The fact that Charles had Dee-Dee sitting up in a luxury apartment next door to Mona with riches while Mona was literally living like a second-class citizen is crazy.

Although I hated how Mona was treated by her parents, I did enjoy Phyllis and big Deedee shading each other

although her father got on my nerves with his favoritism, I really liked how Mona's stepmother always treated her well. and her beef was primarily with her mother and not Mona as a little girl.

I always believed fathers often treat their children based on how they feel about the mother when they have multiples 🫢

Mona was ahead of her times. From the natural hair to the chunky boots, I adored seeing her. Would definitely love to get her wardrobe

I couldn’t stand Charles. The way he always put Dee Dee on a pedestal in front of Mona was trifling and she was like a trophy for him to show off, he had no shame. I love Big Dee Dee because they made her out to be a villain when she wasn’t, it was HIM. She did make rude comments but like you said I think she genuinely loved Mona and wanted her and her sister to be close

When I say I LOVED Mona and it warmed my heart when her grandmother came and would shower her with love

The mom never respected her privacy and boundaries.

I always related with Mona... And Rachel True has always been gorgeous!!!!

When I was younger, people would say I’d grow up to be like Mona as an insult. They’d bring up the way she wore her hair and the way she talked like they were bad things. Now that I’m grown, I’m flattered they thought I’d be just like Mona with beautiful hair, fun style, a dream job, and intelligence!! 💁🏾‍♀️✨

Seems like Mona walked so later characters onscreen could run.

I think what annoyed me is that Dee Dee was clearly the "favorite" yet everyone acted like that wasn't the case

Mona and Lynn from girlfriends would most definitely be friends.

Mona’s fashion is so iconic I’ve always wanted her style as well as DeeDee but she deserved to live in a luxury apartment just like her sister 🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥰🥰

It’s actually insane that Mona ever worried about money! Her dad was trash but her mama didn’t make things any better.

Bratz doll amongst the Barbies is accurate.

Charles really was terrible! You brung up some good points about him having hate for Phyllis and taking it out on Mona I feel like he didn’t want to do extra for Mona because in someway Phyllis would benefit from it. Phyllis may have had toxic ways but she was not wrong about Charles. He didn’t give a d*mn about Mona it was all about Dee Dee and it’s like he wanted to forget that he ever struggled and Mona and Phyllis were a reminder of where he came from. His new marriage was about wealth, status and power with a side of love

This dynamic between Mona and Dee Dee always fascinated me. Dee Dee always seemed so charmed and Mona always got the short end of the stick. I relate to that so much.

I am the Mona.. when my mom passed and I was in severe financial trouble, I asked him for help, he wouldn't... It hurts and i pray everyday for a forgiving heart but I just cant understand how that man cant see me as his child as he does his other two daughters in marriage.

1. I hated the way Charles favour dee dee like that's not fair they both need your love and support. 2.I hated when phyliss inserted herself in mona dating life like mind your business. 3.Mona was super gorgeous to me and i hated how they were acting like she was so undesirable like mona is THAT GIRL!!!!

Fun fact, Mona and big Dee Dee are only 5 years apart in real life.

Ever since the Craft ….ive loved watching anything she does

I didn't like how Mona was treated by her father.

The only villain is Charles i don't agree with Phyllis lying to Mona about Charles and her divorce but I do feel sorry for Phyllis because she was heartbroken and he the way he showered his family with big dee dee and not his family with Phyllis and big dee dee did love mona

Mona was THAT girl!!! Everything about her that was “different” was so cool to me as a lil’ girl.

Mona was everything and I hated how they treated her on the show. She was so much prettier than Dee Dee to me.

