This Week In...Black Entertainment Television

"Lately, I've been tryna fight whatever's pulling us under" - Danity Kane, Ride For You

I've decided that BET and TV One can't hold a candle to HBO as true Black Television.

First, HBO continues it's love affair with Walter Mosley by optioning Little Scarlett and casting Jeffrey Wright and Mos Def as Easy Rawlins and Raymond "Mouse" Alexander. Now, I don't think anyone can play Mouse better than Don Cheadle did in the Feature Film but Mos is an interesting choice. I don't think we've seen him play sociopathic before and Mouse is a seriously deadly kinda cat.

Then there's the Wire, Season 4. I cannot wait -- CAN NOT WAIT - for the new season. I think I'm going to commit to doing episode recaps this season. I haven't found any online that I've particularly liked so I figure I'll do it myself. I'm not sure if I'll do it in short stream-of-consciousness style or if I'll follow the TWOP model and get into every nook and cranny of every episode. I may not have the patience for that but The Wire probably deserves that treatment. I just watched the Stringer Bell episode again this past weekend and wanted to write all about it all over again. It's literature as television (or is it television as literature?) and is the best thing going and maybe the best fictional representation of the diversity of black folks ever.

The best real life presentation, though, is probably Spike Lee's When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in IV Parts [note: this is currently an advertiser on the site.]. A more powerful four and a half hours of television there has never been. It is a mirror reflecting back at us, and I'm talking about us as Americans and as humans, and shows us our greatness and our faults. It is stylistically a Spike Lee Joint: the jazz horns, the off-center profile shots, the camera talking, the long dolly (or dolly like) views of the scene. If you haven't cried, if you aren't angry, if you haven't been inspired, if you aren't as royally frustrated as those proud people of Louisiana after watching, I've got nothing for you. Watch it. Everybody. Watch it. Don't fast forward through the long shots of the devastation. Don't skip ahead when it gets uncomfortable. Experience it all. The people of New Orleans and the Gulf, both living and dead, deserve at least that.

HBO is home to Def Comedy and Def Poetry. To serious sports talk with Bryant Gumbel. It is the place where black intellectuals, cultural weathervanes and politicians go to share their opinions with Bill Maher. It's been home to the Chris Rock show and Black comedy specials for years.

It is Black Television.

Oh, and how could I forget about Deadwood. The best show on TV. What, you didn't know that was a Black show? You tell me about another show with a character named The Nigger General¹.

I rest my case.

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¹Although it is interesting to note that the NG is maybe the only recurring character not given some shine on the website. Guess it's one thing to say it. Quite another to type it out for all to see.

Comments

[Michelle]

Oh man, The Wire. Can't wait for that either. I've been watching last season reruns before Deadwood and it's gotten me so excited for the new season. The Stringer episode last week was so brilliant. Brother Muzone and Omar together. HBO can do television like no one else. I've just got to find a way to forgive them for cancelling Deadwood.

I'm saving When the Levee Broke for an all at once viewing this weekend or next because I'm expecting it to tear me up.

[Monique]

The Wire. I think the three of us (you, Michelle and I) are all aware of the Wire love that is in this group. I excited about seeing what story they will tell next. I'm hoping it won't be a let down like the season spent at the docks.

As far as When the Levee Broke, I haven't gotten around to it, but Spike does well with these types of things, so I'm looking forward to watching it and getting emotional.

I liked this post.

[j. brotherlove]

I'm behind like crazy on The Wire so I'll be sure to stay away from your spot during the recaps ( I hate spoilers).

I wish Deadwood wasn't a western. I have an internal switch that instantly shutsdown when I see tumbleweeds and the like. I haven't even given it a chance.

[Dan Wickett]

What a great post - sorry, I'm rather late to your site but it's wonderful.

The Wire is brillant, wonderful television, as was The Corner, and Homicide before it - hopefully HBO continues to let David Simon do whatever he wants on their network in his exploration of our country through the city of Baltimore.

And Spike's documentary had me reeling back and forth from anger to tears.

[Killacal]

Angel from Concreteloop linked this entry on a message board as a part of one our Wire threads.

I don't understand why TWOP won't recap the Wire, but hey man PLEASE do it...I'm going to give recapping a shot as well on a couple of message boards, it's something that needs to be done.

HBO really does put BET and TV One to shame with their afrocentric programming! Don't forget Lackawanna Blues and the fact that they were the "studio" behind Idlewild...and if you REALLY want to stretch, Martin's sitcom from the 90's was an HBO Films production as well. Thank goodness for HBO!

Good entry man...