The PJs

The PJs is an American stop-motion animated television series created by Eddie Murphy, Larry Wilmore, and Steve Tompkins. It portrayed life in an urban public housing project, modeled after the Brewster-Douglass housing projects in Detroit that once housed Diana Ross and Lily Tomlin.^[1] The series starred Eddie Murphy, and was produced by Imagine Entertainment by Ron Howard and Brian Grazer, The Murphy Company & Will Vinton Studios in association with Touchstone Television.

The original run of the series debuted on FOX on Sunday, January 10, 1999 in the time slot following a divisional conference football playoff game. Two days later the second episode aired in its regular Tuesday night time slot following King of the Hill.^[2]

Summary

42 episodes aired during the show's three-year run. Each took over two months to produce, owing to the laborious stop-motion process. After two seasons on Fox, the show moved to The WB in 2000. Its high budget and declining ratings led to its cancellation in 2001; the final three episodes were not aired until 2003. The show aired in syndication for a time on Trio and Cartoon Network's Adult Swim, and now can be seen on TV One.

The PJs won three Emmy Awards and one Annie Award during its run. Some social activists, including director Spike Lee, accused the show of depicting negative racial stereotypes of life in the projects.^[3] Quincy Jones' son QD3 along with George Clinton produced the theme music for the show.

Characters

Main characters

• Thurgood Orenthal Stubbs (A.K.A. "The Super" or just simply as "Super") (Eddie Murphy) (Mark Moseley) (Phil Morris) - the superintendent of the Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs projects and the main protagonist of the series. Thurgood is short-tempered, impatient, not very bright, and suffers from a variety of health issues. He wears a white short-sleeved shirt, blue overalls, and brown shoes. He also has salt and pepper hair, which changed from an afro to its current style following a dance accident the day they were married. Thurgood is terrified of black rats, as revealed in the episode, "Fear of a Black Rat." Much of the show's humor is derived from Thurgood's unwillingness to repair the dilapidated projects or deal with the many frustrations of leading a community of the urban poor. Despite his laughably poor education, he is shown to be kind and a natural leader when the situation calls for it. His diet is another source of humor, as he prefers fried foods, red meat and Forties.
• Muriel Stubbs (née Warren) (Loretta Devine) - Thurgood's wife and the voice of reason. She wears a pink sweatsuit with the word "Paris" on it (which she got on a trip to Paris with Don King) and light pink shoes. Muriel has a sister named Bebe Ho who is married to another tenant. Muriel and Bebe were likely raised in Alabama during the era of school desegregation, as evidenced by Muriel's having met her state's governor when she attended an all-white high school. However, Muriel attests that the only reason she got to meet the governor was because he was blocking the school door.

Other main characters

• Florence Normandy Avery (Mrs. Avery) (Ja'net Dubois) - a senior citizen who antagonizes Thurgood throughout the series. She, like the other tenants, hates him with a passion because he never fixes her run-down apartment. A retired con artist, Mrs. Avery often tells random and inappropriate stories of her past as a grifter. She suffers from numerous ailments and has had multiple strokes. She keeps a loaded shotgun in her apartment, which she uses to shoot both the garbage man, the mailman and most people who knock on her door. She also has a dog named Lucky who was given to her by Thurgood. Originally a stray, Lucky got his name after Mrs. Avery (twice) failed to shoot him with her shotgun.

