Cuts

Let's face it, the UPN gets a bad rap. But this show is actually funny. A friend recommended it to me, and it took a couple episodes, but now I'm hooked. Marques Houston is hilarious, Shondrella Avery (LeFonda from Napoleon Dynamite) is great, and Shannon Elizabeth steals the show! If you liked "Fresh Prince of Bel Air," you'll like this (different storyline, same humor). For those that haven't seen it, it's about a beauty salon that's co-owned and operated by two people who couldn't be more different: A spoiled, white, rich girl (Elizabeth) and an enterprising, black, rapper (Houston). The supporting cast is great, and the writing is some of the best on TV.

I really like this show, and am awaiting season two. I started watching because I am a fan of Shannon Elizabeth, but it turned out to be really good. All of the actors and actresses are great, but the best thing about the show is that if you happen to miss an episode, you can tune in the next week without problems. Sometimes that is what is needed, just an entertaining show... nothing too complex! The characters are very funny, but there are a lot of stereotypes in the show. Shannon plays hers perfectly, and her timing on the show is great. I think "Tiffany" is the funniest character! Anyway, if you haven't seen the show, give it a chance. It is a great way to spend thirty minutes of your life. And if you are a fan of Shannon or Marques, you should definitely watch it!

Though the setting and the story are different, this sitcom is very much like its parent series (One on One) in terms of laugh count and quality. Both shows are far from great, but better than the average show of this type (light comedy aimed at urban and African-American audiences). There are some good laughs in every episode (though they could use more), and the plots aren't entirely predictable.

The show is also a bit more ambitious than most of the shows you'll see it compared to, because the cast and setting aren't entirely African-American. On the debit side, the two main characters are the most boring. I'm much more interested in Walt, Ace, and Candy than I am with Kevin and Tiffany, but the same can't be said for the writers (so far). I think at least part of the blame for that has to rest with the actors--Marques Houston is prone to over-reliance on cheap laughs from urban/hip-hop clichés, while Shannon Elizabeth's character is a walking, talking stereotype.

My advice (assuming the show lasts) is to use the other characters more, and get out of the shop more. I'd especially like to see more of the neighborhood.