| Year |
Title |
Role |
Notes |
| 1978 |
Baa Baa Black Sheep |
Elizabeth |
Episode: "A Little Bit of England" |
| A.E.S. Hudson Street |
Nurse |
Episode: "Shut Down" |
| Husbands, Wives & Lovers |
Joelle |
Episode: "Murray Gets Sacked and Paula Gets Hired" |
| Good Times |
Vanessa Blake |
Episode: "J.J and the Plumber's Helper" |
| The Krofft Comedy Hour |
Various Characters |
Television film[14] |
| 1979 |
Wonder Woman |
Bobbie |
Episode: "The Starships Are Coming" |
| The Jeffersons |
Jeanie |
Episode: "Louise's Convention" |
| 1982 |
The Neighborhood |
Doris Campbell |
Television film[15] |
| 1983 |
The Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon |
Herself |
Episode: "1983" |
| Search for Tomorrow |
Laura McCarthy |
Regular cast |
| 1984 |
V: The Series |
Glenna |
Episode: "The Overload" |
| 1985 |
Code Name: Foxfire |
Maggie Bryan |
Main cast[15] |
| 1986 |
Hunter |
Josie Clifford |
Episode: "The Return of Typhoon Thompson" |
| Pros and Cons |
Roberta |
Television film |
| 1986–89 |
It's a Living |
Ginger St. James |
Main cast (season 4-6)[15] |
| 1987 |
Wordplay |
Herself/Celebrity Panelist |
Recurring guest |
| L.A. Law |
Renee Quintana |
Episode: "Beef Jerky"[5] |
| Amazing Stories |
Show Singer |
Episode: "Gershwin's Trunk" |
| Sister Margaret and the Saturday Night Ladies |
Corelle |
Television film[16] |
| 1988 |
Family Feud |
Herself/Celebrity Contestant |
Episode: "All Star Special: Funny Women vs. Funny Men Game 1-3"[17] |
| 1990 |
Falcon Crest |
Mooshy Tucker |
Recurring cast (season 9) |
| New Attitude |
Vicki St. James |
Main cast[1] |
| 1991 |
The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw |
Miss Rosalee |
Television film |
| 1992 |
An Evening at the Improv |
Herself/Host |
Episode: "Episode #9.6" |
| 1992–93 |
Designing Women |
Etienne Toussaint Bouvier |
Recurring cast (season 7) |
| 1993 |
No Child of Mine |
Marjorie Duncan |
Television film[18] |
| 1993–94 |
George |
Maggie Foster |
Main cast[15] |
| 1994 |
Witch Hunt |
Hypolita Laveau Kropotkin |
Television film[15] |
| 1994–96 |
Soul Train |
Herself/Guest Host |
2 episodes |
| 1995 |
Street Gear |
Sarah Davis |
Main cast |
| 1996–2001 |
Moesha |
Deidra "Dee" Mitchell (née Moss) |
Main cast (season 1-5), recurring cast (season 6) |
| 1997 |
Wild On! |
Herself |
Episode: "Wild on Jamaica" |
| 1997–2000 |
Recess |
Mrs. LaSalle (voice) |
Guest cast (season 1 & 4) |
| 1998 |
The Wild Thornberrys |
Lioness #2 (voice) |
Episode: "Flood Warning"[2] |
| 1999 |
The Directors |
Herself |
Episode: "The Films of Norman Jewison" |
| Sabrina, the Teenage Witch |
Zsa Zsa Goowhiggie |
Episode: "What Price Harvey?" |
| The Parkers |
Dee Mitchell |
Episode: "Daddy's Girl" |
| 1999–2001 |
Hollywood Squares |
Herself/Panelist |
Recurring guest |
| 2000–01 |
The District |
Lt. Dee Banks |
Recurring cast (season 1) |
| 2001 |
The Test |
Herself/Panelist |
Episode: "The Stripper Test" |
| The Jennie Project |
Dr. Pamela Prentiss |
Television film[15] |
| 2002 |
Justice League |
Cheetah/Barbara Ann Minerva (voice) |
Episode: "Injustice for All"[2] |
| The Proud Family |
Diana Parker (voice) |
Guest cast (season 1-2) |
| 2002–03 |
Static Shock |
Trina Jessup (voice) |
Recurring cast (season 2)[2] |
| 2003 |
Whoopi |
Florence |
Episode: "She Ain't Heavy, She's My Partner" |
| Las Vegas |
Janet Ellis |
Episode: "Luck Be a Lady" |
| 2004 |
Justice League Unlimited |
Cheetah/Barbara Ann Minerva (voice) |
Episode: "Kids' Stuff"[2] |
| 2005 |
Barbershop |
Claire |
Recurring cast |
| 2006 |
Real Life Divas |
Herself |
Episode: "Sheryl Lee Ralph" |
| 7th Heaven |
Nurse Yvonne Rockwell |
Episode: "And Baby Makes Three" |
| ER |
Gloria Gallant |
Recurring cast (season 12) |
| 2007 |
Exes and Ohs |
Reverend Ruby |
Episode: "There Must Be Rules..." |
| 2008 |
Baisden After Dark |
Herself |
