Single Ladies, is usually a summer show, but due to whatever delays it's posed to make it's return this coming January. Season one featured two of the ladies above, and Stacey Dash, who was either let go, or left the show due to creative and personal differences supposedly with LisaRaye. Which is cool with me, considering Stacey Dash (the woman who didn't age for 30 years) has really made me question her legendary awesomeness in these recent times. With the hard-won series ''The Game'' falling off (last time I checked) and ''Being Mary Jane'' still on the horizon, let me tell you why this show is so good, IMO.
1. It's imperfect
Single Ladies, is campy, overly dramatic, the lighting is dubious and the wigs are bad. So what? It has heart.
I'm a stickler for quality, so I wouldn't typically be so lax in my critique. I don't mind a figurative typo here and there (this blog should be proof of that, can't catch them all). Everything can't be a big-budget masterpiece. But I'm not big on fundamental flaws, so I can be a little hard on things I watch. In this prime-time soap, the characters are like-able, interesting. The setting is different, and it has really good music. Despite all the things my senses tell me about the show, all the things that go against my preferences, I'm usually glued to the screen for each episode.
2. It's funny
Not like roll on the floor, Kevin Hart funny. But still it's got clever jokes, and gags that pop up here and there for a good laugh. The best ones being of the ''common sense'' variety. Those reactions and thoughts that you know you would have in similar situations.
3. I'm single, and young. So...
I'm the patron saint of singledom, and I'm cool with that. Haven't quite figured it out (the non-single thing). Neither have they, and they are older than I am. So, you know, there's hope..or whatever. But more than that, there is perspective. These women continue to live their lives, and strive and hope for the things that THEY want. Having someone to share it with is gravy, not the whole roast.
4. LisaRaye
People like to hate on LisaRaye. I won't because I'm from Chicago, and since I have no. loyalty. whatsoever. to R. Kelly, I'll save it for her, and Kanye. She lives in her lane, but she always does it with a fair amount of grace, street smarts, and ambition. She's hardworking. I respect that. She wants to act, sometimes she manages to do that, sometimes not, either way she goes for it. We've been letting Tom Cruise act for years, with no complaint, is all I'm saying.
5. Black People not in the hood
The hood is a magical place. When you look past the crumbling infrastructure and lack resources, it really has a pulse not found anywhere else. Being from the hood, I'm well aware with the feeling of not having options. Not even knowing that you deserve options, or that you could travel to other places. Survival mode is a trip like that. Despite all of that, the hood produces geniuses, doctors, lawyers, entrepreneurs (of various kinds), music, culture that people seem to love (even if they don't love the people who created it). We have soul, dreams, goals, ambitions, and sometimes we actually get there.
Kudos.
The hood may be where it seems like most colored folks come from, but the reality is, there is a diverse spectrum of black life which includes people from many levels and sections socio-economic life. Culturally however, because of historical situations we tend to have hood connects no matter what. The women in this show, illustrate that complexity, but they do it in wealthy neighborhoods, with a fair amount of economic power. These ladies have overcome obstacles presented to them by life, and are thriving for the most part.
6. It's Fun.
Sometimes you just want to enjoy something, without too much motive or philosophical analytics That's not to say that the show is mindless, because it's far from that, but it brings a certain abandon. The men are all muscle, the fancy cars, and clothes, the hi-jinks, all of it roll into one hour of fun.
Not complicated.
7. The Music.
I love the songs they feature on the show. There's a wide range of artists, and tastes, and I've definitely been able to add some new songs to my collection because of this show. My favorite find was Lykke Li's ''Get Some''...you should check it out.
Final Note* In a post ''Girlfriends'' world, it's good to see a show with people of color, doing stuff, even if what they are doing is full of soap-suds.
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