Black TV Night.

I dedicated myself to watch the entire Black Block on CW last night.

Everybody Hates Chris was cute. But, that’s a show I can only watch every once in a while since it has the tendency to be very gimmicky. Aside from the very funny lines, no episode is really indistinguishable from the other. From the beginning to now, it’s pretty much been the same. We get it – the family is poor, but can it not be beaten over our heads every single episode? I’d like to see the show evolve and move on to explore some other themes.

However, this show is still a lot of fun. Julius as “cheap” Santa almost came close to topping Sean McNamarra’s “drunk” Santa on Nip/Tuck two weeks ago. “Do you know how much that costs?” he quizzed the kids when they sat on his lap and stated their wish list. My favorite line was when he told a blind boy, "Eyesight? Hmmmm…sounds expensive."

The angry White guy “Chris” played by the scary Richard Lewis was very odd. He came and went unexplained. I guess we haven’t moved beyond the cliché of a Christmas TV show featuring a ghost of some sort. I’m still chuckling from when Julius handed Chris the layaway receipt for $35, and the grown-up Chris adding: “And he was serious!” Or when Julius explained to Drew and Tanya that they wouldn’t be getting any Christmas gifts and that they should appreciate the fact that everything from living in their own home rent-free to the “pink carpet” is already a gift. I’m sure many of us can recall a similar speech from our own parents: “Everyday is a gift, so what you need presents for?” I guess that’s why Everybody Hates Chris relies on the poor angle so much – often, that’s where the best jokes are.

All of Us was dry. I dozed off toward the end, only staying awake long enough to laugh at Dirk’s reindeer games. Tony Rock is the only bright spot on this show.

Dirk to Robert: “You can be Prancer.”
Robert: “But that’s the gay one.”
Dirk: “Well, what about Dancer?”
Robert: “That’s his partner.”

I didn’t know there was such a thing as gay reindeer. I guess they live on Brokeback Mountain!

Now, let’s get to the good stuff, Girlfriends and The Game.

I don’t know if that was the first episode of Girlfriends Debbie Allen directed, but I hope it’s certainly not the last. All throughout the episode I was having a feeling of déjà vu, back to the good-old-days of A Different World. Debbie seems to really bring out something extra special from the actors she works with – it’s very intangible – but it’s there. I was happy to see Aaron. Just based on what I’ve seen so far, he seems to be the best match for Joan. I’ve never liked any of her previous boyfriends on the show. Sean was too passive, Ellis was too soft and Brock was too selfish. I think Joan has finally met her match. I could tell that Aaron was testing her to see how he would react to his “poorness.” But, at least he was upfront about his situation with her, and I’m glad Joan agreed to talk about money with him. She’s right – couples are so scared to talk about money and eventually, that’s the one thing that ends up driving them apart. For a second there, I though “old” Joan was back, when after the first phone call, she had already had the wedding, was pregnant with twins and had a Golden Retriever named Coco. Thanks goodness for Lynn, who was there to pull her back to reality. Since I have a feeling this is the last season of Girlfriends, I want Joan to end up happy not only with herself, but with a mate, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed for her and Aaron. I’m sure she’s going to keep messing up, but he seems like he’s in it for the long haul. But if she don’t want him, I’ll take him. Richard T. Jones is definitely my type – I was salivating over him the entire episode!

I could definitely feel Debbie’s hand guiding the confrontation between Darnell and Maya at The Home Depot. I don’t have many examples of strong Black married couples, or relationships in general, in my life, but I definitely look to them for inspiration. I love them as a couple and admire how they’re able to communicate and work through their problems amicably. My favorite line was when Maya said about their Christmas-decorating obsessed neighbors: “If they don’t see lights, they’ll think we’re Nation of Islam!”

All I can say about Tahj Mowry on The Game is wow! He didn’t even look or sound the same as when he was on Full House or Smart Guy. I’m really getting old, huh? Overall, it was a pretty solid episode. I was a bit disappointed in Melanie though. Let me preface this by saying that I’m a huge sports fan, of football in particular, and I was just shocked that she could be so blasé about Derwin making it to the playoffs. She should have put aside going home to visit her parents and stayed home to support her man. And while Derwin is usually the one being selfish, this time it was Melanie. I felt so bad for him when everyone else was celebrating with their wives, girlfriends, etc. and Derwin was all alone. But, to his credit, he wasn’t upset at her for not being there. Melanie has to know that when you date a football player, there are some things that come with the territory. Yes, you have to go to games and yes, you have to participate in community events. And sometimes, you have to put off a trip because your guy’s team is in the playoffs. I just wish she could be more knowledgeable about this stuff, but I guess it’ll come eventually. I know one thing for sure, I want her brother Cameron to come back. I was cracking up when she asked him, “So I guess we have to talk to each other?” or when he picked up the present and said it was heavy, and Melanie said, “Maybe your personality is in there.”

Other funny moments from last night’s show:

Melanie: “There’s something about eggnog that makes people want to talk.”
Malik: “Yeah. Rum.”

Melanie (trying to convince Derwin to fly home with her to Connecticut): “I know it’s cold, we won’t be able to sleep together in the same bed and my parents hate you, but it’ll be fun.”

At the Sunbeams meeting, Kelly suggested the women give up something in solidarity with their men who had given up taken showers for the week.
One wife said: “What about alcohol?”
Kelly: “Why don’t you leave?”
Tasha: “Slow your roll Betty Ford.”

Tasha’s comment on Melanie’s choice of headgear: “You come in here wearing a What’s Happening? beanie and you call us crazy.”

Malik confiding in Jason about his OCD-
Malik: “If I don’t take a million showers a day, I’m all messed up.”
Jason: “Your water bill must be out of this world.”

But the hand-down-funniest moment of last night’s episode was when the guys ran out into the pool and Tasha discovers Kelly sucking Chardonnay straight out the bottle through a straw.