# The Upshaws

The Upshaws is an American television sitcom created by Regina Y. Hicks and Wanda Sykes. The series stars Sykes, Mike Epps, Kim Fields, Diamond Lyons, Khali Spraggins, Journey Christine, and Jermelle Simon. The series premiered on Netflix on May 12, 2021. In June 2021, the series was renewed for a second season, with the first part being released on June 29, 2022. The second part of the second season premiered on February 16, 2023. In October 2022, the series was renewed for a third season, which premiered on August 17, 2023. In December 2023, the series was renewed for a 10-episode fourth season, also called part 6. The six-episode fifth part of The Upshaws, the second half of season 3, premiered on April 18, 2024. In June 2024, the series was renewed for a 12-episode fifth and final season, also called part 7.

## Premise

This comedy series follows an African-American working class family from Indiana, as they struggle to make ends meet as they pursue the American dream without a clear path to get there.

## Cast and characters
### Main

* Mike Epps as Bernard "Bennie" Upshaw Sr., patriarch of the Upshaw family, Regina's high-school sweetheart and eventual husband. He is the owner of Bennie's Garage.
* Kim Fields as Regina Upshaw (née Turner), the matriarch of the Upshaw family; Bennie Sr's wife and mother to Bernard Jr., Aaliyah, Maya and stepmother to Kelvin.
* Wanda Sykes as Lucretia Turner, Regina's older sister who has an antagonistic relationship with Bennie. Lucretia is now married to Frank. She travels back and forth between Indiana and Georgia.
* Diamond Lyons as Kelvin Upshaw, Bennie and Tasha's son who is the same age as Aaliyah, who calls Kelvin her "Ghetto Twin". He was conceived when Bennie thought he and Regina were on a break.
* Khali Spraggins as Aaliyah Upshaw, Bennie and Regina's eldest daughter
* Journey Christine as Maya Upshaw, Bennie and Regina's youngest daughter
* Jermelle Simon as Bernard Upshaw Jr., Bennie and Regina's eldest child and only son together. He has a strained relationship with his father, who wasn't there for him until he was 16.

### Recurring

* Gabrielle Dennis as Tasha Lewis, Kelvin's mother
* Page Kennedy as Duck, an old friend of Bennie's who also works at his garage. He is recently out of prison and has become a born-again Christian.
* Mike Estime as Tony, Bennie's friend and employee
* Dayna Dooley as Sheila, Regina's boss at the hospital
* Daria Johns as Savannah, Aaliyah's best friend
* Kim Whitley as Althea Turner, Regina and Lucretia's sister
* Lamont Thompson as Frank, Lucretia's husband. Frank is a successful businessman who supports Lucretia's decision to be with her family while traveling back and forth.
* Sharifa Oliver as Monique Robinson, Bernard's ex-girlfriend, mother of their daughter Sydney. She is a police officer.
* Ayaammi Sledge as Sydney Robinson, Bernard's daughter. She comes looking for him in the first-season finale; when she says that Bernard Upshaw is her father, Regina accuses Bennie of being so until matters are cleared up.
* Jessica Morris as Amy, Regina's friend
* Dewayne Perkins as Hector, Bernard Jr.'s on again/ off again boyfriend
* Leonard Earl Howze as Davis, another of Bennie's friends

## Episodes
### Series overview

| Season | Episodes | Episodes | Originally released | Originally released |
| 1 | 10 | 10 | May 12, 2021 (2021-5-12) | May 12, 2021 (2021-5-12) |
| 2 | 16 | 8 | June 29, 2022 (2022-6-29) | June 29, 2022 (2022-6-29) |
| 2 | 16 | 8 | February 16, 2023 (2023-2-16) | February 16, 2023 (2023-2-16) |
| 3 | 12 | 6 | August 17, 2023 (2023-8-17) | August 17, 2023 (2023-8-17) |
| 3 | 12 | 6 | April 18, 2024 (2024-4-18) | April 18, 2024 (2024-4-18) |
| 4 | 10 | 10 | January 9, 2025 (2025-1-9) | January 9, 2025 (2025-1-9) |

