Melanie Barnett

Melanie Barnett
The Game character
Tia Mowry as Melanie Barnett
First appearance	"The Game" (April 17, 2006)
Last appearance	"Pow Pow Pow!" (August 5, 2015)
Created by	Mara Brock Akil
Portrayed by	Tia Mowry
Information
Full name	Melanie Barnett-Davis
Nickname(s)	Mel, Med School, Girl Melanie
Gender	Female
Occupation	Student
Family	James Barnett (father) Grace Barnett (mother) Cameron Barnett (brother) Joan Clayton (cousin)
Spouse(s)	Derwin Davis
Significant other(s)	Jerome Rice (ex-boyfriend)
Children	Derwin Davis Jr (step-son, with Derwin) twin son and daughter (with Derwin)
Nationality	American

Melanie Barnett-Davis is a fictional character, portrayed by actress Tia Mowry, who appears in the American sitcom The Game, which aired on The CW Television Network and BET from 2006 to 2015. Introduced in a backdoor pilot on the sitcom Girlfriends as the cousin of Joan Clayton (Tracee Ellis Ross), Melanie chooses to support her boyfriend Derwin Davis' (Pooch Hall) career with the fictional National Football League (NFL) team, the San Diego Sabres, rather than attend the medical school at Johns Hopkins University. The series focuses primarily on Melanie and Derwin's complicated relationship, with her fears of his infidelity serving as the core of many of the episodes' storylines. Mowry left the series in 2012 on learning that her role would be reduced as a result of co-star Pooch Hall's decision to leave The Game to appear in the crime drama series Ray Donovan. Both actors reprised their roles in the series' finale, in which Melanie gives birth to twins.

Melanie was created by producer Mara Brock Akil. While casting the character, Brock Akil initially questioned whether Mowry would be the best choice given her wholesome image from starring as Tia Landry on the sitcom Sister, Sister. Despite her reservations, Brock Akil hired Mowry based on her strong work ethic and desire to be part of the series. Mowry considered the character to be her first adult role and felt it emphasized her individuality and maturity. She identified closely with the part, observing parallels between Melanie's relationship with Derwin and her own marriage to actor Cory Hardrict. She cited The Game as an example of women receiving more lead roles on television.