Now that the new fall TV lineup is in full swing, I’m left feeling rather disappointed. Where are the brown faces on mainstream and even primetime cable networks? Of course our 4 brown-skinned Girlfriends are back, along with the Game and Everybody Hates Chris, but that’s only one network – The CW. Have the other networks completely forgotten that we too enjoy watching people who look like us portrayed on TV? I don’t know about you, but shows like, I Love New York 2 and all the shows on BET don’t exactly qualify.
Don’t get me wrong, I love reality television, but I long for the days of good scripted television shows of substance like NBC’s A Different World and Showtime’s Soul Food. Those were well-written and well-acted shows that many of us related to on a weekly basis. I loved both shows so much that I find myself watching all of the reruns as if I have never seen them. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched the episode of Whitley and Dwayne Wayne’s wedding. I can never get enough of seeing Dwayne walk down that aisle and profess his love to Whitley! Whenever I watch it, I’m immediately transported back to 1993 when I was 13-years old glued to my tube. Or that time on Soul Food when Bird kicked that oh-so-fine Lem out their house because she caught him lying about having a job? That stuff was definitely MUST SEE TV! I just hope that the next generation of BGs can reminisce about good TV and not be referring to Flavor of Love.
Luckily, both series are available on DVD. However, only the first season of A Different World and only the first 2 seasons of Soul Food are available.
Season 1: Available at www.amazon.com for: $14.99
Season 1: Available at www.amazon.com for: $31.49
Season 2: Available at www.amazon.com for: $32.99
I agree with you. From Good Times to Living Single there was some type of African-American tv series. Then when 2000 rolled around it seems like black tv series became obsolete.
So sad but oh so true. Reality tv has it’s place but when you want to sit and watch something you can real…something you can relate to, we’re out of luck. I don’t know what I’d do without Girlfriends!
Black series are definitely a dying breed. Even Grey’s Anatomy has lost it’s strong black male character. Good post. First time here…I’ll be back 🙂
Thanks for the link!