Girlfriends Cancelled!

Word on the street is our favorite black sitcom of 8 seasons has been cancelled amidst the recent return of TV writers after a 101-day strike.


This really doesn't come as a shock to me. I suspect that CW made this decision knowing they weren't planning on a return for Fall 2008.

But now that we have come to end of the road of yet another black sitcom, the question now posed is what will become of it's time slot. Will we be getting a new black sitcom this fall? Don't count on it. You may recall, when 'All of Us' recently got the axe it was replaced with 'Aliens in America'.

So what is to become of BONTV's 'Black Mondays' if 'Girlfriends' is to be replaced by another white sitcom?

'Beige Mondays' I guess.

Nonetheless, we will miss all the crazy adventures of Joan, Maya, Lynn and William.

'I Left [Girlfriends] Because I Wanted To Do Movies.'

Jill Marie Jones is finally dishing on why she left CW11's black hit, Girlfriends, after six years of playing diva, Toni Childs.

In an interview with Essence, Jones explains her departure from Girlfriends was purely business and denies all rumors (started by Tracey Ellis Ross) that she left over a money squabble.

"My contract was up after my sixth season and people forget that just like the network can choose whether or not to renew your contract, I can also choose and evaluate whether or not I want to come back.", says Jones in the interview.

Originally from Texas, Jones equates working on a TV show as having a 9-5 job which doesn't allow for much traveling to do movies as she so desires. Since her departure from television, she's secured roles in the straight-to-DVD indie film, 'Redrum', 'Major Movie Star', where she co-stars with Jessica Simpson and 'The Comeback' which she is currently shooting in Lousiana.

When asked if she misses Girlfriends? Jones explains:

"I do miss Girlfriends. I don’t know if people know this, but Girlfriends was only my third audition. I booked my first audition for City Guys, a Saturday morning show. My second audition I didn’t book and then Girlfriends was my third, so you have to understand that I still very green to this industry and there was the whole film world that I didn’t know. So when I left Girlfriends after six years, there was just so much I wanted to know and do. I’ve just been having a ball having opportunities to do movies. It’s just been great."

To read more on this interview click here.

Back To Black: Are Our 'Girlfriends' Getting Old?

In denial about their ages, our favorite 'girls' took to the club to prove to themselves that they are not growing old.


Last night's episode of 'Girlfriends' was hilarious large in part because I can relate. Not that I enjoy staying home and knitting like Joan but when you hit your 30's you do find the club scene less enjoyable. Especially if you were raised in a place like NYC and had access to that kind of nightlife since birth.

This was a simple yet good episode of Girlfriends. Joan battles with having fun and mingling while having a fiance in Iraq. Lynn continues to mess around with a college student to further prove to herself that she still got 'it'. William, approaching fatherhood, tries to hold on to his youthful partying ways by dawning an old party shirt that barely fits. And Maya realizes she too is in denial as she ends up falling asleep at the club along side Joan and William waking up as the club was closing.

Yeah..this ep was full of laughs.

Girlfriends can be seen on Mondays at 9/8c on CW11.

Golden Brooks To Star In Girlfriends Spin-Off?

No. But if Black On TV readers had their way she would.

A whopping 12 readers voted in my last poll: Who from the cast of Girlfriends should star in their own spin-off?

58% of voters feel Maya (Golden Brooks) should star in her own spin-off.

Joan [ 33% ]
Lynn [ 0% ]
Maya [ 58% ]
William [ 8% ]

I agree wholeheartedly. Joan (Tracey Ellis Ross) came in second place with 33% of the votes. And while Joan is strong enough to carry a spin-off, I think Maya and family would produce more laughs.

Last night's episode had Maya trippin' when she discovers Jabari's (Tanner Scott Richards) tasteless rapping video clips on his myspace page. This episode was funny and reinforced my opinion that Maya, Darnell (Khalil Kain), Jabari and baby-to-be would be a great cast to start the spin-off.

Black Monday: Why Did Girlfriends Return?

I love me some Girlfriends.


But when I speculated that the last season may have been the last [click here], I wish I had been right.

After all, now in it's eighth seasons, what is left to surprise or entertain us about the daily lives of Joan (Tracey Ellis Ross), Lynn (Persia White) and Maya (Golden Brooks)?

