Saundra Quarterman Movies
- 1999
A science-fiction drama produced for ABC, Strange World concerns Paul Turner (Tim Guinee), a one-time Army scientist who was one of a battalion exposed to a dangerous but unidentified chemical while serving in the Gulf War in 1991. While the other members of his platoon died, Turner has instead lived on, albeit with a chronic illness that is taking a horrible toll on his body. A mysterious Japanese Woman (Vivian Wu) periodically gives him an unidentified drug that gives him relief from his symptoms, but Turner is in constant and frantic search, trying to determine what it is that's killing him, what he can do about it, and why the Army is trying to keep the whole matter a secret. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tim Guinee, Kristin Lehman, (more)
- 1999
In the opening episode of Touched by an Angel's sixth season, Heavenly caseworker Monica (Roma Downey) hopes to awaken the conscience of Senator Kate Cooper (Lindsay Crouse), and persuade the woman to make public the horrible plight of women and children in war-torn Sudan. Unfortunately, Kate stands to lose a major endorsement from a candy company which is exploiting Sudan's slave-labor pool, so she remains silent. The issue is ultimately forced when, with the gentle encouragement of Monica and fellow angel Andrew (John Dye), Kate's own son Thomas (Jake Thomas) mounts a well-publicized fundraiser for the victims of the Sudan crisis. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1997
Inasmuch as Hangin' with Mr. Cooper did not return to the ABC lineup in the fall of 1996, everyone assumed that the series had been cancelled with its 88th episode at the end of Season Four, leaving fans to ponder whether or not high school teacher Mark Cooper (Mark Curry) had finally persuaded his longtime platonic roommate Vanessa Russell (Holly Robinson Peete) to accept his marriage proposal. However, the producers needed to turn out a full 100 episodes in order to ship out the series for local syndication; thus Hangin' with Mr. Cooper was brought back in June of 1997 for 12 additional half-hours, in which it was revealed that, yes, Mark and Vanessa were officially engaged. And in a parallel development, the couple's third roommate, Geneva Lee (Saundra Quarterman) was seriously considering tying the knot with her boyfriend Ken (Kevin Jackson). However, just hours before the wedding of Mark and Vanessa in the series' 100th installment, actors Mark Curry and Holly Robinson Peete) abruptly drop character, turn to the camera, and cheerfully wave goodbye to the audience--and that's the end of the series! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mark Curry, Holly Robinson Peete, (more)
- 1995
When Season Four of Hangin' with Mr. Cooper came to an end, it appeared as though Mark Cooper (Mark Curry) and Vanessa Russell (Holly Robinson Peete) were about to permanently move from the cozy suburban Oakland house that they shared (platonically, of course) with music teacher Geneva Lee (Saudra Quarterman) and her daughter Nicole (Raven-Symone); Mark had accepted a position as basketball coach at Georgetown University, while Vanessa had gone off on a honeymoon to New Guinea. But as the series' fifth season begins, Mark has gotten word that he has been fired from Georgetown, and Vanessa wearily returns from the "honeymoon from hell" minus her wealthy fiancé. By the time Mark discovers that his "firing" was merely a practical joke, he has resumed his old job as substitute teacher at Oakbridge High through the intervention of his roommate Geneva, who has been promoted to school principal upon the departure of P.J. Moore. Though Mark and Vanessa are still adhering to their "hands off each other" policy and are dating other people, it is obvious that Mark has fallen in love with Vanessa, and he spends most of the season trying to get her to accept at least one of his many proposals. Just when it appears that she will give him an answer, the season abruptly ends--and since the series would not return the following fall, viewers felt a bit cheated that they were left up in the air as to the ultimate outcome of the Mark-Vanessa relationship. In addition to such familiar supporting actors as Marquise Wilson (Tyler Foster) and Omar Gooding (Earvin Rodman), several guest stars grace the fourth season of Hangin' with Mr. Cooper) with their presence, notably basketball legend Julius "Dr. J" Erving and future Oscar winner Jamie Foxx. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mark Curry, Holly Robinson Peete, (more)