Episode: "Has Black Comedy Become a Hot Ghetto Mess?" |
| My Super Sweet 16 |
Herself |
Episode: "Etienne" |
| Hannah Montana |
Clarice Johnson |
Episode: "We're All on This Date Together" |
| 2009 |
Beverly Hills Groomer |
Herself |
Episode: "Grooming Up" |
| 2010 |
E! True Hollywood Story |
Herself |
Episode: "Usher" |
| Inside |
Herself/Narrator |
Episode: "Polygamy: Life in Bountiful" |
| Running Russell Simmons |
Herself |
Episode: "You Only Live Once" |
| Zevo-3 |
Grams (voice) |
Episode: "Control" |
| 2011, 2019 |
Young Justice |
Amanda Waller (voice) |
2 episodes[2] |
| 2011 |
Tyler Perry's House of Payne |
Felicia |
Episode: "The Rich and Payneless" |
| 2012 |
Celebrity Wife Swap |
Herself |
Episode: "Niecy Nash/Tina Yothers" |
| 2013 |
Life After |
Herself |
Episode: "Sheryl Lee Ralph: Life After Dreamgirls" |
| Smash |
Cynthia Moore |
Episode: "The Song" |
| JD Lawrence's Community Service |
Carolyn |
Main cast |
| 2013–15 |
Instant Mom |
Maggie Turner |
Main cast |
| 2013–20 |
Ray Donovan |
Claudette Boone |
Recurring cast (season 1-2 & 7) |
| 2014 |
RuPaul's Drag Race |
Herself/Guest Judge |
Episode: "Shade: The Rusical" |
| Oprah: Where Are They Now? |
Herself |
Episode: "Darva Conger, Brigitte Nielsen & Original Dreamgirl Sheryl Lee Ralph" |
| 2 Broke Girls |
Genét Bromberg |
Episode: "And the Not Broke Parents" |
| One Love |
Carolyn Winters |
Main cast[19] |
| See Dad Run |
Vanessa Ralph |
Guest cast (season 2-3) |
| Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn |
Ms. Edin Dumont |
Episode: "The Sad Tail of Gary-Chip-Tiny-Elvis-Squishy-Paws" |
| 2015 |
Unsung |
Herself |
Episode: "Jennifer Holliday" |
| 2016 |
Being |
Herself |
Episode: "Sheryl Lee Ralph" |
| Unsung Hollywood |
Herself |
Episode: "Sheryl Lee Ralph" |
| Criminal Minds |
Hayden Montgomery |
Recurring cast (season 11) |
| 2017 |
Brunch with Tiffany |
Herself |
Episode: "Episode Two: Sheryl Lee Ralph" |
| One Mississippi |
Felicia Hollingsworth |
Recurring cast (season 2) |
| Christmas at Holly Lodge |
Nadine |
Television film |
| 2017–19 |
MacGyver |
Mama Emma Colton |
Guest cast (season 1-3) |
| 2018 |
We Are Washington |
Herself |
Episode: "The Wedding Experience & Groom and Grub" |
| The Quad |
Ula Pettiway |
Recurring cast (season 2) |
| Claws |
Matilde Ruval |
Recurring cast (season 2) |
| No Sleep 'Til Christmas |
Mrs. Wright |
Television film |
| 2019 |
Diva Defined |
Herself/Host |
Main host |
| Fam |
Rose |
Main cast |
| A Black Lady Sketch Show |
Asia's Mother |
Episode: "3rd & Bonaparte Is Always in the Shade"[20] |
| Christmas Hotel |
Marnie |
Television film |
| 2020 |
Fashionably Yours |
Janet |
Television film |
| Christmas Comes Twice |
Miss Nelson |
Television film |
| 2020–22 |
Motherland: Fort Salem |
President Kelly Wade |
Recurring cast |
| 2021 |
History of the Sitcom |
Herself |
Recurring guest |
| Christmas in My Heart |
Ruthie Sampson |
Television film[21] |
| 2021–present |
Abbott Elementary |
Barbara Howard |
Main cast |
| 2022 |
Soul of a Nation |
Herself |
Episode: "X / o n e r a t e d – The Murder of Malcolm X and 55 Years to Justice" |
| Celebrity Family Feud |
Herself/Contestant |
Episode: "Abbott Elementary vs. Hacks and Kal Penn vs. Erika Christensen" |
| How We Roll |
Loretta |
Episode: "The Big Secret" |
| 2023 |
Celebrity Wheel of Fortune |
Herself/Contestant |
Episode: "Janelle James, Sheryl Lee Ralph and Chris Perfetti" |
| Praise Petey |
Boss (voice) |
Episode: "Taxi to the South!" |
| Young Love |
Additional voices |
2 episodes |
| Bob's Burgers |
Esmeralda (voice) |
Episode: "The Amazing Rudy" |
| 2025 |
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia |
Barbara Howard |
Crossover episode: "The Gang F****s Up Abbott Elementary"[22] |
| Big City Greens |
Suzette Blair (voice) |
Episode: "Short Wait" |
| Weather Hunters |
Ms. Joyce (voice) |
Main cast |