The Game

Derwin tries to repair his relationship with Melanie after his infidelity with Drew Sidora. But when Melanie shows up with Trey Wiggs to collect her stuff and move out for good, Derwin gets upset. Meanwhile, Malik's on-air kiss with Renee starts a frenzy of plus-sized women throwing themselves at him.

In a moment of weakness, heart-broken Melanie sleeps with Derwin's arch rival Trey Wiggs. Later when Trey offers financial assistance to Melanie, she wrestles with the decision to take his offer knowing she has no where else to turn. Meanwhile, the Sabers football team is sold to new owners and Jason clashes with the new coach (guest star Lee Majors).

When Malik brings Renee to his house for the first time for a romantic rendezvous, Renee is shocked to find out he lives with his mother. Renee tells Malik that she cannot have sex in the same house he shares with his mother. Looking for advice, Malik asks Melanie her thoughts on the situation, which leads to Malik telling Tasha that they need to change their living arrangements. Meanwhile, Jason decides to win his new coach over by hosting the team's bible study at his house, even though he hasn't been inside a church in the last 20 years.

When Kelly convinces Jason to let her brother Brandon, who was recently released from rehab, stay with them, Jason makes it clear is no room for Brandon to slip up. Meanwhile, Brandon catches Jason taking steroids, but promises he will not tell Kelly. Later, when Kelly finds a syringe in the trash, she accuses Brandon of using again and kicks him out.

Derwin gets Melanie to agree to go out to dinner with him. Little does Melanie know he is planning a surprise marriage proposal with R&B singer Musiq Souldchild to serenade her. Later, things go wrong when Melanie sees Derwin kiss Drew Sidora on the Music Video Awards. Believing Derwin has played her for a fool once again, an inebriated Melanie tries to sleep with Malik.

Tasha gives Melanie one month to find a new place and move out of her house. When Derwin calls Melanie's parents to tell them about their break-up, Melanie gets upset and admits that that she slept with Trey Wiggs and borrowed money from him to pay for medical school. Later, Jason has trouble performing in the bedroom, triggering Kelly to suspect that he is cheating, and Dionne offers Melanie a place to live.

When Malik makes a politically incorrect statement during a press interview, it creates a media firestorm and makes him the whipping boy for a national cartoonist. Later, Malik attempts to make amends with the cartoonist but things get out of hand when Malik ends up punching him. Malik tries to find his mom Tasha to help the situation but she is off trying to sign a big client. Meanwhile, overwhelmed with guilt for lying to Kelly for his steroid use, Jason confesses to Derwin.

Tasha loses her cool during a press conference while addressing the allegations surrounding Malik's suspension from the team. In the wake of the fallout, Tasha's business begins to suffer and Irv offers to help Malik and save Tasha's business by buying her out, but she refuses. Later, Tasha brokers a meeting between Malik and Chris Clemons to air their differences on The Tavis Smiley Show. Malik, still upset over the events of the past several days, tells Tasha she is fired. Meanwhile, Kelly's anger over Jason's steroid use reached a boiling point when the Sabers do a random drug test and Kelly must try and bail him out.

Enjoying his single superstar status, Derwin starts dating a new girl Raquel. Meanwhile, Melanie takes a new job as a waitress at a coffee shop and must swallow her pride when Derwin and his date walk into the shop and she must wait on them. Later, Melanie gets a visit from Mathis, a new member of the Sunbeams, who offers Melanie money to get information on the proper way to get pregnant via a turkey-baster. Mathis mentions she needs the instructions for her girlfriend who is trying to nab a football player named Derwin Davis. When Melanie goes to warn Derwin about the "turkey basting hoochie" he is dating, Derwin tells Melanie she is just jealous of his new lifestyle.

When Melanie finds out that Dionne doesn't have plans for Christmas, she decides to stay in San Diego and spend the holiday with Dionne. Later, Dionne learns that an endorsement opportunity she pitched when Derwin was her client has been resurrected. Dionne decides to take Derwin back as a client, and to leave Melanie behind While Dionne spends the holiday in St. Barts with Derwin and the advertising executives. Meanwhile, Kelly and Jason argue over his negative attitude towards spending money on the holidays, and Malik begins to question Tasha's allegiance to him.

