The Game Makes a Sloppy Return to Television
For two years a throng of diehard supporters of The Game have been waiting for the show to make a triumphant return to television. After a lot of back and forth, BET finally decided that it would bring the the show back with the full cast and most, if not all, the original writers. This gave us fans some hope that the show wouldn’t be destroyed by its new network.
The first show wasn’t a success for me. Rather than picking up where the show left off, they picked up 2 years later. I guess that’d be fine except a lot changed in two years and not all of it makes sense. Derwin and Melanie, now a major star and doctor respectively, are married. Derwin’s son with Janay, DJ, is 2 years old. Jason is holding out for more money from the Sabers and Kelly, now his ex-wife, is shooting a reality show based on being an ex baller’s wife. Tasha is a cougar who’s ashamed of her new beau–she also now apparently speaks even more colloquially and smokes black and milds. Okay. Malik is sleeping with the wife of the Sabers owner, and Tee Tee has taken seed money from Malik to start his own business and is technically no longer Malik’s assistant.
BREATHES
The show’s season premiere was sloppy for a number of reasons. In an effort (I assume) to accomodate new fans, the backstory of the characters was jammed into the dialogue. Rather than getting better as the show went on, it got more Tyler Perry’ish as the episode went on. The story felt rushed. Not to mention there were some outright awkward moments.
For example, Jason goes on a TV show hosted by Chris Webber in which they exchange uncomfortable insults. Kelly calls into the show via skype and acts like the biggest hoodrat you’ve ever seen. Not only is this contrary to what we know to be Kelly’s loyal put-everyone-else-first personality, you have to wonder, what the hell kind of show was that supposed to be?
Anyway, I guess we’re supposed to believe that divorce and estrangement from Tasha has turned Kelly into an entirely new person.
Another bad scene–Brit Brat. Jason and Kelly’s daughter who, when we last saw her, was about 10 years old, precocious, and very light skinned with blonde hair. Now, she’s 15 and brown skinned with dark hair. This decision made zero sense. And one of the best things about Jason was his relationship with his daughter. I wasn’t prepared to see Britney as a spoiled smart-mouthed scantily clad pre-teen.
As it it pertains to the other child on the show, DJ, they keep telling us that DJ is “yellow.” If it isn’t bad enough to feed into cliches about complexion and hair type being strong indicators of who is and who aint the daddy, DJ is brown skinned and every bit believable as Derwin’s son.
The biggest issue with the show right now is that almost none of the characters are likeable anymore. Everyone seems so…unhappy. I’m interested to see how they will address this issue. The characters also seem more disconnected than ever–I don’t think that Derwin, Malik and Jason had even one scene together. And having Malik treat TeeTee like dirt beneath his shoe isn’t consistent with Malik’s character thus far. I mean Malik sleeping with TeeTee’s girlfriend? Sure Malik has big ego, but he’s never been cruel.
I fear the writers have lost sight of the characters’ original personalities in an effort to escalate the drama. One blatant example of that is when Tasha says Melanie “hitched” herself to Derwin in college knowing he’d be a star. If the past episodes are any indication, that’s not true. And if it is, we don’t know Melanie at all. And this Melanie isn’t the Girl Melanie we fell in love with. So what is there left to like?
I have to remind myself that The Game started off very rocky in the first season and got better. Hopefully, that will happen again. The ending of the show was a nice cliffhanger, let’s see what they can do with it.
PS: I had suggested on twitter that it’d be a great idea for someone to create a blog about The Game. I mean imagine the ad sense potential! Well, no one’s done that yet, but Tigger 500 will be doing weekly reviews. I liked the post–and yall know I’m critical and would not steer you to a site with bad writing.
**People are telling me the comments section is giving them fits. Definitely let me know if you experience problems, and what happens when you try to postg a comment. Tweet me or email me: Jessica (at) mediastrut (dot) com. Thanks yall, I hate site issues!
Posted in Featured, Television Shows @ 4:05am 
Premieres, The Game
Testing
So much negativity within our community. People are always looking for a way to bash or bring each other down, instead of continuing to support those that are trying to make a way for us all! smh…
If you don’t think people should be critical of anything involving black people, then why read a critique? You’re setting yourself up for MAJOR disappointment. In particular, on this blog. Every single post I write involves some sort of critique, and no group or subset of a group is exempt from my critical eye.
I get so tired of people saying we don’t do anything but bash each other. That’s not true. I hear this argument all the time when referring to Tyler Perry. Are we just suppose to accept anything “black” that is thrown our way? You didn’t bash the show, you just gave a critique. And did a pretty good job! Folks have been begging for this show to come back for the past two years. We love it! If we didn’t, there would have not been petitions among other things to bring it back. I’m going to continue to support the show. Because like you said the first season got better with each episode. (I remember the first couple of shows and I didn’t think it would last).
I have to agree with J Danielle. I’m not a fan of the whole “never criticize our people, only support” ideology. It’s stupid. If we want to grow, be better, and do better we have to be able to be honest with each other and ourselves. And if you aren’t okay with that then you’re only hindering our progress as a community.
My friend call me straight out racist (I’m black btw) for not watching The Game. But I didn’t watch it while it was on UPN either. I hate that they make it so that you’re obligated to support ANYTHING black no matter what. I honestly don’t care who acted/produced/directed–they could be black, white, asian, alien, zombie…don’t care . I don’t even like 30 minute sitcoms (is The Game a sitcom?) anyway…I don’t care who is in it.
Racist? Wow. Well I’m definitely racist by that definition b/c I only watch TV once a week and when football is on. Right now I’m trying to decide if I should allow myself TV on Tuesdays as well as Sundays since I like two shows on each day now that The Game is back on.
LOL! I don’t read enough ‘black books’ , go see every single Tyler Perry movie or watch at least 3 hours of BET a day…by her logic, I am racist….towards my own race. Yeah, ok. Didn’t know I had a black entertainment quota to meet.
I didn’t watch the show, but to say that because “The Game” is a black sitcom that it get a pass from criticism? That’s nonsense. From what I read in this entry, the review is completely constructive & isn’t bashing the show for the sake of being contrary.
It’s ridiculous for you to even suggest immunity. How does a person or thing (in this case a television show which is going to save us all! From what I have no idea) expect to improve when people are afraid to tell them what could be & should be better.
If what you say holds true, you shouldn’t criticize my comment…because it’s black.
Negativity within our community should be the rise and “fame” of Antoine Dodson – that’s negativity. Or should I not bash him since he was/is, afterall, just trying to “make a way.” Please! I don’t find this post negative, but a PERSONAL account on how The Game failed to live up to her expectations. I mean, this is a blog. If we’re not critical of the things we don’t like how do we get to demand better? Not because black people are on TV means we have to support everything they do…even when it’s bad, embarrassing, etc. at the sake of “supporting our people.” If it sucks – it sucks.
As for the show itself, it was so lukewarm. I laughed not one single time. T-T, who is normally funny with catchy one-liners was dry, dull, and seemed to lack acting experience. Oh, and the black and mild Tasha was smoking – HOOD! I had to do a double take “is she really smokin’ a black?” She’s always been rough around the edges, but that went too far, no?? Everybody was just too angry and I have no idea why.
I agree with everything you said. They need to turn down the drama and turn up the funny. Where was Malik and his funny one liners? He seemed anger throughout the whole show. That’s not the Malik we know. Even TT wasn’t funny. I need to start a petition to bring bring Bumper Robinson back. Are they gonna play some football this season?
I want to know who made the decision to start the show off 2 years later. That was their first mistake.
Where was the love between Malik and Tasha? The one scene they were in together, Malik walked right pass her. The conversations between Malik, Jason, and Derwin were always funny. There was none of that.
Derwin and Melanie..sigh. I can’t take this up and down mess this season. Can we at least get one full (I’ll take half) season of them just being? Martin and Gina were never this dramatic! lol
I don’t mind Tasha being a cougar but I’m not feeling Terrance J. At.all! It’s just not believable. I’m crossing my fingers that Rick Fox will return.
So true about the characters no longer being likeable. Even Brit Brat! Kelly has flipped the script on us. How did she go from being a people pleaser to looking and acting like a hoodrat?
And I must add that the set was an eye sore. Derwin and Melanie’s house looked cheap. I’m not convinced all of the original writers are back. At least the main writers.
Will we be getting a “The Game” post from you every week?
For those who don’t know “Southern gal” runs her blog and THIS ONE. lol I’m not doing a weekly recap. And you know I got two blogs and I go to bed at 9. haha
Someone else noted the scene re: Malik and Tasha and him walking past her. I need to rewatchs o I can see it.
And Jason, Malik, and Derwin had ZERO scenes together if I remember correctly. UMM unacceptable!
I love this article. I think that the writers of The Game should’ve studied how creator Marc Cherry of fast forwarded Desperate Housewives. On Desperate Housewives we see how the characters are living five years in advance, they aren’t making references to what happened in their lives years ago. The opening scene should’ve given a review for new and old fans. Also if you fast forward two years some things should’ve been written better.
Example:
Kelly has been divorced from Jason for 2 years, she should be used to spending his money. Instead she acts as if she just got her first check.
If Derwin is now “Mr. Nike” shouldn’t he have a mega mansion like Malik’s?
The paternity issue with Derwin should not be that big two years later. A reference to wanting the paternity when the baby was born could’ve been mentioned.
Just my two cents, hopefully they can get into their groove.
PS. The set designer…smh.
Wait…did they even do a scene review showing clips in order to catch us up? I don’t remember seeing that!!
Hmm.. I dont think sloppy is the right term…
I think its a good start. This episode is entertaining and to me, it makes total sense.
Tasha Mack smoking a black and mild is not out of character for her, this is the same girl who called her cousin Pookie to take care of things.. like.. she’s that chick…. and thats why we love her..
Girl Melanie is so far from the Melanie we fell in love with, that’s the whole point.. She’s clearly changed and has become more of Sunbeam that she said she never would.. Money and fame and this “perfect wife” changes people. She’s not even interested in being a doctor anymore…
The brit brat was a fail, but then again, the original actress was not very good at all.. so.. I’m not mad at the change. They should have at least kept her hair color the same.
Overall, People expect way too much from a show that just returning. Of course its more drama, its one hour and we haven’t seen these characters in a long time. The same feeling came with SATC the movie versus the show..
The episode was entertaining…sort of. I will give it that….sort of. lol
Thanks for linking to my review. Much much appreciated.
I am concerned that in an effort to drive the show into more dramatic territory, BET has ruined the delicate balance of drama and comedy that made the show distinctive. Even the lighting was very soap opera-ish. And I agree that they’ve made almost all of the characters less likeable. Even TeeTee seemed sort of spineless, where his character was laissez faire before but didn’t get run over like he did in that episode. I still have hope that the show will improve as the season goes on, though.
I heard a few people comparing it to a night soap. That would be dreadful if it really embraced that genre. Good point about Tee Tee.
I think you’ve pretty much summed up what a lot of us are thinking. I understand the previous seasons had “drama”, but it still had bit of humor to it. This new episode was too dark for my taste. Everyone is on a downward spiral and it played out like a poorly written soap opera. Although, I guessed what Malik was going to do with TeeTee’s girl before it happened; I agree, Malik was arrogant, but he still had a heart. Tasha and Malik were in the same room and didn’t speak. I assume their relationship is on the rocks because Derwin is a star now, but it doesn’t make sense. Even when they were angry with each other before the mother/son bond they had seemed unbreakable. I don’t know if Kelly is supposed to be bitter or what, but it’s not believable. She wasn’t even this “new kelly” when she knocked Tasha out. Actually, the only character that seems to still be reminiscent of the last season is Jason and even his character seemed a bit “off” most of the show. The entire show felt awkward and forced; from the characters to the laugh track. I hope it gets better because this first episode is all one impenetrable mystery and I’m flummoxed.
