http://officialfan.proboards.com/thread/478768/inappropriate-say-black-sitcoms

http://officialfan.proboards.com/post/9881463/quote/478768

The thing is, the good ones weren't "black" sitcoms. They were family sitcoms where the main cast just happened to be black. The Cosby Show, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Family Matters. Those shows could have worked exactly the same with a family of any color, and that's what made them great. They were easy to relate to for everyone. Pretty much the exact opposite of Tyler Perry's stuff.

http://officialfan.proboards.com/post/9881473/quote/478768

Tyler Perry's sitcoms probably would be able to appeal to a wide ranging audience if he wasn't so hamfisted with his moralizing. I don't think them having a focus on black issues is so much their problem than that the writing is just clunky.

http://officialfan.proboards.com/post/9881555/quote/478768

I've seen House of Payne/Meet the Browns more than a few times. The writing is atrocious in both of them, but I think that's only one part of it. There's not a single likable character in either series, the acting is often embarrassing, the sets look cheap, and the switch between "light-hearted family comedy" and "very special episode" territory within the same episode (e.g. whatever that episode is when some kid brings a gun into his class) is jarring. There's just a noticeable lack of effort on every level. I honestly think those two shows rank amongst the worst sitcoms I've ever seen. FWIW - I still mourn the loss of Everybody Hates Chris. That was a funny, modern show with a black cast.

As far as the older ones go, even as a black person myself, I don't remember watching a lot of them. Fresh Prince was pretty funny, though. It stands apart from some the other listed here (Family Matters, for example) in that it actually seems like a sitcom tailored to blacks rather than a regular show that happens to feature a black cast.

http://officialfan.proboards.com/post/9882820/quote/478768

Dear sweet Cobb, yes. I'm pretty sure that was the first episode I had ever seen of Meet the Browns and if I have any power over it, it will damn sure be the last. There is literally a scene near the end where they go from an anvilicious, after school special monologue about how bullying students leads to school shootings to, with no lapse between, joking about the bully pissing himself in the ordeal. I cringed. HARD. The Haves and the Have Nots isn't any better. There isn't a single likable character among the bunch; they have zero depth and are transparent as all hell.

Somehow, this crap gets ratings too. If I live to be 100, I'll never understand why or how.

http://officialfan.proboards.com/post/9882905/quote/478768

Fresh Prince dealt with race a few times a season, it seemed. Racism was a go-to plot device to them whenever they wanted a special episode. Cosby Show did deal with it, but much less often. It was closer to a family sitcom rather than a black one and hit things less black-specific most of the time, but it did tread there a few times.

As for the Tyler Perry shows, they're just awful, plain and simple. Posters above hit it on the head with terrible writing and unlikable characters.

No I don't think it's inappropriate at all! I think it's great that The Cosby Show, Good Times and Family Matters were so popular and yet at the same time shows with white families like Growing Pains, All In the Family and Full House were popular as well. I'm sure that all of those shows had viewers who were of all different races. I liked that on Full House, the kids had friends who were of different races. Fresh Prince of Bel Air was a great show! You're right about the fact that the Cosby Show and Family Matters were great because of the fact that they could have been used with any family and they didn't focus on race.

I'm sure that all of those shows had viewers who were of all different races. I liked that on Full House, the kids had friends who were of different races.

By that same token, I liked that on The Cosby Show, Rudy had a friend who was white- Peter, who lived across the street. (The episode where Rudy and Peter break Cliff's juicer is still one of my favorite's- just hilarious.)
It's nice to see different races intermingling and having friendships- but even if that isn't portrayed, that doesn't necessarily mean the show is racist or purposefully avoiding portraying that race.
Of course, I don't really like the term "black sitcoms" to begin with- as the first poster said, shows like The Cosby Show and Family Matters, etc. were just fun family shows- the emphasis of the show was not solely on the fact that the main cast were African-Americans. (Though it is nice that Family Matters acknowledged that and had an episode dealing with racism and Black History Month. Dealing with a tough social issue like that in such a well done way is to be applauded. Nothing wrong with remembering the family's heritage on the show.)
But it's just a weird term to me because I don't think many people refer to Growing Pains and Family Ties and Full House as "white sitcoms". (Although maybe some people do- I don't know- lol.)
I just think of them as TV shows and I don't care what race the main characters are- if it's a good quality show that promotes good (and hopefully Christian) values, then I am cool with watching it.

