Tyler Perry has a new show coming to TBS, “For Better or Worse,” and it loosely follows the story of Marcus and Angela, from the Why Did I Get Married? franchise. Presented here for your viewing pleasure with no commentary. Leave your thoughts in the comments:
I LOVED Marcus’ and Angela’s characters on Why Did I Get Married. I am just a bit concerned from the trailer that Black love and marriage is only going to be portrayed in a negative sense. I didnt see one clip of them getting along and just being happy. I am really hoping that TP has a great message behind all of the bickering (as he usually does.) After all, we dont need anything else to highlight the brokeness in the Black family. BLACK LOVE is BLACK WEALTH (Nikki Giovanni)
WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU ARE COMING FROM, BUT IT IS BECAUSE WE LIKE TO COVER OUR DIRTY LAUNDRY, BLACK COUPLES ARE NOT BEING HEALED AND DELIEVERED FROM FOOLISHNESS. I AM HOPING THAT WE AS BLACK COUPLES SEE OURSELVES, SO WE ALTER THE WAY WE INTERACT AND TREAT EACH OTHER.
A FEW MONTHS AGO, I DECIDED I WANTED TO RETURN TO SCHOOL SINCE MY CHILDREN WOULD ALL BE IN SCHOOL. I WAS DESPERATELY SEARCHING FOR MY PURPOSE AND ASKING GOD WHAT HE WOULD HAVE ME TO STUDY. I KNEW IT WASN’T TO FINISH MY DEGREE IN ACCOUNTING AND ALTHOUGH I HAD A PRETTY LUCRATIVE BEFORE AND AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM, I KNEW IT WASN’T IN CHILDCARE.
AFTER PRAYING AND FASTING, BEING OBEDIENT TO GOD’S VOICE AND WRITING A 10 MINUTE POEM IN LENGTH TO MY HUSBAND. I DISCOVERED MY CALLING. SOMETHING I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD UTTER THE WORDS TO SAY. YES, A WRITER. HE TOLD ME HE WANTED ME TO WRITE BOOK, PLAYS AND TURN THEM INTO MOVIES.
I AM ACTUALLY GOING TO SCHOOL FOR WRITING AND SCREENPLAY AND IN HOPES WILL TURN MY PLAYS INTO MOVIES. I’M NOT SURE IF PEOPLE ARE READY FOR WHAT I WANT TO EXPRESS, BUT GOD SENT ME ON A PATH, I NEVER WOULD HAVE IMAGINED AND I KNOW ONE DAY, I TOO WILL BE A TYLER PERRY!
I am thankful for your God given breakthrough, but that really didn’t have anything to do with Kristen’s comment. It’s one thing for black couples not to address and to cover their issues (in real life and within their relationship)… it’s an entirely different thing to air out our dirty laundry for the world to see. Airing out our foolishness for the world to see is just as detrimental as not addressing it in the first place. That’s also another problem with black relationships… when we do address issues we do it for the world to see and then get mad when stereotypes are developed. I agree with Kristen. I hope and pray that the preview just didn’t show us the rainbow because the last thing we need is a show to perpetuate the stereotype that already exists with black love. To use an analogy to explain how it can be hurtful to address certain issues too publicly… if your child does something that warrants a spanking get behind the closed doors of your home and do it because that is between you and the child and no one else’s business. Do it in the middle of the grocery store where everyone can see and you just perpetuated the stereotype that black mothers love the attention of beating their children in public for the sake of embarrassment. The point is there is a way to address our issues of black family without making a mockery of it. So as Kristen said, we should just hope that there is a great message behind it (which I’m sure there is) and not just a show that gets great ratings simply because it’s funny to watch Marcus and Angela go at it, and definitely not show black marriage in a negative light. That is what Kristen was talking about.
I know some people take comfort in seeing roles on tv that they can relate to, but at what point do we realize that sometimes, sometimes, we need to see where we want/need to be, and not where we are. As long as you are staring at the present, God forbid the past, but as long as you are staring at the present, you can’t see the future. A show that shows the fallacies that someone might have in their own life does just that… shows you something you already know and are living. But a show that shows the brighter side and how things could be gives you something to work for. If I’m down and depressed I don’t want to watch other depressed people… I want to watch happy people to give me something to strive for.
Black people are not the only ones that have dirty laundry. Why do people always has to make things about black and white. Some of you are the same ones that talked about his plays and movies and are the first ones to watch. I will be watching and so will you!!
