(ThyBlackMan.com) Dear Mr. Tyler Perry,
When fall television line-ups were announced by both broadcast and cable networks there were only two shows I was really excited about seeing: BET’s Reed Between the Lines and TBS’s For Better or Worse.
Last Friday your latest TBS offering premiered. After watching both episodes I felt an uncomfortable irony settle over me. I was hoping for so much despite the craziness shown in the trailer. I wanted this show to be so good. Yet I was disappointed. I just felt like you threw me into the middle of chaos and drama before I had a chance to warm up to the program. I just felt like, “Damn can we get to know each other first.”
The first episode opened with Angela and Marcus’s children arguing over 
Marcus’s ex calling Angela a ho. Ok, this is sooooo 2007 first installment of Why Did I Get Married? Can we please move past Keisha? Must we still deal with this movie-decade old drama in a brand new show? Alas Mr. Tyler Perry I guess we must. So the kids are arguing. Which leads to the parents arguing. Which leads to Angela pissed off at work where we meet new characters without depth. The big lady (sorry haven’t gotten all the characters names yet) I’m assuming was supposed to provide comic relief but she wasn’t funny. She was over the top; hyperbolic if you will. Really, who acts like that? And “Hold please” sounds nothing like “Ho. Please.” But shout out to Bre from America’s Next Top Model getting a cameo. (Too bad she wasn’t sitting at the salon desk in episode two)
Now we’re in the salon and we meet Leslie; girlfriend to Marcus’s business partner (name forgotten) and apparent friend to Angela. She’s hosting a dinner party to welcome the latest business partner to Marcus’s sportscast. Then we meet the fellas. Marcus, Business Partner, and Intern (name also not stored in my memory). They’re talking about the excitement of the newest business partner Richard. Richard enters, the fellas chop it up. Marcus tries to call Keisha. It’s revealed Richard and Keisha are together. Fella’s race to Marcus and Angela’s home where Keisha is supposed to meet Marcus.
Cut to Keisha pulling up to Marcus and Angela’s home. Angela comes to the door. Keisha steps in and after two stalely acted lines two grown ass women in too tight dresses (spanx please) are rolling around on the marble floor fighting.
Everybody knows Angela likes to fight. Favorite line from Why Did I Get Married?, “I don’t like her. Good thing I brought my sneakers and vaseline.” But really Tyler Perry this is the FIRST episode. This is TOO DAMN MUCH DRAMA. I get it, it’s a continuation from my favorite movie, but in my not so favorite Why Did I Get Married Too? it appeared Marcus and Angela supposedly moved past their trust issues. Keisha wasn’t even a factor. Now we’re back to square one. I can’t take it. I just can’t. I. CAN’T.
Isn’t the whole purpose of a TV show spinoff from a movie to add something new to the characters that viewers don’t already know? The addition of new characters who don’t do anything but stir up more of the old drama is not a ground breaking storyline. You could’ve given me Patricia, Diane, Terry, Sheila, Mike and Troy back if we were going to keep harping on the same drama.
Honestly, I would have preferred the original characters. As I said the first time I heard of this show, I thought — hoped rather — For Better or Worse would be the second coming of Soul Food. A show where we may lose the original cast but keep the characters and expand their interaction and dynamics outside of a train wreck of a vacation I would probably never take if I were them. Give me Patricia and her new boo. (would’ve been amazingly awesome to put Janet Jackson back on TV. I’m just saying) Give me Terry and Diane. She nearly cheated, are they getting divorced now? Give me Sheila and Troy. How is his job going? What is she doing besides raising their baby? Is Mike still trying to get her back or will he be faded out the same way Soul Food did Miles?
There’s a reason everything old is new again. Because it works. For Better or Worse does have potential even in its current state of train-wreckery, and that is without any wishful thinking Soul Food leanings. But the potential lies in the storyline and the delivery of those lines. Really can Angela stop yelling. Who yells all day long. It’s TOO MUCH! Secondly, can Marcus get some bass in his voice. In the movies he had an attitude now he’s all “Baby Please, Baby Please, give me kisses .Muah.” BOOOOOOOOO! The big lady at the beauty shop, if she’s going to be comic relief then please let her tell jokes or just be funny because acting funny without being funny is not funny it’s #awkward. (Sidenote: Over the top acting like the big lady only works for Madea. It’s a knack you’ve mastered that other actresses don’t pull of so well.) As for the other characters, make me care about them. Make their story lines less predictable. Keisha still wants Marcus, Leslie saw her come on to him and will probably tell Angela after consulting with Business Partner boyfriend. Angela will get even more pissed, Marcus will be in the doghouse and the yelling and the arguing will start all over again.
NO.
NO.
JUST NO.
Mr. Tyler Perry I know you have other tricks up your sleeve for this show. You have a success in House of Payne. Now I need you to take that time honored care you put into that show, and into the first Why Did I Get Married? and into For Colored Girls and put it into For Better or Worse. I was looking forward to this show. I want to love this show so much I stay in on Friday nights with my fiance and we watch it and laugh together.
Right now I’m flipping past for any episode of Say Yes to the Dress old or new and I don’t want too.
Tyler Perry I want to love this show. Right now I’m not even in lukewarm like. I’d rather have a sandwich.
Now, will I watch For Better or Worse just the hell of it. Probably. But you only get so many for the hell of it views before I tune you out and turn you off.
Click, Click I’ll find what I’m looking for. (word to J*Davey)
Something worth an hour of my time every Friday night.
Do you think Tyler Perry’s For Better or Worse will get Better or Worse?
Staff Writer; Nikesha Leeper
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