By that same token, I liked that on The Cosby Show, Rudy had a friend who was white- Peter, who lived across the street. (The episode where Rudy and Peter break Cliff's juicer is still one of my favorite's- just hilarious.)
It's nice to see different races intermingling and having friendships- but even if that isn't portrayed, that doesn't necessarily mean the show is racist or purposefully avoiding portraying that race.
Of course, I don't really like the term "black sitcoms" to begin with- as the first poster said, shows like The Cosby Show and Family Matters, etc. were just fun family shows- the emphasis of the show was not solely on the fact that the main cast were African-Americans. (Though it is nice that Family Matters acknowledged that and had an episode dealing with racism and Black History Month. Dealing with a tough social issue like that in such a well done way is to be applauded. Nothing wrong with remembering the family's heritage on the show.)
But it's just a weird term to me because I don't think many people refer to Growing Pains and Family Ties and Full House as "white sitcoms". (Although maybe some people do- I don't know- lol.)
I just think of them as TV shows and I don't care what race the main characters are- if it's a good quality show that promotes good (and hopefully Christian) values, then I am cool with watching it.
I watch a lot of the Disney Channel (and I mean a LOT), and I've noticed on Good Luck Charlie, that Teddy (who is white) has a best friend named Ivy (who is black and heavyset-I love that she's not stick thin like most actresses-plus she's extremely talented and very pretty). Her brother PJ has a black friend named Emmett, who has a crush on Teddy.
I've seen several 'inter-ratial' relationships on Disney and it doesn't seem to bother anyone. Disney shows aren't romantic per say but they do hint at it and I think it's great that they are trying to mix races. It shows that everyone is equal.

Tyler Perry's brand of comedy is tailored more to the "Christian", "Southern" types that seek out a more family oriented laugh. He's basically transformed his stage plays into film and TV projects, without taking the highly theatrical elements (including stage actors) out. In turn, the film and TV show versions come off as pushing too hard for a laugh.

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https://www.instagram.com/tv/B7T3C3Yhsaw/?utm_source=ig_embed

@TylerPerry explains to @TheDanielleYoung why he doesn't have a writer's room: "What people don’t know is that early on, I had a writer’s room and it was a nightmare for me." #AFallFromGrace


-Doesn’t understand the issue people have with him writing all of his scripts.

-He tried to have a writer’s room early on in his television career, but the writers he hired weren’t speaking to his audience through their scripts. He says his ratings declined with episodes written by others.

-Says ‘The Haves and the Have Nots,’ ‘The Oval’ and ‘Sistas’ are all #1 in ratings.

-He will continue to be the sole writer for his shows because he knows what his audience wants.

-He understands wanting to give others opportunities.


-In the near future, there will be more shows developed at his studio that will have showrunners and other writers, but they won’t be his shows, of course.

Tyler Perry Responds to Critics for Writing his Own Scripts and Phylicia Rashad Talks Childhood

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He brings up the backlash he received from the “work ethic” post immediately upon sitting down.
Claims he was trying to motivate people with the post.
Gets a question about self care and opportunities for black creators from one of the hosts.
He had a writing room in the past and it was a horrible experience and says his ratings took a dip because of it.
Claims that all of his shows are #1 for the nights they premiere so therefore someone likes his writing (including “Sistas” and “The Oval”) e1
Will continue to write everything for his shows.
Says there will be other projects at TP studios that will include a show runner and other writers i.e. more opportunities for black creatives.
He claims he is healthy and taking care of himself even though he admits to writing an entire season in two weeks.

I saw a tape of one of his plays and I hated it. It had Madea in it and I hated that character. The writing was horrible and that was 2 hours I'll never get back. I never saw any of Tylers' sitcoms or his other movies and I never will.

Sitcoms like Family Matters still had episodes about racism and such issues