Jaylen: Shouldn’t that be required for characters in television series … growth and development? While, I’m sure Hosea is a pleasant individual, I frequently find myself glancing at my remote whenever his character is on screen. I was beyond ticked off when he hooked up with Tee Tee’s girlfriend last season. However, now that we’re on the subject, I have a question … why didn’t Tee Tee do anything about it? I was honestly expecting the writers to come up with a reaction that was believable. Tee Tee should have been livid. It seems the writers never quite followed that up. Granted, the episode order last season was a bit limited, but I still feel as though the sudden strain on their relationship should have been explored.
I swear that there is just so much drama on this show. Whatever happened to the comedy? It’s blatantly obvious that Tasha Mack is supposed to be comic relief, but I don’t find her particularly funny anymore. Don’t get me wrong, I think that Wendy Raquel Robinson is a fantastic actress. I loved her on as the feisty and competitive Principal Grier The Steve Harvey Show, but lately, Tasha is just becoming too much. My favorite storyline with her was when she was dating the coach played by Rocky Carroll. I thought it was a nice wake up call for her. I thought she’d learn something from it, but clearly she hasn’t. I think that’s sad.
Brittany: And therein lies what I think is the underlying problem with the show … nothing much comes of anything. Storylines seem to be truncated or dropped whenever the writers decide they’re no longer interested in exploring that idea. There’s all the stuff you just mentioned, the coming and going of Brittany, the re-appearance and then sudden disappearance again of Camille … it’s like they have a really short attention span in the writers’ room, and the characters suffer for it, which is a shame because this is a fantastic cast.
Don’t even get me started on how much I want to slap Melanie with her expensive purse.
Jaylen: So, having said that, what are some ways they can fix the show? For starters, while I preferred it as a sitcom, I don’t mind The Game being a drama. However, I think it needs to settle on one distinct tone and stick with it. I’m sure that the writers plan storylines in advance, but I think they should map them out a tad bit better. Fans become invested and want to see a plot through as opposed to having it just end abruptly.
Brittany: Totally. They have these great premieres and then they just die off, and that’s the biggest problem. Once we can really get into the show, I think that will help a lot. Why should we care about the storylines if the writers don’t care enough to finish them?
I think we’ve got to take the show back to what it used to be — likeable characters that anyone could understand, regardless of what race or gender you are. Mel is pretty much full of herself now. We rarely see all the ladies together unless they’re fighting.
And like I said earlier, there seems to be a bit more emphasis on it being a “black” show or a “racial” thing, when I always saw it as just a good show with storylines everyone could relate to. I’m not black, so maybe I don’t get it, but I’m pretty sure the “plight of the black woman” thing was BS. All women are known to hang around waiting for what they think is a good man, not just black women.
Jaylen: Well, as an African-American man, I do think it’s rather refreshing to see a show with a predominantly Black cast on television these days. However, we certainly don’t need the “racial” stuff forced down our throats. That could potentially alienate some viewers. I do think it’s cool if the writers touch on the plights of Black women from time to time since it is an issue, but making it an every episode thing would become mind numbing.
The Game has changed significantly since it has first debuted. While the drama may keep some coming back for more, I do find myself yearning for episodes of the past. It seemed to be a lot more fun, and as you pointed out, the characters were a bit more relatable. I think it’s a problem when you show these women at each other’s throats as opposed to simply being there for each other. I think this reinforces the stereotype of women being catty. That’s not good. There is such a thing as being too dramatic. I think the show could be revamped. I think things are becoming a bit too soapy. Let’s take it back to basics, and turn it back into a fun sitcom instead of a Tyler Perry dramedy. I’m just sayin’.
Brittany: It reminds me of when I took a women’s studies course in college. The professors insisted that everything was sexist … my favorite example was that they were offended by the use of “Mrs.” over “Ms.” because they said it associated you with belonging to your spouse. I slammed my head into the table.
I feel the same way now. I totally believe there’s racism out there and racial issues to deal with but not everything is one. Like all of a sudden Jason just totally starts seeing racism everywhere? I have a hard time believing it just magically popped up repeatedly. Dude is not that dense.
I miss the good old days of lines like, “I’m in the overpriced bathroom that almost wrecked our marriage.”
Here’s what I’d do going forward: Jason’s obviously working on his own issues this season. Great. So he does that, and Kelly comes back having done whatever she needed to do, and they reconcile as a stronger couple and resume properly parenting their kid. Both Malik and Tasha could use real serious relationships to mature. And Mel and Derwin can get off their celebrity pedestal and move forward with their lives as parents to DJ.
What do you think?
Jaylen: Well, there you have it! I actually agree wholeheartedly. Although, I think Malik needs to be single for a while. I think he could use the time to mature. Perchance he could go on some sort of spiritual journey. I do want to take the time to say that I don’t hate The Game. I do enjoy the marathons on BET. I’m just not a fan of how it’s changed.
Now, all the producers need to do is read our conversation and make the changes! However, I’ll be sure not to hold my breath!
Clacked by Jaylen Christie 
on Feb 02, 2012 @ 16:26 EST5EDT
Wow I was surprised to see a post like this here.
I agree, “The Game” has gone down hill since moving from the CW to BET. Thank goodness “Girlfriends” didn’t live long enough to make the transition to BET.
The Game and Girlfriends on the CW had the burden of making black characters/situations relatable to a white audience which ironically made for a more organic BLACK show. I still Remember the hilarious cultural references and Easter eggs; Racial situations were prevalent but weren’t rammed mercilessly down our throats.
BET is really playing up the stereotypes which is a shame. When Jason went on about why he dates White women I almost took the show off Series Record.
I still remember watching The Game (when it was still on the CW) and asking my sister, “When the hell did The Game get so good?” We dont talk about how good the show is anymore.
*POST AUTHOR*
Hahaha! No, don’t be surprised!
We try to cover as much television as we can here at CliqueClack! Thanks for commenting! Let’s chat! Yes, I can only imagine what ‘Girlfriends’ would be like if it made the transition to BET. Still, you have to give the network credit for at least bringing the show back. They do deserve points for that. Great observation about ‘The Game’ on The CW. It definitely was a bit more relatable, and I feel that white audiences weren’t exactly turned off by it. It’s a shame that BET is playing up the stereotypes.
One of my problems has always been the character of Tasha Mack. I didn’t mind her too much on The CW, but when she popped up on BET smoking a black…I had some issues.
I really like(d) Tasha and the way she was written. The “you can take the girl out of the ghetto, but you can’t take the ghetto out of the girl” thing she has going on is cliche, but was done in way that still made me root for her. I also like how she brought that same cut-throat mentality to the way she ran business/life. One of the things I enjoyed about The Game was Tasha trying to fit in as an agent/manager in a male dominated field and applying her street savviness to the job and excelling. I REALLY like that she is “hood”, but she isn’t stupid. I dont know, she’s entertaining to me.
Melanie and Tasha need to make up quick. This show is less fun with them fighting all the time, especially now with no Kelly as a go between/buffer.
I give kudos to BET for pulling The Game out TV purgatory; we need more shows not just singular characters (I boycotted LOST for a year when Mr. Eko died) on TV that I can relate to.
*POST AUTHOR*
I don’t mind Tasha being street-smart. That’s cool. However, to me, it now seems a bit over the top in the BET seasons. She seems to be a caricature of herself. It’s just too much. One of my favorite storylines on the show was Tasha with the coach played by Rocky Carroll. It seemed like a wake up call to her, and I envisioned progress for the character. Sadly, that didn’t happen. Don’t get it twisted…Tasha is my second favorite character. Kelly is my first. I can’t stand ‘Med School.’ Never could. LOL
And I am with you on boycotting ‘Lost!’ I felt the same way. I nearly snatched a pickaxe when ‘Desperate Housewives’ handed Alfre Woodard that lackluster storyline back in season two. I digress. LOL
Tasha and Melanie do need to make up. With Kelly gone, I think it’s key to have these two characters working together and being friends. Yes, it’s sad that shows with predominantly African-American casts are few and far between. As an African-American man, I feel we do need more programs, but at least networks like BET are trying to make strides in the right direction, right?
