with her but Lovita demands that she goes on the date too.
- Back to School: Regina, Steve & Cedric have to take a computer class, taught by Lovita.
- Beauty Contest: "Little Stevie Blunder" has Bullethead entering the Miss Booker T. Pageant so he can win a computer.
- Beta Couple: Cedric and Lovita become an Official Couple to offset the relationship between Steve and Regina.
- Big Man on Campus: Romeo is established as the main driving force for the student body's actions, shown in an early episode where nobody wants to join the school band because Romeo thought it was corny.
- Black Boss Lady: Regina is the principal at the school that everyone else works at or attends. Lovita even calls her "boss lady".
- Book Dumb: Romeo. Although he's been in high school for nearly seven years, he actually does well on his SAT's and by the series end, he gains admittance into a four-year university course.
- Brick Joke: In the beginning of "Here Comes the Judge", Steve has a car towed from the school's parking lot, which turned out to belong to Judge Mathis, who was a guest speaker in Steve's class. At the end of the episode, after Steve gets sued for (supposedly) breaking a pager, Mathis reveals that he was having Steve's car towed away.
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Broken Aesop: Due to The Unfair Sex aspect usually seen on the show "Driving Me Crazy" tells us that it's perfectly okay for a woman to accept ludicrously expensive gifts from a man unless it is something physical, then he is just trying to control you.
- Catchphrase:
- Cedric: You can't [do x] all willy-nilly!;
- Steve: I'm so very, very [x];
- Regina: Whoo!;
- Lovita: HEEYYYY!;
- Romeo: ... and whatnot;
- Lydia: I gotta go!
- Celebrity Lie: Played With. Steve meets Michael Jordan (who doesn't appear in the episode) after a fender-bender and convinces him to speak at the school's entrepreneur day event. Regina does not believe Steve at first but a call to the school from the insurance company convinces her and she is thrilled. Later, Michael Jordan cancels his appearance, leaving Steve to tell Regina the bad news. He couldn't bring himself to disappoint her so he hires an MJ look-alike to come to the school. Hilarity Ensues when the agency sends Michael Jackson instead.
- Sara did this a lot during the first season. She constantly lied to her classmates that she knew certain celebrities like George Clooney, Will Smith, and Wesley Snipes. This usually prompted everyone to tell her to shut up.
- Celebrity Star: The show had guest appearances by Snoop Dogg, Puff Daddy, Lil Bow Wow and Teddy Riley, among others.
- Christmas Episode: "Shut Up and Kiss Me" (where Steve tries to beat Regina's new date at a Christmas light contest) and "Reindeer Games" (where Regina takes over Steve's plans for a Christmas party.)
- Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: Sarah and Sophia disappear after Season 1, Aisha after Season 2, and Coretta after Season 4.
- Clip Show: "After the Fall". It was supposed to be a documentary about Steve, but everyone talked about themselves instead.
- Courtroom Episode: Two of them.
- "And Injustice For All", where Lovita sues Steve after a TV he sold her breaks down. The judge turns out to be a woman Steve dated while he was in the Hi-Tops.
- "Here Comes The Judge". Steve confiscates a pager from the students and it ends up broken. In retaliation, Romeo, Bullethead and Ldia sue Steve for the damages, and they go before Judge Mathis. It turns out Regina broke the pager by putting a lasagna on it, and Mathis rules in favor of the kids.
- *Crack!* "Oh, My Back!": This happens to Cedric when Regina decides to give him a back rub before a dance competition.Cedric: Ow, my back! My whole left side!
- Credit Card Plot: Cedric goes on a spending spree after receiving a platinum card in "Brush With Greatness".
- Early-Installment Weirdness:
- In the first season, nearly every episode started with Steve giving a monologue to the audience, and ended with Hilarious Outtakes playing over the credits. The second season onward replaced these with regular Cold Opens and Credits Montages.
- There's also the presence of Sophia and Sara (both of whom disappeared after the first season and the lack of Lovita and Lydia (who were introduced in the second and third seasons, respectively.)
- Eating Lunch Alone: Lydia would frequently eat lunch in the girls' restroom because no one would talk to her. When Regina finds out, she gives Lydia a job as her "student assisstant."