You can only speak for yourself because I won’t be watching. And I agree. True black people aren’t the only one’s with dirty laundry but that’s not the issue. The issue is when black people create things that perpetuate the negative stereotypes of their own people. It’s bojangles for a new ear. If caucasians want to make shows that show them in roles of buffoonery that’s their decision. We are talking about when we as black people make our own culture look bad.
i meant to say for a new era… not for a new ear. my apologies. But it shows across all facets of fine arts. White America will pay millions to back our projects, whether it be film or music, that continues to perpetuate the way they view us any way, but won’t for more positive images. That’s why rappers like Common or Mos Def get minimum publicity from their respective labels, while their gangster rap label mates will get millions worth of publicity. Same with television and movies. It’s getting a little better that it used to be, but shows that show positive black images quickly get cancelled while those that show us shucking and jiving and portray our women as either angry and belligerent all the time or as loose and whorish, and show our men as thugs or whoremongers, survive. We like seeing ourselves act like fools, and white hollywood doesn’t mind making money, and giving us a little cut of it, to put it out there.
Thank You!!!!
I am glad that you understood me. Thanks for clarifying 😉
Sigh….. Here we go again.
I’m excited about the show. I think even through their bickering, it’s going to show that you can work through your problems and work things out. I loved their characters.
I’m not sure of what to think.I hope that we see a more positive light on Marcus,because we all get it that he is being a man,doing man things and getting busted as usaual.But I would like to see him own up to some of the things that he has done and what processes he go’s through to maybe one day see the light.Because we have been there and done that!!! Thunmbs up for bringing this to TV.
TP has made a fortune on using negative stereotypes about African Americans as comedy. We watch it; we laugh; and we can often relate to some of the scenarios. Honestly, I think he’s a genius when it comes to his business strategy; however, I’m much less impressed with the foresight and intentionality behind his work. All of his shows are composed of hyper-stereotypes with little to no range of learning or development. From my perspective, it’s entertaining for a few seconds but I can’t watch a whole season of the same stuff. I’m more sophisticated consumer than my mother who grew up with only 2 channels to watch. The “I Love Lucy” formula of creating ridiculous events every week where Lucy doesn’t listen to Desi and things go wrong is a bit too basic now. We want to see characters who have a range of emotions, challenges, triumphs, and disappointments. I’m not knocking TP for using a sitcom formula that has been successful in the past. I am saying that I’m not one of those people who interested in seeing surface-level characters deal with surface-level issues week after week that confirm many of the stereotypes we’d be protesting if the creator/writers/producers were Caucasian.
Thank you!!! I agree 100% with everything you said… and your last few words are a MAJOR point. If it, or any other of his shows, were created by Caucasian writers and producers we would practically burn the studios down and march our behinds all over America in protest. So it’s ok for a black man to portray us with buffoonery, but we have a problem when a white man does it? Am I hating on his success? Of course not. He did what he had to do to get in the door. Now that you practically own the darn door, and every thing behind that proverbial door, it’s time to stop making a fool of us in popular media more than we already are, and let’s show America that there is more to the black community than loud belligerent women, whorish men that screw anything on two legs, uncles and grandfathers that are as ignorant as a retarded gerbil, children that act like extras from Children of the Corn, etc etc etc….
really??? do we really want to have this dysfunctional, anger-driven, relationship on tv every week??? sorry, Tyler not in our home. can’t wait for Reed Between the Lines on BET…i’m excited about seeing some strong Black love between a man and woman. i’m tired of seeing movies and shows that have characters act out and then but shocked and amazed when their actions destroy their home and their children go through undue stress!!! time to uplift our community…not continue with the “angry Black woman, cheating Black man” characters…so done with it.
I hope it going to be more than the constant screaming, yelling and bickering because I can’t take more than 2 mins of that. Good luck TP, but hope you will stick with the winning formula of “House of Payne”.
I’m not married, and don’t know that I want to be. I have been privy to more than a few marriages where there is a breakdown in communication and have been witness to the fallout. I’m actually glad to see a show about people having issues in their marriage, then dealing with them and learning how to work through them. It seems more realistic than what the Huxtable’s portrayed, in that life was always neat and tidy but never was it shown how they kept their marriage and family intact. We need to start dealing with the issues, and if it has to be on TV for people to actually see themselves and recognize their own behaviors, then so be it.
This is reality and their is a message that will come from this show that will save, strengthen & bless all marriages! Can’t wait!!!
from an unmarried man.
I will give this one (THIS Perry production) a chance. I like the actors involved and hopefully the stereotypes won’t rein supreme as usual. But judging by the clip, same-old-Same-Old.
*i did laugh a couple of times though. -Full Disclosure
LOL. Good to see I mean read you Spencer Avery. Make sure you let us know what you think after that first episode. I would love to know the verdict.
