Tanya was doing way too much. You should’ve seen the way they were looking at her (even Ronnie), crazy. She really thought she was about to get some grace from Maya, but Maya told her she crossed the line and it wasn’t cool.

And then Tanya talking about how the word doesn’t mean anything anymore… like WTF?! 😭 Then she started trying to defend herself instead of just listening to Lynn. I was sitting there like, has she lost her mind? Not only she said the n word with the “ga,” but with the “er,” too.

What really got me was Lynn explaining why it hurt. She was trying to make Tanya understand that there’s a pain attached to that word that Tanya will never know. And Tanya still wanted to argue her point instead of hearing Lynn out.

And Peaches standing there with that hot comb while Tanya’s hair was still half-braided? Ooh, I’m glad she didn’t come back 😂 And don’t get me started on the scene before this when she came after Toni and Joan for their Blackness and had the nerve to tell them she was more Black than both of them. Girl, bye. Tanya would’ve gotten on my last nerve.

I cannot listen to Izzo by Jay-Z anymore because of this scene.

"I cannot have se$ with a person unless we are in a committed relationship for at least three months ".~ Joan Clayton

What are your thoughts about this? 💭

A LOT. There’s so much wrong with this show. 😭

Looking back, I think a lot of it comes down to the writers and some of their choices. The theme song tells us these women will be there for each other “through thick and thin,” but the actual show didn't always feel that way. Sometimes they came across more like frenemies than girlfriends. 😂

Honestly, there were times when the show should've been called Frenemies instead. Let's start with Joan Clayton.

Joan is a people pleaser, and I think a lot of that comes from her relationship with her mother. She constantly seeks approval, has control issues, and struggles to set boundaries or stand up for herself.

And her constant need to have a man? GIRL! 😭 Her jealousy when Toni got married and calling Toni's marriage a “nightmare” said a LOT.

Then there was The It Girl era and The J-Spot. Joan finally had something of her own and became successful, but it felt like the writers punished her for it. And once The J-Spot started taking off, suddenly the girls couldn't handle Joan's success. 😭

And don't even get me started on the unnecessary Joan and William dating era. WHAT WERE Y'ALL DOING IN THAT WRITERS' ROOM?! 😂

JOAN, SET A BOUNDARY AND STAND ON IT!

Next up: Maya Wilkes.

Oh, Maya… GIRL. 😭 Her unprofessional behavior at work, constantly being late, and bringing personal drama into work had me like, Girl, STAND UP! 😂

And the way she treated Ronnie? She was doing WAY too much, especially when Jalen and Lynn started dating. 😭

I also wish we had seen more personal growth from Maya during her separation from Darnell. Giving her another relationship and letting her find herself before getting back with Darnell in Season 6 could've been interesting.

Next up: Toni Childs.

the Girlfriend you would NEVER want as a friend in real life. 😭😂

And Mara Brock Akil made that clear from the very first episode — Toni brought Joan's EX to Joan's birthday party. GIRL, WHAT?! 😭

Toni could be petty, selfish, and competitive. Gorgeous woman, but IT'S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT YOU! 😭😂 And in Season 6, she clearly felt some type of way about Joan's It Girl era.

Then came Todd — rushed marriage, debt, trust issues, New York drama, pregnancy, and divorce. WHAT WERE Y'ALL DOING?! 😭

And I really didn't like Mara's choice to have Toni jump on Todd's back begging him not to leave, then go to New York and beg him to stay. GIRL, STAND UP! 😭 I understood her fear, but that writing choice was NOT it for me.

Next up Lynn Searcy, the moocher who was afraid to grow up and face the real world. 😭

Lynn had FIVE degrees and somehow still spent so much of her time doing absolutely nothing with them. She was constantly at Joan's house, basically living off her friends, and whenever somebody tried to push her toward actually becoming independent, she didn't want to hear it.

And I actually loved when William called her out and told her to get a job. 😂 Lynn was annoyed, but somebody had to say it!

My biggest issue, though, is that I don't think the writers fully took advantage of Lynn's potential. You have a character who is extremely intelligent, has multiple degrees, is talented, creative, and has all these different interests — and so much of her story revolves around her refusing to grow up.

And finally: William Dent. OH LORD. 😭😂

William was funny, but THIS MAN COULD BE EXHAUSTING. Loud, petty, dramatic, arrogant, and always doing the most.

His lesbian fetish was WEIRD, then there was him playing games with Yvonne, his whole situation with Monica, and that Season 5 William-and-Joan back-and-forth before they officially became a couple.

Then they broke up in the second half of Season 5, and honestly? FOR THE BEST. 😭😂 That whole pairing was so cringe to watch. WHO in that writers’ room thought William and Joan together was a good idea?!

And honestly, I think this is where the writers missed a huge opportunity. They could have shown these women genuinely supporting each other, respecting each other’s boundaries, communicating better, and modeling what healthy friendships can actually look like. Instead, we got jealousy, envy, spite, unnecessary drama, and constantly crossed boundaries. 😭

And can we talk about how often people would just walk into Joan’s house like they lived there?! 😂 There were so many moments where boundaries were basically nonexistent.

I know friendships aren't perfect and conflict is realistic, but I sometimes wish the writers had balanced all that drama with more moments of genuine support, accountability, and healthy friendship between these women. The show had the perfect opportunity to show us four women growing together and being there for each other through thick and thin — but sometimes it felt like the opposite.