Pardon the typos. I’m commenting from my phone.
I weep. I don’t understand why we started two years later. It’s not like the show had a roll call of current events in each episode. Either they should have started the show two years ago or this first show should have been a recap of the past two years. If you’re going to drastically change the characters’ dispositions like this, we need to see that process.
How did we go from Kelly being in love with Jason and hoping for a reunion, quietly weeping in the courtroom and holding herself to Kelly being NeNe? Where the hell is Camille? Where in the hell is Rick Fox? Rick.Fox. You can’t show Tasha mouthing “Thank you” to the universe while she lays her head on Rick’s shoulder and then just pop up with Terrance J! She goes from Coach to Rick Fox to… Terrance damn J? NO! We go from Malik refusing to sleep with Girl Melanie for her own good to him boning T.T.’s girl for revenge. The hell?
*sigh* I feel like this premiere was written for new fans and those who became fans during marathons. I can see how those who watched all the drama unfold over a Saturday marathon feel like this premiere was in line with what they were expecting. If you were watching the series and saw this unfold and the characters develop over months, it’s shocking. And before, the drama didn’t seem forced. It was women being cliquish, infidelity, losing yourself in a relationship, allowing outside forces to influence your relationship, etc. The nonsense in last night’s episode was too much too soon. I shudder to think of the coonery they have planned for the season.
*I did think the second half of the final season was over the top too, but I understood why that needed to be done- they didn’t know if there would be another season so they needed to wrap things up quickly and they were also trying to shop the show around to networks as a 1hour dramedy. I get it. But now you can sit back and breathe and get back to good writing. Lawd. It’s like the writers are still doing jailhouse eating- no one’s going to steal your food or show so you can SLOW DOWN. Or maybe they lied to us about keeping the original writers. Those writing the Jerome-Melanie-Janay-Derwin saga did not write this premiere. If we’re going to be over-the-top with drama, you need to balance with humor.
YOU NAILED IT. Yes. You captured more of thoughts.
***Standing Ovation*** Please take a bow it is due to you! Perfect! I don’t even need to make a comment, that is all! I’m this close to copying and pasting that comment…but i wont.
I feel like by criticizing we’re helping the show. Because most of us are going to give them at least a season to get it right. But more than that is pushing it.
I agree with you as well. I’m not sure I like the fact that they fast forwarded the show 2 yrs even if that was how long it’s been. I think the melanie and derwin plot was sloppy since I didn’t realistically think these events would have taken two yrs to transpire. They completely ruined malik and kelly for me. As you said, the traits that made us like these characters are no longer who they seem to be… And brit brat??? Hell no! I really hope the show gets better as the season progresses because I did love it.
I think the episode appeared rushed and over the top because it was rushed and over the top. In an effort to get CW to keep The Game, the writers wrote and filmed an hour long episode back in 2009, I believe. At the time CW was moving away from the half an hour format of comedies, and the producers wanted to prove The Game could be tweaked as Gossip Girl-esque pop drama. I’m betting that this is the episode they filmed when they were trying to get the CW to consider The Game a drama instead of a dramedy.
The episode gets a huge meh.
Yes! I agree. Last night episode had me feeling depressed and empty. Melanie and DJ bathroom scene was DISTURBING.
[...] 500′s Season Four Premiere Review, which does a great character study and Mediastrut’s The Game Makes A Sloppy Return to Television, pointing out the character’s disconnectedness and suggests, with hope, that the show will [...]
This comment is a day late & a dollar short but I’m posting cuz I said I would! Which means I’m not reading any of the comments posted as of now! bear with, please, thanks
I am hoping that the sloppiness and rushed story are purposeful, as to provide a season full of episodes to unravel and work through everything that was thrown at us. In that, the dissonance created between what we saw & who we know as the characters can be resolved over time. Creating consonance right before the season finale & then throwing in more hooks & ladders & plot twist to keep us interested in the following season.