- Everyone Went to School Together: Steve has known Regina since childhood and was roommates with Cedric in College. Averted with Lovita, who didn't know any of them before she started working at the school.
- Fake Band: The Hi-Tops.
- Fallen-on-Hard-Times Job: Steve, a former R&B singer, now has to work as a music teacher.
- Flanderization: Romeo and Bullethead started the show as two Book Dumb guys who occasionally got into trouble. However, as the series progressed, they became more and more stupid and got into more and more trouble in and out of school. They both still showed occasional flashes of intelligence, but it would be quickly snuffed out by jokes about Bullethead's family living in a trailer park and Romeo ripping off his shirt to the delight of the females in the audience. The show did provide a glimmer of hope at the end of the series when they finally graduated and prepared to go to college, but then Romeo took off his gown to show off his chest to his classmates one last time.
- A Fool and His New Money Are Soon Parted: In "I Believe I Can Lie", Cedric and Lovita end up getting $8,000 due to a bank error, and go on a spending spree. Eventually, Lovita starts feeling guilty about the money, and Cedric goes back to the bank to correct the error.
- Forgotten Birthday: On Steve's 40th birthday, Cedric, Lovita and Regina throw him a birthday party, but Cedric toasts Lovita and his unborn child and Regina's boyfriend takes the opportunity to propose to her.
- Formerly Fat: Regina. Her weight made her a constant target of Steve when they were in high school.
- Get-Rich-Quick Scheme: A Running Gag with Cedric, and then with Lovita once they are engaged.
- The Ghost: The show makes many references to characters' family members that are never seen: Regina (has a brother who married a white woman and moved to Arizona), Steve (has a sister who is a dentist and whose dental school tuition was paid by Steve writing jingles, also has a brother who married a white woman), Ced (mother), Lovita (many, many family members named for products, but brother Duracell is most talked about along with her mother).
- Graduate from the Story: Romeo, Bullethead & Lydia graduate at the end of the series.
- Halloween Episode: "When The Funk Hits the Rib Tips", which is about Steve auditioning for a club against the other former members of the Hi-Tops.
- Happily Ever After: As of the series finale, Steve and Regina move to California to continue their relationship, Cedric and Lovita win the lotter just as they have their child, and Romeo, Bullethead and Lydia are accepted into college.
- Homemade Sweater from Hell: To celebrate their one-month anniversary, Regina gives one of these to Steve.
- In with the In Crowd: Steve and Cedric join the exclusive Onyx Club.
- Inept Aptitude Test: Romeo is told that he did quite well on the SAT's and he starts to act and dress like a genius, frustrating the overachieving Lydia and alienating Bullethead in the process. Steve and Regina realize that it's all a mixup and Romeo (who is actually quite smart but doesn't really try) goes back to being his regular, dumb self.
- Just One Extra Ticket: In "Big Daddy's Baby Girl", Bullethead gets two tickets to a Chicago Bulls game, and Sophia, Sara and Romeo start treating him more nicely in hopes of going to the game. Bullethead ends up taking Steve because he didn't give him any special treatment.
- KidAnova: Romeo constantly charms other girls into dating him.
- Lampshade Hanging: By the finale, even Romeo, Lydia and Bullethead have taken to pointing out that they've seen Steve & Regina go through the motions of a Will They or Won't They? for 6 years.
- Last Minute Hook Up: Averted; Steve & Regina finally get together at the end of the penultimate season.
- Love Triangle: The relationship between Steve and Regina turn into this when Regina's ex-boyfriend Warrington Steele gets involved.
- Manchild: Actually a woman, but Regina Grier, despite being a principal has never gotten over her time in highschool and will often act like an immature Spoiled Brat. One episode had her literally devolve into this.
- Meaningful Name: Romeo. All the ladies love him.
- Mistaken for Special Guest: Cedric and Lovita are mistaken for African royalty during the Vacation Episode.
- Monochrome Casting: Bullethead and Lydia are the only white characters in the main cast; everyone else is black.
- Moral Myopia: Lydia Liza Guttman is a narcissistic jerkass with a huge case of Chronic Backstabbing Disorder. Yet the moment anyone gets tired of her antics or try to get back at her, she always questions why everyone is so mean to her. A great example is in the final season, where she spent the entire episode belittling Romeo and Bullethead on the fact that they were going to community college. When they retaliated with a prank, the first words out of her mouth were "I thought we were friends!"
