After eight seasons, a cancellation, a relocation, and a rebirth, The
Game said farewell to their loyal fans on August 5, 2015. To understand why fans love this show so
much, one must recall its history...
The
Game began as a spin-off from
one of TV’s most popular sitcoms, Girlfriends. The 2006 Girlfriends episode
entitled “The Game”, featured Melanie Barnett (Tia Mowry) who visits her cousin Joan Clayton
(Tracee Ellis Ross). Melanie is torn
between pursuing a career in medicine and following her college sweetheart
turned NFL player, Derwin Davis, to San Diego- and thus The Game was born!
Directed and written by power couple Salim & Mara Brock Akil, The Game debuted on The CW in October 2006, after The CW acquired The WB (previously UPN) television network. The fanfare for the show was quieted by a thunderstorm of controversy brewing over The CW's new lineup. Despite high ratings and audience support, The CW only elected to bring Girlfriends from The WB and added The Game as a new edition. Many fans accused The CW of deliberately white washing the network given that UPN was once home to The Jamie Foxx Show, The Wayans Bros., The Steve Harvey Show, and Sister,Sister. And The WB was the present home to Girlfriends, One on One, Half & Half, and Eve; all tenured and popular shows.
Directed and written by power couple Salim & Mara Brock Akil, The Game debuted on The CW in October 2006, after The CW acquired The WB (previously UPN) television network. The fanfare for the show was quieted by a thunderstorm of controversy brewing over The CW's new lineup. Despite high ratings and audience support, The CW only elected to bring Girlfriends from The WB and added The Game as a new edition. Many fans accused The CW of deliberately white washing the network given that UPN was once home to The Jamie Foxx Show, The Wayans Bros., The Steve Harvey Show, and Sister,Sister. And The WB was the present home to Girlfriends, One on One, Half & Half, and Eve; all tenured and popular shows.
The CW went on to cancel The Game in 2009 after only three
seasons. This came on the heels of Girlfriends’ cancellation during the Writers Guild strike in 2008, making The CW completely void of any predominately
African-American cast shows. The fan
outcry was bolstered by The Game’s nail-biting third season
finale, that left many salivating for more “Sunbeams” and “Sabers”.
BET (Black Entertainment Television) heard the cries of those
fans and picked up the show for its Spring 2011 lineup. The transition was not without a
few kinks. Many fans feared that script changes and the inclusion of a laugh track vs. a live audience were taking
away from the show’s appeal. The cast
also complained in interviews that the filming regimen combined with the
filming taking place in Atlanta vs. Los Angeles was hindering the authenticity
of the show.
However, by 2012, the show was nestled into their new home and gaining more fans than ever before. After all the dust settled, lead actors Tia Mowry and Pooch Hall exited the show to pursue other ventures. Meanwhile Brandy Norwood, Lauren London, and Jay Ellis were brought on as characters that were initially meant to extend the storylines of Jason and Malik. However, "Chardonnay", "Keira", and "Blue" utimately solidified permanent stamps in the saga that is The Game.
Although we will miss
The
Game, we appreciate its send off. The story line came full circle and all of the “players” were in there for the buzzer! Melanie,
Derwin, Tasha, Malik, Jason, and Kelly took us on a funny, sexy, fashionable
roller coaster ride that ended in true Championship fashion! Hats off to the cast, crew, creator, writers,
directors, and BET for bringing a great
ending to a great show! The Game and its legion of fans
should serve as a testament that scripted
“black comedies” are still wanted and adored! This shows that when we put our
voices to work, we can make tangible changes in the entertainment industry. In the infamous words of Tasha Mack (and the title of the series finale episode)... "Pow, Pow, Pow!!!!"
However, by 2012, the show was nestled into their new home and gaining more fans than ever before. After all the dust settled, lead actors Tia Mowry and Pooch Hall exited the show to pursue other ventures. Meanwhile Brandy Norwood, Lauren London, and Jay Ellis were brought on as characters that were initially meant to extend the storylines of Jason and Malik. However, "Chardonnay", "Keira", and "Blue" utimately solidified permanent stamps in the saga that is The Game.
No comments:
Post a Comment