Erika Alexander Credits “The Golden Girls” for Influencing “Living Single”
Erika Alexander’s hit ’90s show, “Living Single,” has been credited as influencing further TV sensations such as “Friends,” “Girlfriends” and “Sex and The City.” But Alexander says her show benefited from “The Golden Girls.”
Building on Success
“We came after the ‘Golden Girls’ and ‘A Different World,” the star told us. “Everything builds upon itself.”
“Living Single” premiered on Fox in 1993 and ran for five seasons. The show followed a group of 20-somethings in a Brooklyn brownstone and also featured Queen Latifah, Kim Fields, and Kim Coles.
“The Golden Girls” centered on a group of older, previously married women living together in Miami. The show debuted in 1985 and ran for seven seasons.
“Yvette Lee Bowser created the show,” recalls Alexander of “Living Single.” “She was the first black woman to ever create a network show. So from there, we get Shonda Rhimes and all of that.”
She added, “It is good to remember how we all got here.”
Recognition and Success
Today, Alexander is nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for her latest film, “American Fiction,” co-starring Jeffrey Wright and Tracee Ellis Ross.
About “American Fiction”
Based on the 2001 novel, “Erasure,” by Percival Everett, the film follows a frustrated novelist and professor who facetiously writes an outlandishly stereotypical “Black” book out of spite — only for the tome to receive widespread acclaim.
With her groundbreaking show “Living Single,” Erika Alexander has left a lasting impact on the television industry. By acknowledging the influence of “The Golden Girls” and other shows that came before, she highlights the importance of building on the successes of those who paved the way. As she continues to receive recognition for her work, such as her Independent Spirit Award nomination for “American Fiction,” Alexander’s contributions to the entertainment world are undeniable.
