Martin
Beauty and the Beast
TV Flash files “Beauty and the Beast” as a desk essential hour — Martin (1992–1997) on Fox, season 1, episode 1, aired 1992-08-27, 30 min.
From the desk
How this hour is filed
This leaf is S01E01: listed hour 1 of 132 in the Martin guide, first listed hour of season 1. It aired 1992-08-27 (30 min). No earlier hour is listed in this guide. Next is “The Gift Rapper” (S01E02).
Essential hour: “Beauty and the Beast”. Beauty and the Beast: Lawrence as host, neighbors, and half the building's personality disorders — punchline airtight.
Viewer FAQ
Where does Beauty and the Beast sit in the Martin guide?
S01E01 is listed hour 1 of 132 — first listed hour of season 1, season 1 episode 1.
When did Martin S01E01 air?
Beauty and the Beast aired 1992-08-27 and is listed at 30 minutes.
Does Lawrence play more than Martin?
Yes — multiple recurring alter egos (Sheneneh, Jerome, and others) are part of the comic architecture, not cameo stunts.
In the series
Why this series still plays
Martin Lawrence playing a radio host, his neighbors, and half the building’s personality disorders. Fox counterprogramming as character comedy: Sheneneh, Jerome, and Tisha Campbell as the grown-up in the room. Clip-proof television — messy offscreen, airtight on the punchline, and the loudest argument for star vehicles that actually had a bench.
The work, first: Martin Lawrence playing a Detroit talk-radio host, his neighbors, and half the building's personality disorders, punchline airtight before the gossip files the rest. John Bowman, Lawrence, and Topper Carew built a Fox sitcom (1992–1997) as character comedy — Sheneneh, Jerome, a wig repertory that is architecture, not a cameo stunt. Tisha Campbell's Gina is the grown-up in the room; Tichina Arnold, Thomas Mikal Ford, and Carl Anthony Payne II sit on an actual bench. Physical comedy vehicle with…
Filed against
- Martin Lawrence as Martin Payne
Martin Lawrence played a radio host and half the building as Martin Payne on Martin — Fox counterprogramming as character comedy, Sheneneh, Jerome, Tisha Campbell as the grown-up in the room. Clip-proof television, messy offscreen,…
- Tisha Campbell as Gina Waters
Tisha Campbell grown-up'd Martin as Gina Waters — Fox counterprogramming as character comedy, a radio host and half the building's personality disorders, clip-proof television with the grown-up in the room. Airtight on the punchline. TV…
- Tichina Arnold as Pamela James
Tichina Arnold’s Pamela James was the grown-up in Martin’s Fox apartment — Sheneneh, Jerome, clip-proof punchlines, messy offscreen lore — then ran Everybody Hates Chris as the Bed-Stuy house that kept the hardness in the joke. 1990s…
- Thomas Mikal Ford as Tommy Strawn
Thomas Mikal Ford deadpanned Martin as Tommy Strawn — Fox counterprogramming as character comedy, a radio host and half the building's personality disorders, clip-proof television. Tisha Campbell as the grown-up; Tommy as the friend who…
- Carl Anthony Payne II as Cole Brown
Carl Anthony Payne II played Cole Brown on Martin — Fox counterprogramming as character comedy, Martin Lawrence as a radio host and half the building's personality disorders, Tisha Campbell as the grown-up in the room. Clip-proof…