by Aja Dorsey Jackson
Viewers wanted it back after it was cancelled two years ago. BET picked it up and fans everywhere counted down to its premiere Tuesday night. But despite all the promotion, excitement and fanfare, when the show was over The Game was not the same.
Keeping with the true timeline, Season Four picks up two years after the end of Season Three, which wrapped up with Derwin Davis (Pooch Hall) and Melanie’s (Tia Mowry) wedding and the birth of Davis’ son D.J. with the other woman. The now married Derwin has shot to football superstardom taking Melanie along for the ride. She has abandoned her dream of becoming a doctor to be a supportive football wife all while questioning the paternity of the baby on the side.
Jason (Coby Bell) and Kelli Pitts’ (Britney Daniel) marriage is officially over and we follow Kelli as a bitter divorcee with her own reality show and a burning desire to beat former friend Tasha Mack (Wendy Raquel Robinson) down in the streets for sabotaging her marriage. Jason Pitts is no longer playing for the Sabers and holding out for a better contract.
Tasha Mack is inexplicably no longer dating boyfriend Rick Fox and is getting hot and heavy with a younger man played by Terrence J (of BET’s 106 and Park) while managing Derwin’s football career. Malik Wright (Hosea Chanchez) has used his football earnings to start a successful chain of chicken trucks run by his cousin/flunkie TeeTee. In his spare time he is messing around with the Saber’s owners’ wife (Megan Goode).
If it sounds like there is a whole lot going on, there is. And now for the good, the bad and the ugly:
The Good: BET gets an “A” for production quality on this one. One of my biggest gripes with the network is that their programming occasionally looks like something I recorded with my camera phone. BET stepped its game way up for this one and cranked out a show that was visually attractive.
The Bad: The new season felt a lot less like The Game and a lot more like the Young and The Restless. With Jason no longer playing for the Sabers, he and Kelli’s divorce, Kelli and Tasha feuding with each other and Malik’s return as the evil town villain, the characters on the show have become segmented with each character wrapped up in his or her own individual plot line.
The rare moments when the characters do interact with each other are forced and awkward. Melanie randomly running into Kelli while she’s picking up her residency application? Kelli calling a sports television show to berate her ex husband on national TV? The characters’ lives have little overlap and when they do it doesn’t make much sense.
The mother/son dynamic between Tasha and Malik was always a driving factor behind the show and in this season premiere I don’t think we saw the two speak the whole episode when in previous seasons there is no way that Mama Mack would stand by and watch Malik participate in such foolishness.
What made The Game so good before was the camaraderie and the chemistry between the ensemble cast, and it’s pretty hard to capture that with each character off doing his or her own thing. Instead writers have to rely on hijinks like the Maury induced “You are the father, You are not the father” storyline. They took the game out of The Game, and the show is suffering for it.
The Ugly: Who was responsible for the two horrible casting failures of Season 4? Brit Brat, who we last saw as a realistic combination of Kelli and Jason at age maybe 10, re-emerges looking absolutely nothing like the original Brit Brat and looks a lot more like a 17-year-old than the 12-year-old she should be. It was almost like the old Aunt Viv/new Aunt Viv switcheroo. Baby DJ, who keeps getting problematically referred to as yellow with silky hair, has neither one of those characteristics.
And why were all the characters so evil? Malik was always a bit of an egotistical jerk, but his eagerness to stomp Tee Tee’s character into the ground with no reasoning behind it wasn’t in line with the original character. Sure Kelli is bitter over her divorce, but her sudden transformation into Cruella Deville just doesn’t seem realistic. The characters seem to be polarized versions of themselves and have gone from slightly annoying yet endearing to not the least bit likeable in many cases.
But this was just episode one. Maybe things will become clear as the season progresses, but the show’s definitely got some explaining to do. I’m not ready to tune out”...yet. Now the show that came on after it? That’s another story (and another review)!
What did you think of The Game’s season premiere?