### Season 1 (2021)

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
| 1 | 1 | "Birthday B.S." | Ken Whittingham | Regina Y. Hicks & Wanda Sykes | May 12, 2021 (2021-5-12) |
| Bennie's two kids: Kelvin and Aaliyah have a birthday at the same time. Bennie tries to find time to be at both parties, worried that he won't get to spend time with his kids, so he goes back and forth to make sure he has time to go from one party to the other. Eventually, he is caught and realizes he has to confess the truth. ||||||
| 2 | 2 | "The Hook-Up" | Robbie Countryman & Ken Whittingham | Annie Levine & Jonathan Emerson | May 12, 2021 (2021-5-12) |
| Bennie takes Regina to a fancy restaurant and meets the manager of the establishment. He later takes her out in the hopes of breaking their dry spell, which they've had for a long time. Bennie gets an unexpected surprise when he realizes that the meal wasn't free. ||||||
| 3 | 3 | "Joy Ride" | Ken Whittingham | Mark Alton Brown | May 12, 2021 (2021-5-12) |
| 4 | 4 | "Big Plans" | Sheldon Epps | Mitchell Marchand | May 12, 2021 (2021-5-12) |
| 5 | 5 | "Ridin' Dirty" | Robbie Countryman | Allie Romano | May 12, 2021 (2021-5-12) |
| 6 | 6 | "Last Straw" | Sheldon Epps | Regina Y. Hicks | May 12, 2021 (2021-5-12) |
| 7 | 7 | "Yard Sale" | Kelly Park | Dino Shorte | May 12, 2021 (2021-5-12) |
| 8 | 8 | "Night Out" | Phill Lewis | Anil K. Foreman | May 12, 2021 (2021-5-12) |
| 9 | 9 | "Gloves Off" | Phill Lewis | Annie Levine & Jonathan Emerson | May 12, 2021 (2021-5-12) |
| 10 | 10 | "The Backslide" | Sheldon Epps | Annie Levine & Jonathan Emerson | May 12, 2021 (2021-5-12) |

### Season 2 (2022–23)

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
| Part 1 ||||||
| 11 | 1 | "Maybe Daddy" | Sheldon Epps | Regina Y. Hicks & Wanda Sykes | June 29, 2022 (2022-6-29) |
| 12 | 2 | "Bennie's Woman" | Sheldon Epps | Annie Levine & Jonathan Emerson | June 29, 2022 (2022-6-29) |
| 13 | 3 | "Testing, Testing" | Robbie Countryman | Mark Alton Brown | June 29, 2022 (2022-6-29) |
| 14 | 4 | "Control Issues" | Robbie Countryman | Mitchell Marchand | June 29, 2022 (2022-6-29) |
| 15 | 5 | "Duct Up" | Phill Lewis | Dino Shorte | June 29, 2022 (2022-6-29) |
| 16 | 6 | "New Growth" | Phill Lewis | Nicole Bilbrew | June 29, 2022 (2022-6-29) |
| 17 | 7 | "Sista, Sista" | Kelly Park | Darryl Wesley | June 29, 2022 (2022-6-29) |
| 18 | 8 | "Goin' In" | Linda Mendoza | Annie Levine & Jonathan Emerson | June 29, 2022 (2022-6-29) |
| Part 2 ||||||
| 19 | 9 | "The Unforgiven" | Lynda Tarryk | Regina Y. Hicks | February 16, 2023 (2023-02-16) |
| 20 | 10 | "Home Repairs" | Victor Gonzalez | Jonterri Gadson | February 16, 2023 (2023-02-16) |
| 21 | 11 | "Treading Water" | Kim Fields | Erin Jackson | February 16, 2023 (2023-02-16) |
| 22 | 12 | "Off Beat" | Regina Y. Hicks | Michael P. Fox | February 16, 2023 (2023-02-16) |
| 23 | 13 | "Lane Change" | Robbie Countryman | Mark Alton Brown | February 16, 2023 (2023-02-16) |
| 24 | 14 | "Heart Wants" | Juanesta Holmes | Annie Levine & Jonathan Emerson | February 16, 2023 (2023-02-16) |
| 25 | 15 | "Heart Matters" | Sheldon Epps | Mitchell Marchand | February 16, 2023 (2023-02-16) |
| 26 | 16 | "Now What" | Sheldon Epps | Story by : Erin Jackson & Jonterri Gadson Teleplay by : Dino Shorte & Nicole Bilbrew | February 16, 2023 (2023-02-16) |