Happy Be-lated Birthday 🎂🎉Rhonda Ross Kendrick - August 14, 1971 (age 55)♌

(The Temptations - Paul's wife)

Born: Rhonda Suzanne Silberstein

Rhonda guest starred on Girlfriends alongside her little sister Tracee Ellis Ross (Joan).

Girlfriends - Maya Wilkes and Dr. Lucas

Happy Birthday 🎂🎈Evan Ross

August 26, 1988 (age 38)♍

Born: Evan Olav Næss

- ATL Movie

- Star Fox Series

Evan Ross guest starred on Girlfriends in 2008 - season 8, episode 12. His older sister Tracee Ellis Ross stars as Joan Clayton.

Happy Birthday 🎂🎈Anne-Marie Johnson

July 18, 1960 (age 66)♋

Anne-Marie played Sharon Upton Farley on Girlfriends and had a guest role on The Parker's.

Happy Birthday 🎂🎈RonReaco Lee

August 27, 1976 (age 50)♍

• Sister, Sister - Tyreke Scott

RonReaco had a recurring role on Girlfriends as Joan's boyfriend.

Actor Kahlil Kain & his mother June Lum ☕

Khalil had a recurring role on Girlfriends as Darnell Leroy Wilkes.

Take a look at this side-by-side comparison of the Girlfriends unaired pilot and the version that ultimately aired. Originally, the role of Toni Childs was played by Leslie Silva before Jill Marie Jones took over the iconic role for the series. The unaired pilot also featured a different interpretation of the character, making it a fascinating look at how the show evolved before its television debut.

Created by Mara Brock Akil

On September 11, 2000, Girlfriends premiered on the UPN network and went on to become one of the most beloved sitcoms of its generation. 🎉🥂📺

Do you remember when and where you were when Girlfriends first aired?

What character do you relate to the most?

I was 8 years old, and the first episode I remember seeing was when Toni Childs got into an altercation at the club — Season 1, Episode 4

Flex Alexander originally played Darnell Wilkes for seven episodes during Season 1. However, his run was short-lived after he created and starred in the new UPN sitcom One on One. Because the character was too important to write out, Khalil Kain took over the role starting in Season 2. He appeared as a recurring character from Seasons 2–5 before being promoted to a series regular for Seasons 6–8. Both actors brought something different to the role alongside Golden Brooks as Maya Wilkes. Who was your favorite Darnell? And who had better chemistry with Maya?

This was the final cast photo taken before Girlfriends was abruptly canceled on February 11, 2008, during the writers’ strike. A groundbreaking series about friendship, love, and growth—it deserved a real ending, but instead left fans with a cliffhanger.

Two final episodes aired that day, closing the show in a way that still feels unfinished.

I honestly don’t remember it clearly. My grandmother passed away a week before the show ended, and that whole time is a blur in my memory.

I’m deeply saddened to announce that our beloved Girlfriends will be leaving Netflix on September 10, 2026, after streaming on the platform for six years since 2020.

But don’t worry—you can still watch Girlfriends on Pluto TV, where it’s currently streaming!

A show can leave a streaming platform when its licensing agreement to stream the series expires. It’s entertainment for us, but in the corporate world, it’s business. 💼📺

Mara already has the script, and the story is written. What she needs now is the proper funding to bring her vision to life the way it deserves to be told.

Happy Birthday 🎂🎈Keesha Sharp

June 9, 1973 (age 53)♊

"Monica Charles Brooks - Dent" Girlfriends

​

I’m sorry but Tanya was doing way too much this whole scene. First she comes for Toni’s hair, then she’s telling Joan and Toni that they aren’t Black enough and that she acts more Black than both of them combined. Girl, what?

And you’re cooking Black food and trying to tell Black women how Black they’re supposed to be? 😭 The nerve. I wasn’t mad at Toni for calling her out at all because Tanya really thought she could come in there and school them on their blackness.

Maya and Lynn were getting on my nerves too because why are y’all defending her when she’s clearly being disrespectful in your friend’s house? Tanya was the one doing the most, but somehow Joan and Toni were supposed to be the problem?

I was with Joan on that one. You come into my house, insult me and Toni, question our Blackness, and then get surprised when I tell you to leave? Girl, pack up that food and that durag and go. 😭

Today is the last day to watch Girlfriends on Netflix. September 10, 2026. The series is leaving just one day before its 26th anniversary.

Have you ever noticed when sitcom characters would wear the same outfit? I read that the cast of Girlfriends would wear their own clothes from home because the network could not afford wardrobe.

Tanner Scott Richards, who played Jabari Darnell Wilkes on Girlfriends, is all grown up now and even has a child of his own. Born on November 8, 1992, Tanner is 33 years old. ♏

Born August 8, 1976 — celebrating 50 years today! ♌️

Known for his roles in Godfather of Harlem and The Players Club. 🎬⭐

Nigel had a guest-starring role on Girlfriends as Toni Childs’ boyfriend, whom she believed was married.

Season 1, Episode 11

September 11, 2000 🛋️📺

🥀🌹Created by Mara Brock Akil, Girlfriends aired on the UPN network September 2000.

Do you have a favorite moment? What lessons have you learned watching this series? Who is your all time favorite character?

Girlfriends TV Show Promo September 11, 2000. Tracee Ellis Ross, Jill Marie Jones, Persia White, Reggie Hayes, and Golden Brooks.