Random Acts of Flyness

This show is amazing! The low rating is absolutely racially motivated. The show is eclectic, diverse in topics and showing Black folks in different hues, sex-positive / explorative, open-minded, Womanist, LGBT/Queer-friendly, vulnerable, honest, smart, intelligent, factual, witty, cerebral, and experimental. Usually, genres like this and those of the "weird /niche /experimental/ realism" are relegated to white actors for a white audience. This show represents that we too are appreciative of this style of documentation and we can tell great stories in this format. It's nice to have representation and exploration of our cultural identity, plight, and nuances in a nontraditional stereotypical way.

So I was recommended to me to watch this so I did. Now initially watching it I was like what the hell am I watching? after a few sketches I realized I was watching a documentary-style sketch comedy show with a satirical twist. Every episode takes that particular approach to cover some touchy topics from Black face, toxic masculinity, trans living, rape culture, body dysmorphia to good hair in the black community. The show also give clips revealing a black history that most wouldn't learn in school. The show displays strong cultural and political significance to the black society with a unique yet gripping approach. The narrative kept me intrigued enough to binge watch the entire season. The overall vibe gave me adult swim, chappelle show with some controversial but needed plots. I can see why it's on HBO at midnight but I'm glad I was recommended it.

A fantastically layered show that provokes the viewer to think deeply about a multitude of topics including race, class, and gender. You'll need to watch more than once

Created, directed, and starring Terence Nance, RAoF is a variety series featuring stunning abstract visuals, jarring juxtapositions, and such raw and honest emotion. Being described as a "fluid, mind-melting stream-of-conscious response to the contemporary American mediascape", the series is of course very surreal, with the through-line plot being driven by a video game creator and artist Najja (Alicia Pilgrim) and her partner (Nance), as they explore each other in their relationship, the atrocities of their ancestral pasts, and the hidden truths of their realities. Entwined with heavy themes of spiritualism, music, dance, and poetry, the series flows more as a performative art statement piece than it does a network sketch comedy, and while I did gut laugh a few times over its two season run it is not a series I would describe as funny. Lots of commentary on politics and media itself, RAoF is beautiful in its style, the directing and composition is top notch, the acting is very good, and the score is just perfect. Not something which would be easy to binge, for me each episode needed a period of self reflection before moving onto the next, but as a piece of artistic experience if you enjoy abstractly transparent hard hitting truths, I would highly recommended. I'm so excited for whatever Nance works on next.

Anyone who has a problem with the content of this show is "the problem". This show should be encouraging discussion about race relations in America and the experience of Black America. If you said you feel like you're being "guilted" while watching this, you're telling us a lot about yourself.

I cannot imagine how this show wouldn't win a lot of big awards. If it doesn't, something is wrong. This is practically the only show I look forward to each week, and the format of the program is fantastic.

If you wanted to recommend this show to a friend who had never heard of it, I think saying "It's like what if 'This is America' was a TV show instead of a music video".