Last night was the TV Land series premiere of Soul Man, a spinoff of the show Hot in Cleveland, starring Cedric the Entertainer as former R & B star Boyce the Voice Ballentine, who becomes a minister after taking over as pastor of his father’s church. The show also stars Niecy Nash (and her boobs, I swear they were the focus of every scene and as such should probably be listed as a supporting role in the credits) as his wife Lolli, who is struggling to tone down her Vegas persona to fit in with the local church ladies.
The show’s first episode centers in part around Lolli’s efforts to unsuccessfully draw the church crowd to her new hair salon. The couples’ daughter, played by Jazz Raycole (best known as the disappearing Claire Kyle #1 from the first season of My Wife and Kids) is dealing with her own struggle in going from celebrity kid to preacher’s kid. We also meet Boyce’s father (John Beasley) and his younger brother, played by Wesley Jonathan, who has starred in a whole host of shows and movies like Roll Bounce and What I Like About You (but will always and forever be Jamal from City Guys for me).
I am ashamed to admit that I go into most new black sitcoms with my expectations bar set pretty low, and it unfortunately doesn’t often get raised above my ankles. Yet Soul Man was one of those new black sitcoms that is pretty solid. It isn’t laugh-out-loud hilarious, but it is good for some chuckles and seems to be off to a decent start.
Niecy and Cedric’s characters have good chemistry, and it is refreshing to see a black couple on screen that is loving without trying too hard. Boyce and his father have a good and believable relationship as the “prodigal son” and the dad welcoming him back into the fold, and the younger brother’s interjecting more humor into the dynamic made the three fun to watch.
I wasn’t sure what to think about daughter Jazz Raycole’s character. I’m sure her role will be fleshed out in later episodes, but for now she seems to only serve the purpose that television sitcom couples typically have kids. The show did have a few moments that bordered on corny; they laid the lesson on pretty thick, and maybe it’s just me but the choir singing at the end made me feel like I was watching an Amen rerun.
Even so, Soul Man, while it has a little growing to do, shows promise after the first episode. A good cast, an interesting storyline, and a little good, clean humor helps smooth over some of the show’s rough patches. I’ll be tuning in again next week.
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BMWK family did you watch Soul Man? Will you be watching it again? Random Question: Who was the funniest King of Comedy? Share your thoughts in the comment section.
I love Cedric and Niecy so I tuned in to see how they’d work out as husband and wife. They do make a good couple.
I too felt that I was watching a new version of Amen, and that’s not a bad thing.
Many of us listen to old music because we like the soulful grooves of the past. If you can apply the same feeling to tv, Soul Man has an old-school black sitcom groove that reminds me of wholesome family TV from back in the day.
I imagine being on TV-Land and not a major network gives the show a much better chance to air for an entire season so we can see how the series evolves.
I expected funnier, but I wasn’t dissapointed. I believe the 45 and over crowd will appreciate the show and doubt if it will become a favorite of the tweens and 20-somethings.
And yes, Neicy’s boobs were a definate focal point but boobs have made Sofia Vegara a tv star and I can’t understand half the stuff that comes out of her mouth.
For me the funniest King of Comedy was Steve Harvey, with Bernie Mac a close second. Steve’s comedy about old vs. new music had me in stitches an to this day was my favorite part.
I think Cedric is funny but he is funnier to me when he is the sidekick to Steve, like the Steve Harvey show. The only movie of Cedric’s that I like was The Johnson Family vacation and that is because of Steve and Vanessa Williams. Cedric has had other shows but they get cancelled after a season. I am watching The Soul Man tonight but I have a feeling I won’t like it. I like sitcoms that make me laugh out loud like Martin, The Steve Harvey Show, Cosby Show, etc.
I liked it! I will continue to watch because we need to support real showsand not all this reality stuff…Mary Mary and Tia andTamera not withstanding…Ceddie and Niecy are both very gifted and talented comedians and actors…we have to support or own!!
I liked it.
Overall I like it, but it is HARD watching Neicy Nash act! It seems like someone like an Elise Neal or Tisha Campbell-Martin might have been a better fit to me. But I do like the premise of the show and will definitely tune in and support.
Seems like a rip off of Sam Moore’s brand and Al Green’s life story…why did they have to call it “The Soul Man” which is so identified to the song, the history of the civil rights movement and times including the loss of Dr. Martin Luther King in Memphis where Green is and Moore recorded that song at Stax also in Memphis…couldn’t they have been more respectful of black history and culture … hope they’ve paid Sam and Al and offered them major parts on the show! And didn’t Moore play a Reverend opposite James Brown in Blues Brothers 2000…the man can preach too!
I agree! Totally Al Green’s life story- should’ve been set in Memohis 😉
I think that the funniest King of Comedy. He said a lot of things that I could relate to when I was a child.
I’ve watched The Soul Man a couple of times now. It is just plain STUPID! It’s got to have canned laughter. I find very little humor in the whole episode. It sets a very bad example for our young people. Dress the way she does to church especially when her husband is the minister? I don’t think so! And that’s supposed to be funny? Yes, you got it, I’m over 50. But I’m not a prude, but in my opinion there is very few shows on TV that are really funny/humorous anymore. The writers are turning “sex” into humor???!!!! The writers will say sex is a part of life, that’s true, and so is having a good bowel movement………..wanna see that?
I agree with you Ginny! I also believe its very disrespectful for niecy playing a preachers wife to be exposing so much breast each episode.
I noticed a lot of racial comments used in the show which was unnecessary. These are the kind of shows that start problems in societies. Why can’t there be sitcoms that can include all races. I won’t be watching this show in the future.
I saw the show for the first time tonight on BET (rerun). It was the episode with Cee-Lo Green. Clearly the writers don’t go to church. You can tell by the lack of scriptural references other than kindergarten level. For the writers to have him say he has a challenge with remembering more than ONE SCRIPTURE? And Ms. Niecy—yes, most Christian women love to feel sexy. We love to dress confident and feminine. But all of that cleavage is TMI. No real God-fearing woman would show all of her goods to everyone. There is a difference between sexy and slutty. When EVERY dress she wears has her breasts about to pop out if she were to sneeze, it says she relies on her sex organs more than her “total self” to be attractive. Work your hair, smile, skin, shoes, handbags, suits and dresses. Be sexy but keep your breasts for your man. I’ve never met a First Lady of a church showing as much cleavage as she does. She should take a wardrobe lesson from our FLOTUS, too. Sexy, smart and confident. Once again, the Gospel is getting pimped by network television. Boycott the show! And Ms. Aja Dorsey Jackson must not be a Christian. You should’ve had a journalist who is also a Christian write a review. The dialogue was too watered down. It wasn’t that funny. Cedric and Niecy have great chemistry. The storyline is good. But if an R&B singer leaves his life for the ministry, he tends to have stronger convictions than what the writers have given Cedric’s character.