### Season 3 (2023-2024)

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
| Part 1 ||||||
| 27 | 1 | "Thera Please" | Kim Fields | Regina Y. Hicks | August 17, 2023 (2023-8-17) |
| 28 | 2 | "Need Change" | Robbie Countryman | Annie Levine & Jonathan Emerson | August 17, 2023 (2023-8-17) |
| 29 | 3 | "Forbidden Fruit" | Lynda Tarryk | Mark Alton Brown | August 17, 2023 (2023-8-17) |
| 30 | 4 | "Slap Happy" | Robbie Countryman | Dino Shorte | August 17, 2023 (2023-8-17) |
| 31 | 5 | "Really, Mama?" | Lynda Tarryk | Mitchell Marchand | August 17, 2023 (2023-8-17) |
| 32 | 6 | "Auto Motives" | Robbie Countryman | Regina Y. Hicks & Annie Levine & Jonathan Emerson | August 17, 2023 (2023-8-17) |
| Part 2 ||||||
| 33 | 7 | "Hail Mary" | Victor Gonzalez | Nicole Bilbrew | April 18, 2024 (2024-4-18) |
| 34 | 8 | "Electric Feels" | Victor Gonzalez | Erin Jackson | April 18, 2024 (2024-4-18) |
| 35 | 9 | "Background Checkered" | Esther Himbaugh Treadway | Michael P. Fox | April 18, 2024 (2024-4-18) |
| 36 | 10 | "Girl Trouble" | Lynda Tarryk | Regina Y. Hicks & Annie Levine & Jonathan Emerson | April 18, 2024 (2024-4-18) |
| 37 | 11 | "Ain't Broke" | Robbie Countryman | Teleplay by : Mark Alton Brown Story by : Michael J. S. Murphy | April 18, 2024 (2024-4-18) |
| 38 | 12 | "Do I?" | Regina Y. Hicks | Teleplay by : Devon Shepard & Dino Shorté Story by : Annie Levine & Jonathan Emerson | April 18, 2024 (2024-4-18) |

### Season 4 (2025)

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
| 39 | 1 | "Gone, But..." | Kim Fields | Regina Y. Hicks & Wanda Sykes | January 9, 2025 (2025-1-9) |
| 40 | 2 | "She's Back" | Victor Gonzalez | Annie Levine & Jonathan Emerson | January 9, 2025 (2025-1-9) |
| 41 | 3 | "Running Numbers" | Robbie Countryman | Devon Shepard | January 9, 2025 (2025-1-9) |
| 42 | 4 | "Hold Up" | Lynda Tarryk | Mark Alton Brown | January 9, 2025 (2025-1-9) |
| 43 | 5 | "Grifter, Grifter" | Robbie Countryman | Dino Shorté | January 9, 2025 (2025-1-9) |
| 44 | 6 | "Who, Me?" | Robbie Countryman | Darryl Wesley | January 9, 2025 (2025-1-9) |
| 45 | 7 | "Tee'd Off" | Esther Himbaugh Treadway | Erin Jackson | January 9, 2025 (2025-1-9) |
| 46 | 8 | "& Son" | Kelly Park | Michael P. Fox | January 9, 2025 (2025-1-9) |
| 47 | 9 | "Lost Causes" | Robbie Countryman | Annie Levine & Jonathan Emerson & Michael J.S. Murphy | January 9, 2025 (2025-1-9) |
| 48 | 10 | "Buy Now" | Regina Y. Hicks | Teleplay by : Dino Shorté & Darryl Wesley Story by : Mark Alton Brown & Devon Shepard | January 9, 2025 (2025-1-9) |

## Production
### Development

On August 20, 2019, Netflix gave production a series order. The Upshaws is created by Regina Y. Hicks and Wanda Sykes who are expected to executive produce alongside Mike Epps, Niles Kirchner, and Page Hurwitz. Push It Productions is the production company involved with producing the series. The series was released on May 12, 2021. On June 24, 2021, Netflix renewed the series for a 16-episode second season which is expected to be split into two parts. The first part of the second season was released on June 29, 2022. The second part of second season premiered on February 16, 2023. On October 26, 2022, Netflix renewed the series for a third season which was released on August 17, 2023. On December 1, 2023, Netflix renewed the series for a fourth season. On June 7, 2024, Netflix renewed the series for a 12-episode fifth and final season, also called part 7.
The series is set in Indianapolis, but it is shot in the Old Warner Brothers Studio in California.

### Casting

Upon series order announcement, Sykes and Epps were also cast to star. On March 4, 2020, Kim Fields joined the cast in a starring role. On December 2, 2020, Gabrielle Dennis, Page Kennedy, Diamond Lyons, Khali Daniya-Renee Spraggins, Jermelle Simon, and Journey Christine were cast in starring roles.

## Reception

For the series, review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 63% based on 8 critic reviews, with an average rating of 7/10. Metacritic gave the series a weighted average score of 57 out of 100 based on 5 critic reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews".