Show Cancelled; Review

Meagan Good in Deception

One of my favorite new shows of 2013 will not be coming back later this year, and I was really looking forward to the second season especially since fans of the show got slighted for a shorter season. The show I'm talking about is NBC's Deception.

I was interested in the show after reading the synopsis, because I've been trying to get into some new shows, and I do like a good cop-mystery drama. Though, I was also skeptical of the show because I felt it wouldn't capture or keep my interest. The pilot episode was OK, and I wasn't sure if a show would be able to carry on with a storyline of an undercover cop finding out who killed her socialite best friend. But I watched anyway. Slowly, but surely the show picked up, and I was slightly hooked. We got closer and closer to finding out who killed the victim and it was revealed in the finale, but as usual we were left with a major cliffhanger, with even more questions. The cancellation now means we may never know what route the show would've went upon the discovery of the killer.
 
Part of the reason why I peaked an interest in this show was due to my excitement that another major television network had a show with a woman of color as lead. Up until Kerry Washington debuted as Olivia Pope on ABC's Scandal, there weren't any prime-time shows with women of color (specifically Black) as the lead character. It also may have been Scandal's success that led NBC to cast Meagan Good as the lead for their show; the two shows were compared heavily even though they had completely different plots.

But unlike Kerry Washington, Meagan Good has been somewhat limited in her acting roles. And while I wasn't so crazy about Meagan's acting on the show, I'm glad Deception gave her the opportunity to show viewers that she can take on versatile roles. I've watched plenty of films starring her, and she usually plays some sexy girlfriend.

I'm not sure why they decided to cancel the show, but I don't believe it was the low ratings. NBC's Hannibal, which premiered in the same timeslot, with more competition, had even lower ratings, but the show was renewed for a second season. The writing of that show however was much better.

In summary of the show, it's about Joanna Locasto (Meagan Good), a young officer from San Francisco, who is guilted into going undercover for the murder investigation of her childhood friend Vivian Bowers. Joanna's old boyfriend Will Moreno (Laz Alonso) comes to her with the offer—we learn he is now an FBI agent and they broke up due to his workaholic ambitions. Vivian has just been found murdered in a New York motel room. Her family, the Bowers are very wealthy and Joanna used to live with them, because her mother was once a maid for the family. Will feels like Joanna's closeness to the family will help them get inside information, but Joanna has been estranged from the Vivian and the family for 15 years. The first episode was not a very good pilot, and from its wrap-up it seemed like the questions could've been answered up into a few episodes.
 
We follow Joanna on this investigation, which also proves to be a personal and emotional journey for her. As she attempts to gain the trust of the Bowers, she's also confronted with her feelings for her first love Julian Bowers, the middle son and playboy of the family. In flashbacks we learn they were a hot and heavy as a teen couple. Joanna and Will also rekindle their relationship, which quickly becomes a conflict of interest and hinders their investigation. Their relationship becomes an annoyance as well due to Will's character.
 
The best part of the show is not the two leads though, and I'm no TV show expert, but I'm sure that's bad. Meagan Good's acting is nothing to praise, and Laz Alonzo's character is just unlikable and horrible.
 
The saving grace of the show is Victor Garber, who plays Robert Bowers, the patriarch of the family. The self-proclaimed 'family man' is what's keeping the Bowers clan from falling apart, and is as determined as you'd expect a family leader and CEO to be. His character is more than what meets the eye. The eldest Bowers son Edward (Tate Donovan), is another interesting character. He progresses to be the best character on the show. Both characters are not who they seem to be from the start, and you'll probably be rooting hard for one of them near the end.
 
Overall, I liked the show. My main criticism was really the writing. I felt that in the beginning, writers attempted to make the plot seem overly mysterious, but it became suffocating. Throughout the show there's this recurring theme of mystery that the viewer won't try to care about anymore.  Some of the minor characters constantly gave hinting warnings that didn't prove to be much. Then suddenly, it abruptly stopped and makes you wonder what was the purpose of it at all.

The pacing of Deception is slow, but if you're patient give it a try.

Watchlist: 2012 Fall Shows

Lots of new and returning shows this fall. These are the shows I plan on watching this fall:

Revolution. Looks incredibly interesting. I've never seen this type of story done before, and I love post-apocalyptic settings.

The Walking Dead also returns in October for their third season.

ABC's new show, 666 Park Avenue. A show about a haunted upscale NYC apartment building.

And their returning series Scandal. Amazing first season.

Fox's new show The Mindy Project.


And The Mob Doctor. One of my favorite Boardwalk Empire characters was likely killed off to do this show. I'll watch to see what it's about.

