The Men of 'The Game' Raise the Stakes in Season Five

Pooch Hall, Hosea Chanchez and Coby Bell dish on the new season and working with Brandy

After last year’s premiere where a record 7.7 million people tuned in, the largest ever for a cable TV sitcom season debut, The Game returns for it's fifth season tonight at 10 p.m. ET/PT on BET. The drama-filled series centers on the stars of a fictional football team, the San Diego Sabers, but the field is only the backdrop. The real focus of The Game revolves around the personal relationships between the players and the women in their lives. The cover-your-mouth drama continues this season with 22 episodes as Melanie Barnett-Davis copes with her husband Derwin discovering an alleged abortion while Malik Wright discovers his intoxicated ex-girlfriend Jenna at his front door.

There's also a new yet recognizable face on this season's cast, R&B singer Brandy Norwood, who plays sassy bartender Chardonnay. She has her eye on newly single Jason Pitts, who divorced his wife Kelly in Season Three. Other familiar faces you might see around San Diego include Dallas Mavericks' Shawn Marion, Grammy Award winner Estelle, former Victoria Secret model Selita Ebanks, and Real Housewives of Atlanta's Nene Leakes.

Loop 21 caught up with the male stars of The Game – Hosea Chanchez (Malik Wright), Pooch Hall (Derwin Davis) and Coby Bell (Jason Pitts) – in New York where they dish on Season Five, how they feel working with Brandy, and who they think will take the Super Bowl this year.

Loop 21: Hosea, last season was a nightmare for Malik. He slept with the team owner's wife and avoided serving time for a DUI and assaulting a police officer by checking into rehab. What happens this season?

Hosea Chanchez:  He’s having a continued downward spiral from last season, but look for a turnaround. He has his ups and downs. My goal is to make sure it is authentic to the NFL; the good and the bad. I also strive to please the fans even if sometimes it doesn’t make sense.

Loop 21: Pooch, last season Derwin became the Sabers’ superstar.  What is the status of your marriage to Melanie this season? 

Pooch Hall: Melanie and Derwin go through all the marital trials and tribulations. It’s a work in progress. I’m a pro athlete and I get caught up in the fame and the hype. I am the Kobe Bryant of the NFL. I am focused on my career. My wife can’t deal with that and that causes problems with the relationship. But I know that behind every great man is a great woman and she helped me get where I am to become the franchise player for the team.

Coby Bell: Notice how Pooch stays in character even in an interview. As he talks, he’s Derwin.

Hall: I’m focused!