Although The Neighborhood season 8 will be the CBS sitcom’s final outing, the real-life inspiration for the show’s Marty and Courtney relationship means the pair might be able to expect a happy ending in the near future. The Neighborhood debuted in 2018 to mixed reviews but went on to become a ratings hit throughout its seven seasons.
The Neighborhood follows two different families, the Butlers and the Johnsons, sharing the same titular neighborhood. Max Greenfield’s absurdly chirpy Dave Johnson is a new arrival from the Midwest, while Cedric the Entertainer’s cranky Calvin Butler is an older father. The duo gradually grow to love each other, but they are not the only stars of the series.
As The Neighborhood’s season 7 ending proves, Marcel Spears’ Marty and Sheaun McKinney’s Malcolm have gone on to become some of the show’s most important characters in recent years. A former minor league baseball player, Malcolm became a successful author in season 7 and bought a fixer-upper on Venice Beach with his book advance.
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Custom image by Milica Djordjevic
Meanwhile, Marcel had a one-night stand with his co-worker Courtney in season 6, resulting in the birth of their baby a season later. Adorably, Spears told TVLine that Marty and Courtney’s relationship was based in part on his real-life relationship with Sarah Francis Jones, who went into labor with the couple’s first child at a Beyoncé concert.
This wild viral moment might be where most people first heard of the couple, but Spears says his relationship with Jones informed Marty’s character arc before and since. As such, the couple’s “Will they, won’t they” dynamic may end in a stable happy ending with the arrival of The Neighborhood season 8 later in 2025.
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As Spears noted to TVLine, Marty “Comes from a traditional family, and Marty’s plan was to have the traditional family — first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes baby… [Courtney] isn’t ready to jump into a marriage if there isn’t love there, and they haven’t explored that… so, he and Courtney make a pact to be really great parents and figure out the rest as they go.”
This quote highlights the main conflict between the couple, as Marty assumed Courtney’s pregnancy would mean she wanted to marry him and start a family together. On the contrary, the independent Courtney remained close friends and co-parents with Marty throughout seasons 6 and 7.
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However, readers might note that Spears and Jones are happily together, unlike Courtney and Marty as of season 7’s ending. As such, it seems reasonable to suggest that The Neighborhood season 8’s story may finally resolve the couple’s dating woes. As recently as the opening scene of season 7, episode 22, “Welcome to Venice,” Courtney rebuffed Marty’s romantic overtures.
Even though Courtney seemed uninterested in a romance with Marty, the possibility of losing him clearly stung her.
However, she changed her tune later in the episode after Marty helped out Malcolm’s new neighbor, Hunter King’s Bellamy. The glamorous young woman began openly flirting with Marty, prompting Courtney to suddenly plant a territorial kiss on her potential love interest. Even though Courtney seemed uninterested in a romance with Marty, the possibility of losing him clearly stung her.
Actor
The Neighborhood Role
Cedric the Entertainer
Calvin Butler
Max Greenfield
Dave Johnson
Tichina Arnold
Tina Butler
Beth Behrs
Gemma Johnson
Hank Greenspan
Grover Johnson
Marcel Spears
Marty Butler
Sheaun McKinney
Malcolm Butler
Skye Townsend
Courtney
Courtney got territorial when Malcolm’s new neighbor flirted with Marty, meaning season 8 will likely force her to either return his affection or let him go. The Neighborhood season 8’s Courtney and Marty story could go in many different directions, but the fact that Spears and Jones’s happy real-life relationship provided the inspiration for the plot could be telling.
Although Bellamy will likely continue to play a supporting role in season 8, she was only briefly introduced in “Welcome to Venice.” In contrast, Courtney has been around since season 6, and she already has a child with Marty. Of the two love interests, it is obvious which one makes more sense for the show to prioritize.
While The Neighborhood’s Crutch spinoff will likely be more broadly comedic and absurd, Marty and Courtney’s storyline should have some stakes in the final outings.
That said, things should not be smooth sailing for the couple. Jones and Spears might have a stable relationship, but conflict is at the core of both drama and comedy, and The Neighborhood season 8’s story needs both. While The Neighborhood’s Crutch spinoff will likely be more broadly comedic and absurd, Marty and Courtney’s storyline should have some stakes in the final outings.
Marty and Courtney should pair off permanently before the CBS sitcom ends, even if it takes until The Neighborhood’s season 8 finale. It makes sense that the series was toying with their fate for two seasons, since every sitcom needs at least one unpredictable couple at its core. Long Monica and Chandler paired off, Ross and Rachel remained contentious.
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The Neighborhood Ending With Season 8 Makes Marty and Courtney’s Romance Simpler
Although Marshall and Lily were always a steady couple, Robin and Ted’s convoluted love story lasted from the pilot until the finale of How I Met Your Mother. The need for an injection of romantic strife is particularly obvious in The Neighborhood, since Dave and Gemma’s marriage is unassailably solid, as is Calvin and Tina’s decades-long union.
However, while The Neighborhood season 7 stretching out this plot just provided the show with the requisite tension that every sitcom needs, ending with season 8 naturally this gives the romance a built-in conclusion. The only thing that good storytelling needs more than conflict is resolution, and Spears and Jones provide a perfect road map for the show’s couple.
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Marty and Courtney’s happy ending should arrive near the end of The Neighborhood season 8 after Malcolm is settled in his new Venice Beach home and the Butler and Johnson families have gotten used to Marty and Malcolm’s absence. If season 8’s early episodes focus on Courtney and Marty, the show will have no tension in later outings.
The Neighborhood is available to stream on Paramount+
In contrast, if Malcolm and the two sets of parents are the main focus of season 8’s opening episodes, viewers will be left to wonder what Courtney’s dramatic kiss in the season 7 finale meant. Was she just momentarily jealous, or did she realize she really loved Marty when she feared she might lose his interest? These will be pivotal questions.
The opening half of The Neighborhood’s final season can focus on lighthearted comedic storylines like Malcolm fixing up his house, since there will still be a background tension provided by Marty’s unfinished storyline. Then, the latter half can spotlight Courtney. Since Marty is one of the show’s heroes, her perspective has been comparatively overlooked.
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Courtney’s decision to either be with Marty wholeheartedly or let him go can form the focus of The Neighborhood season 8’s ending, thus paying off this multi-year storyline. If Spears and Jones’ romance is anything to go by, The Neighborhood’s central couple have a bright, happy future to look forward to.
Source: TVLine
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