How many times will Joan find and lose love? Last week for the season premiere we learn Joan's fiance of a whole minute, Aaron (Richard T. Jones) is being deployed to Iraq. I read somewhere over the summer that he would be leaving the show but did this have to be the exit strategy? I think I would have rathered them replace this character with someone else and maybe waited further into the season to break them up. But anyhoo, Joan struggles with losing her husband-to-be but more importanly struggles with the idea that should could lose him forever.

Is Lynn glam, glam-trash, bohemian chic, or what? I don't think anyone else on this show has had more makeovers than Lynn. I remember just recently seeing an old episode of Girlfriends in syndication (on BET) and thinking how much Lynn has been cleaned up over the years. Well...not so fast. The new season kicked off last week as Lynne rocked with her band sporting long braids, revealing her tattoos and giving us the old grunge Lynn of yester-year. And what makes matters worse, she is still chasing her pipe dreams of finding success in the music industry. This is starting to get real boring. Yes, I know there are millions of die hard musicians out there that spend their whole lives chasing the dream but that doesn't necessarily make for good TV. Give the woman a record deal, a manager, and a hit on the Billboard charts already. Damn!

Can Maya become anymore of a plain-Jane? Once my favorites of the show(and still is), Maya is now married with a teenage son, baby on the way and the ideal house. Last night's episode had her accusing her son, Jabari (Tanner Scott Richards), of owning a stash of weed she discovers in his room, in an old drawer once belonging to Darnell (Khalil Kain). After not beleiving him and then grounding him, turns out the stash was actually Darnell's who turned to blunts when he was once depressed over a break up with Maya a few years back. Was I the only one who didn't guess that would be the outcome? To be honest, it should have been Jabari's weed. It's no mystery today how many black teenagers frequently use the drug. So why not use this opportunity to bring a real life situation into the show?

Food for thought. Wouldn't Maya and family make a great spin-off show to Girlfriends? Are you listening reading Mara Brock Akil? I'm just giving this one to you.

All the other characters of the show so far might as well be extras. Which leads me to beleive they should have went with their original plans of making the last season of Girlfriends, the last.

Black Monday: "All of Us" Gets The Axe!

The word is out! After three seasons, the plug has been pulled on CW11's "All of Us"


Today, CW announced there Fall season line-up and it does not include the Will and Jada Pinkett-Smith produced sitcom. Meanwhile, "Girlfriends", "Everybody Hates Chris" and "The Game" all have made the cut.

"All of Us", starring Duane Martin, Lisa Raye, Tony Rock, Terri J. Vaughnn and Elise Neal, a loosely based story on the lives of Will and Jada, premiered on UPN back in September 2003. In it's third seasons not only was the show moved to CW but Elise Neal's character, Tia, was removed from the show with hopes this new format could boost ratings. Seems this was not the case.

So what will come of Black Monday? Will there be a new black sitcom added to the Monday lineup? Or is this CW11's first step towards crashing Black Monday nights all together?

Word has it there will be three new dramas, "Gossip Girl", "Reaper", and "Wild at Heart" and a couple of new shows, "Online Nation" and "CW Now" added to the Fall line-up. (None of these sound black if you ask me.) "Online Nation" is said to be an "AFV" meets digital media show where the focus is youtube videos vs. home videos. And "CW Now" is an entertainment news piece similar to that of "ET" or "Access Hollywood".

All I have to say is.....it's about time! "The Game" better get their shit plot together. They just might be next!

Black Monday: 'Games' People Play

Did anyone see the 1 hour season finale of CW11's "The Game" last night? As most know, I am not a fan of this show and was hoping this would be the end. But seeing how the show was created by Girlfriend's creator, Mara Brock Akil and being backed by executive producer, Kelsey Grammar, I doubt this show will be going anywhere, anytime soon.


Recently I've noticed how dead beat sitcoms seem to get the chance to stay on the air long enough for the writers to get it right. Normally this was not the case. Remember when a sitcom would be cut mid-season if it could barely produce a chuckle much less ratings. Now it seems television shows with big name producers and/or creators of other hit shows tend to get a season or two to work out the kinks.

Last night Derwin (Pooch Hall) finally cheated on Melany ((Tia Mowry). How many people didnt see this coming? After all, this show is about pro-athletes and their relationships with their wives/girlfriends. And if nothing else, real life current events always shows us of how athletes can't always resist the panties being thrown their way. So of course the writers couldn't resist but to make our lead couple the focus of infidelity.