I mean I hope the writers are that smart! If not i hope they see this & use it! LOL
I take so much issue with the DJ story arch. The colorism is no bueno & lazy. I also took issue with Tasha Mack smoking Black n Milds. That’s just disrespectful. & the Chris Webber segment was the ABSOLUTE worse, I kept waiting for someone to yell “CUT!”
I take issue with EVERYONE’s hair except Kelly, and it wouldn’t even be an issue if they hadn’t brought it up first and worked it into the story for both Tasha & Girl Melanie previously. Kelly’s hair was fried, died & laid to the side! Making everyone else look like a cheap trick afterthought & I am mad about! The girl was fierce!
All that aside, the show went through many ups & downs (aesthetically, in the writing style and quality, in its toting the line between comedy and drama) previously. This is ok. I LIKED IT OVERALL. I’d actually appreciate it if they’d stay in the hour, melodrama arena & not go back to a half hour sitcom. And let’s be real: I’m going to tune in no matter what.
Whats more interesting is someone’s opinion who isn’t familiar with the series. Wondering if all the nuance and references were caught. Like knowing Malik’s history to understand him & Tee Tee’s tension plus why its a bad idea for Alison to take him home. Or why its shocking for Kelly & Tasha to be at odds. Or Brit-Brat to look like a Bratz Doll being raised by Kim Zolciak (but i think the point there was to show, sloppily yes, the affects of divorce.) Or understanding why its interesting that Malik is self-destructing & Derwin is on the rise.
ok i think i captured all my thoughts from last night. the end.
Enjoyed the show review! I didn’t think it was bad… not bad at all. Agreed that fast forwarding two years into the future was a bit of a let-down for fans, I overstand rushed feel in order to “catch-up” new fans. Obvious fails were Tasha’s heightened stereotypical behavior (Black & Mild really?), Tasha dating Terrance J (hard to believe), and the new Britt. Everything else felt rather true to the old characters- Melanie’s still as insecure as ever and messing up her relationship, Malik’s rise and poor treatment of others is going to bite him in the ass (foreshadowed in the last scene), Kelly is Shauni O’Neal (highly believable- we watch “hoodrat-esque” BBW wkly) and Jason is still smelling himself. I hope that the characters will have more core interaction as the season moves forward, but life separates folks for periods of time (Kelly & Tasha’s lingering beef is prime example-love they kept that). I’ll be doing weekly recaps on my lil’ blog Vitamin D. Great observations J!!
If you go to the BET blog, more than 50% of the fans are disapointed. I was disappointed from what I saw of The Game last week. I wanted to find out what people were saying outside of the BET blogs…and really there is not a lot of press about Tuesday’s episode of the Game accept for that 7.7 million viewers watched it…but no real press about people feeling it was a good show….and there are mixed reviews…which means that after the show fans were torn as to if they really liked it or not…not a good sign.
I don’t feel J Danielle is being negative. I think she is being honest.
Black viewers deserve QUALITY. We fell in love with The Game (the way it was) and it is not negative to want that back… and express it.
I never watched the game on UPN….I saw the first two episodes and decided it was corny. After it was cancelled…I started watching the re-runs…and got hooked. I hope it is true that season 4 is starting that way…but will get better. True! We fell in love with Melonie because she was a home girl who got hurt…we can all relate to that…but this new Melonie is out of character. This show is a spin off from Girlfriends…and Melonie followed Derwin because she LOVED him…her family was already wealthy…it is doutful that she was in it for his money. …and for BET to potray her like this is really GHETTO.
i would even go as far as to say at least 70% of the fans on the bet blog are disappointed.
You took the words right out of my mouth is cliche, but true. I couldn’t have said it better myself. I hope they improve and get it right as the show airs, not because it’s a black show, but rather a good show.
i agree wholeheartedly. i’m holding out to see if things improve; if not, oh well.
you hit the nail on the head. The show is not the same.Before i couldnt wait to see the Game, now its like ehh