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Lifetime is bringing Eric Jerome Dickey’s beloved novel Friends and Lovers to the screen in a two-part event premiering this November. As part of its “Love of a Lifetime” programming slate, the adaptation will air on November 15 and 16, promising a blend of love, heartbreak, and healing wrapped in a contemporary romantic drama.
A tribute to Eric Jerome Dickey’s legacy
Before anything else, this feels like a tribute. Eric Jerome Dickey, who passed away in 2021, was a literary voice that resonated deeply with countless readers. His novels were more than page-turners; they captured the messy, intensely human ways we fall in love, hurt each other, and try to put the pieces back together.
Bringing Friends and Lovers to the screen isn’t just a well-timed programming decision—it’s a way to keep his storytelling alive. Lifetime has wisely anchored this adaptation at the heart of its November lineup, alongside three other titles celebrating Black love in all its forms.
What the movie is about
Friends and Lovers follows four people whose paths cross in Los Angeles: Debra (played by Naturi Naughton), a driven doctor who keeps a tight grip on her life; Shelby (Simone Missick), her best friend who couldn’t be more different—free-spirited, impulsive, and open to risk; Leonard (Kendrick Sampson), a rising stand-up comic juggling ambition with emotional baggage; and Tyrese (RonReaco Lee), Leonard’s loyal friend, always the steady one in the group. To read Charlize Theron and Taron Egerton face off in 2026’s Apex trailer
As romance starts to grow between them, secrets and old wounds rise to the surface. Then tragedy strikes—one that forces them to reevaluate how they love, who they rely on, and what family can become when blood ties fail.
I love a romantic drama that isn’t afraid to show the cracks. From the first details, this sounds like one of those stories where every character is both right and deeply flawed, which only makes it more relatable.
A closer look at the cast
Lifetime has called in a strong lineup of talent for this one:
- Naturi Naughton (Power): As Debra, she brings both edge and emotional complexity
- Simone Missick (All Rise): Her warmth always reads genuine on screen—an ideal Shelby
- Kendrick Sampson (Insecure): A natural fit for characters with charm and vulnerability
- RonReaco Lee (Sister, Sister, Survivor’s Remorse): Understated, grounded, and always watchable
It’s the kind of ensemble that can carry emotional material without making it feel forced or soap-operatic. I’m especially curious to see how the chemistry works out—because in a story like this, it isn’t the plot twists that carry the weight, it’s what happens in the silences between characters who don’t know how to say what they really feel.
Creative team and production
Behind the camera, director D’Angela Proctor leads the project and also serves as an executive producer. The adaptation was written by Aireka Muse, with support from producers Michael Buttiglieri and Chet Fenster of Motion Entertainment and Undaunted, part of WPP Media. To read Ranking Shyamalan’s Hits: Which Film Defines His Legacy?
This is clearly being handled with care. Lifetime isn’t just churning out content here—it’s partnering with filmmakers who understand the emotional rhythm of stories like these.
Part of a bigger slate celebrating love
“Eric Jerome Dickey’s Friends and Lovers” is just one of several titles featured in Lifetime’s “Love of a Lifetime” programming block. Also premiering in November:
- Terry McMillan Presents: His, Hers, and Ours (Nov. 1) with Taye Diggs and Lesley-Ann Brandt
- Terry McMillan Presents: Preach, Pray, Love (Nov. 8) starring Karrueche Tran and Mark JP Hood
- Toni Braxton’s He Wasn’t Man Enough (Nov. 22) featuring Toni Braxton, Essence Atkins, and Yvette Nicole Brown
If Lifetime continues on this path—partnering with iconic authors and centering Black love stories in all their nuance and richness—they might just become the place to go in November when the cold sets in and all you want is a story that makes you feel something.
There’s a warm, familiar feel to this lineup. Like flipping through books on a Sunday afternoon, when you’re not looking for escapism—but connection.
