Two stars from the groundbreaking 90s sitcom “Living Single” have embarked on a new collaborative venture designed to satisfy longtime fans while introducing their pioneering work to younger generations. Erika Alexander and Kim Coles launched “ReLiving Single,” a retrospective podcast examining their influential television series, on May 7, 2025, backed by an impressive coalition of entertainment industry forces.
Powerful production partnerships
The podcast emerges from a strategic alliance between Kevin Hart’s expanding audio-visual empire and Alexander’s content creation venture. Hart’s Laughing Out Loud Network and Hartbeat production company join forces with Alexander’s Color Farm Media to produce the series, creating a formidable production team with extensive reach across digital platforms.
This collaboration represents an intriguing intersection of 90s television nostalgia with contemporary media business models, potentially introducing the sitcom’s cultural significance to audiences who missed its original run. The partnership also demonstrates how legacy television properties can find renewed relevance through modern content formats that emphasize personal storytelling and behind-the-scenes access.
Format and content approach
During their announcement on the Sherri Shepard Show, both performers emphasized the podcast’s commitment to delivering previously undisclosed information about the series. Rather than simply recapping episodes, the hosts promise substantive revelations about production challenges, creative decisions, and interpersonal dynamics that shaped the show’s development.
“The people always want more. So Erica and I, and Hartbeat have teamed up to give you more,” Coles explained during the announcement, highlighting the podcast’s intention to satisfy the persistent audience curiosity that has surrounded the series long after its conclusion.
The inaugural episode centers on a detailed exploration of the show’s pilot, establishing a format that suggests the podcast will proceed chronologically through the series. This approach provides both structure and narrative progression as the hosts examine how “Living Single” evolved from its initial concept to its fully realized form over multiple seasons.
Personal revelations and relationship dynamics
Beyond production details, the podcast appears designed to showcase the authentic relationship between Alexander and Coles. Their promotional appearances suggest discussions about their experiences during and after the show’s production will include emotional elements, including tears and joy, as mentioned in their announcement.
During their promotional appearance, Alexander acknowledged Coles’ mentorship role during their shared television experience, highlighting her contributions to the show’s success and her role in guiding cast members to express themselves authentically through their characters.
This focus hints at the podcast’s potential to explore themes beyond entertainment, including professional development, identity formation for performers of color in Hollywood, and the challenges facing women navigating the entertainment industry during the 1990s.
Cultural context and legacy
“Living Single,” which aired from 1993 to 1998, focused on the professional and personal lives of six Black friends living in a Brooklyn brownstone. The series predated and arguably established the template for numerous ensemble comedies about young urban professionals, including “Friends,” which premiered a year later with similar thematic elements but a predominantly white cast.
The podcast arrives amid increased critical reassessment of 90s television and its representation of diverse communities. Cultural commentators have increasingly acknowledged “Living Single” as a pioneering force that received insufficient recognition during its original run, particularly in comparison to shows with similar premises but different demographic representations.
By revisiting the series episode by episode, Alexander and Coles have positioned themselves to both celebrate their contributions and contextualize the show’s significance within television history. This approach potentially serves educational and cultural documentation purposes beyond pure entertainment value.
Special guests and expanded perspectives
While the podcast centers on Alexander and Coles’ perspectives, they have indicated plans to incorporate additional voices from the original production. These special guest appearances will likely include other cast members, potentially expanding to writers, directors, and production personnel who contributed to the show’s creation.
This approach distinguishes “ReLiving Single” from typical rewatch podcasts by promising multiple perspectives on shared experiences, creating a more comprehensive oral history of the production. The format allows for conflicting recollections and varied interpretations of key moments, potentially revealing how different participants experienced the same creative environment.
Reboot possibilities
During their promotional appearances, both hosts addressed questions about a potential series revival. While expressing openness to the concept, Coles noted that the original cast’s enduring chemistry and physical appearance could support such an endeavor, mentioning the continued good looks of the cast and their maintained relationships.
These comments, while not confirming any concrete plans, suggest the podcast might serve multiple strategic purposes, satisfying current fan demand while simultaneously gauging audience interest in a potential revival. This approach aligns with contemporary entertainment industry practices, where podcasts and social media engagement often function as market research tools for legacy intellectual property.
Accessibility and distribution
“ReLiving Single” has been made available across major podcast platforms, including YouTube, maximizing potential audience reach. This multi-platform distribution strategy reflects contemporary media consumption patterns and acknowledges the diverse ways audiences engage with audio content.
The podcast’s visual component on YouTube potentially allows for the inclusion of archival footage, photographs, and other visual elements that enhance the storytelling experience beyond pure audio formats. This multimedia approach provides additional value for dedicated fans while making the content more accessible to visual learners and those who prefer watching to listening.
Broader industry context
The launch of “ReLiving Single” occurs amid a broader trend of nostalgic content creation focused on 90s entertainment properties. From documentary series examining cultural phenomena to cast reunion specials and narrative revivals, the entertainment industry continues to mine this era for content that appeals to both original viewers and younger audiences discovering these works through streaming platforms.
This podcast represents a particularly creator-driven approach to retrospective content, with original performers maintaining significant creative control over how their work is reexamined and contextualized. This model potentially establishes a template for other performers seeking to reclaim narratives around their earlier work while generating new content from established intellectual property.
As “ReLiving Single” progresses through its episode-by-episode analysis, it may offer not only entertainment value but also valuable insights into television production practices, representation in media, and the evolution of situation comedy as a format. For cultural historians and media scholars, the podcast potentially serves as a primary source document capturing firsthand accounts of a significant cultural artifact’s creation.
