Original title
Soul Food
Released
6/28/2000
Origin country
US, CA
Genre
Drama
Production companies
CBS Studios, Fox Television Studios
Status
Ended
Number of seasons
5
Number of episodes
74
Soul Food: The Series is a television drama that aired Wednesday nights on Showtime from June 28, 2000 to May 26, 2004. Created by filmmaker George Tillman, Jr. and developed for television by Felicia D. Henderson, Soul Food is based upon Tillman's childhood experiences growing up in Wisconsin, and is a continuation of his successful 1997 film of the same name. Having aired for 74 episodes, it is the longest running drama with a predominantly black cast in the history of North American prime-time television.
Bird gives birth to a baby boy. Tension still hangs in the air between Teri and her ex-husband, Miles. Damon Carter, a deliveryman who services Teri's office, declares his affections for Teri, but she gives him the cold shoulder. Due to extensive water damage, Lem, Bird, the baby and Uncle Pete are forced to move in with Teri. Meanwhile, Ahmad runs into trouble at his new school. Bird and Lem's baby becomes sick and has to stay at the hospital. Later, Teri finally decides to let her guards down and go out on a date with Damon. Also, Lem's cousin, Franco, who had recently gotten out of jail, loans Lem money and tries to convince him to start hustling again.
The girls take their father's business partner, Hardy Lester, to court. Lem takes dangerous measures to address his money problems and Teri blows it with Damon.
Teri struggles with her feelings about Damon and Miles, the girls meet Hardy Lester to avoid a trial and Lem's cousin, Jack, saves him from jail.
Lem's cousin, Jack, finds a temporary job for Lem. And hiding his new agenda from Bird is a hard task. While Josephina is away, Teri represents the Joseph vs. Lester case. Bird returns to work at the salon, but all her customers were taken away by the other beauticians. Later, the girls win back half of their father's store, much to Hardy's dismay.
Mama Joe's house is finally fixed up, but the sisters receive a "welcome-home" present. Teri's ethics are called into question when she takes on a client accused of racism. Jack asks Lem to hold a gun and a list of policemen names for him; which Lem doesn't want to be apart of. Ahmad accidentally sees his father masturbating in the shower. His friends tell him that his parents might be facing a break-up. Kenny and Maxine are having problems in the bedroom.
Lem helps Kenny face some aggressive competition for his tow truck business and Teri meets Damon's family. Meanwhile, Maxine makes a new friend.
The family finds out that Hardy Lewis has cancer and the news impacts everyone differently. Also, Teri and Damon are mugged by Teri's old classmate.
Everyone comes up with ideas to celebrate Ahmad's 12th birthday party. Maxine becomes upset because Ahmad all of a sudden wants to have his party at Teri's house. Bird volunteers to bake Ahmad's birthday cake, much to everyone's dismay. Ahmad worries if K.C. and Reggie will accept his new friends at Lakeside Prep. Kenny searches hard to find the video game that his son wants more than anything, but when he takes Lem's suggestion to go out and buy it "hot", it lands him in jail. While in jail, he's interrogated by a harsh detective. He also ends up being the cellmate of a psychopath. After almost getting killed by his cellmate, Kenny is finally released. Upset with both Jack and Lem, Kenny refuses to accept the gift that he originally was sent to get.
Damon stops by Teri's to hand her some flowers to show her his sympathy, but Teri wants to end their relationship so that they can just be "friends". Ahmad befriends Callie, a classmate from Lakeside Prep, but he soon believes that she only likes him because he's black. Maxine and Lem decide to pool their money to invest in a corporation, but are saddened when they lose everything they've earned. Meanwhile, Bird wants to learn more of what Lem does while she's not around.
Musical guest: Gerald LevertJack causes more unwanted problems for Lem that are making Bird uneasy. After 15 years, Maxine finds out that Kenny took Teri to a Gerald Levert concert while they were still involved. But both Teri and Kenny remain to keep the secret that they both slept together after the concert.
While Ahmad is introduced to condoms, Maxine worries if her son is having sex. She advises Kenny to have "the talk" with him but it turns out that Kenny is the one who's being taught a lesson. Lem tries to notify Jack but he still remains missing. Smokey approaches Lem with a threat. While searching for Jack, the police have leads that Lem is involved with the disappearance of Jack. Meanwhile, Teri catches Brian having sex with a client at work which jeopardizes their relationship.
Musical guest: Kelly Price Teri asks Damon to be a translator for one of her meetings. He agrees and is offered a job being an International translator. But he backs out on the opportunity due to Teri only wanting him to take the job because he looks good in a suit. Bird learns that Lem hasn't been working at the docks as he made everyone believe. Hurt by the fact that Lem lied to her, she asks Lem to leave. He reluctantly leaves. After realizing that he wants to be with his wife and son, he returns to Bird. Still feeling the need to be alone, Bird demands that Lem leave and never return.