While I don't have a problem with the topic, I didnt like the way the story was being developed over the course of this season. In fact, it all came together for me at the end when Melany finds out and no sooner is she about to give Derwin back his engagement ring does Beyonce's "Irreplaceable" chime in. And then it all clicked. The writers built this whole storyline around the success of one track. I see you Mara, but I am not mad. I get a lot of writing inspiration through music so I certainly can respect the technique.

Now never say that I am not able to give credit when it is due. CW11's "All of Us" was actually quite humorous last night. I mean it actually made me laugh. And that says a lot considering the first few seasons of this show I could barely stay awake. The scene where Neesee (Lisa Raye) and Robert (Duane Martin) are mistaken for Jay-Z and Beyonce at a wedding they have crashed had me in stitches. And as if being mistaken for the music power couple wasn't enough, they are asked to perform when they continue to deceive the guests in order to feed off their buffet.

It was their performance of Beyonce's "Crazy In Love" that had me cracking up as Neesee booty shaked across the tables while Robert rapped ala Jay-Z.

I still have mixed feelings about this show but can see improvements. I am not sold just yet on the storyline of Neesee's quest to have a second child fathered by Robert. But at least they are able to spice it up a little with funny sub-plots such as this one.

'Girlfriends' Season Series Finale?

So last night I caught the 1 hour season finale of CW11's "Girlfriends" and all I kept wondering was..is this the season or series finale? Hhmmmm..makes you wonder doesn't it?


I have been speculating over the last few episodes that this may be the final season of Girlfriends. While I have heard some rumors, there has been no definite mention of the sort but the way everything seems to have come together for Joan, Mya, Lynn and even Monica in these last few episodes speak volumes. I love how writers can drag a story line or issue out for months but when they are ready to tie up a show it can be done in a matter of an hour. I dont know how I feel about this. Sitcoms that have been on this long deserve a more solid ending vs. the "happily ever after" quick wrap up some of the longest running shows in history tend to give us. Let's look closely at this:


Monica (Keesha Sharp), who grew on me more and more with each episode, has been refusing to take William (Reggie Hayes) back after separating from him only minutes after saying "I Do." But for a "quicky" wrap up, she jumps William's bones after feeding him some food while working at the restaurant. And so for the balance of the episode, Monica and William get their freak on until she decides she wants him back. This happy reunion was rather anticlimatic if you ask me. But nonetheless, I enjoyed Monica as the replacement for Toni Childs this season.


Speaking of Toni..where the hell was she? Couldn't CW11 offer Jill Marie Jones a temp gig and allow her to be present for Joan's (Tracey Ellis Ross) engagement moment? But then again, I doubt Jones would even consider coming back to the show seeing how her 'girlfriends' supposedly stabbed her in the back.


But anyhoo, Joan was finally getting the proposal of her dreams and her husband-to-be invited everybody under the sun to celebrate. Am I the only one who thought Toni was going to be one of the familiar faces at the party?

The drama leading up to the proposal was great though. I particularly enjoyed the interactions between Lynn and Mya as they aided Aaron (Richard T. Jones) with the proposal.

As for Mya (Golden Brooks), my favorite of the bunch, she gets her dream house....yet again!


After getting knocked up, Mya and family packed up and headed back to LA where they stayed with Joan until they find the perfect home. Darnell (Khalil Kain) at the last minute is given a career oportunity of a lifetime which is to buy, own and operate his own garage. Not sure if he should make this purchase or if he should buy a house for his growing family becomes Darnell's plight for the show.


In the end, he buys the garage but was able to work out a lease-to-own deal with the owner of Mya's dream house making it possible for both dreams to be realized. Yet another perfectly wrapped ending. All I want to know is does this new house have a gym because Darnell is need of one. Im just saying, does the role of Darnell require that you be out of shape, with no muscle definition and have a slight gut? And if so, why the wife beaters? But in all fairness, this brother is 42 years old and can easily pass for 29 maybe even younger if he shed a few pounds.


And last but not least there is Lynn (Persia White)who last week finally got a real singing gig after damn near 8 seasons of being a struggling artist. Another anticlimatic ending if you ask me. I think Lynn should have gotten a record deal at some point during this show, and maybe even end up being dropped due to poor record sales. This is the way I would have developed her story line to keep it fresh and current over the last couple of years instead of giving her pointless relationship and job ventures.

