Bee-Be Smith Movies
- 1992
In the now-legendary final episode of Murphy Brown's fourth season, pregnant Murphy (Candice Bergen) goes into labor right in the middle of an "FYI" telecast. Once in the hospital, Murphy still can't believe that she's about to give birth, especially when the process seems to be so easy and free of care. . .at first. But when the contractions begin coming more rapidly--and the baby steadfastly refuses to make its debut appearance--the situation quickly deteriorates into comic chaos, as the pain-racked Murphy launches into her famous "childbirth rant", loudly and profanely railing against every male on the face of the earth--especially her Lamaze partner Eldin (Robert Pastorelli), who for reasons unknown has not showed up for the Big Moment. This episode earned an Emmy award for Candice Bergen, who has listed "Birth 101 as her all-time favorite (an opinion clearly not shared by Vice President Dan Quayle, but that's another story). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1988
Upset over her grades, Denise (Lisa Bonet) invites her brother Theo (Malcolm-Jamal Warner) to visit her at Hillman, hoping that he can cheer her up. Alas, Theo would rather pal around with the other studennts, leaving poot Lisa in the lurch. The closing scenes in this final episode of A Different World's first season neatly set up Lisa Bonet's defection from the series; also making her final regular appearance is Marisa Tomei as Maggie Lauten. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1988
A class science project requires Maggie (Marisa Tomei) and Dwayne (Kadeem Hardison) to "baby-sit" some eggs about to hatch. Anxious to attend a volleyball game, Maggie prevails upon Jaleesa (Dawnn Lewis) to take her place--and in record time, Jaleesa manages to lose one of the little oval "children." Coming to the rescue is dorm director Stevie Rallen (Loretta Devine), whose presence herein suggests that "Come Back, Little Eggby" was filmed early in the first season, when Stevie was still a regular character. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1988
Denise (Lisa Bonet) is appalled by the snobbery inherent in the annual Miss Hillman pageant. As a means of protesting the festivities, she talks Dwayne (Kadeem Hardison) into entering himself as a contestant--resulting in yet another battle royal between Denise and the insufferable Whitley (Jasmine Guy), with poor Dwayne stuck in the middle. Somehow or other, everyone concerned learns a valuable lesson about what is really important in life . . . but not before the Pageant nearly collapses in chaos. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1988
Denise (Lisa Bonet) owes Maggie (Marisa Tomei) money, and Maggie isn't about to let her forget it. Whitley (Jasmine Guy) tries to figure out a way to get her hudimifier repaired without revealing that she has installed the device in her room without permission. And after working hard on a speech for her poetry class, Jaleesa (Dawnn Lewis) can't work up the nerve to deliver the speech in public. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1988
When Dwayne (Kadeem Hardison) and Ron (Darryl M. Bell) complain that the female students invariably neglect their personal appearance during final exams, the girls gets even by staging a "Miss Ugly America" pageant. Elsewhere, Denise (Lisa Bonet) volunteers to be a peer counselor, a job that ironically causes her to neglect her classwork. And Whitley (Jasmine Guy) learns to her horror that relying upon the Botany Class notes taken by Millie (Marisa Tomei) may be a big mistake.. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1988
Mary Alice joins the cast in this episode as Gilbert Hall's new dorm director Lettie Bostic. Having previously dropped out of Hillman to pursue a bohemian lifestyle abroad, Lettie finds that readjusting to campus life won't be so easy--while the girls in the dorm are turned off by her world-weary bluntness. Especially miffed by Lettie's arrival is Jaleesa (Dawnn Lewis), who'd assumed that she would get the dorm-director job after filling in for the departed Stevie. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1988
This episode was intended to introduce Katie Rich as a recurring character named Cougar, a member of Denise's philosophy class. After becoming Cougar's study partner, Denise (Lisa Bonet) invites the girl to crash in her dorm room, on condition that she make herself scarce whenever dorm director Lettie appears. Unfortunately, the girl finds it impossible to be inconspicuous, and ends up getting Denise in plenty of trouble--especially when it is revealed that Cougar isn't even a registered student. Curiously, though Katie Rich makes an excellent impression in this episode, her character was never seen again. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1987
