The Wayans Bros.

This was one of the first of what I call Average African-American Shows.

(See my review of One On One for more details) It's basically a show not

on the Top 4 networks that is mostly made up of African American actors.

The thing that makes these shows different from shows like The Cosby

Show, Jeffersons, Good Times, etc... is that they aren't exactly

supposed to appeal to White America. In fact they appeal to a more Urban

audience. I guess that's why I liked this show so much. There's

something about a show that doesn't try to appeal to the majority that

helps make it funnier and cutting-edge. Much like their previous show,

In Living Colour, Marlon and Shawn show they have what it takes to make

young audiences laugh. My brother and I especially love the beginning

theme song: "We're brothers. We're happy and we're singing and we're

colored. Give me a HIGH-FIVE!" Then they help an old lady get run over

by a bus which they somehow got on. HILARIOUS!! Another incident my

brother and I love is the episode where their father says he's going to

stand up to their mother. The next day he shows up with his suitcases at

their apartment and he says he told their mother everything he wanted to

tell her. They Wayans brothers then ask what happened next. The father

replies, "I don't know. When I came to some stranger was helping me on

the bus." I LOVED IT! Too bad it was cancelled so darn ear

Cool? Hilarious? Crazy as a loon? You bet. The Wayans Brothers Show was all that and a whole lot more. For the five seasons that it ran on the WB,you'll never what those two were up to conjure up next. You can tell that Shawn was the cool on and in control,and Marlon was the total nut. Their dad? He was something. After they got caught and stuff,their dad would talk to them,and the next get out that big 70's belt from his pants saying,"violence? I'll show you violence!" as the two ran for the nearest exit. It was funny,but it was one crazy sitcom that had me laughing out loud and then some.

"The Wayans Bros." was such a funny show that it used to have me rolling on the floor. Part of the reason why it was a good show is that everybody on the show had good chemistry. Who could forget John Witherspoon cast as "Pops." He was perfectly cast in that role. The strength of "The Wayans Bros." was not because they were another "black" show on television but was because they were not afraid to take comedy to new heights in order to get their laughs.

During the earlier seasons of "The Wayans Bros." you can tell that the show's strengths was along the heels of "WB" because they were becoming a famous network around this time. I ask myself, "why can't more shows be like this?" Anyway, "The Wayans Bros." will have you rolling on the floor with Shawn, Marlon and Pops antics throughout it.

"The Wayans Bros." was one of, if not the first of many African-American sitcoms that The WB, a newly formed channel, gave a platform to. It was a formula that UPN would later adopt as well.

Shawn and Marlon Wayans play Shawn and Marlon Williams, sons of John 'Pops' Williams (John Witherspoon). Pops owns a little cafe while Shawn runs a little newspaper stand, both inside the lobby of the same building. The shiftless and lazy Marlon bounces between the two as an employee.

I liked "The Wayans Bros." even if Marlon Wayans was a little over the top at times. John Witherspoon was funny with his "yit-tidee" and other trademarks. I was even glad to see Anna Maria Horsford have a landing spot after the successful "Amen."

I know "The Wayans Bros." gets panned (my father is one of them), but I do have a fondness of the Wayans family as a whole and their show could've been a lot worse.

This might be low brow comedy, but it's hilarious. The show is very well written, and I completely enjoy every episode. I think the Wayan's brothers have great charisma, and they work perfectly together. It is clear that they have a close relationship, and it goes to make the characters more likeable. Pops, with his ridiculous outfits adds an unusual element to the show...and even more humor. This is a great show with great characters, and great acting. In a word...great. Check it out, reruns air on the WB.