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Some TV shows get the ending they deserve, while others get canceled before they're finished, only to be resurrected elsewhere (and sometimes the results are not what they hoped for). The Game, Mara Brock Akil's beloved sports comedy-drama, falls squarely into the second category, but the show is still one of the most enjoyable sports series out there — especially the first three seasons.
These three seasons of The Game, which are currently available to stream on Netflix, are widely regarded as the definitive version of the show. These chapters debuted on The CW, and will, unfortunately, be leaving Netflix on Aug. 14, giving fans a narrow window to catch what remains one of the most underrated Black sitcoms of the 2000s before it disappears.
Created by Mara Brock Akil as a spinoff of the long-running UPN and CW sitcom Girlfriends, The Game premiered on The CW on October 1, 2006, debuting as the only new comedy series chosen for The CW's primetime schedule in its inaugural season.
What The Game Is About
The Game follows Melanie Barnett as she navigates her new life after her boyfriend, Derwin Davis, becomes a third-string wide receiver for the San Diego Sabers. Tia Mowry stars as Melanie, a medical student who gave up her acceptance to Johns Hopkins University to follow Derwin (Pooch Hall) to San Diego. The show tracks the collision between the world she left behind and the glittering, complicated world of professional football she had inherited.
Wendy Raquel Robinson plays Tasha Mack, the outspoken mother and manager of star quarterback Malik Wright (Hosea Chanchez), while Brittany Daniel and Coby Bell round out the core ensemble as Kelly and Jaosn Pitts.
The first trilogy of seasons earned strong reviews and a deeply loyal fanbase, praised for its sharp writing, memorable characters, and the authenticity with which the show depicted the pressures that come with life on the fringes of professional sport.
The 3-Season Vs. 11-Season Question
The Game may have three seasons on Netflix, but the show has a complicated roster. It was canceled in May 2009 after these three on The CW, with Season 3 marketed at the time as "The Final Season".
Then, thanks to a passionate fan campaign, the series was revived by BET, returning with a new series which premiered on January 11, 2011, and the network ultimately aired 6 more seasons until 2015. A further revival appeared on Paramount+ in 2021 before being canceled after 2 seasons in 2023, bringing the show's total across all incarnations to 11 seasons and 167 episodes.
Any devoted fan would agree that the BET continuation significantly altered the show's tone, format, and cast, and the comedic sitcom sensibility of the CW years gradually gave way to something glossy, but also melodramatic.
The Game is, therefore, defined by its first three installments, and they are available to stream on Netflix through Aug. 14.
