Baldwin Hills: The Black Laguna Beach
If this tells you anything, it took two viewing of the hour-long premiere of BET's new reality series, Baldwin Hills, for me to figure out exactly what this show is all about.
I do give BET a slight thumbs up for showcasing middle-class and upwardly mobile Black teens who aren't:
a. doing/selling drugs
b. talking ebonically
c. dressed like strippers/or have their pants hanging around their ankles
But, as with everything BET does, the execution lives MUCH to be desired.
Here's the basic rundown: Baldwin Hills, also known as the Black Beverly Hills, is an upscale neighborhood in southeastern Los Angeles that borders other less-desirable sections, like Inglewood and Crenshaw. The cast is mostly drawn from residents of the weathly Baldwin Hills Estates enclave, with a few "others" sprinkled in.
The casting follows the typical stereotypical reality TV guidelines:
- Garnette is the stuck-up rich girl who looks down on those who are less-privileged.
- Willie is the artsy, "why can't we all just get along" one, with a crush on rough-around-the-edges Sal, who is literally The Fresh Prince, having moved from the hood up to the hills.
- Stacie is the "ghetto" girl from the "J" aka "Jungle" aka the projects. Quite predictably, she doesn't get along with the rich girls, and clashes with arch-rival Garnette when she pushed up on Gaven (Garnette's crush) at Jordan's party.
- Divalicious Garren and her BFF Rocqui are the high-maintenance chicks. In fact, Garren is a model, supposedly once dubbed by Oprah as "mini Naomi." Garren has her eye on Moriah, the "youngin" whose mom won't let him party unless his big bro chaperones. Not cool.
Ironically, I like the guys better than the gals. My fave so far is Jordan. He's a budding entrepreneur/party-promoter/hustler. Very ambitious. I like that. But he needs to finish school first, as his mom constantly reminds him.
Ashley (actress Vanessa Bell Calloway's daughter) is cool, too. Of all the rich girls, she doesn't seem as "affected" but we'll see as the season progresses.
I do have two pet peeves about this show:
1. It seems overly scripted. While I know all reality shows are somewhat scripted, this one seems obvious, but what makes it worse is that these kids clearly don't have the talent for acting to make it seem believable. What a coincidence that Staci just happened to be at the coffee shop when Willie, Garnette and her partner-in-crime Makensy drop by. Yeah right. I could almost see them reading from the teleprompter.
2. I fear that this show is going to focus too heavily on contrasting the haves and the have-nots. I think it was somewhat insensitive to spilt-screen Staci shopping at Rainbow (a discount clothing store) for $4.99 shirts for Jordan's party, while Ashley, Garnette, et. al dropped more than $500 at Christian Audigier on customized Ed Hardy shirts. I'd rather them focus on the ties that bind these kids - being Black in America is a struggle regardless of where you live and your social or ecomonic standing.
I'm a hopeless fan of these type of shows, so I'll be watching. How about you?
posted by TVnista @ 12:20 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
I haven't seen the show. Kinda written it off. I was fearing that this would be a simple rehashing of MTV's Lugana Beach. Please tell me it ain't so.
BTW on a completely different wavelength, have you read Miss Jones' tell all
this show is accurate and refreshing. it is about time that the black youth is reflected in a positive light. baldwin hills/view park/ladera heights/leimert park/lafayette parks is the best kept secret in los angeles. i admire the african americans whose choose to leave in these neighborhoods to create a family environment. the majority of them could have chosen, bel air/beverly hills and or palos verdes estates. i admire the firm strength of the parents of the show who constantly ride these kids and demand and receive respect. it is not a secret that parents who care expose their children to prestigious private schools such as harvard westlake, archer, the brentwood school, marlborough, the buckley, chadwich, notre dame, loyola and beverly hills high. these schools produce success stories and subject the the students to a rigid and rewarding education. to the contrary, i admire how moriah juggles crenshaw high with his background. marques other son, kris also attended crenshaw to be exposed to a concrete and physical basketball experience. daymeon character sometimes disturbs me, however, the character must be portrayed because it does exist. to interface the mega church, west angeles into this program was a wise choice. the equation of a successful always includes a spiritual foundation. i would love to see the jack n jill, the cotillions and the acheivers interfaced into the show. these are wonderful and humble events that elevates the self esteem of the young gifted and black. my favorite character is Garnette, she reflects class. i didnt like when she dish the f-bombe middle finger. it tarnished her well polished character. thes story lines are valid and should be evolved to more depth and substance. congrats for a job well done.
this show is on target. correction, the location is southwestern los angeles, not eastern. garnette is classy. willie is cute and sweet. dae dae is over embarrassing. gerren needs to chill. stacie is ghetto and should be on another show. this should be about the haves and not the have nots. they should interface jack n jill, the cotillions and the achievers. moriah is an exception, going to the local public school instead of going to mater dei or loyola high school. love the parents, most of them are on. gerrens mom is a lil ghettol. review the roget thesaurus. love reggie theus; calmed rocqui down from the benz to the lincoln suv. good idea to interface the church scene; reflects values and spiritual upbringing and foundation. vanessa calloway licking her fingers in the kitchen; um, unsanitary. love gaven's parents trying to get into his business. love gavens dedication to his studies. reflects excellent priorities.
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