MovieChat Forums > Soul Food (2000) Discussion > why are there no black drama shows?

why are there no black drama shows?

posted 19 years ago by youngo15
18 replies | jump to latest

It really sucks that this was the only black drama on. It was an excellent show and it should have stayed on a few more seasons. white folks say black dramas don't work. they do work, just not for them. they only think comedies,sports, and singing,dancing,and rapping is all that works with us. the fact that soul food won several naacp image awards for best drama proves that black dramas work, but since black folks don't own any tv stations or corporate america companies, we have no control of green lighting any shows. I wish blacks would come together as a people and start building major black business in our communities and if we would consistently support them, eventually we can have some power.

[–] groovytam06 19 years ago

Nicely stated!! Yes it is too bad that there aren't any other GOOD black dramas. I love this show! It portrays African-Americans in a GOOD and realistic way. Not to sound racist, but I think white owned TV stations are intimidated by black dramas. They might have their ego shattered when for once a show starring black actors isn't all about drugs, sex, jail, and shoot-outs.

Groovy out

[–] athomas1 18 years ago

Personally, I would like to see a black sci-fi or black action/adventure show. It seems like hollywood has pigeonholed black folk as good only for drama or comedy.

[–] pnayballer10 18 years ago

What about Kevin Hill that was a black drama show? Too bad it was canceled I use to watch it.

[–] mel-o 18 years ago

Yeah there was Kevin Hill. Yet many people wondered why it seemed ALL the love interest roles for Taye Diggs' character (or even just series regulars) seemed to be bi-racial women or Latinas. It was almost weird that you NEVER saw a dark or brown skinned woman on the show. Eva Pigford came on towards the end for a couple episodes I believe, but there was definitely a narrow look the show seemed to prefer in the women of color they hired.

[–] th3302 18 years ago

I used to watch Kevin Hill and I was one who wondered the same thing (about there only being bi-racial or Hispanic women as his love interests). It was a good show, but I think that fact ruffled a few feathers. Otherwise, Soul Food seems to be it for a while, at least.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] Diamond97 11 years ago

Not to sound racist, but I think white owned TV stations are intimidated by black dramas

That's not sounding racist. We all know that there are white people in the world who do not like blacks. They are the racist ones, NOT you. Nothing wrong with letting it be known that you know what they're doing.

[–] do-bye 18 years ago

I feel that way. It should be more.

[–] cheldove 18 years ago

For me Soul Food was "Simply The Best". There has been nothing else to compare to it quality wise. I think New York Undercover comes very close as far as quality and being the unique. Soul Food was just different. I always looked forward to Wednesday nights, and kept Showtime only to watch it. It was about real people like most of us. Real working people,not thugs and crackheads, and women having babies by many different people. People that value family and relationships.....good music...nice restaurants....and entertainment. I can't say enough. It was EXCELLENT..and I wish it still was on..instead of in reruns.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] 18 years ago

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[–] lilkunta3 16 years ago

I read the show ended bc the righters felt it has run its course.
BUt yea we do need to see more diversity on tv.
All there is is

- EHC, TG on cw
( & both r gonna be cancelled bc cw only cares about teen sex shows )
and

- LH on family channel .

It is a shame that Tyler Perry 's shows will be the only AfrAm shows on tv bc they really arent that great.
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IndiaArieTESTIMONY VOL 2:LOVE&POLITICS

[–] tyshimah3 15 years ago

true that!
I forgot about Linclon Heights for a bit! But that's a good show... we need more like it!
I agree that somebody needs to create another Black Drama!

**Damn, those sweet memories**

[–] skyvolt2000 15 years ago

The problem with doing a black drama is will WE watch it if certain elements are absent.

If I did a show about a married couple with jobs and a son that was smart and didn't play sports. It got good reviews and folks liked it. GUess who won't support it-US because too many of us think that all blacks are thugs, deadbeats and so on.

Our black media would ignore it- just like they ignored Static Shock, Romeo, Everybody Hates Chris, Girlfriends and The Game.

Now let me do a show about a single mother with 6 kids by 5 fathers on welfare or woman acting a fool (Flavor of Love) and I'll get tons of coverage from the black media.

We can cry about the lack of black shows, but until we accept that not all of us are thugs and so on and there are educated folks in the hood that are putting kids in college and working. We won't see shows like Soul Food.

[–] macb22 15 years ago

Shonda rimes the creator of greys anatomy and private practice should have more blk ppl on there. She kno its hard for blks to get drama tv shows. But mayb she wantd a diverse cast so it can get pickd up. Boris kodjoe should replace isiaih washington.

[–] Diamond97 11 years ago

Shonda rimes the creator of greys anatomy and private practice should have more blk ppl on there. She kno its hard for blks to get drama tv shows. But mayb she wantd a diverse cast so it can get pickd up. Boris kodjoe should replace isiaih washington

I agree. Shonda may want diversity, but why it that the whites outnumber the blacks on Scandal and Grey's Anatomy?

And I definitely agree that we need more black dramas.

[–] tyshimah3 10 years ago

I think she's getting mainstream audiences used to the idea of Blacks being prominent on their TV and on their favorite shows. It's a long road, but she's doing it.

"Do you even remember what you came here to find?"

[–] marvelass 8 years ago

Shonda may want diversity, but why it that the whites outnumber the blacks on Scandal and Grey's Anatomy?

I've never seen Scandal, so can't comment on that, but I think it's realistic that the white doctors in Grey's outnumber the black doctors. In fact, I would even go so far as to say that the abundant of black doctors on the show is quite generous and rather unrealistic, especially since there are no Asian/Middle Eastern doctors. Sandra Oh played the only Asian surgeon the first ten seasons, but after she left, she was replaced with... another black doctor. There is also hardly any Latino representation, except for maybe Sara Ramirez, but she recently left the show, so...

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