This is the review of DANCING IN SEPTEMBER from BP:
Once upon a time, a famous television writer wanted to do a show about a Black family living in the ghetto. At the time, his idea seemed risky. Sure the writer had already produced several hit shows. But those shows had featured White actors. Would White television audiences really want to bring Black faces into their homes every week? And would Black television audiences support a series that tried to deal with the hardships of a struggling, low-income family?
Well to the surprise of many, the show was a hit. White audiences were willing to invest in the lives of Black characters. And Black audiences eagerly embraced a show about people who looked like them and dealt with their problems. The writer was hailed a genius. Civil rights groups like the NAACP rejoiced. And everyone was happy. Until everything went terribly wrong.
Eventually the show became a victim of it`s own success, as pressure to maintain its high ratings led to new demands. Comedy, which originally had helped to balance the show`s dramatic tension, became the show`s new focus. And one cast member, probably the least talented member of the ensemble, became the new comedic star- prompting another cast member to quit the show in protest.
For a while, audiences tuned in to laugh at the outrageous new antics, and ratings stayed strong. But as the show`s star became increasingly buffoonish, it was apparentthat the series had betrayed its original vision. Ratings fell, and the show was canceled.
In a nutshell, that`s the story of the 70`s TV show Good Times. But it might as well be the story of half a dozen other Black TV shows. And if you`re curious about why this cycle plays out over and over again, check out the new HBO movie, Dancing In September.
The movie explores the struggles of a Black screenwriter and a Black TV executive who fight to get their show on the air, and then face a series of compromises in order to keep it there. Along the way, the writer (Nicole Ari Parker of Showtime`s Soul Food) and the TV executive (Isaiah Washington- Get On The Bus, Out Of Sight) fall in love, only to have their relationship tested by the same forces challenging their careers.
Writer and director Reggie Rock Bythewood knows his material, having worked in Hollywood for years as executive producer of New York Undercover and a writer on A Different World. Bythewood is also perfectly qualified to tell the romantic side of this story about industry insiders, his wife, Gina Prince-Bythewood, wrote and directed Love And Basketball and directed Disappearing Acts, also for HBO.
Occasionally, Bythewood makes the mistake of over emphasizing his message at the expense of developing the romantic story line, but on the whole his writing is smart and his characters are well developed. The beautiful Parker is particularly good, clearly enjoying the chance to play a solid female lead.
Dancing In September, which refers to celebrating the start of a new TV season, is worth watching not just because of its strong storyline about interesting characters. It`s also worth watching because it explains why so many other TV shows aren`t this good.
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