• Calvin (Crystal Scales) and "Juicy" Hudson (Michele Morgan) - two children, who are best friends and idolize Thurgood. Calvin is a thin and intelligent boy, while "Juicy" is overweight and slow-witted. Juicy's parents are morbidly obese shut-ins, leaving Calvin and Thurgood as a surrogate family. He is often made to wear a sign stating "Do Not Feed" when he leaves his apartment.
• "Smokey" (Shawn Michael Howard) - a homeless crackhead, whose antics often anger Thurgood. His real name is Elister^[4], but was referred to as "Mr. Crackhead" and "Mr. Crack" in the first 3 episodes of the series. In one episode, it is revealed that "Smokey" used to train fighting rats under the name, "Ratman Crothers". He is often insulted with the phrase, "You damn stupid crackhead!" by Thurgood. (This phrase results in a stand-up comedy act with Smokey and Thurgood in one episode) "Smokey" later quits drug use by season 3, but is still homeless. Despite his homelessness, as well as his tendency to steal from tenants whenever possible, Smokey is considered a part of the projects community by most residents.
• Jimmy Ho (Michael Paul Chan) - a Korean tenant, who considers himself part of the African-American community. He is married to Bebe, making him Thurgood's brother-in-law. Jimmy frequently uses urban or "ghetto" phrases (colloquialisms) when he speaks, and also speaks of himself as a black person, much to Thurgood's frustration.
• Bebe Ho (née Warren) (Jenifer Lewis) - Muriel's loud and obnoxious sister. She extremely dislikes Thurgood, and has a jealous feud with Muriel. Bebe appears to have had an active dating/sex life, having slept with most of her high school teachers and an exotic dancer the night before her wedding. Jimmy Ho is her fifth husband.
• Mambo Garcelle "Haiti Lady" (Cheryl Francis Harrington) - the resident Voodoo queen of the Hilton-Jacobs Projects and a Haitian immigrant. Her powers, though highly potent and proven in the episode, "U Go Cart", are rarely seen in action. She often incurs Thurgood's anger for regularly clogging her toilet with paper towels. He is generally unfazed by the animal parts and voodoo accessories she flushes with the paper towels, however.
• Emilio Sanchez (or just simply known as "Sanchez") (Pepe Serna) - Thurgood's luckless Cuban friend. He speaks with an electrolarynx because of years of smoking, but it was implied in the episode "Haiti Sings the Blues" that Haiti Lady may have used her voodoo powers to cause that. He once wanted to become an Opera singer. He often expresses sadness over his dead wife, Esperansa. Sanchez wears a blue and white trucker hat with "Nevada" written on the front, which he actually bought in California.

Recurring characters

• Walter Burkett (Marc Wilmore) - the neighborhood parole officer with a past as a crooked cop. His past is regularly alluded to, as many people around the projects owe him favors or are subject to his blackmail. In the Christmas episode, "How the Super Stole Christmas," Walter arrested a thug for stealing an old woman's purse, but kept the thug locked in his trunk rather than call the police. He also once helped Thurgood get into prison for free dental care, and is shown to be willing (and able) to blackmail judges and business owners.
• Tarnell (James R. Black) - the local street corner hustler, who Thurgood usually turns to when he needs something unusual. He speaks almost entirely in street slang, which Thurgood usually misunderstands, leading to Tarnell delivering the wrong items.
• Rasta Man (Kevin Michael Richardson) - A Jamaican resident and a stereotype of a marijuana smoker. He is seen as a walking smoke cloud.
• Papa Hudson and Mama Hudson - Juicy's parents. They are morbidly obese and confined to their apartment. Because Papa Hudson is so fat, we usually only see his arm and stomach through his door or window. In the episode "Bougie Nights," Poppa's face is shown for the first time. In the episode "What's Eating Juicy Hudson?", Papa leaves the apartment for the first time. In the episode "Boyz N the Woods", Papa is confirmed to weigh more than half a ton. Because of the Hudsons' obesity, Juicy is tasked with performing most household functions for the family.
• HUD Lady (Cassi Davis) - is the receptionist at HUD, always seen through frosted glass, who never gives Thurgood what he wants. Despite her unwillingness to help Thurgood do his job, she is surprisingly friendly to Muriel. Her trademark phrase is "Next!," which she yells at the end of most sentences directed at Thurgood. Her son's name is Chevron, her sister's name is Latrine, and her daughter's name is Lasagna. She represents the stereotype of faceless, underfunded and uncaring bureaucracy upon which HUD residents depend for supplies and guidance.

Because of a rumored dispute between Eddie Murphy and the Fox network (apparently over unfavorable scheduling of the show), actor Phil Morris and Mark Moseley took over the role of Thurgood in several late episodes. Some sources indicate that Murphy was actually busy on a film role at the time.

