What's Happening Now!!

[CindyRoxiesLair2006]

Originally Posted by mlingerfelt

Dee is much beautiful. the first season would be worth buying. the second season was good to.

That is a fact and a half, what you state about Dee, mlingerfelt! (Even though SOME people might think otherwise...ohhh WELL! LOL)

Anyhow, if WHN were to come on DVD, I would hope that it would be available like they have the WH series set up (season-by-season, with 3 discs included).
I just received the first season of WH and now it's completed my whole set.
All that remains is the WHN series...hopefully it'll be out soon on DVD!

[mlingerfelt]

let me know Cindy when you hear about it on dvd.

[CindyRoxiesLair2006]

Originally Posted by mlingerfelt

let me know Cindy when you hear about it on dvd.

Sure thing, mlingerfelt... we sure will let you know when I hear about WHN being on DVD. You'll be the first to know, from me! (At least, ONE of the first...LOL)

Anyways, in about some WHN episodes in particular, when Dee comes on and is exhibiting her young-woman issues, antics, and the like---it's as if Raj is always overprotecting her!
I know he's always gonna be her big brother and all that, but GEEZ, Raj!
He should've just backed off a little---rather, a whole LOT, as far as Dee was concerned (in WHN)...she was a grown woman in college!!!

[TVFactFan]

One of the WHN eps that aired doing the marathon, the Father Bill had showed up to surprise Raj and when raj finally saw him he said-"what do u want"?-lol I was like-"did something happening during season 3 of What's Happening between them that I forgot about?-lol

[CindyRoxiesLair2006]

Originally Posted by RetroTVCollector

One of the WHN eps that aired doing the marathon, the Father Bill had showed up to surprise Raj and when raj finally saw him he said-"what do u want"?-lol I was like-"did something happening during season 3 of What's Happening between them that I forgot about?-lol

RetroTV, you bring up a good question in the latter portion of what you wrote, concerning Raj and Bill (the father) in WHN.
If anything occurred between them before that WHN episode, it had to have been in Season 2 of WH (namely when Bill got married to Lee). We didn't see Bill anymore after that particular showing in WH.

[pinkcarnation]

Originally Posted by Del

I agree that WHN was not as good as WH. But I disagree that the show was not as good BECAUSE it did not stick with the original characters. How the heck are you supposed to stick to the original characters? They grew up..they evolved..they moved on in life.

I believe that during the mid80s, Black sitcoms were, in a sense, erasing the bafoonery of the 70s. The Cosby Show is the prime example. But there were several others. Remember Bustin Loose, staring Jimmy Walker? It was a horrible show, but Jimmy Walker played a half-way normal African American father and husband in middle America. Also, the show with Flip Wilson and Gladys Knight? And Family Matters?

It would have been a travesty if WHN would have had Raj, Dwayne and Rerun acting the same as they did as teenagers. I would not have wanted Dwayne to be as ditsy as he was when he was 17. And I wanted him to be successful in whatever career he chose. I wanted to see Raj with at least a semi-successful career in writing. I wanted Shirley to have the same humor, but not just a financially-strapped waitress with no sexuality. I wanted to see Dee, who we all knew was smart, in college and into academics. That was the logical progression for her character.

WHN moved these characters in a very reasonable direction to be expected 6 years later. The Cooley High antics at age 26 would not have made sense, and certainly would not have been accepted in mid-80s Black sitcoms.

With that said, I did see some flaws with WHN. First the jokes were horrible!! They needed better comedic writers.

Also, I agree that WHN was perhaps a little too much in a social vacuum, especially given the origins of WH. These characters were based in Watts, California, where race is part of culture. Watts, almost by definition, means RACE IN AMERICA. These characters were not in middle America, which is what WHN tried to create. If you recall, the original WH did not really flag race and racism either. They didn't throw race in your face like other sitcoms (like All in the Family or Good Times). But the social and racial authenticity was still there...just not in a way that scared middle America away from the show. I think WHN writers were so concerned about reversing the 70s stereotypes, they overreached to the point where they erased race alltogether. That was a huge, costly (in the ratings), and dishonoring compromise to the original show, in my opinion.

Second, the Nadine character was not a good fit. She was a stable decent actress, but she really didn't have any quality, charm, struggle or flaw...something the audience could rally behind her about. She was basically just a boring housewife... only in the show to create a more balanced Raj. Plus, she was waaaay too skiny!!! I am surprised that wasn't talked about. If she were on TV today, she'd be ostricized big time.

If I were casting WHN, I would have done some things a little differently. I probably would have kept Raj single, and had the threesome doing the crazy things that single guys do in their 20s. I may have considered reintroduing Mama (even if I had to find someone else to play the part...hey its been done before) to give the show that moral fiber that made it so relevant in the 70s. I would have given Shirley Hemphill center stage a little bit more. She was quite funny, but they often only gave her quick jokes just before a fade out. I would have given her faarrrrr more lines. I would have expanded Shirley's character to make her more three dimensional.

I agree with most of the points made above, except wasn't Nadine not a housewife, but a social worker? Also, she was wrong for Raj, too lighthearted, too happy, too perky and not serious for Raj.. if he had a wife or a girlfriend, it should have been someone else.

[Fallon97]

Well, I thought WHN was just as good as WH. And I liked Nadine.