Soul Food news
I'm not a regular viewer, but this came across my inbox yesterday:
Soul Food’ still cooking up big drama, but not for
long
By Miki Turner
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
For the past three seasons, Showtime’s award-winning
drama “Soul Food” has been, as the lyrics to its
opening theme song proclaim, good for the soul.
It defied the notion that African-American dramas
can’t succeed on prime-time television. It furthered
the careers of truly gifted actors:
Nicole Ari Parker, Vanessa Williams, Malinda Williams,
Rockmond Dunbar, Darrin DeWitt Henson, Aaron Meeks and
Boris Kodjoe.
It provided its audience with universal,
well-written stories enhanced by the uncensored
permissiveness of cable television.
As the show — based on the 1997 film of the same
name and developed for television by Felicia D.
Henderson — enters its fourth season, the
story lines will become even more complex and topical.
Young Ahmad (Meeks) will catch his parents (Vanessa
Williams and Dunbar) in a compromising position on the
kitchen counter — and deal with the messy
psychological aftermath. One of the main characters
will battle alcoholism, and another will struggle
through the anguish of terminating an
unwanted pregnancy.
These types of story arcs play well on more
conventional network dramas with predominantly white
casts such as “ER”, “Judging Amy” and the recently
canceled “Providence”. But for some reason, they fall
flat when black folks are involved.
“I don’t think networks have offered enough black
dramas to see whether or not they will succeed,” says
“Seattle Times” television critic Kay McFadden.
“It’s impossible to draw conclusions as to why they
don’t make it because we have nothing to really base
it on.”
Most network executives will argue that these shows
are too limited in scope to appeal to mass audiences.
Some admit that they’re rarely given an
opportunity to build an audience because they can’t
meet the bottom line.
But “Soul Food” has twice won NAACP Image Awards and
is in production for its fifth and final season in
Toronto.
“It was given a chance up front,” says Malinda
Williams. “Most networks, already fearful of putting
black shows on the air, will only order a
limited number of episodes. Showtime ordered 20. That
gave people a chance to see it. The other thing is
that it has a universal theme, and people are
curious to peek into other cultures.”
Dunbar credits the chemistry of the cast, the
talented writing staff and Henderson.
“It was definitely having Felicia D. Henderson as
executive producer and not accepting anything except
the right answers to the questions,” he says.
“She’s a strong black woman. It was so nice to be a
part of this history and have a woman be the head of
it. And being that it was on Showtime really
gave it that open door, that opportunity to be
successful. We could be out there as much as we are in
real life and succeed like we do in real
life. This show reflects black America and America as
a whole.”
Dunbar’s right about his boss. Henderson — who also
serves as executive producer with Tracey E. and
Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, Robert Teitel and George
Tillman Jr. — wouldn’t listen to the naysayers.
“I always anticipated the no’s and where they would
be coming from,” Henderson says. “I was ready. I
always assume I’m going to hear ‘no,’ so I can have 10
ways to attack that ‘no’ and then turn it into a
‘yes.’ Everyone involved was on a mission. When you
have that, as opposed to people just feeling like the
show was a job, it becomes this whole big powerful,
forceful family that refuses to take no as an answer.”
Sadly, however, Paramount has said no to extending
the show beyond the fifth season, which begins next
February. The reason? The bottom line, again. Although
the show has done well for Paramount domestically and
has increased Showtime’s subscriber base
significantly, Henderson says she was told it was too
hard a sell overseas.
Apparently, what’s good for the soul in Peoria
doesn’t digest well in Prague.
The decision has stirred strong emotions in some of
the cast.
“I hate to even think about it,” says Malinda
Williams, who plays Bird.
“This cast is like my second family, and although I
know we’ll still keep in touch, it’s hard because I’m
still going to miss them. It hurts also because
we still have a great following. People schedule
events around our show - parties . . .”
Adds NAACP Image Award winner Vanessa Williams: “I
think this is much deeper and darker than it outwardly
appears. In America, you can sell anything. Our
audience wasn’t all-black and not all-female. The
network will miss us when we’re gone. They will
realize our value.”
Five years on a cable network is a pretty good run
for any show. Henderson’s disappointment stems from
the fact she has more stories to tell and also because
“Soul Food” is her child.
“You can imagine that after watching four seasons of
people working really, really hard and still seeing
the audience respond enthusiastically, it feels like a
really abrupt ending,” she says.
“Everything has sort of a natural life span, and I
don’t feel like “Soul Food” is over,” Henderson says.
Of the show’s ending, Henderson expressed sadness,
“but I'm excited as well for the actors who are also
excited. For most of them it’s the highest
profile they’ve ever had. I’m excited for the
Hollywood community.
“They’ll get a shot at them now.”
Unless the powers that be at Paramount discover that
the show really is good for the soul.
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