Honestly, if you weren't there on Tuesday nights between 2013 and 2021, it’s hard to describe the absolute grip The Haves and the Have Nots had on cable TV. It wasn't just a show. It was an event. People didn't just watch it; they lived it through Twitter (now X) and heated group chats.
Tyler Perry basically took the traditional soap opera, injected it with high-octane adrenaline, and set it in the wealthy, secretive world of Savannah, Georgia. It was the first scripted series for Oprah Winfrey’s OWN network. At the time, OWN was struggling. It’s no exaggeration to say this show saved the network.
When it premiered in May 2013, it pulled in 1.77 million viewers. By the time it hit its stride, it was regularly clearing 3 million. For a cable drama, those numbers are massive. It proved that there was a hungry, underserved audience for messy, unapologetic, high-stakes Black drama.
What Really Made The Haves and the Have Nots Work
The show revolved around three families. You had the Cryers and the Harringtons—the "Haves"—and the Young family—the "Have Nots." But the lines weren't just about money. They were about morality. Or the total lack of it.
Jim Cryer, played with a sort of oily charisma by John Schneider, was the patriarch of the wealthy Cryer family. He was a judge, which is ironic because he was arguably the most corrupt person in Savannah. Then you had Hanna Young, played by the incredible Crystal Fox. She was the moral center of the show, working as the Cryers' maid while trying to keep her family from imploding.
But the real star? Candace Young.
Tika Sumpter played Candace like a chess master who didn't mind burning the whole board down. She was Hanna’s daughter and Jim’s mistress-turned-blackmailer. She was the ultimate "roguish jezebel" who knew where all the bodies were buried—sometimes literally.
The Ice Queen and the Chaos
You can't talk about this show without mentioning Veronica Harrington. Angela Robinson played her so well that fans nicknamed her "The Ice Queen." She was a high-powered attorney who was cold, calculating, and fiercely anti-gay toward her own son, Jeffrey.
The tension between Veronica and Jeffrey (Gavin Houston) was some of the most uncomfortable, raw television of the 2010s. It touched on themes of "down low" culture and the pressures of Black excellence in a way that felt both extreme and deeply personal to many viewers.
That Ending: What Most People Get Wrong
People still argue about the series finale. It aired in July 2021, and "wild" doesn't even begin to cover it.
It was a bloodbath.
Most shows try to wrap things up with a nice bow. Tyler Perry decided to use a sledgehammer instead. In the final hour, almost every major character died.
- Wyatt Cryer overdosed.
- Katheryn Cryer was strangled in a jail cell.
- Veronica Harrington was gunned down by hitmen.
- Benny Young was shot.
- Jim Cryer drowned Candace in a bathtub.
It was essentially a Greek tragedy. Hanna Young, the woman of God, ended the series as a "babbling wreck" after running Jim down with her car in a fit of grief-stricken rage.
Some fans hated it. They felt eight years of investment were thrown away for shock value. But others argued it was the only way it could end. These people had done terrible things. Karma finally caught up. Perry himself has often said his writing is about "reaping what you sow," and the finale was the ultimate harvest.
Behind the Scenes: The "One-Take" Method
One reason the show felt so frantic was how it was made. Tyler Perry is famous—or infamous, depending on who you ask—for his speed.
He writes, directs, and produces everything.
Actors on the set of The Haves and the Have Nots have talked about the "exhilarating" pace. They’d often get one or two takes before moving on. There wasn't time to overthink. This created a specific kind of energy on screen. It felt urgent. Sometimes it felt unpolished, but that was part of the charm. It felt like a stage play captured on film.
Renee Lawless, who played Katheryn Cryer, once mentioned that her theater background was the only reason she could keep up. You had to have stamina. You had to know your lines. There was no safety net.
The Cultural Legacy of the Show
Even though it’s been off the air for years, you still see its DNA in current shows. It paved the way for series like Greenleaf and Queen Sugar. It proved that OWN could be a powerhouse for scripted content.
It also launched or solidified careers. Tyler Lepley, who played Benny, became a breakout star. Tika Sumpter solidified her status as a leading lady.
The show also tackled heavy stuff. It didn't shy away from:
- The complexities of the Black church.
- The generational trauma of poverty.
- The "performative" nature of the Black elite.
- Systematic corruption in the legal system.
Sure, it was "soapy." Yes, the plot twists were sometimes ridiculous. But underneath the scandals and the slapping matches, it was a look at the American Dream through a very specific, dark lens.
Why There’s No Season 9 (And Why That’s Okay)
Fans are always asking if it's coming back. Short answer: No.
Tyler Perry’s massive deal with OWN ended, and he moved his entire operation to Viacom (BET and BET+). He’s now busy with The Oval, Sistas, and about a dozen other projects.
Plus, everyone is dead.
Unless he pulls a Dallas and makes the entire eighth season a dream sequence, there’s nowhere left for the story to go. The 196 episodes stand as a complete, albeit chaotic, body of work.
If you’re looking to dive back in, the best way is to treat it like a marathon. Don't look for logic in every turn. Just enjoy the ride. The show is currently available on the Watch OWN app and various streaming platforms like Max or Discovery+ depending on your region.
Your next steps for a HAHN binge:
- Watch the Pilot and the Finale back-to-back: It is the fastest way to see the sheer scale of the character's descent.
- Check out the Reunion Specials: OWN aired a two-part cast reunion in July and August 2021. It’s some of the best behind-the-scenes insight into how the cast felt about those shocking deaths.
- Follow the Cast's Current Work: Many of them, like Tyler Lepley (P-Valley) and Angela Robinson, are still very active in the industry.
The show was a lightning strike in a bottle. It wasn't perfect, but it was never boring.