Single Ladies Recap… Episode 6

Is the show getting better or are we experiencing olfactory fatigue syndrome?  (I.e. in comparison to the previous episodes, we actually thought the bulk of episode 6 was much easier to stomach).  And since both of us are not critics by nature, we have decided to stop short of picketing in front of the Single Ladies set—the next obvious step since outside of our little “illness”, it still does not seem like our letters and memorandums are being heeded.    Consequently, this will be our last review and we wish the show all the best going forward.   This is not to say that we might not come back if a particularly interesting episode is shown—we are somewhat dedicated to this cause.  To mourn this quittance, C and I will be conducting a memorial at sunset for the loss of potential.  After sunset we will move right into conducting a 24-hr fast and prayer session to the Gods of Primetime devoutly requesting a SATC replacement.   In the meantime… readers please put on your Ebert hat and enjoy our maybe last review of this week’s episode.

The good:

-The romantic in us could not help but get excited when Malcolm and Keisha finally got together.  However, and yes— we know this is beginning to sound redundant – for such a big development as Malcolm and Kiesha hanging out more and more, and Kiesha beginning to fall in love with him; we believe the audience should have been shown some of these developments.  We are honestly growing tired of being “told” the story, instead of being “shown” the story.  How characters go from BOOTY to googly is a very important story line for a show entitled Single Ladies.  If the writers would just cut out unnecessary scenes like Christina and her pathetic professor or Sharon Love’s self-absorbed promotion of her upcoming syndicated talk show, they would have more time to show quality scenes. 

-April’s acting was superb in this episode.  In all her scenes, she’s captivating and demands the viewer’s attention.  Her lines are much more substantive than the other characters – perhaps it’s because she has “real” problems like a dissolving marriage and a precarious career and therefore her role demands more seriousness.   She actually delivered our favorite line in this episode:  Reed:  “I was just feeling appreciative.”  (When he tries to get in bed with April)-  April:  “Put it in a song”.

The bad:

-The world is apparently a village.  A debatable enough concept since I have yet to run into the idiot man at the checkout line I have dreamed of telling off for cutting in front of me, but was too dumbfounded—who does that during the holiday season?— to utter anything at that particular instant.   However, in the minds of the Single Ladies’ writers, the world is actually smaller than a village—it closely resembles a middle eastern family compound where Val is unknowingly (initially at least) dating the owner of her ex boyfriend’s team, the same boyfriend who did not put a ring on it after five years yet put a ring on someone else a month after they broke up.  Did we mention that this new fiancée is the daughter of Val’s current boyfriend and now a “friend” to Val? As if this story line is not twisty enough, in last night’s episode, Keisha saves a girl from sexual peril and finds out later that she is Malcolm’s sister.  When are these coincidences going to cease? This leads us to our last and final plea:

Please limit the coincidences and try for a hint of reality.  It is bad enough we have to believe that three beautiful, successful, outgoing women only spend time with each other at home or at work.  Honestly, what do they eat—they cannot possibly cook all their meals!?!??!!?? How do they get their alcohol nourishment during their girl talks?  Are they carrying their flasks to work?  Of course one might say that C and I find these overlooked situations odd since our frequent catch-up time with our girlfriends are actually a cover up for our obvious addictions—alcoholism and gluttony.  And to that we say, cest la vie! 

XOXO

Christiana Duodu and Ava Drake