Aja Dorsey Jackson is a freelance writer and public relations consultant in Baltimore, Maryland. Find out more about her at www.ajadorseyjackson.com or follow her on twitter @ajajackson.
I was dissapointed. I agree with you on all points.
I agree……disappointed.
the whole season was put into one episode.
I absolutely loved the first episode. I can’t wait to see what the remainder of the season brings. I think it was much than better than it was before, although I don’t like what Melanie’s character is becoming (evil, and almost ruthless).
Very well put, I totally agree. Make sure you share this with BET!!
Aja, you make some clear and thought out points here. The two I mostly agree with are that there’s not that much interaction b/w all of them they way there used to be, and it doesn’t flow naturally. Kelly’s character bothered me the most, she’s changed a lot and I know it’s supposed to represent her being her own person, strong and greedy in her own rights- but she’s lost a lot of the bimbo/funny/charming qualities she used to have. Some of the acting on behalf of other character’s fell short too, my boyfriend who was a first-time watcher, said when Derwin punched the wall he wanted to laugh b/c he didn’t believe him.
To add another thing to the good- I think the show is also paying more attention to the fashion/styling of the characters. Megan Good’s character had some fly stuff on, and I liked that, it reminded me of Girlfriends in the deliberateness of the fashion-forward cast.
I believe it was a ‘dream sequence’. A bad dream one of the characters is having. Think about it. At least that’s what I’d like to think and they will get back to the ‘real show.’..lol.
I wanted to laugh too when he punched the wall. It wasn’t very believable. But I liked it for it being the first episode and I am hoping that it will get a bit more cohesive as the season moves forward.
lol. I liked how you said ‘think about it.’ I really started thinking back. That would have made more sense! I guess we’ll see next Tuesday!
I don’t think there was any way they could have lived up to our expectations. I enjoyed the show, flaws and all, and am looking forward to it getting better as time goes on.
There were a number of things that I did not enjoy. Clearly it was NOT the same, too stereotypcial especially with Tasha, she was too ghettofabulous, she was not as funny she was looking a little hard (old(er); the black and mild or cigare…tte(WHAT), the young dude it is not her(the concept reminded me of the situation w/Lebron); Melanie was appeared to be acting too hard; DID NOT like he new Brit Brat(AT ALL), Maliks behavior was acting desperate(I did not get that from him inthe reruns)—too far gone; Kelly I would not have thought, she would be sooo out there (ridiculously unlike Kelly), Derwin well he just appeared to have had some resentment with Melanie (bad/nasty attitude, which was unlike Derwin) Janae……she was Janae she could have been w/o the Xtra long hair. Jason seemed to be the ONLY one that was himself. Chris Weber he was good as well. I know they (writers) can not please everyone ALL the time, but at least make it MORE REALISTIC as it was on the previous shows.
I thought it was great! Plus it was JUST the first show. Chill.
I enjoyed it. I think they were just trying to show us the progression or lack of in each of the characters lives are at this point in their lives. Remember, Melanie went thru somewhat of a transformation when she and Derwin broke up…cutting her hair, sleeping around. I think some of the story line was a bit confusing too but, also think it will become clearer in upcoming episodes. Now, I agree with the mistep in casting…Terrance J…Really??? Still I think we should give the show a chance to redeem itself.
I did NOT enjoy it. It did NOT live up to all the hype. I guess my expectations were too high! I agree with everything you said. I’m optimistic….hoping for the best! Hopefully it will get better.
I was disappointed, too. I agree on the good, bad, and ugly. I kind of felt that the show wasn’t going to be great because BET showed a sneak peak on New Year’s Eve and based on the clip, it wasn’t good or funny. I do plan to continue to watch The Game because I try to support all Black tv shows regardless how bad they are.
I was disappointed, too. I agree on the good, bad, and ugly. I kind of felt that the show wasn’t going to be great because BET showed a sneak peak on New Year’s Eve and based on the clip, it wasn’t good or funny. I do plan to continue to watch The Game because I try to support all Black tv shows regardless how bad they are.