I think Charles treated lil Dee better because big Dee insisted on finer things ... the mom sets the tone . I also say this becuse in the episode where Mona needs a new car for her birthday .phyllis and charles get stuck in an elevator and when phillis asks Charles for a car fir Mona hes like of course ... then he confronts her he says that u think i dnt wanna do stuff for Mona but all these years while she was griwing up you wouldnt let me .its implied that shed reject and give whatever he tried to do back so he stopped trying .i kno some ppl may think thats your child you should never stop trying but not not everyone is like that and phyllis also raise Mona to never ask fir anything work hard or do without where as big Dee raised her daughter to ask for whatever you want especially from your father ... lil Dee was still using her dads credit card until Mona said she coulsnt survived without it . Dad paid for the apartment renovation that Mona was healous of but again if Mona asked her dad to renovate her apartment he would not decline but phillis raised her to think he would .

I never understand why new wives have a problem accepting previous children who are not at fault for being born. I do understand that a previous wife or ex-girlfriend may be insecure, but kids are innocent. Accept them.

I always thought it was unfair that DeeDee had to be the one responsible for basically extending the olive branch to heal their family. It was nice that she did, and it was great that Mona (and eventually the moms, somewhat) also put in the effort, but it was the dad that really created that fractured situation. And he was involved the least, even after they all got cool with each other. Its crazy that the (adult) children had to do all that emotional labor, but unfortunately that's usually how it goes.

Dee-Dee was definitely Barbie while Mona was hands down Bratz. Her style is so Bratz-coded, its not even funny But I really liked Mona. I didn't like how people either didn't take her seriously or overlooked her, even her mom and Spencer, her best friend. I didn't how they often made Mona seem like the bad guy whenever she rightfully so voiced her annoyance at being neglected or overlooked

Mona was always my favorite. It always bothered me how Mona was pushed to the side all the time

Mona received the red headed step child treatment which was not right. Rachel True was the go to token black girl of the 90s. This is the second video i’ve seen today about Mona.

I really feel bad for mona she didn't deserve to be treated like that by Charles plus he never apologized or took accountability i totally understood mona

I think when Charles divorced Phyllis he kind of divorced Mona. At some point during their brief marriage he decided he did want to be married to Phyllis and have a family with her. He moved on with another wife and child. If my memory serves me correctly, when Mona lost her job she had emotional support from her grandma and mother even Dee Dee snuck her some money to help but Charles was nowhere to be found during that time no emotional or financial support whatsoever.

I loveeee this show. I am rewatching this show and Eve show currently. I love that DeeDee tried to bond with Mona and their growth in sisterhood. I use to feel so irked that Mona didn’t get the same love from Charles that DeeDee did. The episode with Diahann Carroll as Momma Thorne and she checks on Charles his spending and she made sure to give Mona extra love. To some degree DeeDee also deals with neglect because one episode they mention all they did was shower her with gifts which is why DeeDee and Phylis relationship starts to blossom. They both need love.

Mona in real life is a spiritual girl and that’s her style for real! I was glad they let her do her in this show. But also I do feel like she Mona’s daddy wrote her off like a bad check

I loved Dee Dee’s fashion and I love Mona’s hair color matching her golden skin tone.

Still love Half & Half!! Mona was and Rachel True is STILL that chick!! 💜

Charles really had no issue uplifting Dee Dee right in the face of Mona, he didn't even try to hide his favoritism. Mona was beautiful and Rachel True is still gorgeous. and it's no shade but I always found her to be prettier and they wanted the audience to believe she wasn't because she didn't look like DeeDee/Essence, it's subtle things they'll put in shows to program minds especially in the 2000s. Having natural hair was like a crime to people who always chemically treated their hair

I absolutely LOVE THIS SHOW and it should most definitely be rebooted... but the dynamic with Charles and Mona is so triggering to watch. Even his MOMMA knew he was slipping when it came to Mona.

I recently discovered this show and I absolutely love Mona and the actress that played her, Rachel True. She was more down to earth and likeable than Dee Dee in my opinion. During the entire show, I wanted nothing but the best for her. I'm so glad this video exists. She deserves more love. She's my favorite character on the show. Justice for Mona.