I’ll give it 3shows. It took that long for “Let’s Stay Together” on BET to get it together.
Coonery buffoonery yay!!!
They were my least fav couple in the movies and based on the trailer Angela is still LOUD and over the top. I said I was going to “try” and give it chance but now I am back on the fence.
As far as Reed Between the Lines goes I will be watching BUT I don’t think Joan and Theo have any chemistry and I hope the kids are funny and can act.
Because I love Tasha Smith (the actress) and really enjoyed the Marcus & Angela characters on WDIGM, I will give this a chance . . . just one chance, though. *lol*
I will be watching!!!
not sure if i really wantt to watch angela and marcus every week. it was ok for a movie, but i think the plot will be repititve. im also confused is this a drama,or comedy?
we are so sensitive–we fear the truth–for me up here ion Canada—where there is so much snow–I love to see my people on t.v. instead of snow.
I’m sorry, but I demand better then this from you Tyler. It’s funny in the movies, because (the crazy) was balanced by other relationships. We have come so far & so many have paved the way for us to do better, demand better of ourselves as well as other’s and not settle for mess! This is yet another geto mess all dressed up in a big house with a yellow bow and I’m Returning it to Sender.. Now men up & don’ t start attacking me like you did Spike Lee.. (Once your biggest fan & looking for a teason 2 remain)
I definitely will not be watching. When will us as Blacks want and expect better for ourselves and our families.
I’m more excited about “Reed Between the Lines” than this one. This one will be good for a few laughs, but I think the other one will leave me feeling good after I watch it. We’ll see.
Yes, married couples have issues but seeing it everyday in the home and on tv is redundant. Mature ppl who get married see the Huxtables (and the Evans for that matter) as a couple to gleam from. We know that was a tv show but it gives us more than the broke down family structure within our community. Why thrive on the negatives? From some reason, drama is more attractive than happiness within a marriage. Not all black relationships are filled with drama!
To be perfectly honest when I saw who the show was about I said Oh No. There are so many negative stereotypes and statistics and studies about our people and our relationships right now I don’t think I can honestly handle anymore. I also agree with the person who said in WDIGM the crazy was balanced with other couples who were dynamic while Angela and Marcus have remain relatively static and I don’t see that really changing in this show. I’ll give it a chance but I can see I’ll stop watching it not to far into the season. We need more positive images of black on black relationships and marriages. We need more shows that educate and lift our children up. I’m just tired of seeing so much negative in the media with a black face attached to it.
I’m looking forward to see what the genre will be about. Everyone has great and validate points. This day and age we need positive shows that will influence an incline in successful marriages. However hopefully it will deal with real life situation that people go thru and ways of making it work without the threat of divorce all the time. Hopefully there will be topic of blended families integrated into the show considering how its the now more common than anything…AND most how to NOT allow the children to break up a marriage. Tyler usually does a great job. I’m sure its for the positive.
excuse the grammatical errors
excuse the grammatical errors
Like many of you, I too am concerned about the portrayal of black adults and black marriage – I hope and pray they don’t turn out to be one-dimensional characters, fighting and making up every single week. Many of us would leave a relationship with that many extreme highs and lows just because we’d get TIRED of doing that so often.
I hope this show will evolve and become better – I want to see more from the Angela character than “angry black female”…PLEASE – we have seen enough of that!
Seriously people, this is Tyler Perry we are speaking of, not some deep thinking social commentary. He is out to make a buck, and if poking at the black community, whether good or bad, will land another dollar in his account he will do it. Just look at the other work he already put out there. You ask for too much if you think he will deliver some thought provoking show vs. another tired, stereo-typed show. I will be the first to admit, that I while I do not like his work, I do appreciate his industry savvy that has allowed job ops for many people of color in the film/video community in front and behind the camera. However, I also feel he has not always give a balanced image of the black community – pros and cons, but dwells heavily on the negative.
I understand most people being upset about his show “perpetuating the stereotype of dysfunction in the black family”; however, this excuse is really getting old. If you notice, you hardly hear any other ethnic group having such outrage over new shows that are introduced. For example, there are predominantly white Soap Operas, some of which have been on the air longer than I have been alive, which have to some degree shown our Caucasian counterparts in many negative situations. People have has iligitmate children, cheated on their spouse with a family member, killed people, etc. and you never see an outcry from that population about “portraying a negative stereotype”, but as soon as there’s a Africsn-American person portrayed in a negative light there is an uproar. I do agree that sometimes things go too far, but I think that we should give the show a chance before we rush to judgement.
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