Locations

• Thurgood and Muriel's Apartment - A below street-level apartment near the front of the building
• Front of the Building and Courtyard - Most outdoor scenes take place here. Thurgood and Sanchez occasionally play chess at the table in the corner of the courtyard.
• Boiler Room - Room where Thurgood comes to plan ideas or relax with a Forty and his collection of Jet Magazines. It was briefly a beauty salon for Muriel and Bebe in "Weave's Have a Dream." It also, in one episode, features a nuclear reactor that powers the projects.
• The Roof - A variety of events and activities take place here, including the community garden as seen in "Haiti Sings The Blues" and a gumbo cookoff in "Operation Gumbo Drop."
• Street Corner - This is where Thurgood usually meets Tarnell and gets the items he's after.
• HUD Building - Where Thurgood comes to get equipment for the building. The front sign features a number of cynical HUD 'slogans' that change in each episode.

Episodes

Season 1 (Fox): 1999

• Episode 1: "Hangin' with Mr.Super" Calvin decides that he wants to be just like Thurgood. But after Muriel hears about Calvin's idea she demands that Thurgood have him change his mind. (January 10, 1999)
• Episode 2: "Bones, Bugs and Harmony" Thurgood assumes Mrs. Avery is eating dog food. (January 12, 1999)
• Episode 3: "The Door" Thurgood gets a new door for the building but it gets stolen. (January 19, 1999)
• Episode 4: "Journal Fever" Thurgood decides to take care of Muriel while she has the flu. (January 26, 1999)
• Episode 5: "Rich Man, Porn Man" When the local porno movie theater is about to be shut down Thurgood decides that it is up to him to save it. (February 2, 1999)
• Episode 6: "Bougie Nights" To get some time to himself and get away from the others, Thrugood hides away in the building hidden penthouse. But when Muriel and the other tenants find out he loses them and has to choose between the penthouse or his wife and friends. (February 9, 1999)
• Episode 7: "A Hero Ain't Nothing But A Super" When the stubbs get mugged Muriel comes to the rescue and catches the burglar. But when Thurgood becomes jealous that all the credit. (February 16, 1999)
• Episode 8: "He's Gotta Have It" Thurgood's libido increases when he take a prescription drug to stabilize his blood pressure. (February 23, 1999)
• Episode 9: "Boyz' N The Woods" When Thurgood forgets to sign Juicy and Calvin up for a camping trip he decides that he could give them a better camping trip. With stories like the "Red Moley" story he and his friends try to scare them into having a good time. (April 6, 1999)
• Episode 10: "Operation Gumbo Drop" When Thurgood enters a Gumbo cooking contest. He decides that he can't win fair and square so he uses some old dirty tricks he has up his sleeves to sabotage the other contestants Gumbo. (April 13, 1999)
• Episode 11: "U Go Kart" The boys build a go-kart which mysteriously disappears. (May 4, 1999)
• Episode 12: "House Potty" Thurgood decides to renovate that housing project but not by fixing that problems the tenants have but by adding a space-age toliet that causes the tenants to have Thurgood resign as the Super of the building. (May 11, 1999)
• Episode 13: "Haiti Sings The Blues" Haiti Lady's puts a curse on Thurgood. (May 18, 1999)
• Episode 14: "How The Super Stoled Christmas" When Thurgood can't afford to get Muriel a computer for Christmas he decides to do like the Grinch and steal all the other tenants' presents and pawn them for the money to buy the computer.