'Girls' stirs talks of race and TV

Main cast of Girls

HBO's new series 'Girls', not even a month since its season premiere, has created lots of racial discussions in the last few weeks. The New York Times ran several opinion pieces discussing race and the show, which is about four young White women living in New York City.

The conversation has been very interesting. While several thought-provoking viewpoints have been made, the controversy surrounding this show does not divert my interest one bit.

Despite some complaints many have made about the lack of color on the show (which I noticed), no one has mentioned socialization of human nature. Clearly in an era where diversity is becoming more embraced and encouraged, not everyone has the colors of the rainbow represented in their social group. One of the shows writers may have put her foot in her mouth, but why is no one talking about how common it is for people to socialize and date people of the same race?

New York City is a large, diverse city with people of many backgrounds and cultures. Whites are a minority in many areas, especially in Brooklyn where the show is centered. You'd have to really go out of your way to avoid social and everyday interactions with someone of a different race or ethnic background. But when it comes to personal friendships, many people can still say that they mostly hang out with people who look more like them? Does that make someone racist? Obviously not. In the same way it doesn't makes you less of a racist, if you have a friends of different races other than yours. Who hasn't heard the "but I have a (insert race) friend..." line said as an afterthought to making an offensive comment?

So I beg to disagree. Speaking from my own personal experience as a young Black woman, most of my friends (actual friends) are other Black women in my age group. I have made friends with people of all races, however my lasting friendships are with women who just so happen to be Black. And guess what? If I were to write a show about my life, majority of the characters would be Black and Hispanic.

The racial talks about what's on TV, are even beginning to change the definitions. What does diversity in television mean today? Another token Black character? Or what about a Hispanic? Native American? and what about Asians? They are always left out. How many non-Whites have to be on a show for it to be considered diverse?

The studios can be blamed, but society needs to be held accountable as well. Another factor to take into account is consumerism; the type of consumerism that may expose personal preferences, which in turn may lead to another racial discussion. If you want to see something on TV, you have to show it in your viewership. Television shows with minorities probably aren't produced because they're not garnering enough viewers. Viewership equals ratings ($), and ratings drives production. If no one is watching, then the show will get the axe. The ugly truth could be that television shows with minorities just aren't bringing enough viewers for studios to keep producing, and that's simply because most of society (White) isn't watching. This is where it ends.

The same way many minorities want to see themselves represented when they turn on their TV's, is the same reason some Whites (the majority) want to see the same as well.

However that doesn't dismiss the topic that minorities just aren't on TV, as much as they watch. Because Girls is not like the other shows about privileged White girls, the expectations were seemingly high. The show provides a different view of young women today. And for a show like Girls to display these progressive, relatable attitudes in one of the most progressive cities in the world, it is clear why it left some disappointed. White women are not the only definition of funny, quirky and spoiled.

In all, if the show is reflecting the writer's experience and life, it shouldn't be criticized for portraying factual events. While characters can be attributed to any race, especially ones about spoiled, college girls (yours truly), if they imagined their characters to be White, no one should be angry at that. What if that's not part of her experience?

If a Black, Asian or Hispanic girl were added to the cast, would the writers' accurately portray them in the way viewers of that group would want? It's highly possible that there may have been complaints about the portrayals of said characters. For all one knows, the writers' lack of experience with non-White girls may have added the to the long line of stereotypes of minorities in television. And who would want that, when minorities are constantly fighting stereotypes that have been created by television? Examples like the thick-accented feisty Latina, the loud, sassy Black chick or the socially awkward timid Asian girl.

Television does need to change, but it doesn't start with Girls. It is not the first and won't be the last.

Watchlist Part 1

Several series and films that are to be released this year, or already have been are on my watch-list radar.

Since Starz began adding drama series to it's programming, I have yet to take the time to watch one. I took an interest in Crash, Boss and Spartacus, but I couldn't bring myself to tune in. However, this April a new series called Magic City will be added to the new list of series the Starz network has taken on. It will be set in 1959, early '60's Miami (or Beach) at a fictional Hotel, and will be primarily about organized crime and corruption. I am highly enthused to these types of genres and I'm obsessed with the era. I look forward to tuning in.


Premiere date is Friday, April 6th at 10p (EST).


I missed this past Sundays premiere, of Kristen Chenoweth's new show: 'GCB' (Good Christian Belles or B*tches). I won't miss another. The ABC show puts a hilarious spin on Christian hypocrisy.


Sundays at 10p (EST)


Also in premiering in April, is a new documentary Marley, which is about legendary Reggae artist Bob Marley. This is the first mainstream documentary circling the late stars life. Marley fans worldwide will flock to see this film.


The doc premieres in theaters April 20th.


*Watchlist Part 2 coming soon.