Description: Nell Kirkland, the opinionated matriarch of a blue collar African American family living in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Nell's husband Michael worked as a school bus driver while Nell gave piano lessons at the family home for extra money. Nell and Michael had four children: eldest son Raymond, boy-crazy daughter Lorette, 12-year-old Peter, and 10-year-old Nate. In addition to the kids, Nell and Michael also had to contend with Nell's equally opinionated mother Helen, who lived in the basement.