City Guys

Like many of my generation, I grew up with Zack, Kelly and the gang on "Saved By the Bell." However, after the disappointments of "SBTB: The College Years" and "SBTB: The New Class," as well as graduating from not just high school but college as well, I decided I might just be a little too old for TNBC. Then one day I tuned in to "City Guys" on the recommendation of a friend, and changed my mind altogether.

"City Guys" has all the best elements of a classic TNBC show. Filmed before a live studio audience, it features Jamal and Chris, the troublemaking, girl-chasing duo; L-Train (Lionel), the humorous dim bulb of the group; Cassidy, the pretty actress; the requisite couple (Alberto, the wisecracking schemer and Dawn, the honors student/activist), and Ms. Noble, the wise but fun principal who takes no guff. Hilarious hijinks ensue!

Seriously, "City Guys" covers the gamut from "very special episodes" (a student with a shaven head is accused of being a skinhead) to wacky plotlines (Jamal, L-Train and Al join Dawn's ballet troupe). It is safe to say that "City Guys" is why I drag myself out of bed at 11am on a Saturday morning.

Neither the best nor the worst sitcom aimed at teens, this was one of several shows programmed after the success of "Saved by the Bell." The acting, as always in these shows, was execrable when compared to good prime-time programming, but a lot of that is deliberate. The actors are too busy mugging for the camera and encouraging whoops and catcalls from the hyperactive audience to worry about realistic performances. This one was set in an inner-city high school and featured a now cliched multicultural cast. The lame attempts at street cred and hipness were about 5 years behind the times, which means this was seriously cutting edge for network TV.

Perhaps like many of you, I grew up with Zack, Kelly and the gang on "Saved By the Bell." However, following the disappointment of "SBTB: The College Years" and "SBTB: The New Class," as well as graduating from not just high school but college as well, I decided I might just be a little too old for TNBC. Then, following a recommendation from a friend, I turned on the TV one Saturday to "City Guys," and changed my mind altogether. "City Guys" has all the right ingredients for a perfect TNBC comedy: Chris and Jamal, the girl-chasing troublemakers, L-Train, the humorously "slow" one, Cassidy, the pretty actress, the requisite couple Al (the wisecracking schemer) and Dawn (the smart activist), and Ms. Noble, the wise but fun principal who takes no guff. Hilarious hijinks ensue!

Unlike... certain other shows we all know and love... "City Guys" does not resort to stereotypes about nerds and cheerleaders. The gang at Manhattan High "keeps it real" with "special" episodes (Dawn's mom battles alcoholism, L-Train learns he has dyslexia) as well as wacky plotlines (L-Train, Al and Jamal join the ballet club, Chris, Jamal and Cassidy compete to see whose diet strategy will help Ms. Noble lose the most weight in time for her high school reunion). What more could you ask for in Saturday morning entertainment?

PERSONAL NOTE: I used to watch this while I was working as a traffic reporter in Tampa Florida. This and the other shows that followed it, like "Just Deal" were better than watching infomercials....but not by much.....

Even though I'm waaaaaaaaaaaaaay past main demographic for this show, it's still something I look forward to on Saturday mornings. I have the NBC affiliate on in my office when this show airs, and happened to take notice of it a few years back, and got interested. I was actually a little sad when the last original episode where the cast graduated from "Manny High" aired!

'City Guys' is the story of a group of students attending high school in NYC.Fairly typical "T"NBC programming, and best described as a more mature "Saved By The Bell", or "California Dreams". The story lines are pretty much typical teenager fare, with the usual assortment of dating, family, love, and school issues included. Plus toss in a caring school principal, played by Marcella Lowery, for some added fun.

The best aspect of the show are the young actors, themselves, I think. They all seem to have a great chemistry, and are all likable, in general. Wesley Johnathan, and Scott Whyte, as does the rest of the cast, have plenty of potential. The interplay of 'Jamal', 'Chris', and 'El-Train' has it's moments. I hope that some smart casting director gives them the nod for some ensemble work in the future.

Here's a show that could go on to become a made for TV movie, easily.

I feel that this show should be on DVD, because for one each episode deals with realistic issues, such as racism, hiv, drugs, etc. If Peter Engel can have the original saved by the bell released along with the college years and the new class,this show along with "Hang Time" and "California Dreams" should be on DVD as well for having similar themed shows. I have went to tvshowsondvd.com and voted tried to get other people to vote for these shows by posting good comments about in the other start new topic section after the add another comment section. Maybe only in great numbers and certain liscening rights can this show and others like can be released on DVD by the seasons. Also, show like Beverly Hills 90210 and Melorse Place may never be released on DVD, because despite high demand, they lack the music liscening rights to help make that happen. So I hope that one day "City Guys" will be released on DVD.