- 1994
Oakbridge High's favorite substitute teacher Mark Cooper (Mark Curry) continues to live platonically under the same roof as attractive Vanessa Russell (Holly Robinson Peete), music teacher Geneva Lee (Saundra Quarterman) and Geneva's 8-year-old daughter Nicole (Raven-Symone) as Hangin' with Mr. Cooper enters its third season. In the earliest episode, the roommates also share their digs with Mark and Geneva's boss, principal P.J. Moore (Nell Carter), but P.J. moves out soon thereafter to get married--only to be jilted at the altar, leading to a riotous wedding-rehearsal episode in which Mark is pressed into service as a "substitute groom". Though he'd had a chance to be promoted to head athletic coach at Oakbidge, Mark failed to answer any of P.J.'s phone calls during the summers, thus he remains subservient to the school's new coach, Mr. Corley (Steve White). Also added to the recurring cast this season is Steve White as Mark's college buddy Steve Warner, a sports reporter. Among the funnier episodes this year is "The Ringer", wherein Mark is forced to don female garb and pose as the batter of an all-girl baseball team. In the season's cliffhanging finale, it looks as though Vanessa and Mark are poised to go their separate ways when Vanessa accepts the proposal of her new boyfriend, who wants to relocate to New Guinea, and Mark lands a prestigious coaching position at Georgetown University. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mark Curry, Holly Robinson Peete, (more)
- 1993
Season Two of Hangin' with Mr. Cooper finds high school substitute teacher Mark Cooper (Mark Curry) still platonically sharing a house with sexy stockbroker Vanessa Russell (Holly Robinson Peete), though the couple's third roommate, music teacher Robin Dumars, has moved out. Building up enough capital to stop being mere tenants, Mark and Vanessa buy the house outright from the entrepreneurial father of wisecracking neighborhood youngster Tyler (Marquise Wilson, a new regular who was evidently intended to be the series "breakout" character, a la Urkel on Family Matters). Moving into the house is Mark's boss, by-the-book school principal Pamela Jane (P.J.) Moore (Nell Carter). Later on, Vanessa's cousin Geneva Lee (Saundra Quarterman) joins the household, and also takes over the teaching job vacated by Robin. Accompanying Geneva is her daughter Nicole (Raven-Symone, an outspoken 7-year-old who provides a sharp comic foil to the precocious Tyler. While Mark continues getting the occasional teaching assignment, and at one point is appointed head athletic coach of Oakbridge High School in the absence of Coach Ricketts (Roger E. Mosley), Vanessa manages to get herself fired, and spends most of the season holding down a variety of odd jobs--and none too competently. Also, Vanessa begins dating the wealthy Thaddeus Jamison White (Dominic Hoffman), but has difficulty remaining true to him. Episode highlights include a segment wherein Mark takes over a class in an all-white prep school, where he wins the hearts of his charges with his enthusiastic recitation of black history "From Slavery to Soul Train"; and the scene in which Vanessa watches a rerun of 21 Jump Street, making snide comments about the series' leading lady--who of course was Holly Robinson Peete. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mark Curry, Holly Robinson Peete, (more)
- 1991
Placed in charge of the community center's upcoming parent-counselor night, Theo (Malcolm-Jamal Warner) worries that he will be unable to effectively communicate with the mothers and father of the center's most troubled kids. Further vexing Theo is the fact that single mom Lisa (Saundra Quarterman) is attracted to him, despite his most strenuous efforts to maintain a professional distance between himself and his clients. Meanwhile, Rudy (Keshia Knight Pulliam) falls for Theo's favorite student Stanley (Merlin Santana)--and Rudy's lifelong friend Kenny (Deon Richmond) is not happy about this, not happy at all! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