This was my show! Mona was my favorite character. All the parents were problematic to me...Phyllis stay bad mouthing Charles and lying to Mona, Big Dee Dee, eventhough she was pleasant to Mona, never said her name just give her pet names like buttercup (If i remember correctly Mona brought it up in an episode) and Charles 🙄. I didnt like how they treated Mona as the loser when she was actually successful at the record label and the guys she was pulling were FINE except for Spencer, I couldn't see it😂

I’m still mad the show was cancelled before there was some kind of resolution about the relationship between Mona and her father in the same way she held Big Dee Dee accountable about being competitive when Mona and little Dee Dee were young. I loved how Big Dee Dee apologized and took accountability that really showed how she actually cared for Mona.

There’s an episode circled around an earthquake and Mona‘s birthday,. Phyllis goes to Charles and asks him to help buy Mona a car. And he has a line that goes something like “ You’ve never let me help out before. Why now?”. Unpopular opinion, but I feel like Phyllis is a lot of the reason Charles couldn’t or wouldn’t help. Because he seemed like he tried. During the episode where little Dee gets a horse, Phyllis takes Mona to another STATE. Phyllis even admitted to tearing up and destroying photos of Charles and Mona. I’m not saying Charles is guilt free. He could’ve tried a harder. But Phyllis did a lot of sabotaging. Even going as far as lying to Mona and telling her that Charles cheated on her with big Dee Dee. The only reason why I remember this freshly is because I have been binge watching it lately lol.

Always had a soft spot for her

The show aired when I was in 6th grade (shouldn't have been watching it & when my dad caught me, he blocked UPN 😅) & really understand after rewatching at 33. Mona was my favorite then & still is ❤. Her character let me know that it's okay for black girls to be different. Hated how she was treated which is how I was treated in my household, but it was due to my gender (2 stepbrothers).

I'm Mona and I hated it when my family badger me about not having a man as if having a man makes me more valuable as a person. Meanwhile my cousins married guys who cheated on them and divorced them and I'm happily married to my husband for 19 years now.

Girl thank you for this!!!! 💞💞💞I've been needing to vent about that d*mn Charles! 🤮 Everything was his fault. Imagine struggling to raise a child while her father lived large with his trophy family. That would make any woman bitter and that unfortunately spilled over to Mona.The fact that he's taken Dee Dee on various overseas trips that Mona didn't even know about. He made it a point to mistreat Phyllis and Mona. Treated them like they were lesser than and that him and his new family were above them. Charles was classist hence he made it a point to call Spencer by the wrong name. Big Dee Dee constantly made Mona feel bad about herself and even liked calling Mona and her mother poor. To me that doesn't translate as love. It's not her fault Charles mistreated his child but she sure enjoyed every single moment of it. Dee Dee wanted to be close to Mona because she was her only sibling. I believe had that Charles and Big D had another kid closer to her age she wouldn't have cared much for Mona. That's why it didn't really bother her when her sister was struggling downstairs while she lived lavish upstairs. That's why she was quick to remind Mona that she was Drew's half sister. Charles was the villain but the show made the women look like they were the ones with a problem. I think the reason everyone made Mona seem like she wasn't attractive was because she never wanted to fit in. And society doesn't appreciate unique people. She was quirky and there was nothing weird about her but everyone around her made her feel like she was lacking. Even broke A** Adam made fun of her. So her self-esteem suffered. She was really her best when she was with Nick. I feel like he was the first person to know everything about her and embrace her uniqueness. It's unfortunate his parents were racist but Mona was really her best when she was with him. She was sure of herself and happy. Too bad the show wanted to punish her for existing. PS: I recently binge watched the show so my hate for Charles is very fresh!😂😂😂

“A Bratz doll in a room full of Barbies“ perfectly said

Phyllis was the true villain of the show and on my first rewatch she irked me so bad. It's become my favorite comfort show truly but Phyllis was sooooooo TOXIC. She absolutely was still in love with Charles. You hit the nail on the head with this video! Also, for anybody who wasn't hip to the resolution of the cliffhanger, she was going to choose Chase. I asked the creator of the show a few years back on IG and she actually replied to me LOL. I think her moving in with Chase and away from her family would've definitely done her good! Phyllis just irks me sooooo bad, just hateful hateful smh! To me, DeeDee wasn't hateful, she was just shallow and superficial lol

I loved Half & Half and I was absolutely obsessed with Mona she was everything to my teenage self. Watching the episodes over now as an adult makes me mad because Mona deserved the same lifestyle that little Deedee had. Phyllis ruined any chance of that with her bitterness.