The Joseph sisters are shocked to discover that they have a half sister that they didn't know about. Meanwhile, Ahmad prepares for the P.S.A.T.
Damon's younger brother, Anthony, visits. Hardy Lester has a confrontation with some unruly customers at the store which leads him immediately to the hospital. A handsome businessman named Drew shows an interest in Bird. Hardy asks Lem to take over his half of the store until he recovers from the hospital. Damon and Anthony's father visits and reveals that Anthony was kicked out of law school.
Musical guest: Molly Johnson Teri lands a big client for her law firm, but doesn't make partner. Kenny is worried about Ahmad being friends with a gay man. Damon may have been unfaithful to Teri.
A quarreling couple at the salon leads to Bird and Lem being held hostage. Meanwhile, Ahmad runs away from home and shows up at Damon's house.
Teri goes to court for Global Airlines, Bird and Lem take baby steps toward reconciliation and Kenny hires an assistant.
One of Ahmad's friends, Keisha, is suddenly hit by a speeding car. After being notified that Keisha is in good condition, Maxine decides to protest in order to receive speed bumps for the streets in her community. Lem accidentally finds Bird's "self-pleasure" catalog. Against his will, Ahmad pays Keisha a visit. Teri sees a psychiatrist about her career problems.
Kenny's father announces that he's moving which also brings forth unresolved tension between the two. Lem's ex-con friend, Darnell, asks if Lem would give him a job working at the store. But Lem isn't too sure that he can trust Darnell. Damon tells Teri that she should resume her childhood dream of playing the piano, but she becomes so obsessed that her family can't seem to tell her that she's awful.
Ahmad takes baptism class and Teri tries to reconnect with her religion just as most of the family is involved in a catastrophic car crash.
Musical guest: Shirley Caesar After a devastating car accident, Kenny and Bird are hospitalized while Maxine is left with a broken arm. Teri decides to take a leave of absence from the law firm to care for her siblings' three children. One of Kenny's friends who has been looking after his towing business suddenly quits and Maxine decides to take over until Kenny recovers. Brian, Teri's colleague, informs her that the partners want to know when she'll be returning to work. So she quickly decides to return to work only to resign after the partners refuse to make her partner. Damon still blames himself for the accident and Lem brings forth his anger towards him for nearly killing the family. Bird has a mild bladder problem. Meanwhile, Ahmad believes that he has a "baptism curse" and will not allow himself to get baptized unless he receives a sign.
Musical guest: Kina Kenny finally comes home from the hospital, but a little grumpy and frustrated. When Teri pitches in to look after the kids and Kenny, Kenny tells her that he doesn't need a babysitter. Maxine, covering for Kenny, believes that Lila, Kenny's assistant, has everything under control. When Teri offers to hire a nanny to watch the kids, she and Maxine have a falling out. Bird's bladder returns to normal, but she feels rejected by Lem. Ahmad shares his first kiss with his girlfriend Keisha and with his friend Callie. Damon continues to blame himself for the accident which jeopardizes his relationship with Teri.
Bird and Maxine catch Lem and Kenny at a strip club when Lem takes Kenny along with him to relax. Upset, Bird decides to even the score by stripping to make Lem mad. Teri's ex-husband, Russell, pays her a surprise visit which makes Damon uneasy. Ahmad is paired up for a school report with a friend, but his so-called-friend wants him to do all the work while he plays around. Also, Josefina announces to Teri that she's getting married, but Teri's advice for Josefina to get a prenup could jeopardize the nuptials.
Lem's mother, Lynette, attempts to re insert herself into her son's life. Teri tries group therapy. Tension begins to rise between Kenny and Maxine causing Ahmad to confront Kenny about his abusive treatment of Maxine. Also, Ahmad tries to apologize to Keisha.
Damon loses Teri's trust when he tells her that he has slept with Christine and that he has a new job offer. Despite his injured back, Kenny is desperate to resume a normal sex life. Lem blows up when Bird comes home with a new car. Ahmad resorts to selling "bootleg" copies of pornographic videos to raise money for a coveted concert ticket.
Cousin Faith returns. Damon courts a college star basketball player as his first potential client. Despite a bitter rift, Teri agrees to represent Faith in a lawsuit. With Kenny back at work, Maxine reluctantly returns to her role as homemaker.
Teri's budding romance with a high profile lawyer is tested when she finds herself opposing him in a heated court case. Kenny's addiction to painkillers sends his life into a tailspin. Lila reveals that she is in love with Kenny.
Musical guest: Blu Cantrell In her determination to win a case over her former employer, Teri is duped by a devious client, Darrell Hart. Damon resists his father's offer to invest in his sports management company. Ahmad resorts to bad grades in order to spend time with a beautiful young tutor.
