Tisha Campbell. Nicole Weingart/NBC
Few people understand the importance and impact of a good sitcom like Tisha Campbell.
After all, the actress, 55, became instantly iconic on Martin — where she starred as Gina for five seasons from 1992 to 1997 — and later appeared on shows like ABC’s My Wife and Kids and BET’s Real Husbands of Hollywood.
So, it should come as no surprise that Campbell was a natural fit to play George Lopez’s therapist, Dr. Glenda Brenda, on the Tuesday, April 30, season 2 finale of NBC’s Lopez vs. Lopez.
“I loved being on that show,” Campbell exclusively told Us Weekly about the experience. “I loved working with George. I hadn’t had a chance to work with George in years.”
Campbell noted that Lopez, 63, guest-starred on Real Husbands back in the day, but they didn’t appear on screen together. This time around, she called sharing a story line with the comedian “a dream.”
“He’s so quick on his feet,” she said of Lopez. “You have to be quick with him. The ad libs will come, and you have to be ready. He’s just so phenomenal.”
In looking at the larger television landscape, Campbell expressed her gratitude that sitcoms like Lopez vs. Lopez, which were once much more of a broadcast staple, are still around.
“It’s comfortable,” she said. “The whole family can watch it. Who doesn’t want to laugh after having whatever day you’ve had?”
Campbell made it clear that she’s not above a little guilty pleasure viewing herself — but touted her optimism about the future of the genre where she first cut her teeth.
“I love a good reality show, too,” she insisted. “I’m not anti–reality show. But sometimes it can leave you feeling like, ‘I didn’t want to see these people’s business.’ Whereas watching a sitcom, you’re just laughing and it’s a good feeling. I’m glad the genre is coming back.”
Of course, if anybody knows about the ups and downs of the television industry, it’s Campbell.
“I’ve watched this business change a lot of times,” she explained. “I think I’ve been through five strikes. Every time it changes. You just have to recreate and recreate. People have a need for the things that we look at as nostalgic. There’s still a need of feeling good.”
The season finale of Lopez vs. Lopez airs on NBC Tuesday, April 30, at 8 p.m. ET.