I concur. I’m white, and I’ve been a fan of the show since before the shift to BET. I totally got the show at that point. Now watching some of the BET episodes, things don’t click and I often wonder if it’s because I’m white that things are going over my head. It doesn’t feel so universal anymore.
*POST AUTHOR*
I wonder if they brought in new writers, Brittany. It seems a lot of fans are disappointed. Perhaps they’ll try to tone down some of the drama.
I don’t think so. I know it’s the same showrunners (Mara Brock Akil and Salim Akil). So if they did change writers, they still have the same voices at the top.
As far as toning down the drama, well…I remember after season four when the Akils did a Q&A on Facebook and they seemed pretty happy with how the season had gone. It feels like they’re kind of set in their ways.
Completely disagree on Kelly Pitts as a character and being with Jason. The relationship was verbal abusive and Jason lacked respect for her. Kelly was like a kicked dog half the time, which made me dislike Jason. I am not sure how anyone can support such a relationship or even see positive in it. The character Kelly acted so air headed half the time and it seems only “white-girl-is-here” jokes is what made her noticeable. Besides that she had an alcohol problem that was only addressed as comical; to me, that wasn’t funny. When it came to her ‘divorced’ personality, I actually liked that she gained a freakin’ backbone and stood up to Jason!
I have more of an issue with CW executives (or whomever) not letting high rating shows finish properly. The Game was canceled prematurely, resulting in rushed episodes, sudden OOC and an awkward ending. The BET side had go off that last season to continue the arch.
*POST AUTHOR*
You want to know something? It slipped my mind how Jason treated Kelly way back when. Sheesh. I guess it’s been a while since season three, huh? However, I always felt Kelly was smarter than she let on. I got the sense that she was pretending to be dumb when she really wasn’t. To be honest, I never saw her as a token white girl. I feel she held her own, and that was cool. I always thought Brittany Daniel added a little extra something to the show. She was fun and bubbly. I liked seeing her find her strength in season four, but I just feel it was a little too much. She seemed a bit too confident, if that makes any sense. Plus, I didn’t like the new do. LOL But that’s just me. I did enjoy seeing her lose control of the Sunbeams. That was interesting.
Without Kelly, I feel that something is off. The combination of the three leading ladies was significant.
Great point about how The CW rushed those episodes. I’m sure they regret letting ‘The Game’ go. Still, I preferred it on The CW than I do on BET. The tone is drastically different. I don’t find myself laughing as much as I did during the first four seasons.
The relationship was mutually dysfunctional. Remember when they went to marriage counseling? He admitted that he married her because she worshipped him, and she admitted that she married him for the money. Neither of them were blameless, and most of their arguments, they both contributed to.
As difficult as their relationship could be, we also saw a real affection between them. There was when Jason came to Kelly’s rescue when Roman got physical with her, for example. They might not have started out in love with each other, and they did have their differences, but there was a relationship there.
As far as how it ended on The CW: it was Mara Brock Akil’s idea to change the show to a one-hour drama in hopes of keeping it on, so we can look to the showrunner as far as how the show changed. She made that decision because she knew cancellation was a possibility; she wasn’t blindsided. And it’s the same showrunner (and I believe the same writers) on BET as were on The CW, so they have only themselves to blame if they didn’t like where they were picking up from.
Its not necesarry to resolve all the issues all of a sudden. They are gonna be issues. However i liked the show better when all the women were friends, and had funny sun beam meetings with kelly as the pres. i hate how tasha has changed. she is just a bitch now.