My taste in women was molded by her 🧏🏾‍♀️

She was my fav. The way she was treated reminded me of myself

Great analysis 💕Mona Thorne was so underrated! Half and half was such a good show. Mona’s fashion aesthetic still feels very fresh and current today. Mona reminded me a bit of the Afro-Bohemian/futuristic girlies like Kelis and Erykah Badu. Half and half was a product of its time. The show was made in the early 2000’s. I have older cousins and relatives and looking back, they dressed and were styled more like Dee Dee. Dee Dee’s style while trendy, classic and fashionable was more mainstream. The irony is that Mona’s style from her hair, fashion etc would be considered more on brand today. Very ahead of her time.

Rachel True is so beautiful. I was always distracted by her beauty hair and fashion; she was so different than the girls on tv back then and I love anything girly bright colors and shiny and loved Dee Dee's style but there was something so mesmerizing about Mona. Charles was a piece of work, and it always annoyed me that even Spencer always had something to say about Mona's love life and the way they tried to push that he was fine was so Unbelievable lol now if it was Blair Underwood, Shemar Moore or Morris Chestnut than okay. but all he had was muscles and height lmao

To me, Mona’s style is like a mix of Freddie from A Different World and Scary Spice 😎

The episode that annoyed me the most was when she had to go to that dinner that was honoring him and she was treated like dirt and leaves. So they finally start to throw some accountability his way (by way of big Dee Dee blasting him) and instead of really going in on his terrible parenting they not only have that fool play dumb like he didn't know him picking favorites and being an abansentee father hurt Mona they then try to shift some of the blame over to it Phyllis like she was also keeping Mona away. You can't keep someone away that the other party doesn't invite around. Charles' own mother saw the favoritism which is why she went out of her way to pamper Mona to give her some balance. Charles is scum and it's annoying how the show handled handled his character by basically giving him a slap on the wrist.

Mona always been my fave character, personality, fashion, & clothes. 😍🥰🤩

I hated how the show treated Mona’s anger towards the situation with her father as her holding a grudge. I feel like she had every right to still be angry at how her family (especially her father) treated her. Also, I know that the show was mostly about the sisters but I wish we got an arc where her father focused on building more of a relationship with Mona. Heck even Charles’s own mother could see the favoritism a mile away. It was one of the biggest issues the family had with each other but it sorta gets…..push under the rug. Every episode. It’s great that the sisters are now getting along but the elephant in the room was never addressed. It left me feeling annoyed and unsatisfied at the end of each episode. The favoritism never stopped it just took a different form in adulthood. It’s actually really heartbreaking

Mona was my favorite between the two and even as a younger human i recognized the subtle inferences of how they were pushing DeeDee as prettier or more attractive. When both girls are beautiful.

That pony episode really had me 😡 2 daughters but 1 pony wtf? And then they let Dee Dee name it “daddy’s favorite” The dad was a problem

Mona was so so pretty. Her and my mom look just a like❤❤

I can definitely relate to Mona's experience.... This is how my life is playing out lol

I can relate to Mona having a mother put her expectations and problems of dating men onto her daughter. Now being 30 it’s a lot I’m unlearning that was embedded in me early on. Love your content 🌻😍

she was pretty down to a tea too! 💯

Rachel True and Mel B need to get a dna test they have to be cousins at least ❤😂

I know you said you aren't a therapist in your previous videos but you should think about becoming one, the way you're able to dissect characters, understand all sides (even the people who we sometimes view as villains) is incredible and you have so much empathy which is something that so many people lack today and what's needed. You make people feel seen. I loved Mona so much 💖 even when they tried to paint her as an unlovable undesirable character, she was GORGEOUSSSS to me and represented the girls who looked and dressed like her, I have cousins and aunts who dressed just like her and still do while I love hyper girly feminine fashion I always appreciated and loved the style of women who dress like Mona because they were unapologetically themselves and believe black women should only look one way, it's so refreshing to see

