"Since The CW’s homogenization, black sitcoms have mostly been exiled to the cable ghettos. BET airs the shows for its largely African-American audience, and TBS has discovered rich ratings with Tyler Perry’s House of Payne. But what happens to the sitcoms when TBS runs out of gas with House of Payne and BET’s declining viewership results in network disintegration, especially considering the increase in cost-efficient reality programming? The prognosis is simple: The African-American sitcom is the latest host for network parasites and will not have long before it is pronounced dead."
Carmen Van Kerckhove is co-founder and president of
Minotaar wrote:
I dont understand why we cant simply have an african american reality TV show..
Posted 03 Oct 2009 at 6:31 pm ¶
Daniel wrote:
I quit watching sitcoms years ago; when I saw four different shows use the same plot in a single season.
I only watch science fiction, where you see black/white/asian and aliens treating each other like equals.
And as far as Montaar’s comment “reality tv” is an oxymoron. It would be more accurate to categorize many of those shows as game shows.
Posted 04 Oct 2009 at 2:03 pm ¶
Fiqah wrote:
*rude snort*
The Black American sitcom’s been brutally murdered, and the bloody gloves are in Tyler Perry’s platinum-interiored 10-car garage. Yeah, I said it.
Posted 04 Oct 2009 at 3:17 pm ¶
Scribe wrote:
This is what annoys me about this year’s prime time. It has gotten homogenized more than ever. Same mediocre actors and lame plots recycled. No wonder why people are switching off and turning to cable and independent.
You have to give it to Tyler Perry. He has kept many black actors and actresses working. You can’t knock the brother for that.
Posted 04 Oct 2009 at 6:53 pm ¶
Meg wrote:
If the success of 2 & a half men is anything to go by sitcoms in general are dead.
Posted 04 Oct 2009 at 8:54 pm ¶
Queen B wrote:
I’m not surprised that there are no black sitcoms on the air. Hollywood I think has given up on this particular genre and instead has chosen to recyle the same tired formulas.
How many legal shows do we have? How many medical shows continue to get made? How many shows are out there about rich, good looking people who happen to be white? I could go on and on.
When the CW is recycling Melrose Place and 90210, you know there is a problem.
Posted 05 Oct 2009 at 10:47 am ¶
allheavens wrote:
The Black American sitcom’s been brutally murdered, and the bloody gloves are in Tyler Perry’s platinum-interiored 10-car garage. Yeah, I said it.
@Fiqah
Co-sign on that.
You have to give it to Tyler Perry. He has kept many black actors and actresses working. You can’t knock the brother for that.
@Scribe
This maybe true but at what cost? As long as he is employing Black actors and production people he gets to continue to produce minstrel shows for the masses? We must do better Black people.
Posted 05 Oct 2009 at 10:51 am ¶
Niki wrote:
My favorite current show with a majority black cast that is not a sitcom and features an attractive, middle-class family (a police officer and a nurse and their three teenaged children) is “Lincoln Heights” that airs on ABC family. I love the relationship between the parents and how the kids are written. Also the eldest daughter on the show is involved in a long-term interracial relationship where the difference in their races is not a focal point of their involvement. Teens & parents can watch this show together because there is something for everyone on it.
Posted 06 Oct 2009 at 10:13 am ¶