There's just something about Ms. Pat. She's raunchy AF and has no filter, and is not afraid to say what she feels like saying. Having seen a couple of her stand up specials over the last few years, I was curious to see how her comedy would translate into sitcom format and I was pleasantly surprised.
The chemistry between Ms. Pat and her husband onscreen is excellent. There's a lot of authenticity in the problems and issues they explore together and it's refreshing to see people actually argue like real married people encountering real problems.
In fact, that's kind of this show in a nutshell. There's a lot of genuine moments in the show where the family is trying to deal with exceptionally real issues, and it's done in a way you wouldn't normally see in a sitcom. Breaking long-embedded cycles of abuse between parent and child, learning to love yourself in spite of a barrage of daily disparagement, and dealing with estranged parents are a few of the many topics the show deals with on a regular basis--and in a very abrasive and inyourface manner. Ms. Pat holds no punches.
One of the things that's so good about this show is character growth. Every character experiences some form of growth over the course of the show's four seasons, and it really is a compelling force behind the show's bingeworthy quality.
Also, as a white guy, I was amazed at how relateable I found Ms. Pat, especially her relationship with her sister Denise. The episodes where her husband jokes about her hair and triggers childhood trauma over extreme feelings of inadequacy and ugliness were beautifully done and surprisingly relateable for most people, regardless of race or gender. And the episode where she's forced to confront a vicious cycle of abuse while being haunted by the spectre of her mother was one of the best episodes of TV I've watched--I swear you could hear that slap she landed on Janelle's face 3 continents over.
Lastly, the season 4 finale was an emotional roller coaster. The actor playing Brandon finally got to break his comic-relief mold as the failing adult manbaby living in his moms basement after being forced to confront with the reality of imminent death of his estranged biological father, and the culmination of that episode with his explosive reaction to hearing some news was so wonderfully human that you can't help but be moved by him and his obvious pain. It reminded me heavily of Will Smith's famous improvised "Why don't he love me man?" scene from Fresh Prince after his Dad walks out on him when meeting him after several years of being estranged.
Can't wait for Season 5, probably my favorite show on BET+ besides Comic View and Ms Pat Settles It.