I definitely agree with Aja’s sentiments, and Tracita your comment how they seem to be focusing on fashion/styling the characters caught me too. We know the characters are suppose to be wealthy, but I think BET is stylizing them into what the kids who watch BET want to see-ballers in the fashionable clothes and weaves, shoe game, and not what us adults who stopped watching a couple years ago want to see.
This article was on point. I thought it was just me that thought that “The Game” wasn’t the same. Then I thought, that possibly I was just building it up to be more than what it was.
Pardon me, but I miss Melanie and Derwin struggling!!!! Not really feeling Malik’s return to the dark side, he was softening up at the end of season 3.
I DO agree that the cinematography was outstanding (especially for a BET show). And utilizing these empty mansions in Atlanta was great for the sets.
I do plan on continuing to watch with hopes that things will settle . Keeping hope that “my show” will return to being “MY Show”
I thought the show was packed with drama and excitement. I loved it! After a 2 year absence you could not come back with just the same old storylines, you must have a spectacular season opener and that what BET delivered. If am not a big BET fan but believe me my DVR is set to record just in case I’m not home on Tuesday nights. If will be watching and enjoying seeing my old friends. I will agree, with one thing you said the new Brit Brat is just a brat, I didn’t like her at all (recast). Sorry sweetie, nothing personal.
I thought the first epsiode was good. The writers did what they were suppose to and try to bring closure to the things that happened in the last season and bring in new things for this season. Mel and Derwin had issuse about the baby from the begining Mel always thought that the baby wasnt his but Derwin didnt want it. Kelli punched Tasha out in the last episode so why wouldnt they still be beefing in the first episode? The only difference in this episode I don’t like is Malik hes has some serious issues but once again the writer did it for a reason it’s called a plot. The one thing I agree with is that I do not like the new Brittany at all!
It was almost as wack as Season 3’s Finale.
It was almost as wack as Season 3’s Finale.
I do find Melanie and Derwin’s storyline quite interesting. I couldn’t care less about the other characters.
I agree…..if I HAD to choose….it would be those two characters.
I agree with you in previous episodes we always wanted Melanie to be with Derwin. Once that was established we felt that maybe their marriage would work for a while drama free. It was to much from the start, why can’t we have black shows that portray strong marriages and relationships. With all these reality shows and what nots what happen to the shows like cosby, different world, girlfriends, etc. I still watch Good times, sandford and son, jeffersons, etc. I will still watch in hopes of something good will come out of this season. Also, does Kelsey grammar still play an active role in the production of the show.
Yes, it deffinately put me in the mindset of a nitemare! Especially Kelli’s character, who acts like that? And Omg! Was I seeing things with thie daughter looking every bit of 17?? It was a huge dissapointment and they wont get my veiwing ratings.
I agree and I definitely didn’t like the Tasha is afraid of Kellie……WHAT?!!!?
Excellent review. I agree completely…especially regarding Brit! SMH
I agree w/Onedestiny777!!!! OK, Brit Brat was a 2 old!!! LMAO!!!
I agree with many of those points, but the character “changes” is what brings me in. Why have the changed to be like that? It has been 2 years and people can change. I’m sure all of that unravels as the season get’s into full swing.
Umm..good times and sandford and son were good representations of whom?
I agree with the statement “The Game was not the same.” Enough said. I can’t say that I will follow it like I did in the past.
It’s not the same at all Melanie and Derwin were more in love when they were shacking up. They havent kissed on the lips all season long. Derwin didnt defend her when Janae was talking about her that just not Derwin he used to love his Mel. Kelly is a mess she needs to snap out of it. Tasha surprised me to fool around with a young man, at first I felt she was too much woman for him but he is starting to grow on me I feel she can learn a thing or two from him. The new Britt just does not fit the description of a mixed child and this girl is just too old for Britt’s character, I liked the old one much better. Malik is getting it together. Over all I will keep watching it because I love the show Im just hoping things will go aback to normal.