Martin: 19 years old and still providing laughs

Scene from "You So Crazy"

No one knew what to expect of the comedic genius which is Martin F. Lawrence when his comedy sitcom Martin hit the airwaves on August 27, 1992. He was previously known for his small yet memorable roles on "What's Happening Now"  "Do The Right Thing" and "House Party 1 and 2" before he started what is known as one of the funniest shows in the history of television. On the show we experienced the ups and downs relationships, friendships, drama and most of all Martin's multiple characters on the show.

I felt impressed to write this blog from my friends on twitter that watch re-runs of the show currently airing on MTV2 and tweet about their favorite episodes. My cousin was and is the biggest Martin fan I know, yet when I saw the show released on dvd at Best Buy I ran out and bought them to relive the laughter from 19 years ago. Here are my top ten favorite Martin episodes starting from 10.

10. Martin's on the Move- leading up to this episode Stan sold WZUP to a country radio host where Martin works and eventually gets fired. In this episode Martin is trying to find ways to make money to pay his bills and his rent. Martin decides to sell Whitney Houston t-shirts outside of her concert with Brotherman but there's a problem...Brotherman can't spell! "He was running with the slow bop bae-bee!" Instead of Houston's face on the shirt, there was a picture Brotherman smiling with a wig on and Houston's name was spelled Witty Hutton.

9. Fat Like Dat- Gina convinces Martin that he's gaining weight so Martin, Tommy and Cole attend Gina and Pam's aerobic class. As Tommy and Cole slack off Martin toughs it out and eventually develops a healthier lifestyle, driving Gina crazy in the process. Gina strikes back by making all of Martin's favorite foods including Mama Payne's biscuits to break him. He eventually breaks down and eats everything on the table.

8. Get a Job- In this episode Martin becomes obsessed in finding out what Tommy does for a living, while Gina becomes suspicious after seeing Pam talking to two men who look like hit men. Martin and Gina sneak into Pam's apartment for clues "using their cat eye" and overhears a message from the strange men on Pam's answering machine. Martin and Gina stake out a building before going in, seeing Tommy walking down a run way in what appears to be a strip club. Martin and Gina find out it's a charity fashion show as Martin is still puzzled as to what Tommy does for a living.

7. Ain't Nuttin' Going on But the Rent- Martin is upset that his landlord Luis increased the rent and refuses to pay "the five". Luis sends Martin an eviction notice and cuts off the heat in the middle of a blizzard. As the gang goes through extreme measures to stay warm and find food, they send Cole out in the blizzard to get a pizza, only for Cole to be frostbitten with a frozen pizza that shatters into pieces. Martin gets the heat turned back on after catching Luis with someone's wife and reveals that he made the gang suffer for not paying the five...five dollars!

6. Forever Sheneneh- Sheneneh wins a radio contest on Martin's radio show for a date with her favorite rapper Kid from Kid & Play. As Sheneneh gives Kid some "live entertainment" and makes sexual advances towards him, Kid runs out of her apartment into Martin apartment to tell him the date is over. After Gina informs Kid that Sheneneh is his biggest fan Kid returns to her apartment to continue their date. (This episode also reunites the three from their previous roles in the House Party franchise movies).

5. Blackboard Jungle Fever- Martin is reunited with his favorite third grade teacher Miss. Trinidad at the elementary school's career day. After grabbing a bite to eat and going back to Martin's apartment to catch up on old times, Miss. Trinidad has other plans as Gina walks in on Miss. Trinidad groping and trying to kiss Martin. To cover herself Miss. Trinidad blames the advances on Martin. The two argue resulting in Gina giving Martin the keys back to his apartment. Martin goes to the school to confront Miss. Trinidad for ruining his relationship with Gina.  Gina realizing that Miss. Trinidad lied about Martin not telling her who she was, shows up to the elementary school to fight for the man she loves.

4. Really, Gina Is Not My Lover- Martin prepares for his high school reunion and is under great stress to impress everyone, pressuring Gina to look perfect. Gina gets a avocado mask from Juanita's Bump & Curl which she is allergic to and when she goes to the dentist to get her teeth cleaned the dentist hits a nerve causing her face to swell up. Martin convinces Gina to stay home and gets into it at his reunion with his arch nemesis Ricky "Pretty Ricky what They call Him" Fontaine. Martin lies about Gina being a supermodel and living large and in charge as Gina shows up to the reunion hair disheveled, wild eyes and swollen face. After winning man of the decade, Martin realizes his mistreatment towards Gina to impress people wasn't worth it as he didn't like them and his classmates still didn't like him. This is one of two episodes showcasing Gina's comedic side.

3. Blow, Baby, Blow- late rapper The Notorious B.I.G. guest stars as an old friend of Martin coming to Detroit looking for a backup singer. This causes a feud between Pam and Gina for who's the better singer and they ruin the talent search on Martin's talk show by fighting on tv. This results in Biggie signing Sheneneh as his new backup singer. Biggie also performs.

2. Romantic Weekend- After seeing Gina covet Pam and Tommy's celebration of their six month relationship, Martin takes Gina on a trip advertised on the back of a cereal box to a place called Chilligan's Island. Chilliagan's Island is a  low rate resort with unpleasant amenities, including an altercation with a raccoon puppy. The two soon find out that Pam and Tommy were duped into the resort as well as Pam and Martin team up to fight a raccoon puppy for the second time.

1. Banging Hard in the School Yard/ Suspicious Minds- It was a tie for my number one favorite Martin episode. On Banging Hard in the School Yard, Martin gets into a battle of the sexes believing men to be better at everything than women including sports. Gina challenges him to a bet for a basketball game men against women. Martin thinks Gina and Pam are playing and rounds up good and not so good players, but he's in for a rude awakening;  his team will  play against  the Olympic Women's Basketball Team. Realizing he's in over his head, Martin fakes an injury to forfeit the game. This episode was hilarious to me because of an old man shuffling across the court "Air Gordon" 14 years later and that episode brings me to tears of laughter because of that small yet funny moment.

Suspicious Minds is another hilarious episode so much that Martin's cast members were laughing at him on set. Martin's new cd Walkman comes up missing as he suspects that one of his friends or his girlfriend stole his cd player, after learning of them saying they'll do whatever it takes to get what they want. Martin has everyone dressed in black and walks around the group with a stuffed black Doberman, making barking sounds and telling the dog to sit. This was a scene straight from the movie New Jack City. As the crew argues Brotherman slips in through the window, returning Martin's cd player.

No one knew that this comedian from the Maryland/DC/Virginia area would become one of the most renowned comedians of our generation. Lawrence not only mastered the art of television, movies and stand up, he was an innovator in creating multiple characters on his show, a feat not done since  Eddie Murphy in the 1980s. Although the show is considered old, its a goodie that provides laughs for many more years to come.

~L.G.~