When Melanie goes on a first date with a new guy, Jerome he invites her to his work party at the sky box of the Sabers game and she cautiously agrees. Derwin is upset when he first hears the news, but Malik tells him to use the energy on the game. Later, Kelly and Tasha compete over an endorsement opportunity for Malik and Jason.

When Jason confesses that he's not ready to give up steroids, Kelly realizes she has no other choice but to take Brittany and leave Jason. A gorgeous girl (guest-star Megalyn Echikunwoke) catches Derwin's eye, but when he tries to give her game she schools him on being real.

Malik asks his publicist to set him up on a date with Serena Williams. Things go well between them until Serena mistreats one of Malik's friends at a party. He considers breaking up with her, but Tasha asks Malik to hold off since she is trying to sign Serena as a client. At Serena's request, Tasha takes her to a Sunbeams meeting, where Serena is rude to everyone, causing Tasha to decide she no longer wants Serena as a client. However, Malik has decided he wants to continue dating Serena. Malik schools Derwin on the kind of girl he should be dating now that he's a football star. Meanwhile, Kelly sets Melanie up on a date with a celebrity.

Tasha enjoys a night of drinking with her new co-workers at Irv Smif Management and becomes involved in a game of dozens with Lev, one of the managers, who happens to be white. Having had too much to drink, the night ends with Lev flashing Tasha. Tasha shares the events of the evening with Kelly, who tells Tasha she has been completely disrespected and should not let Lev get away with it. Jason and Kelly have a marriage counseling session and things don't go as planned for Kelly. The therapist is a huge fan of Jason and the Sabers. Kelly, who thought she was going to prove that she is right about the problems in their marriage, finds Jason using his charm to win over the therapist. Rick Fox has a cameo role as himself.

Melanie's relationship with Jerome begins to heat up, but she pulls back, believing she is not ready for a commitment. When Derwin's new girlfriend Janay tells him her condo is being remodeled, he invites her to move in with him. Later, when Janay and Derwin run into Melanie and Jerome, Janay tells Melanie that she's moved into Derwin's place. Melanie reacts by getting a drastic new hairstyle and deciding it's time to commit to Jerome, but finds him with another woman. Meanwhile, Jason is distraught when Malik tells him about a rumor that Jason will be benched for the next game. Jason and Kelly work together to find a solution to his performance on the field.

When Derwin injures himself in the big playoff game, Jason has to step in and fill his shoes for the Super Bowl game, but he has conflicted feelings about the situation. Meanwhile, Melanie feels torn between her ex, Derwin, and her new relationship with Jerome. Lee Majors guest stars in his recurring role as Coach Ross.

Derwin resists going to the Sabers' victory parade until Melanie not only convinces him to go, but drives him there. Unfortunately, neither of them notice that Janay is at the parade too, which eventually leads her to challenge Derwin's feelings for Melanie. Tasha has to prove she can be more than a "Mama Wrangler" and Jason is furious that he still doesn't have a contract. Rick Fox guest stars as himself.

Malik, fresh off a championship, feels as if his post season escapades have reached a high point when he meets Robin Givens and finds out her free-spirited attitude is juxtaposed with his. After they begin spending time together, Malik realizes that his approach to relationships may be working against him. Jason suffers from post-championship depression and, with Kelly's advice, seeks out answers from their therapist.

Jerome questions Melanie's commitment to their relationship after she accepts an unexpected gift from Derwin. She decides to take Jerome to Los Angeles for a romantic weekend to prove him wrong, but her plans hit a snag when she finds out the Sabers are partying at the same hotel where she and Jerome are staying. Derwin and Malik commiserate over losing Melanie and Robin Givens, respectively. Tasha shares her concerns with Rick Fox about becoming a manager and they end up having an intimate moment. Jason fires his manager and Kelly urges him to consider signing with Irv.

Jason meets with the new team owner, Mickey, who appears to be more interested in spending time with Kelly than making a new deal with Jason. Malik proclaims his love to Robin and tells her he's ready for a bigger commitment. Derwin tracks down Melanie to tell her the truth about how he really feels, which leads to a fight between Derwin and Jerome.