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Reviews
Black. White. (2006)
If it wasn't for the cast, it would be great.
I think this show was well-intentioned. I really do. I had high expectations for it. But watching it, I sometimes wonder what alternate universe it takes place in. Half the time, I can't tell if Bruno (...if you haven't seen the show, here's a fun game...)is in make up or not. He could be a light-skinned black or a dark-skinned Italian (Don' worry....once he opens his mouth you can tell.) They (whoever's responsible for these decisions) picked one of the whitest black guys I've ever seen to represent black people? The black mother, Renee, gets upset at because her son didn't didn't take offense that his white friends use the "N" word, but in the very same episode she watches a video with her son that is so racist it borders on comical, and never bats an eye. What?! Maybe it doesn't matter anyway, because the son's an idiot. Round it all out with two well-meaning, emotional, and sometimes clueless more cast members and you have a show that would have Dr. Who wondering what dimension he landed in.
However, for all it's quirks, I still like this show. I still Tivo it every week. I like that it's trying to honestly tackle a topic that's been brushed into closets by television for too long. I like that it's truly attempting to educate both sides about the other's culture. I like that it wants to get behind closed doors to find out what people really think. I just think the show could have been more if it had a more well-thought out cast. Just because people share a family together, doesn't mean that all the members are right for a show.
BRIAN - A good husband and father but a little aloof. Or clueless to the point of apathy. Either way, whenever you think he's going to get riled, he either 1) Walks away in equal parts disgust and shock, or 2) Cowtows to his wife's opinions. Which brings me to...
RENE - In one episode, she gets really upset because she's unknowingly called a b**ch. Well folks, she is. I'm not going to run down a list of characteristics, but any of them that you can come up with, she displays a number of them. Whenever you see her on screen, just remember co-creator Ice Cube's classic line..."If you could call that b**ch a b**ch, you would. And if you can't, you probably should."
NICK - The Sparks are fooling themselves when it comes to their son (...as most parents do).This kid is on the fast track to becoming "The Guy On The Couch" in the movie "Half-Baked". His one saving grace is that a result of his not thinking about anything, he doesn't see the world in racial terms.
BRUNO - This arrogant, self-important, self-righteous bigot is actually the gem of the show, much in the way Cartman is to South Park. He's the one you tune in to see every week if only to see what offensive comment he's going to make next. Even though whenever you see him he's trying to validate his own beliefs (most of the time, on topics he's clueless about), one thing that can definitely be said is that he keeps viewers coming back.
CARMEN - She truly captures the essence of someone trying to understand something beyond her grasp. I think she's well-meaning, heartfelt, and genuine but in the end I don't think 6 weeks will be long enough for her to reach the kind of understanding she wants. She also has a knack for saying the stupidest things at the most inopportune moments.
ROSE - Of the whole cast, she is the most precocious and inquisitive member. However, like her mother, I think she will ultimately be disappointed by what she discovers and how much she understands.
In closing, this show is fun to watch. I'm obviously hooked, but I doubt anyone will gain any new insights from watching it. This show could have been used as a huge tool for teaching and learning while entertaining. But teaching and learning are realms of where open conflict is needed and these people shy away from it. Yes, they are good people, but good people doesn't exactly make for good television. Hopefully, if this show comes back next year, it will have a more lively cast. All in all, I'd give this show a C. A C+ if I'm considering Bruno's video from Episode 4 (...you've got to see it to believe it!)