Barbershop

Think Arrested Development but with political satire. Think Blazing Saddles. B-Shop the series is quick, smart and damn funny - and its especially good to see a comedy that mostly features a cast of color delivering some jokes that require a little thought Any show that can move among comedic dirty talk, anger issues, abortion and urban female sexuality in a half hour is doing more than most comedies can pull of in three weeks of airing. The performances are great all around, particularly Omar Gooding and Toni Trucks who are both filling in difficult roles. With respect to Cube and Eve, those to make the characters their own. The show has style, and like The Simpons, it has enough jokes that on multiple viewings you can catch the ones you missed the first time around. With the movies winding down - THANKFULLY - the franchise is actually reinvigorated, and I can't wait to see where B- Shop the series is going.

I can't believe a lot of the complaints I see about this show here. I guess for some people, the idea of a show that's extremely witty and sexy, with an interesting set of characters about whom the perceptive viewer instantly cares a great deal, is just not enough. Maybe it doesn't fit with preconceived notions of the proper attitudes, but--in part for that very reason--*Barbershop* is the bomb!

After a long day of work, I sat down in front of the tube to find something relaxing and entertaining--something intelligent but not tedious, funny but never infantile. And then I found this, a show that manages to pull off the witty sex-talk that *Sex in the City* supposedly offered, even though to me *that* show always rang false. Whereas SitS seemed to try too hard, this one just flows effortlessly, with an effervescence that springs from strong writing and acting.

I've seen many shows that attempt to create a world like that of *Barbershop*, with its ensemble cast, its spiciness, its clever dialogue, its sardonic treatment of timely themes and its heartfelt approach to universal ones--and usually the result is a tired-looking mishmash designed (however inexpertly) to fool viewers into believing that they're watching something worthwhile. But this one actually achieves what so many others have failed to do. Maybe I'm supposed to be irritated or offended, but I'm too busy enjoying Omar Gooding (a fabulous actor who I loved in *Playmakers*), the great Phil Lamarr of *Mad TV* fame, and a number of other gifted performers.

First off, let me say that I thought the two Barbershop movies were fairly amusing and enjoyable movies. At the same time, I don't consider them great films that simply must be seen.

Barbershop the series is a whole different level. Trust me when I say this show is not some trite and corny UPN-type series. It is pure comedy in the mold of Arrested Development or Curb Your Enthusiasm, with a little Def Comedy Jam thrown in. Hectic, witty, and blunt, the show tackles issues from relationships to politics to family with the delivery of a stand-up comic.

Omar Gooding far exceeds Ice Cube as the sarcastic centerpiece and many of the other characters have been upgraded as well. In fact, it seems that each character (with the exception of Cedric the Entertainer's) has not only been replaced by a funnier and better looking counterpart, but the actors are much more skilled as well. There is an abundance of eye candy for both sexes. As far as acting, Toni Trucks nails Terri as the demanding, yet vulnerable female presence in the shop. Leslie Elliard's spastic, hopelessly ambitious Jimmy provides the most audible laughs.

Watch a couple episodes expecting a lot of silliness, intelligence, and sexiness and enjoy yourself.

It's an uncomfortable feeling, watching talented actors (the awesome Barry Shabaka and others) and writers (John Ridley, the man who wrote the awesome Three Kings) strain and strain for a joke and never entirely land one. Dismayingly two-dimensional characters, tired routines (guy coaching guy about how to talk sexy to a girl, somebody walks in and thinks it's a romantic/sexual moment between the guys, ha ha ha), strained plotting--something about a woman being hounded by a broadly drawn completely non-real anti-abortion activist and a broadly drawn completely non-real pro-choice activist--an old fashioned nudge-nudge wink-wink attitude to sex--a ridiculously caricatured would-be politician with a fake expensive watch--all adding up to a mish-mosh of wannabe. Where will it all go? Will the innate talent of all these players make it work as the series progresses? Will this be the old quality-challenged Showtime or the new?

Barbershop was on everybody's so so list. By now this show should have no problem getting viewers.The first 2 or three episodes were slow but it came together.The show is funny and entertaining.Maybe you have to be a certain or have a certain preference to laugh. Calvin is the mild argument fixer upper and everybody else is a great supporting cast. The run in and outs of the barbershop and its character are put together very well. I believe this show should stay on for another couple of years.Showtime doesn't really have any standout shows anymore.If you count weeds which probably wont come back on because the show was boring. But getting back on Barbershop the season ending left a big question for next year on what will happen. Seeing how Showtime has no premier shows this can really succeed .This is probably second only to Soulfood