- Nice Jewish Boy: Recurring character Arthur Rabinowitz is almost always referred to by Steve as "That little polite Jewish boy who helps me with my taxes."
- Not So Above It All: An intentional running gag with Regina. She thinks she's the more reserved, wiser and more sensible authority of the school. But when not in charge (and even when in charge, sometimes) she's just as immature as Steve if not moreso. A common version is to have her start off a lecture, which turns into gloating, which turns into childish victory dances.
- Obfuscating Stupidity: In "Do Not Duplicate", Lydia downplays her intelligence to make her new boyfriend feel less like an idiot around her.
- Only Known By His Nickname: Stanley Kuznocki is always referred to as Bullethead, although Cedric and Regina always used his first name.
- Out with a Bang: Regina's ex-husband is implied to have died while they were making out on their honeymoon.
- Overly Long Name: Romeo Miguel Jesus Pele Santana. His mother, father, and 2 sisters also have these.
- Phrase Catcher: In the first season, a piece of dialogue frequently accompanied Bullethead being introduced, and someone's reaction to his name."Because I've/he's got a bullet in my/his head."
- Real Life Writes the Plot: Terri J. Vaughn's pregnancy was written into the final season.
- Running Gag: Many, including one during which one character tells another character "If it wasn't for me (or [character x]), you'd be [insert embarrassing job]). For example, Lovita tells Steve "My Ceddy got you this job. If it wasn't for him, you'd be opening doors at the Marriott." Regina also tells Lovita to "Check [her] attitude, unless [she wants] to go back to being the popcorn girl at K-Mart."
- Sit Comic: Steve Harvey was a comedian. This is a sitcom starring him.
- She Is All Grown Up: Regina has lost all the weight she had in high school.
- Sleek High Rise Apartment: Steve lives in one that overlooks Chicago.
- Teen Pregnancy: One of Cedric's students apparently already has two kids, and does not seem too upset over it.
- Token White: Bullethead and Lydia are the only recurring white characters.
- Two Lines, No Waiting: Most episodes have this as the main plot structure. Steve was always in the A-plot.
- Two-Teacher School: Steve (the art/music/drama teacher) and Cedric (health/gym teacher) are apparently the only main teachers in the school. Other teachers do exist, but they only show up when the plot calls for them.
- Uncanny Family Resemblance: Cedric (in drag) plays his Grandma Pudding.
- Unsportsmanlike Gloating: Regina is prone to this and always says, "BAM! In your FACE!" whenever she wins something, no matter how big or small, and especially if it's against Steve.
- Vacation Episode: In "The Honeymooners", the gang heads to Universal Studios in Orlando, FL.
- Wacky Marriage Proposal: Ced's proposal to Lovita. First he gets a radio DJ to pop the question during Lovita's favorite radio program but she changes the station and wins tickets to a concert instead; Ced then pops the question on a Jumbo Tron at a Bulls game but Lovita misses it entirely because she is in the bathroom and the screen is shown earlier than Ced would have liked. When Ced does manage to drag Lovita out of the bathroom, the proposal is gone and in its place is an ad for rhinoplasty, infuriating Lovita. Finally, he prepares a romantic dinner for Lovita and puts the ring in a piece of pie. Lovita refuses to eat the pie, saying she's full. Ced keeps asking her to have a bite of the pie. Lovita starts to eat it but then puts the pie down. Steve, having witnessed the whole exchange, gets mad and takes the ring out of the pie and shows it to Lovita explaining that Ced had been trying to propose to her all week. She then says yes.
- Wild Teen Party: Cedric and Lovita throw one, but Romeo gets in trouble for it.
- Another episode has Romeo tricking Lydia into throwing one, but Coretta crashes it and everyone flees.
- Will They or Won't They?: Steve & Regina spend much of the series deciding whether or not they should start dating. They ultimately do get together.
- You Taste Delicious: Regina arranged for Steve to get a Pie in the Face as a prank but changed her mind before she could call it off so she ran on stage and took the pie herself. Steve then ate some of the cream off her face and said, "Key Lime. My favorite."
