I'm not really in love with The Game; honestly, I find it to be a soapish, awkwardly directed series with stereotypical and maddening characters masquerading as a worthy spin-off to the brilliant Girlfriends. I kept wanting it to find its way, but it just never quite found a comfortable rhythm. Still, it's worthy of 22 minutes if nothing is on. My disdain/disappointment aside, there may be hope yet for the axed series.
Could The Game really be coming back? Can BET actually grow some nuts and start producing some legit scripted content instead of shitty reality shows?
According to Zap2it and a couple other blogs BET has decided to pick up the series and put out a couple more episodes. Obviously, all those two-a-day have served their purpose. Still, the only potential road block could be getting the cast together. I'm happy as anyone else to see the possibility of another black series on television; however, I'm a little skeptical. First of all, it is BET and in the words of The Boondocks, "BET hates black people." Although The Game frustrates me, I'd love to see it comeback. I have gripes about the writing...and the acting....and the direction, but I still think it can resurrect itself as a relevant series for the young African-American series. Actually if BET had any competency, they'd bring it back and have Debbie Allen exec-produce or maybe even serve as showrunner.
On second thought, Just give her the friggin show and let her do her thing. With her track record, it's fair to say she is one of THE most talented black storytellers working today. Under her capable authorial direction, she pretty much saved A Different World and turned it into one of the most important African-American series of all-time in my opinion. She's kind of a legend in the game with her work on afro-american shows. Everybody Hates Chris, All of Us, The Jamie Foxx Show, The Sinbad Show...check the imdb page. I feel like putting the show in her hands will definitely add something special and new that may be what it is missing. No hate towards Mara Brock Akil, but letting her husband direct pretty much all the eps has produced clunky results, in my opinion. After the first season, it pretty much has just been him. Salim Akil has directed a whopping 45 of the 64 episodes of the series. Would it hurt to shake it up a bit?
I could be here all night griping about the frustratingly stale and vapid characters, but I have a paper to procrastinate from. So if I can leave you with anything, it is this. I'm hopeful for the return because there seems to be so little black casts on tv; I just ask that the series come back with a little more to offer.
