Review of the TV Show Girlfriends, which recently got cancelled

Girlfriends: A Review of the Last Seven Years
By Shanea Patterson
Published January 13, 2008

Remarkably coming into its seventh season, airing on television networks such as BET, CW11 and my9 (formerly UPN 9), Girlfriends has proved to be one of the few shows with longevity and a tremendous fan base, which seems to be growing by the season. The show, which first aired in September of 2000 features Tracee Ellis Ross, who plays Joan Clayton, a lawyer living in LA. Her friends, Toni Childs (Jill Marie Jones), Maya Wilkes (Golden Brooks), Lynn Searcy (Persia White) and William Dent (Reggie Hayes) get her through the many trials and tribulations that African Americans face in modern America.

Created by Mara Brock Akil and produced by Kelsey Grammar, Girlfriends is a smash with the black community. “These four girls are the sexiest, smartest and most stylish black women that LA has ever seen,” the back of the recently released Season 1 DVD says. The romantically challenged Joan, the materialistic, shallow Toni, the loud-mouthed, ghetto-fabulous Maya and the experimental, feminist, free-spirited Lynn have all captured the hearts of America through comedic wit and charming sex appeal. The show, which is due for its eighth season in the Fall of 2008 is well on its way to becoming one of the top ten shows in African American history.

The show left off with Toni Childs, Joan’s best friend leaving for New York after Joan forgot about Toni’s daughter’s custody hearing. Toni and Todd (Toni’s husband) separated earlier in the season because of Toni’s selfishness and inconsideration for Todd’s feelings.

Joan’s had ill feelings about Toni’s leaving LA since the last season in which there have been many changes to the show; such as Maya and her baby’s father, Darnell, getting re-married after he left her for cheating on him with Stan, a newbie to the LA community who worked in the same building as Maya in early Season 2.

After a long separation and divorce, the two are back together and trying to have another baby. As for Lynn, the carefree, sexually liberated beauty has joined a band in which she has become the lead singer. William is married to his ex, the conniving, controlling Monica.

It’s true that the show isn’t what it used to be, with Toni gone. We can only hope the show won’t run itself into the ground.