GAME ON, BITCHES! NOW WHAT?

12Jan11

Last night, BET debuted its season premiere of sitcom The Game, after it was being cancelled by the CW network and put into a hiatus for more than a year and a half.

The reemergence of new episodes on a different network showed the power of social media and the show’s huge fan base. Fans weren’t happy when they found out the show was cancelled, especially when The Game was the only predominately Black sitcom on the CW (once Girlfriends went off the air). It catered to an audience that seemed to be neglected and, were stereotyped on other sitcoms (I’ll get into this later) or didn’t have major roles.

Quick Background

The Game first premiered in 2006 as a spinoff of the long-running CW sitcom, Girlfriends. With the growing success of Girlfriends, the series’ creator, Mara Brock Akil, and producers decided to capitalize on their success and create a second series that would serve as a spinoff. And, The Game was born!

Let’s move on.

There was a ton of hype leading up to the new episodes.

• Reruns – to get viewers caught up, of course… or reacquainted with the characters.
• 15-second and 30-second commercial sports reminding viewers not to forget these numbers: 1/11/11. As it got closer to that date, the more commercials we saw. The spots varied in diversity. Some were traditional, straight-to-the point: “The Game. 1/11/11. Will you be watching? *cue theme music*” Others were more personal and allowed viewers to get to know the characters for who they were: real people. A few shared moments where they met fans/reactions and others talked about their favorite episodes. It allowed you to get excited about the show and see the actors and actresses in another light.
• Radio and television interviews with the main cast – always a plus, and although some of the questions may overlap, it lets them reach out to different audiences they may have not penetrated through other channels.

The Debut

Admittedly, I was looking forward to The Game’s return. In my recent knowledge, I couldn’t remember anything like this happening, so I was very happy. Not just because I was ready to be entertained, but I was excited for the cast, as well as the creator, producers, writers and everyone that had anything to do with its production. But… I didn’t want to get my hopes up. I won’t call out other failed shows, sitcoms or award shows, but BET has a history of messing up a good thing or a potentially good thing.

I was disappointed in the change in characters’ behavior and attitudes.

• Melanie and Derwin didn’t appear to be as happy as I expected, nor did they show as much of their married life as I would have liked. What happened with their relationship? Obviously, since a lot of drama will be unfolding between them with the stunt Melanie pulled, their connection should have been a little more solid.
• Granted, Malik has always been full of himself and self-righteous jerk, but it seemed to be at an all-time high. Wasn’t feeling it.
• Why did Brit-Brat go from being 8 years old (only two years) to 16, now? Yet, Derwin’s son, DJ didn’t mature that fast? If that’s the case, everyone should be on the same age plan and DJ should be at least 6 years old, no?
• Why was Tasha Mack smoking a black? How embarrassing! Remember those stereotypes I referenced earlier? Yeah, that.
• What happened to the laugh tracks? I only laughed a few times, and I counted them on one hand. I could always count on Tee-Tee and Tasha for a good chuckle but Tee-Tee must’ve lost his funny bone during the hiatus.
• I’m not sure how I feel about Kelly’s bitterness. She was a little over-the-top and she stepped on other people’s toes in an attempt to fulfill her celebrity. Then again, that’s real-life.

So much happened within that hour, especially with it being the first episode. Aside from the script, some of the shots and transitions were awkward. I’m hoping the show improves its faults based on the feedback it receives from critics and fans. This could be a huge turn around for BET. But please, step away from the negative archetypes.

So… what did you think?

Advertisement

Filed under: entertainment PR, television   |  1 Comment
Tags: BET, Black sitcoms, CW, Girlfriends, The Game