JOAN TRIES TO CONVINCE HER COUSIN MELANIE THAT SHE IS MAKING A BIG MISTAKE FOLLOWING HER FOOTBALL-PLAYER BOYFRIEND TO SAN DIEGO INSTEAD OF HEADING TO A MORE PRESTIGIOUS MEDICAL SCHOOL, ON A REBROADCAST OF "GIRLFRIENDS," WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30 ON UPN

This Episode Serves As The Pilot For The Girlfriends Spin-Off, "The Game," Which Will Air This Fall On The CW

"The Game" -- When Joan tries to convince her cousin Melanie to attend a top medical school instead of following her boyfriend, professional football-player Derwin, to San Diego, her advice falls on deaf ears, but Melanie finds it difficult to adjust to being the "girlfriend" of a football player and everything that is expected of her, on a rebroadcast of GIRLFRIENDS, Wednesday, August 30 (9:00-9:30 PM, ET/PT) on UPN. Salim Akil directed the episode from a script by series creator and executive producer Mara Brock Akil. (Originally broadcast 4/17/06)

Meanwhile, Kelly, wife of San Diego Sabers' receiver Jason, tries to persuade Melanie to become involved in the football team's charity organization. Later, Tasha, the mother and manager of the star quarterback Malik, gets Kelly to confess how her husband's frugal behavior is making her life miserable.

Joan Clayton: Tracee Ellis Ross
Maya Wilkes: Golden Brooks
Lynn Searcy: Persia White
Toni Childs Garrett: Jill Marie Jones
William Dent: Reggie Hayes
Melanie Barnett: Tia Mowry
Derwin Davis: Aldis Hodge
Tasha Mack: Wendy Raquel Robinson
Malik Wright: Hosea
Kelly Pitts: Jennifer Baxter
Jason Pitts: Coby Bell
Brittany Pitts: Erica Gluck
Dionne: Shanti Lowry
Bob: Steve Berg

RATING: TVPG-L