Lem's management style sets off a family inquisition. Teri and Damon come face-to-face at a company function. Ahmad worries about Teri's health. Bird suspects her male hair stylist, William, is sleeping with customers.
Musical guest: Wynton Marsalis Hardy Lester returns and sues the family to get his half of J & H Groceries back, Ahmad's basketball coach is fired when his good intentions are misconstrued. Teri and Damon have a final confrontation.
The Joseph family deals with the impact of a violent race-related riot in their community. Lem tries to help a young drug dealer.
Maxine runs for Alderman on a platform of issues relating to children despite family opposition. Meanwhile, Ahmdad tries to avoid a class trip but gets caught in a lie.
Musical guest: Deborah Cox Lem's delinquent cousin, Jack, comes to town to make amends. Teri fails in her efforts to keep a distance between herself and Damon. Bird's marriage is threatened when she gets a chance to go on tour with Deborah Cox and her band.
Lem becomes the key suspect when J & H Groceries is burned down. Kenny is torn between business and family demands. Meanwhile, Ahmad is roped into a fight to defend Keisha's honor.
Damon's first client is a morally bankrupt young hockey player. Teri nearly throws Lem's arson case after undermining his attorney by going behind his back to seek a favor from an old friend in the DA's office. While Lem sits in jail, Ahmad learns a lesson about making the right choices in life.
Determined to clear his name, Lem hooks up with Philky to find the arsonist that torched his store. Teri wins back a client but undermines her firm's good name. Kenny learns a lesson in sportsmanship. Damon lands an endorsement deal for his client.
A sensual body massage results in an embarrassing rash for Bird and Lem. Kenny pitches for a bank loan in anticipation of a pending City Contract that could put the company on the map. Teri suffers a severe panic attack following a dispute with Ray Moore over the firing of a long time company employee. Damon's efforts to help Teri don't sit well with Christine.
Musical guest: India.Arie Lem uses blackmail to rid his mother of her troublesome boyfriend. Kenny is rattled by his father's relationship with Lila. Bird is troubled by Lem's too-close relationship with his mother.
Teri takes control of her personal life, but her professional life is in shambles. Reggie orders up a stripper to help Ahmad get over his break up with Keisha. Kenny's employees demand wage increases. Damon struggles to separate business from his distaste for his new client.
Musical guest: Jon B. For their anniversary, Maxine hopes to surprise Kenny with tickets to a concert by Jon B., and a weekend getaway to San Francisco-until she finds a letter from Lila to Kenny that suggests the two had an affair. Bird's female customer makes a pass at her. Damon goes to Teri for help after Christine reveals she's pregnant and later commits suicide when he dumps her.
Musical guest: Ludacris Teri returns to her old law firm after being offered a position as managing partner by Katherine Burke, the head of a big New York City law firm. Damon is haunted by the ghost of Christine. Meanwhile, Maxine and Kenny, who are struggling with their separation, receive a Best Teamwork Award from Ahmad's school. Also, Lem and Bird try to reunite Maxine and Kenny.
An intruder in the Chadway home frightens Maxine into considering getting a gun which doesn't sit well with Kenny. A powerful media mogul becomes one of Teri's clients. Damon says good-bye to Christine. Meanwhile, Ahmad accuses his teacher of violating his rights and he initiates a student revolt.
Musical guest: Musiq Bird comes to terms with a secret past relationship she once had with her former high school teacher when he suddenly reappears in her life. Maxine and Kenny go on their first date since being separated. Teri admits to Damon that she doesn't want him to move out. Kenny's employees begin to gossip about his relationship with Lila.
An old friend of Lem's wants to go legit and asks Lem to help him do it. Bird enters the Chicago Hair Show and Ahmad shoots a documentary of the event for his Film Study course. Maxine discovers that Damon's client is a philanderer. As Teri tries to keep Brian at the firm, Brian hints of his true feelings for her.
Kenny and Lem lock horns over a new business venture. Teri and Damon have problems defining their relationship. Ahmad is enjoying seeing his parents getting along as Kenny and Maxine continue to date. Meanwhile, Maxine gets a job at Transition House.
Musical guest: Eisa Davis Maxine asks Kenny to move back home. Bird shines in her makeover segment on "Chicago Update." Teri struggles with loyalty and morality in a suit against Peter Redmond Enterprises.
Ahmad witnesses a drug-related shooting, and the family fears for his life. Lem turns to Baron Marks to help protect Ahmad. Damon's client, Kevin, meets a woman like no other.
After seeing a marriage counselor, Kenny asks Maxine to renew their wedding vows. Bird makes presumptions about her new neighbors. Teri and Damon continue to have problems living together.
