Brandy: Special Delivery

Brandy: Special Delivery

Opening title sequence
Also known as MTV Diary Presents Brandy: Special Delivery
Genre Reality
Starring Brandy
Robert "Big Bert" Smith
Sonja Norwood
Willie Norwood
Ray J
Theme music composer Brandy
Rodney Jerkins
Fred Jerkins III
Japhe Tejeda
LaShawn Daniels
Opening theme "Happy" performed by Brandy
Country of origin United States
Language(s) English
No. of seasons 1
No. of episodes 4 (List of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s) Stephanie Chambers
Dan Murphy
Producer(s) Ann Meek
Editor(s) Joe Botana
Greg Nash
Brian Ray
Cinematography Alex Pappas
Camera setup Multi-camera
Running time 22–24 minutes
Production company(s) MTV Networks
Broadcast
Original channel MTV
Original run June 18, 2002 (2002-06-18) – July 9, 2002 (2002-07-09)

Brandy: Special Delivery is an American reality series following R&B singer Brandy's pregnancy with baby Sy'rai. The series aired on MTV. The premiere episode premiered in the United States and Germany on June 18, 2002, with Canada following on June 21, where it took The Osbournes TV slot on Tuesdays 10:30 pm.[1] The show eventually spawned four episodes.

Contents

Production history

Originally only planned to be a regular Diary episode, MTV felt the material was interesting and entertaining enough to sustain a five-episode-series.[2]

Before the series even aired, it drew comparisons to The Osbournes which Special Delivery would replace.[1] MTV denied any similarities stating, "The show really has nothing to do with The Osbournes".[3] The Osbournes badmouthed the project, with Ozzy saying "It'd all be bullshit [...] They'd only show you what they wanted you to see"; wife Sharon stated "Does she really think showing her vagina is going to help her career?" and daughter Kelly added: "Who wants to see her weird ass giving birth?".[2]

Episode list

Episode 1

First aired June 18, 2002

The first episode begins with Brandy introducing herself as a mother-to-be, singer and actress and how she managed to deal with all of that in the past. Then you see Brandy rehearsing for a performance for the tv show American Bandstand. Brandy and her mother Sonja then go shopping for the yet-unnamed daughter. After shopping and her first parenting class you see Brandy putting finishing touches on her hit song "He Is" adding ad-libs. Also she is visiting her husband and producer Robert "Big Bert" Smith, who resides in the New York Palace Hotel, which began burning all of a sudden. Therefore Brandy and her husband must leave New York and head back to their house to see the finished nursery, designed by her decorator Maser. By the end of the episode you see Brandy performing her top-twenty-single "Full Moon" on Dick Clark's television special American Bandstand 50th Anniversary Celebration, which took place on May 3, 2002.

Episode 2

First aired June 25, 2002

The second episode starts off with Brandy and Robert having a playful argument, about Brandy having become - due to her pregnancy - fat and how Robert should not stare at other women because of that. After that the viewer gets to see Brandy recording a song, tentatively for the scrapped album B-Rocka. Then you see Brandy at parenting class. Smith shows big disinterest in class, stating thousands of years ago there was no parenting class. Afterwards you see Robert and Brandy eating in a restaurant in Santa Monica one day before Mother's Day. The next day Brandy and her husband visit parents' Sonja and Willie Norwood's house. Brandy there reveals how she had to push back or cancel any by the time ongoing musical and professional project. Sonja also tells how the relationship to her daughter has changed since the latter's pregnancy. Also both agreed that choosing to bear the baby was the right decision despite it being damaging to her career. Brandy said: "[...] I'm not gonna be pregnant forever too [...] Tell J.Lo and Britney [Spears] they can keep their flat stomachs for a minute but I will be back". After that the audience first gets to see the uncle-to-be Ray J, Brandy's brother. Before heading back to the studio Brandy, her mother and her grandmother are nostalgically looking at old pictures, reflecting her past career. In the studio she continues recording the "pop version" to the gospel song "He Is", as it is supposed to be the album's third single. Brandy seems very underwhelmed with the outcome and questions weather to release the song as the third single. She ends up calling the product of the recording session "real shit". The radio station 100.3 The Beat threw a public baby shower for the singer. At the end of the episode Brandy is at the doctor getting an ultrasound of her baby.

Episode 3

First aired July 2, 2002

The show's third episode opens with Brandy's private baby shower. Mother Sonja is dealing with the fact that she is becoming a grandmother. The shower took place on the first of June. After the party you see Brandy being shown the hospital by midwife Grace Holmes. Her doctor, Dr. Felicia Ota, also reveals how the baby is going to be born within the next few days. Brandy started to cry seeing how "medical" the hospital actually is. Brandy is then visiting her friend Drano since she was upset about him not showing up at Brandy's baby shower. Back at Brandy's house she gets a visit by midwife Holmes, who teaches them how to bear the baby in the best way possible. After that Brandy goes shopping to distract herself from the stress and the anxiety caused by the forthcoming childbirth. Following the shopping Brandy is doing a "pregnancy photoshoot" with photographer Darien Davis. The episode comes to an end when Brandy plays tennis with her husband.

Episode 4

First aired July 9, 2002

The final episode features Brandy and her husband talk about the birth of their child, which took place at the night from June 15 to June 16

Cast

Main cast

Secondary cast

Music

During the show the viewers get to hear several of Brandy's songs from her current and her previous albums. The following lists every song played during the show. (in the order of being played)

Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3
Episode 4

References

  1. ^ a b Silverman, Stephen M. (2002-06-11). "Brandy to Fill Osbournes' MTV Slot". people.com. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,624102,00.html. Retrieved 28 June 2010. 
  2. ^ a b Altman, Billy (2002-05-29). "Brandy Not Trying To Be Next 'Osbournes'". yahoo.com. http://music.yahoo.com/read/story/12054560. Retrieved 28 June 2010. 
  3. ^ Susman, Gary (2002-06-11). "A Star Is Born". ew.com. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,261121,00.html. Retrieved 28 June 2010. 

External links