Mona Reminds Me Of Mel B (scary spice) I Love That She Kept Her Curly Hair And Never Changed ❤

Everything you said was facts! especially about men moving on to make other children and treating their other children as if they don't exist or doing the bare minimum OR marrying a woman who already has children and treating his stepchild terribly and shoving what he does for his child with their mother in that child's face. Charles probably couldn't tell you Mona's favorite color or hobbies. I wanted to add that I just know you're an incredible friend to your friends because you know how to make people feel validated and create a space for them to be heard and seen especially people who don't always know how to voice their feelings. this video was on point as your videos always are 🤗💞

I haven’t seen this show since I was a teen and even then remember how horrible Mona was treated by her parents

Mona def influenced my personal style.

Thank you for this. I am the Mona of my sisters, and I absolutely loved Mona. I couldn’t stand her father. Mona and big DeeDee were my favorites. I wish Mona had more of her own group of friends.

I can relate to Mona because I'm still the over looked sister. Even though I'm the youngest it's always been about my adopted sister. It's like me & my kids were invisible and didn't even exist.

When this show came on (around 2004 to 2006ish), I was watching this show when I was in college. In 2005, I found out that I had an older (about 5 years) sister through my late father. After that, I was able to relate better to this show because it was an awkward moment between my the "uncovered" secrets. Mona was my favorite in the show and I thought that she was beautiful.

This show tried gaslighting me into thinking how Mona was treated was normal. I would be livid every episode and the characters drove me MAD.

Rachel True is forever an icon

I loveeeeed Mona as a teenager watching reruns of Half & Half (it ended while I was still a toddler). Thanks for making this video.

& lets not talk about how they made fun of Mona's dancing & Dee Dee was a bad dancer as well. She had more rhythm but she was no Janet Jackson her damn self. 😂

Rachel True is truly a beautiful woman I met her a Blerdcon, she's so nice!

I loved this show very much when it was on. I am glad you cover these gems from yesteryear, thanks! I related most to Mona because she was funny, personable and artistically inclined. Though the show was a sitcom, the sad undertones of family division the father caused bothered me.

I absolutely LOVED Mona, and am a big fan of Rachel True to this day. I really do believe Mona was her IRL. LOL She's still very much a "bohemian faerie". 🧚🏾‍♀

God, how I LOVED Mona ❤❤❤

This breakdown is everything!!

Mona was THAT girl for me. I related to her so much... shut out to the different girls. I went natural when I was 17 in 2000. I was called so many names years later it was the thing to do

I love this analysis! Half and half is my favorite show and this analysis was on point. One thing about the show that never made sense to me, was the fact that out of both of the sisters, Mona technically had the most successful pair of parents. Even though Big Dee Dee and Charles were wealthy as a couple, their wealth was solely from his career in business and real estate. Big Dee Dee didn’t work, so she was not contributing financially. However, Phyllis was a DOCTOR. I remember one episode where she offhandedly said that she gets paid over $100 an hour just to listen to people’s problems, so for the life of me I could never understand why Phyllis purposely raised Mona with such a poor and lacking mindset, when the reality was that Phyllis was just CHEAP. I know they mentioned struggling a bit in the beginning after the divorce, but Phyllis became a therapist and was making well over six figures, yet she still was so stingy about everything - which was definitely a trauma response, along with her lack of boundaries. Phyllis raised Mona to believe that she should never ask her for help with anything. Both of her parents made good money, not just her father, yet Mona lacked greatly because Phyllis raised her to be too prideful, and in the end did her a great a disservice by doing so. Now I’m letting Charles off the hook, because he 100% should have tried harder, and he eventually does admit that he should’ve. Charles took the easy way out of raising Mona because he didn’t want to deal with Phyllis.

