Barney Miller. Getty Images, ABC Photo Archives.

Characters/Diversity

Barney Miller (1974-1982) is definitely one of my very absolute favorite television shows among several other great shows from the 1970s. Barney Miller had a very diverse cast for a show that began in the 1970s, and strongly contrasts the lack of diversity in mainstream media today as the 12th Precinct police detectives and the reappearing characters identified among different genders, races, ethnicities, sexualities, and abilities.  The characters portrayed and established transcend the often dehumanizing social categorizations as they are portrayed as fully developed characters rather than typical stereotypes. None of these characters were ever constructed stereotypically nor were any of them confined to typical stereotypes. Instead, these characters countered common stereotypes which were addressed and subsequently opposed. No character was ever dehumanized as a sense of humanity was always maintained in each episode that humanized each character by providing a reminder that people are people regardless of their identities--- identities which are often used to excuse and justify violence, injustice, inequality, and oppression.

Barney Miller. "Vanished." January, 1980. Getty Images. ABC Photo Archives.

We are still dealing with the same issues regarding discrimination, racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, the mistreatment of youth (all basically a result of ignorance and the refusal of some to see humans only as their label/identity rather than acknowledge them as actual humans), environmental concerns, political/judicial/social corruption, and several other systemic issues that continue to persist.

Barney Miller. "The Layoff." Season 2. September 1975. Getty Images. ABC Photo Archives.

Television

The only problem with these fantastic shows is how difficult they can be to find and the fact that they rarely air on television. Sometimes these shows can also be found on the internet but it takes a lot to find full episodes. Luckily, there are channels like Antenna TV and Me TV that show Barney Miller episodes and rewinds back to other classic and hilarious shows.

Overall, the show is brilliant and amazing as it addresses several important issues at the time, which are still issues of our time. It is a sitcom that appropriately and maturely deals with some really serious issues comically and is full of substance, something that seems to be lacking more and more throughout many popular, usually substance-less, diversity-lacking television shows.


Photos: Getty Images, ABC Photo Archives, Sony Pictures.

I'm not one to watch the CW network unless it syndicates older 90's sitcoms or comedies of the like, but I came across this interesting comedy with a 90's sitcom-style. The First Family is a 2012 series featuring an extended African American family in the White House.

The First Family. Creator Byron Allen. CW. Entertainment Studios. 2012.

At first glance, this family sitcom appears as though it was produced right out of the 1990s, when syndication actually began in 2012. The show gives screen-time to a great cast with very familiar actors such as Jackee Harry (Sister, Sister) and John Witherspoon (The Boondocks; Friday). Even the nonfamiliar or not-so familiar actresses and actors carry out their roles as they cater to a younger audience. Christopher Duncan and Kellita Smith may take on the roles as President and First Lady, but the show creates a nice balance for the several main characters represented in the show to have their own platform. 


Had it not been for my television not having a remote which led to me having to flip channels, I probably would have never come across this wholesome sitcom, something television viewers may not see very often these days with the slight decline in amount of wholesome, popular television in recent years. Either way, The First Family, with its canned laughter, slightly corny jokes, and comedic irony, is like a modern throwback to those popular, irreplaceable 90's comedies audiences love, remember, and never stop talking about.


The First Family airs on the CW channel Sunday nights at 8 P.M. (Eastern time zone).

After watching the third episode, and observing its growing explosion of humor, I knew this was going to be a well-received series. The recently Emmy-nominated show that not only revolves around Charlie Sheen but also gave him a somewhat-comeback to television, provided several on-screen cameos, and welcomed a few unfamiliar faces to the mainstream television is Anger Management.



Anger Management, with a pretty hilarious cast and a contrasting clash of characters provide a means for a nicely entertaining character dynamic, something we see during the main group counseling sessions. The show revolves around its title as well as the use of other psychological and therapeutic concepts, depending on the episode subject of focus.  The counsel-related settings often showcased include a prison where the main character does anger management counseling, to the couches in his living room where the prime counseling takes place along with other lead cast-members, as well as the office of his own advice-providing therapist, depicted by Selma Blair.



Charlie takes on the role as therapist, one specializing in the counseling of anger management groups and whose character slightly differs from those typecast. Shawnee Smith, an actress I know from Becker, is brought back to television playing the part of Charlie's close friend, yet divorcee. Just as former Spin City actor, Micheal Boatman, depicts the close or "best" friend and confidant to the main character. 





It's apparent that the first few episodes acted as a counter-action and not-so-subtle reference to the events of drama that occurred between the Two and a Half Men producer a few years ago. Soon after the airing of the first season, FX announced the show's continuation. Due to the show's success, 90 more episodes have been acquired according to several media sources. The second season airs this Thursday, January 17th on FX.




Update: Season Two
May, 2014

The second season does not live up to the expectations I had for it when I first wrote this review. After Selma Blair left the show, it really hasn't been the same. Blair's character was an essential aspect of the show, and anyone who has seen the major shifts and changes from the first season to the second will be able to notice how vital this character is as well. The absence of her character made the show seem as though it had no idea where it was going to go, how it was going to replace this character, and even the overall subject-matter. With the number of noticeable female character changes, the addition of another male character, and filtering out of past characters of whom I described above (the ex-wife, daughter, and friend/next-door neighbor), completely changed everything around, making audiences wonder, 'oh yeah, what happened to those characters?' In my opinion, Anger Management just seems to have taken an extreme, slightly misogynist downfall as the second season progresses especially without having an almost-feminist, intelligent female character (Blair) along with other prominent female characters (intelligent daughter character, easy-going ex-wife character) who help balance out the overly male character dynamic and their toxic masculine traits (the show increased in overt objectification of women, revolving the show even more around the idea of sex, etc).

Basically, I only slightly recommend the first season, you know, it times when there's nothing else on TV. Just be aware that the second doesn't at all complement the first, the characters, or any part of the show in general.

Here's an excerpt from Bowen of Slant Magazine that accurately critiques the second season:
"A sexist, racist, homophobic dinosaur in the age of daring and empathetic comedies such as Girls and Louie, Anger Management, whose 2012 debut was shrewdly timed to cash in on the latest speed bump in Charlie Sheen's career, revels in a glib mean-spiritedness. The first season was inhumane and all the more popular for it, so there was little hope that creator Bruce Helford and his writers would try to rise above their tabloid muck. The only, admittedly qualified, hope that one might bring to a second season is that it at least exhibit occasional cleverness in its ongoing smear campaign of everything that isn't Charlie Sheen."


Photos: Google Images