WackAF
FIRST of all, congrats on the renewal of the show. I’m still not going to watch the second season, but congratulations. They had the nerve to announce it on Juneteenth like that day was going to make me support EVERYTHING black. I heard you Ms. Hurston. Loud and clear.
The irony of it all is there’s an episode of BlackAF that depicts this very mindset. Black folks saying they love or like a movie or TV Show because it was made by a black person. The name of that episodes slips my mind, but the content of the episode doesn’t. Not like I needed to remember the names of every episode during this season because they all started with “Because of Slavery” which is something you’ll see me bring up later on if you keep reading. The episode I’m referring to is one of the few good episodes of this season, but still struggled to be a real teachable moment. I get the feeling Kenya Barris used his all white writers to push his selfish black elitist agendas during certain exposed throughout the season and this episode is one of them. I still liked the episode because it was saved by Issa Rae, Lena Waithe and the other creators on the video call with Kenya and that turned into virtual roasting session for a bit. That’s the thing about the show in general, it was the guest and their scenes that made a few of the episodes bearable to sit through and watch. That episode was the 5th one of the series. 5 episodes in and Kenya is subliminally guilt tripping black folks into liking his shows, specifically BlackAF because he wants to maintain his wealth and social status. Man, listen. If people aren’t interested in your show by episode 2 or 3, you’re likely not going to keep them as a viewer unless they’re like me and can’t look away from the train wreck or they’re an honest reviewer like myself and will put themselves through torture to give the best, most thorough review as possible. What was cool about that episode other than seeing all that black excellence on a video call together was seeing white people admit that they only say they love movies made by black people or about black people because they’re afraid they’re going to be called racist if their honest about not liking it or say anything negative about it.
What’s Good?
I’m going to do my best to wrap this up the quickest I could for two reasons. 1) I don’t want to continue thinking bout this show. 2) As much as I don’t like this show, I don’t want to spend all day shitting on a black person’s show. So here’s some of the good that I saw on #BlackAF.
Kenya Barris is not a bad actor, he’s just not funny, most of the time. he’s situational funny. Had this show not been renewed I don’t think Kenya Barris would’ve stepped in-front of the camera again unless it was for a commercial or a short skit. Which is what I see him doing well as an actor. Nothing long form like a TV show, God no, not a movie.
I thought his interactions with the second oldest daughter, the one shooting the documentary, were funny. I look bad saying this, but I thought the best moments of the show was when he and his wife played by Rasheeda Jones cursed at the kids like they were adults. Pair that with the sometimey funny banter between Kenya and Rasheeda made for some of the shows best unfiltered comedic moments. Moments that could have saved the series for me if the other stuff wasn’t so damn bad. Pretty much the one bad apple rule applied to this entire season except there were several bad apples that were planted with bad seeds (writers). Yeah, man, Kenya really ruined his own show because he wanted to be the star instead of being the writer that got him his popularity and fortune. I’ll talk more about that later.
The guest for the most part were the saving grace. I really loved Tyler Perry and the sound advice he gave to Kenya. Lena Waithe was another guest that I enjoyed watching. Artist, Knowledge Bennett was another guest that wowed me, although he and his fabulous piece that was featured on the show wasn’t enough for me to say episode 3 was a great one, because it wasn’t, but shout out to Knowledge Bennett. Dope brother right there.
I found myself liking the last two episodes because they weren’t trying to be fake deep during those episodes. Just a big ass family feuding on a family vacation. You know, like a regular fucking show about a big ass family. No forced fake deep “it’s so hard being black” “it’s so hard being bi-racial” “it’s so hard being a supportive husband” “it’s so hard being an active mother” bullshit.
I pretty much liked part of episode 5, 7 and 8. That’s three and a half episodes out of 8 total episodes in one season that I found pleasing to watch. That’s not good. I almost want to count episodes 7 and 8 as one episode because 8 was a continuation of episode 7, but I’ll leave them separate as is. It makes the odds look a little better that way.
I don’t like this show and it’s not because of slavery.
What didn’t sit right with me was the show having all white writers, outside of Kenya’s personal oversight, which I felt he did little of because he was too busy trying to be “the star.” I’m not against having casting crews full of white writers, it just didn’t sit right with me for a show like this. I don’t know how Kenya missed this, but when you hire a bunch of white folks to write for a “black show” and their thoughts of the black family struggle all comes from the family blaming everything on slavery, although if a black family were to do that, I’d have no qualms with that, but let BLACK PEOPLE spread that message. Not white people. It sounds like a caricature when they do that. Also, Kenya, you couldn’t find black writers? Really? You had BLACK WRITERS in your episode on a video call with you? Sure these are your highly successful friends who you’d probably have to pay more than these dweeb white people you hired, but you could have found a team of hungry unknown black writers to do the show and maybe, hopefully they would’ve done a better job than the caucasians you hired. In regards to Kenya Barris doubling down on the “because of slavery” shit, I wasn’t with that either, seeing as he and his family on and off the show are not the average black family. No, that does not make Barris and his family any less black than my poor black family or any other poor or well-off black family, but his “problems” and my families problems are totally different. For example, I nor anyone in my family to my knowledge purchase really expensive artwork from famous artist and make a big fuss about not being able to find the meaning of the piece because of slavery. Barris also blamed his materialism on slavery, which is what many black folks, rich or poor do, but I believe we are better than that. There are obvious disadvantages we as black folks have because of slavery. Not impressing our rich family with private jets is not one of those disadvantages nor is that a “struggle” all black families (or the majority of them for that matter) can relate to. The show writers are cringe. The fake deep/relatable episodes were cringe. The acting was cringe. This show is cringe. #WackAF
Ether.
I know I said I wasn’t going to continue the verbal lashes… but FUCK JAY-Z! For a show that was “supposed” to be an ode to his (Kenya Barris) wife, this was not it at all. Barris, played himself. An egotistical show writer who can’t get out of his own way. The show was supposed to make Barris’ biracial wife feel like she belonged to the black community so he had Rasheeda Jones, an actual biracial woman play his wife. Out of this entire season, only ONE episode is dedicated to Kenya’s wife being a biracial woman struggling with identity, that was episode 2 if I’m not mistaken. I know it wasn’t three and it was earlier than episode 4 or 5 so my guess is 2. Either way, like every episode before 7, it fucking sucked and it was forced. A bunch of full whites writing about the struggle of a half white mother married to a black man with 75% black kids. Kenya STILL found a way to have the writers make that episode and the rest of this series about him, although this was “supposed” to be bout his real life biracial wife. I don’t know what the chemistry is like between Kenya Barris and his real wife, but Rasheeda and Kenya did not have great couples chemistry at all. If they weren’t maliciously trying to one up and belittle one another they were tag teaming to curse out a “soft r” racist. Like many of the good stuff, the loving couple scenes didn’t last very long and came much later during the season (episodes 6–8).
Predictions for Season 2
More “because of slavery” episode tittles.
More “I’m blackity black” episodes from Rasheeda Jones, especially depicting her as the “militant” black woman to prove her “blackness” to viewers who measure blackness and pro-blackness on who has the best Black Panther Cosplay costume.
More Kenya.
More Kenya’s ego.
More annoying pretentious second oldest daughter.
More cringe acting younger kids outside of Brooklyn. Leave it to the baby to be the only bearable kid.
Less watch time from me because I will not be watching it. Just don’t be surprised when some or all of these predictions come to light.