So the verdict is still out. Season or Series Finale? I guess we will just have to wait until the fall to see if the "girls" will still be our "friends" for another season. But if not, I commend the creator and writers of this show for giving the black community exactly what the whites gave theirs when they created "Sex In The City". Too many times we see successful white sitcoms on TV that I know can be just as successful and just as entertaining had the cast been all black.

Black Monday: Lynn Needs to Grow Up

Last night I watched CW11's "Girlfriends" as Lynn (played by Persia White) tries to re-bed her beua-minister (played by Kadeem Hardison) who has already told her there can be no more pre-marital hanky panky if they are to continue to see one another.

(Persia White)

So what does Lynn do? She shows up to Sunday school and bible study wearing her best freakum dress until the minister not only puts her out but tells her he no longer can see her because she's "playing games". And to top it off, he starts seeing another "church" sister instead.


(Kadeem Hardison)

Sad because she was dumped, Lynn gets some support by way of 'girl' chat from Mya and Joan. Who basically helps her to see that her years of being (what she thought was) sexually liberated really is a cover up to her fears of not finding a man who will like her for her and not just her doggy style.



The show ends with Lynn coming to her senses and realizing she has a good guy here who cares about her as a person and not sex. So the minister drops the 'sister' and lip locks with Lynn in the end.

This storyline is ok but I have a couple of issues here. After this many seasons on the air I would expect Lynn to be a lot wiser. In fact, out of all the characters on the show, Lynn seems to be the one to have shown the least growth where relationships are concerned. When Joan and Mya had that heart-to-heart with Lynn yesterday I felt as though I was watching season 2 as opposed to 8. I just imagine that a woman in her thirties would know herself a little better than how Lynn is being portrayed. And if not because of age then definitely because of her 'girlfriends' who seemingly have grown over the years.

If you missed this storyline you can see clips and see what the creator, Mara Brock Akil, has to say about the episode here.


(Mara Brock Akil)
Note to Creator:

If Lynn is supposed to be the Samantha of this black "Sex in the City" then I think she needs to own her high sex-drive in similar fashion. If not done already, maybe you should consider having Lynn date someone who has an even bigger appetite for sex than her. This may then allow her to see what dating someone like herself is truly like and let that be the segue for some self reflection.

Mara, I am giving that one to you. And more if you get at me.

Black Monday: The Good!

So yesterday was what I like to call "Black Monday". CW11 gives us two primtime hours of nothing but good straight-up black humor. But is it all good?

Everybody Hates Chris was very good last night. The writing on this show can be hilarious but I have a friend who beleives the show is too over the top at times. For example, a teacher (Orlando Jones) coming to your home in the hood to give you an exam. How likely was that to happen back in the 80's? Well, maybe not. But the areas where the show is relatable is what makes this show a must see. For example, Rochelle's (Tichina Arnold) wardrobe is always on point! Everytime I see her I immediately get flash-BLACKS! (You read correctly...that was not a typo.)



Girlfriends last night was one of my all time favorite episodes! And I hate to admit it but I dont miss Toni (Jill Marie Jones) at all. At first I didn't think the show was going to last without the sassy one but I was wrong. The switch to 3 'girls' was as seemless as when Destiny's Child decided to ditch their fourth becoming the modern day Supremes.



Siderbar: Speaking of The Supremes...check out today's Black Watch!

Anyhoo...

Last night, my favorite character on the show, Maya, (Golden Brooks) suspects her newfound neighbor, Alicia (China Shavers), is being beat by her husband Ray (Carl Anythony Payne). But while her 'friends' dismiss her suspicions it turns out something was "going on up in the Haciendas"! The show ends with the battered wife turning to Maya and Darnell (Khalil Kain) for help after repeatedly denying and hiding the truth. So what happens now? If my TV Predictable Radar (TVPR) is correct, I sense the battered wife will take up residency with the couple until she can get back on her feet. But during this time, I foresee some sexual tension brewing when Darnell and Alicia end up living under the same roof. What yall think?



In closing, let me just say that this episode of Girlfriends embodied everything I hope to achieve while writing my script. Mixing humor with serious issues such as domestic violence is not easy. And I paid attention closely yesterday as the show transitioned us the audience back and forth from seriousness to laughter. All I can say is...well done.

Stay tuned later as I dish on Black Monday: The Bad!