Bird wants to renovate Mama Joe's house but her plans don't sit too well with Teri and Maxine. Meanwhile, Ahmad and Reggie want to sign up for high school football but they have a hard time trying to persuade their parents. Damon, Lem and Kenny share a discussion about the Joseph sisters.
Maxine works a little too closely with a troubled client at the shelter. Damon merges with a shady big deal agency and brings things with Teri to a head.
Damon is arrested on drunken driving charges, and Teri tries to convince him to get help. Meanwhile, Lem discovers that Bird's former high school teacher, Michael King, is stalking Bird. Also, Ahmad catches his parents at an embarrassing time.
Bird is surprised to learn that she's pregnant. Meanwhile, Teri has a problem with living up to her reputation as "Superchick". Also, Ahmad rekindles his relationship with his ex-girlfriend Keisha.
Benny's ex-girlfriend threatens to sue him for child support. Meanwhile, Teri tries to help a student. Also, Maxine and Kenny try to deal with Kelly's poor test scores.
A visit from Aunt Ruthie wreaks havoc in the girls' lives. Meanwhile, Damon seeks help for his drinking problem. Ahmad falls for Reggie's girl.
Kenny takes on a mentally challenged employee at the shop. Meanwhile, Bird's deepening friendship with Eva raises eyebrows. Also, Ahmad has to report on Jewish culture for school.
Damon gets Teri's engagement ring which no one likes in the least. Meanwhile, Lionel stays with the Chadways, while Ahmad publishes an underground newspaper at his school.
Lem clashes with Baron Marks' son. Meanwhile, Bird takes a surprising step with Eva when Teri catches Eva and Bird sharing a kiss. Also, Ahmad is having unwelcome dreams about Bird.
Damon finds himself at the center of a horrible and controversial sport tragedy. Kenny struggles with a damaged friendship, and Teri possesses one of Bird and Lem's videotapes.
The Joseph sisters do their best to help Mandel when his mother leaves him at Maxine's. When Cameron turns to Lem for help, Lem realizes Baron isn't perfect. The size of Ahmad's family jewels is a topic of discussion when two teenage girls think they've caught a glimpse on the soccer field.
When Estella returns, wanting Mandel back, Teri begins to investigate her rights. Tobias is released from the hospital.
An FBI agent talks to Lem in an attempt to catch up with Baron. Ahmad is a suspect for a purse snatching and is under police custody. Also, After Teri sleeps with a client her sisters find out.
Teri takes control of her obsession with Damon; Bird insults a local politician; Maxine pursues a celebrity educator to help her daughter learn to read.
Kenny's brother visits with a request that reopens old family wounds; Willie White increases the pressure on Lem to roll over on Baron; Ahmad seeks refuge in a neighborhood school after a classmate takes his false arrest seriously.
Teri is surprised and not at all pleased when Damon's mother arrives to take back her engagement ring; Maxine is offered a full-time position at work - but her handsome new boss and new career put a strain on her relationship with Kenny.
Brian comes to Teri's rescue in more ways than one; Chadway Towing becomes the location for an adult movie; Ahmad questions whether or not he's "color struck."
Willie White continues pressuring Lem to hand over the goods on Baron; Teri makes a decision about her relationship with Brian; Malik tests Maxine's fidelity.
Bird is kidnapped and Lem has 48 hours to save her - without anyone's help; Maxine questions Amina's influence on Ahmad; Teri mistakes Charles's daughter for his girlfriend, leading to a number of embarrassing moments.
Teri agrees to spend the weekend at Charles' cabin; Bird has an intimate encounter with Malik; Kenny's brother reveals that he is HIV positive.
The sisters have an explosive argument on Mama Joe's birthday; as Bird and Lem drift further apart, they each find refuge in other partners.
Lem is stunned to find Bird with Malik; Teri and Charles struggle with the demands of her career on their relationship; Kenny realizes the dangers of being a repo man.
Musical guest: Talib Kweli Bird's sexual tryst with Malik is revealed to the entire family; Teri is uncomfortable with Charles' relationship with his ex-wife; Bird and Lem make an effort to work on their marriage.
Musical guest: Yolanda Adams When Uncle Pete dies, Aunt Ruthie decides to move in with Teri; Bird is forced to tell her sisters and aunt about the kidnapping; Ahmad and Amina's relationship is strained when her mom comes home from prison.
Musical guest: Common Damon returns to Chicago to face Teri; Alliance makes Kenny an offer he can't refuse; Lem collapses and is hospitalized.
In the series finale, Damon makes one final effort to win the love of Teri, who makes a surprising career choice by accepting a job in Atlanta. After his store has been vandalized, a recovering Lem finds some respect and reconciles with Bird; Maxine enjoys a windfall while at a casino with Kenny.
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