To block the insufferable Whitley (Jasmine Guy) from becoming Dorm Monitor, Denise (Lisa Bonet) and Jaleesa (Dawnn Lewis) compete for the position. Winning the election, Denise immediately imposes a draconian anti-litter rule. Needless to say, she is the first to break her own rule--and as a result must walk around the campus wearing a pig nose. Making matters worse, this humiliating punishment is imposed just before Denise is to go out with a good-looking fellow student. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1987
In the conclusion of a two-part story, McCall (Stepfanie Kramer) faces the possibility of permanent paralysis as she undergoes surgery to remove a bullet from her spine. Meanwhile, Hunter (Fred Dryer) heads to Mexico, there to settle accounts with notorious pimp Big Jack Hemmings (Robert Ridgely), whom he holds responsible for McCall's plight. When Big Jack turns up murdered, Hunter is arrested--and as the story winds down, the detective must place his life in the hands of his old enemy, gonzo defense attorney Mike Snow (Martin E. Brooks). This final episode of Hunter's third season was directed by series costar Stepfanie Kramer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1987
Hunter (Fred Dryer) finds it curious that burglary victim Carol Benson (Cindy Morgan) is reluctant to assist in his investigation of the theft of her diamond necklace. What Hunter doesn't know is that the necklace was a phony, and that the adulterous Mrs. Benson has resorted to fraud in order to provide financial support to her current lover. The lady's chickens come home to roost in a disastrous manner when she tries to buy back the stolen goods from the bewildered thief. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1987
Though devastated by the news that her parents are divorcing, Whitley (Jasmine Guy) tries to make the best of things as she prepares to spend Christmas with her father Mercer (Conroy Gedeon). But the Holiday may be over before it begins when she comes face to face with her dad's very-much-younger girlfriend Monica (Troy Beyer). Meanwhile, Dwayne (Kadeem Hardison) tries to impress Denise (Lisa Bonet) by passing his pal Ron (Darryl M. Bell) off as his personal servant; and the rest of the gang faces embarrassment after complaining about some "surprise" gifts. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1987
Denise (Lisa Bonet) mistakenly believes that her handsome new geology professor Byron Walcott (David Alan Grier) has fallen in love with her. When dorm director Stevie (Loretta Devine in her final series appearance) confronts the bemused Walcott and accuses him of leading Denise on, Dwayne (Kadeem Hardison) overhears the conversation and concludes that Stevie's interest in the Professor is far more than academic. Meanwhile, Maggie (Marisa Tomei) wages war against the notion of "personal space", ending up way too close for comfort to everyone around her. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1987
While visiting her big sister Denise (Lisa Bonet) at Hillman, little Rudy Huxtable (Keshia Knight Pulliam) unexpectedly forms a strong bond with the imperious Whitley (Jasmine Guy). This in itself is enough to drive Denise crazy, but it gets worse: Rudy now regards Whitley as her role model. Elsewhere, Denise's roommate Jaleesa (Dawnn Lewis) faces a crisis of her own when her ex-husband goes on a date with her own sister. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1987
After filling in for the regular campus disc jockey, Dwayne (Kadeem Hardison) angles to get the job on a permanent basis. Meanwhile, Maggie (Marisa Tomei) and Whitley (Jasmine Guy) prepare a classroom debate on the topic of whether women can successfully juggle a family and a career. When Maggie drops out of the debate while mulling over a marriage proposal from boyfriend Mike (Dean Howell), Denise is forced to take her place--virtually in mid-sentence. Featured in this episode are several members of the talented Wayans clan: Kim, Damon and Keenen Ivory. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1987
Facing the possibility of flunking out of calculus, Denise (Lisa Bonet) agrees to be tutored by Dwayne (Kadeem Harrison). Though one might expect that Dwayne would use this opportunity to "make the moves" on Denise, he takes his responsibility seriously. Even so, Dwayne finds himself in an embarrassing situation when he is locked inside the all-female dorm after curfew and is forced to make his getaway through Whitley's room--and horror of horrors, he's caught in the act by gimlet-eyed dorm director Stevie Rallen (Loretta Devine), who threatens to tell the Dean that Dwayne and Whitley (Jasmine Guy) have been up to no good. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