Season 2: 2000

• Episode 15: "Home School Dazed" Thurgood goes back to school with the boys to get his diploma. (May 30, 2000)
• Episode 16: "The Postman's Always Shot Twice" Mrs. Avery accidentally shoots the building's postman and is sent to a nursing home. (May 30, 2000)
• Episode 17: "The Preacher's Wife" Thurgood becomes a preacher when he gets an electrical shock. (June 6, 2000)
• Episode 18: "The HJs" Thurgood reopens the radio station and he and Smokey becomes a comedy team. (June 13, 2000)
• Episode 19: "Haiti and the Tramp" Haiti Lady and Walter fall in love but Walter gets cold feet. (June 13, 2000)
• Episode 20: "Smokey the Squatter" Thurgood lets Smokey stay in a spare apartment but Smokey won't leave. (June 27, 2000)
• Episode 21: "Weave's Have A Dream" Thurgood sets up a hair salon for Muriel and Bebe. But things from a recent argument slip out that brings the sisters' strained relationship to the breaking point. (June 27, 2000)
• Episode 22: "Let's Get Ready To Crumble" Thurgood wrestles with the Governor when they want to tear down the projects. (July 4, 2000)
• Episode 23: "Who Da Boss?" Thurgood is pleased when he finds out that Muriel has a new job. Until he finds out that she is his boss. (July 4, 2000)
• Episode 24: "Fear Of A Black Rat" Thurgood against Don King in the local rat fights. (July 11, 2000)
• Episode 25: "Ghetto Superstars" Thurgood becomes the boys rap star manager. (July 11, 2000)
• Episode 26: "What's Eating Juicy Hudson?" Juicy rebels against his parents. (July 18, 2000)
• Episode 27: "Cliffhangin' With Mr.Super" Bebe thinks she's pregnant after unintentionally spending a night with Thurgood. (July 18, 2000)
• Episode 28: "The Jeffersons" Thurgood runs for a local political office after finding out he might be related to Thomas Jefferson. (July 25, 2000)
• Episode 29: "Robbin' HUD" Thurgood and friends rob more than water filters at HUD. (August 1, 2000)
• Episode 30: "The Last Affirmative Action Hero" Thurgood and Jackie Chan are out to destroy a movie. (August 29, 2000)
• Episode 31: "Parole Officer and a Gentleman" Walter helps Thurgood go to jail to get dental care. (September 5, 2000)

Season 3 (The WB): 2000–2001

• Episode 32: "Boyz Under The Hood" Calvin is jealous of Juicy knowing more about cars than him. (October 8, 2000)
• Episode 33: "Scarthroat" Sanchez lords over the distribution of victuals after New Year's Eve brings a power outage and food shortage to the Hilton-Jacobs Projects...from TV Guide. (December 31, 2000)
• Episode 34: "Smoke Gets In Your High-Rise" In a deal to get air-conditioning for his sweltering tenants, Thurgood agrees to put a giant cigarette billboard on the side of the building. (February 4, 2001)
• Episode 35: "National Buffoon's European" Thurgood balks at telling Muriel of Juicy's crush on her, since she thinks all of Juicy's thoughtful presents to her are from her husband. (February 11, 2001)
• Episode 36: "Cruising For A Bluesing" Thurgood tries to get to a Blues gig but gets trapped in on the South South Side. (February 18, 2001)
• Episode 37: "It Takes A Thurgood" Thurgood discovers a homeless teen living in the boiler room. (February 25, 2001)
• Episode 38: "Miracle Cleaner On 134th Street" Thurgood tells Sharique about a miracle cleaning product he created and how a corporation tried to exploit it. (April 29, 2001)
• Episode 39: "Survival: In Tha Hood" The Projects split into two factions for a televised competition called "Survival: In Tha Hood." (May 6, 2001)
• Episode 40: "Let's Get Ready To Rumba" Mrs. Avery makes it through a heart attack and decides to enter a dance contest. (May 13, 2001)
• Episode 41: "A Race To His Credit" When Thurgood gets a credit card he thinks that it is free money so starts buying things left and right until he finds out that he is in a lot of debt. (May 20, 2001)
• Episode 42: "Red Man's Burden" Jimmy cashes in on his American Indian ancestry when he opens a casino in the projects. (Unaired)
• Episode 43: "Clip Show" Thurgood describes his life to a interviewer about life in the projects, while clips from previous episodes are shown. (Unaired)

DVD releases

Lionsgate Home Entertainment has released all three seasons on DVD in Region 1.

Soundtrack

References in other series

• The manhole cover that served as the show's title card had made appearances on Futurama as an entry point into the mutant-populated sewers of New New York. After seeing this, the writers of The PJs put a picture of Fry, the main character on Futurama, on a milk carton as a missing person.
• In the episode of The Simpsons entitled "Missionary: Impossible", Thurgood is one of the phone operators at the Fox Network fundraising drive.
• The show was parodied in an episode of Robot Chicken called "Celebutard Mountain" during the "VH1's Top 100 Final Episodes Ever" skit. Ironically The PJs would end up airing on Adult Swim soon after the episode aired.

References

External links

• The PJs at the Internet Movie Database
• The PJs at TV.com
• The PJs at TV One