If you’re looking for a good laugh and a realistic portrayal of black college life, then you might want to try heading towards “Off Seventh and Garvey.”
The soap opera produced by Irwin “Moon” Miller will air on WTXL Channel 27 Monday at 12:30 a.m.
The show is a realistic portrayal of the events surrounding black college life. Self-publishing novelist, poet and playwright, Ashanti Hobbs, is the shows creator.
The setting of the story is the local community surrounding the fictional historically black university, Ellison University but most of the dialogue takes place in the Atriarch, a barber shop/ salon near the campus.
Here, the audience is introduced to the owners, Kecia Rosewood, played by Lecora Stephens and Clifton Heights, played by Nile Clapt, who recently ended a romantic relationship.
The show gives both sides of an argument to the break up of the two young lovers.
However the suspense picks up as several other factors start to fall in place.
Just as many other soap operas, “Off Seventh and Garvey” has its share of mellow dramatic overacting.
But, it doesn’t stop the show from making a realistic impact on the viewer. The show manages to pose interesting questions to the viewer while balancing the realism with slight humor.
Unlike some other black films the show attempts to reveal both the negative and the positive effects of African-American lifestyles.
It gives different views from characters that see their culture differently. This is what makes this show so exceptional.
It’s almost an identical match of some of the dialogue you might overhear or find yourself taking place in on campus.
However like every other soap opera, the show does have its setbacks.
Although it is very well intended, the acting in the show seems to be pitiful at times.
Some of the actors in the show do not sell the character as a realistic personality.
In some cases either mistakes or just plain bad acting baffles some of the messages the show attempts to get across to the viewer.
Another problem most students might have with the program is the scenery.
It will be hard to take the show seriously if you see yourself standing around in the background or walking by the middle of an important scene.
Despite these few minor setbacks, the show still has excellent content. The show exhibits excellent potential to hit a targeted audience of HBCU students.
Other problems consisted of a few noticeable camera delays and sound defects.
However these mistakes will all be corrected before the Television airing this Sunday.
The rough draft of the show was previewed in Lee Hall on Thursday. It gathered an audience of about 50 people who seemed to be impressed with the shows content but disturbed by some careless mistakes.
Tekeiah Adams, a freshman from Daytona Beach said, “It was good for a college production.”.
Other students, like Emanuel English, a freshman from Los Angeles said that he was impressed with the shows content and would like to see it when it was finished and ready.
The show earns a B-. However, it does possess B+ A- potential.
But that would have to come with fewer production mistakes and better acting. It is still highly suggested that you watch the show.
The show is perfect for any student attending a historically black college or university, especially if he or she is having relationship problems or cultural identity problems.
This is definitely a much-needed show.
The show challenges real life black issues and shows how different black people solve them.