Binge Worthy Gems Pt. 2
All American: Homecoming
3.7/5 stars
I am quite disappointed that All-American: Homecoming has not been renewed for its fourth season. Most school-centered shows can become redundant after a while due to the aftermath of an intense climax in the storyline, or they can unintendedly become corny in a childlike manner. Fortunately for the Homecoming spin-off, this series was 3 seasons in and it did reach that corny peak. Honestly, I believe this show could have been extended for another season to unpack more of the developing stories it left off with.
Within this season, I felt Simone could not catch a break in life and ultimately enjoy life as a growing adult. Although going through trials is the reality of life and makes us the people we are called to be on this Earth, it made me wonder: is this a common theme in black television and film? The idea that "We Can't Catch a Break?" I am not totally mad about characters going through adversity; however, sometimes I feel like most writers tend to throw extreme curve balls in the plot to keep things interesting when it may not even be necessary to dot that.
Rob peace
4/5 stars
Rob Peace is currently on the Top 5 popular picks on Netflix and it looked interesting at first glance; however, I just knew I was going to skip out on watching it. I have concluded that I do not like to watch films or tv shows that deal with black people undergoing police brutality and injustice because unfortunately it is the sad reality for many black and marginalized people. For the most part, I watch tv to somewhat escape reality. Fast forward, I decided to finally to watch this film after my father recommended me to take a look at it as he was currently reading the book version "The Short And Tragic Life of Robert Peace".
Rob Peace the film is based off a true story of a young man who had the opportunity to attend and graduate from an Ivy League School to pursue a career studying cancer treatments. While Rob was making a promising future for himself, he was also sacrificing his innocence and young adulthood experience trying to gain his father’s freedom back. There are so many layers in this film but I will on focus on one which is making sacrifices.
MINOR SPOILER ALERT One of the most powerful scenes in the movie was when Rob was explaining to his roommate all the sacrifices he made for his father and although that notion became second nature to Rob, his roommate assured Rob that his parents would never put him in the position to make sacrifices on their behalf. This scene was impactful because it introduces the fact that everyone has a different level of boundaries when it comes to making sacrifices for others. I believe that is why a lot of families and relationships tend to have a lot of strife because there may not be open dialogue on what sacrifices and appreciation may look like for that individual; therefore, many people expect other people to share the same level of sacrifice and appreciation that causes a cycle of emotional burnout and resentment. The next step would be to implement boundaries, if possible, when implementing making sacrifices on the behalf of others. I am curious to know from you all, what are some factors that may play apart in your boundaries in making sacrifices for others? In general, should most sacrifices result in a rewarding outcome?
Everybody still hates chris
5/5 stars
I usually cringe at the thought of reboots as it can either make or break the legacy of a great TV show. In addition to, I believe a lot of people rely on reboots as a creative shortcut instead creating a brand new hit show. I do not usually check out reboot shows; however, I was curious on how the production would go about making Everybody Hates Chris into a cartoon adaptation. To my surprise, I enjoyed this show and I believe it has the potential to go on for many series. Everybody Still Hates Chris has the same foundation of the original show as far as Chris’ storyline but it is a little more vulgar in language- but not too much. It gives the same vibe as Family Guy and the Cleveland Show with its funny storylines and rawness, but what makes this show stand out from those two shows is that the family structure feels wholesome. I recommend that you all watch it. It may become your new comfort show.
Reasonable Doubt
4.5/5 stars
I thought Reasonable Doubt was going to be like the cliche, Stella Got Her Groove Back, surface level kind of show. Although it starts off that way, it does progress with more depth through the seasons with its plots and characters. This show has a great balance between marriage hardships and murder mysteries. As a viewer, I appreciated viewing the lens of compromising, understanding, sacrificing, growth in each individual partner, and the overall authentic parts of what marriage looks like outside the honeymoon phase. I believe single people who are one day considering marriage should take the time to internalize the married couples depicted in this show and ask themselves, “Am I in the space to sacrifice and be a team player at life with someone else who is also undergoing their own journey of life?” Some people may believe they are up for the challenge and others may realize they have still inner work to do to have the compacity to pour into someone else’s cup.
As far as the murder mysteries go, there are a lot of great twist and turns that are unpredictable. Going forward in the next seasons, I would love to know more about the POV’s of the married men and how they undergo their own mental challenges. Also, I want to get more insight on the children’s lives. The daughter on the show is giving Reina vibes from Power.
Honorable mention: Reasonable Doubt has an amazing track list.
The Wire
4/5 stars
I know, I know. The Wire is an old show that many people have already watched before. However, this was my first time binging the show for myself. I believe The Wire has been a proven classic not only for its twists and turns plots, but it depicted that in life, everyone is fair game to tragic endings-even the smart ones. I loved how in the Wire, even the main characters suffered a demise and no loved character was spared. In today’s crime shows, the main characters are often spared from injustice or death, making the show slightly predictable in a sense that the main characters are always untouchable. In the Wire, demise happens and people move on to love and appreciate the next person who is there.
The Wire was such a classic tv show that it seemed to make the actors on there so credible that one can spot the old cast on many different films and tv shows today.
Overall, I believe this is one of those shows that is so layered that you can go back and watch this show yearly, and pull a new layer of concept out of it.
