A Review Of The Pilot Episode of Blackish on ABC Words By Raymond Tyler

Let me say that because of the lack of depth in the current offering of programs that feature people of color I wanted to love and embrace ABC's new comedy Blackish.

First I want to like anything on TV that does not show grown black women acting like mean girls waiting to go to prom and throwing liquor on people.

Second, I believe ABC wants people to love Blackish too. Evidence in the fact that it premiered opposite their (ABC's) number one show Modern Family.

Although catch the follow article where I chronicle ABC's past sins with great black shows they had in the past.

When it comes to the new show Blackish I give the first episode a B minus.

Here's what I thought of Blackish.

• The opening was better than expected. As a person that has been the first black and only black at places like The America Red Cross and Atlantic City Weekly, you always feel like you are under a microscope. And those are the good times. I definitely identified with the scene where Anthony Anderson imagines a safari tour coming down his street and saying his family was "mythological".

 

• I recognized the different family members. I knew the wife that seems to be concerned with the money rather than the well being of her husband. I recognized the teen ager wanting to play hockey to fit in at school.
• I loved that the wife was not more concerned with the money and the teenager had a master plan behind playing hockey.

Here's what I didn't love.

• Blackish could have  stronger writing.
• After watching The Middle and The Goldbergs and Modern Family I was about "family-ed" out. That being said, giving the individuals on Blackish some serious character development can really make the show sharp. 5 years ago I would have said they have too many characters on the show but that doesn't seem to hurt The Big Bang Theory on CBS which seems to increase its cast each year. The large cast works on ABC's The Middle (a show I love) and CBS's Big Bang because the characters have defined personality that makes them appealing.
  Right now... Anthony Anderson and Tracey Ellis Ross's characters are written and directed as parents with as much flavor as June and Ward. At times the looked like they were almost reading lines. Now Laurence Fishbourn as the grand dad does bring a lot of personality to his role.
• If Blackish is going to survive among the 3 very strong comedies that ABC has on Wednesday...the show will have to forge its way out of the shadows of those comedies and find a way to shine on its own. I have faith the people involved can do it.

As actors I love Anthony Anderson and Tracey Ellis Ross and I pray that Blackish not only works for them, but will bring some other great black actors to the small screen in guest roles. I also hope that CBS and NBC will join in and green light some shows with Black, latino and Asian casts. There are a lot of stories to tell and deeper realities to show.

WATCH BLACKISH WITH THE FAMILY.

Years ago when I was a kid we watched Good Times and then talked about what we just saw.
Infact with many episodes of Good Times we never stopped talking about those shows.
I hope and pray that Blackish has that kind of impact on people moving forward.

Raymond Tyler is a poet, freelance writer and motivational speaker.
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