Reviewing Networks Fall TV Lineups

August 25th, 2008

We’re going to do something different here at BlackPespective.net. We’re going to go a little more into pop-culture than is the norm. I have reviewed or otherwise discussed a number of movies here (actually my very first post was a social comparison of Dreamgirls and the Color Purple); but usually it’s in regards to the social relevance.

Here we’re going to do a good ol’ fall line up review; but from a Black perspective, though that’ll give us the opportunity to have some social relevance visa via printout how un-Black and generally un-minority all the line ups are.

Before we get started, just understand that I’m rather cynical. And I’m not cynical just to be cynical, or so I can try to contrive outrageous things to say for shock value; I’m cynical for good reason (have you seen the drek on t.v. the last dozen years), and am expressing my true feelings of my disdain for much of what’s become television.

Nonetheless, I will give credit where credit is due, and there are some bright spots. This will be a series of post to cover all 5 of the broadcast networks ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, And the CW. I don’t know how many post as I haven’t written all out, but I suspect 3.

Fox

Fox, which was the first network to employee the tactic of building itself up largely on the backs of the Black audience, just to dump us once they made it and banked some doe; has a Black devoid line up, not to mention the general deficit of quality:

I’d say seeing how Terminator: The Tara Connor Chronicles continues to develop seems interesting; the rest of it; blah. House is a pretty well written show if you can continue to stand the pompous, genius, know-it-all spiel; which wore thin with me by the start of the second season.

Do Not Disturb

There are two new shows. Fringe, a sci-fi detective drama which seems to fall in the X-files vein, seems promising; the other, Do Not Disturb, does not. Who’s ideal was it to bring back “Just Shot Me/News Radio” (cause you know those two programs were basically the same show; just with one set at a magazine publishing office and the other set at a radio station)? Taking that format and reviving it in a hotel setting is lame; plus this show doesn’t have David Spade or Andy Dick to provide us with banal, dorky white guy humor. Not that I’m suggesting that anybody give Andy Dick a job, I’m strongly against that. Not to mention Jamie Foxx and Whoopi Goldberg already covered the hotel sit-com setting.

The good news is a Niecy Nash in this show will be one of the few Black people on Fox this fall, as she will join 3 brothers on the network to be the one Black regular character on their respective shows. The bad news is her characters description: “RHONDA (Niecy Nash, “Reno 911!”) is the head of Human Resources who also keeps Neal’s demands in check. She’s brash, fabulous and brutally honest and runs the HR department from her bullpen downstairs with a set of rules that are all her own.”.

So in other words she’s going to play the lip smacking, sassy Black Chick, the same role she played on Reno 911; and practically the only role Black women can get on television outside of ER and Ugly Betty.

The only other time a Black person will be central to a program on Fox is when it doesn’t pertain to running and jumping (a.k.a sports) will be to host the terrible Don’t Forget The Lyrics, hosted by terribly corny Wayne Brady. Look, unless he’s got Dave Chappelle in the passenger seat beside him, I don’t know what he’s doing on t.v. Then there are the comedians on Madtv to round out the Blackness. So basically Fox sees Black people’s role not only as running and jumping, but also singing, dancing, and shuffling.

Speaking of running and jumping; by far the time when Fox will attract my attention will be Sunday afternoons for football; other than that, my eyes won’t be traversing the network very much.

And I can remember a time when it was my favorite network between Married With Children, Living Color, Roc, Living Single, New York Undercover – ehhh!

Oh yeah, America’s Most Wanted and Cops will be back for their 80th seasons. I remember when AMW first came on the air; I didn’t even have public hair back then. Hell, the first George Bush wasn’t even president yet.

See lineup here



posted in Cultural, Sports | | | View blog reactions |


2 Responses to “Reviewing Networks Fall TV Lineups”

  1. thembi on August 28th, 2008 1:40 am | link

    Thanks so much for this! Man…we aint got nothin’ hunh…

  2. D. Yobachi Boswell on August 28th, 2008 2:23 am | link

    Nothing much. I should have part three up tomorrow on NBC and ABC. Doesn’t look much better; but its fun to do anyway.

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About The Blog

  • D. Yobachi Boswell

  • Yobachi Boswell is creator and publisher of BlackPerspecitve.net. I’m a writer, activist and political watcher based in Nashville, Tennessee. I’ve also been know to do some spoken word and MCing in my day.

    I created this site to give new voice to socio-political issues that are in need of thoughtful consideration and redress.

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