Damon is an American television sitcom starring Damon Wayans that ran for thirteen episodes on Fox in 1998. It was created by Leo Benvenuti, Steve Rudnick and Damon Wayans and directed by John P. Whitesell.
The series received negative reviews from critics, who praised Wayans' comedic work but criticized the show's writing and overly crass humor.
Contents
Synopsis
When two brothers, an undercover cop and home security officer, are reunited in Chicago, their professional and family lives create a series of situations.
Cast
Damon Wayans as Damon Thomas, a clever but politically incorrect undercover cop that has quick wit, beautiful women and a challenging job.
David Alan Grier as Bernard Thomas, a rent-a-cop home security officer who longs to be the real thing.
Andrea Martin as Captain Carol Czynencko, Damon's hard-as-nails boss who is trying to get in touch with her sensitive side.
Dom Irrera as Carrol Fontain, a hypochondriac who makes his co-workers cringe with graphic descriptions of his problems
Melissa De Sousa as Stacy Phillips, a strong career-driven Latina who has a "no dating cops" rule.
Julio Oscar Mechoso as Jimmy Tortone, a Cuban con-artist who walks a fine line between shady and legit
Greg Pitts as Billy McCarthy, a gung-ho, gullible new kid in the department who falls prey to everyone's practical jokes.
Recurring Actors
Veronica Webb as Tracy Warren
Nellie Sciutto as Gloria
Development
Wayans signed a deal with Fox to create two shows for the network. Following the launch and cancellation of his first show, the hour-long drama 413 Hope St., he began working on a half-hour sitcom. Damon, then untitled, was announced in January 1998. The title and premiere date of the show was revealed in February.
Broadcast
Damon premiered on Fox on March 22, 1998. The series aired on Sundays at 8:30 PM for its first three weeks, before pivoting to Mondays at 8:00 PM on April 6.
Reception
Critical response
Bruce Fetts of Entertainment Weekly described the show as "the crassest sitcom in history" and said that the "lowlights are too numerous to list". The Standard-Times described Wayans as "brilliant" but the overall show as "amateurish". Similarly, Rick Lyman of The New York Times lauded Wayan's caricature work, but criticized the show's writing. The Hartford Courant praised the cast's "substantial talents", specifically the dynamic between Wayans and Grier, but criticized the show as "lowbrow" and "raucous".