I adored Mona’s character however I am Mona in reverse, my mom had the money while my dad and his wife struggled to raise their kids. He’s elderly and well beyond retirement age and still has to work with no real assets to speak of. Even though financially set my mom was and still is just as bitter as Phyllis. She didn’t even want my dad she was just mad he left her instead of her leaving him. They are both real pieces of work! 😂

Mona was just more independent than DD. She was the baby n starved for attention. Charles did cut DD off n Big DD was doing stuff for her n the apartment behind Charles back. Phyllis taught her to be poor. Big DD hated it. One thing he did let Mona live there rent free. DD got more because of Big DD. And Charles just never seemed to be around.

Mona reminds me of me soo much especially the show talking about her childhood and wearing glases lol

I might love you for this video. I’m 17 and used to watch black sitcoms as a kid all the time lol. (One on One, Living single , this show etc). I hated how they treated her at a young age but grew a little hatred for dee dee over the years realizing how spoiled she was and how bad Mona was treated 😭😭. I love your channel

Surprisingly, as a child in the early 2000s I never saw this show originally. Not sure how I missed it amongst other shows like moesha, the Parker’s, and one on one. I recently ended up finding and watching it on KZfaq and I loved Mona. I wish they spent more time developing her character arc where she was allowed to be a main character. Similar to real life, Mona’s character was always meant to be the smarter, wiser, but frequently unheard and misunderstood counterpart to her sister’s immature nonsense. But she was always a sidekick even in her own story lines. But I loved her, I related to her in some ways. I absolutely loved her style! She serves as an inspo for many of my current outfits! Idk how to describe it but very alternative-boho, and stylistically that’s what I lean into. Many an episode had been clipped and put on my mood board. Love your analysis!!

Thanks for making this video about Mona! I watched this show but it did always piss me off too how they always treated Mona like trash. Their dad was scum. And I didn't care for either Dee Dees either, flaunting their privilege in front of Mona and her mom all the time. Her mom needed to stop projecting onto Mona as well. I don't remember how the series ended but Mona def deserved better, and I hope at one point in the series she told everybody off, especially her father most of all!

I can identify more with Mona. When I was younger, everything I received from my father was second handed hand me downs.

If you really watched the show. He initially gave Deede preferential treatment, but ultimately Mona’s mother again called him out on several occasions. Charles then would ask if Mona needed or would like anything on several occasions and Mona often refused the same luxury items that made her jealous of her sister to claim she’s independent. Mona was bitter and honestly pathetic because she continually rejected being taken care of, and simply showing up for the other side of her family. Her mother was overbearing and raised her to be a certain way, and when things didn’t turn out how Mona wanted she typically would sulk and blame Deede while disregarding her own actions at play. IMO, it’s hard to root for a character who gets in her own way. Big Deede & her father loved her but Mona didn’t know how to set up boundaries with a bitter mother who admittedly lied to her on several occasions, and plotted so she wouldn’t have a relationship with them. I empathize with her character because I’ve seen how these things can play out first hand. But it’s quite exhausting for a family to continually reach out to someone raised to think their inferior yet simultaneously independent, who supposedly is indifferent yet throws things in someone’s face that are out of their control. Mona needed therapy, to heal her inner child and boundaries. Her own assistant ain’t even listen to her lol

Omg love this video Mona was the flavor of the show! Rachel is most definitely a gem 💎

Charles is the real villain of the show

Loved this show so much. I always loved how lil D could see the favoritism and tried to talk to Charles about it. But he would shoot her down. Charles and Phyllis to me always been the villains to me in this.

Mona got the short end of the stick on Half & Half

I can relate the older I get its loud asf and my kids be speaking up for me

Love mona ♥️

These things so happen in real life especially when men marry and start a new family. Even though ppl say half siblings dont exist and family is family...i get it but its not our reality in the real world unfortunately. Gucci mane and her with the children in past relationships is ridiculous .