fyi’s #BlackLove

While searching through the options on my Apple TV, I stumbled upon the show #BlackLove on the FYI network. Due to this catchy title with its hashtag which encourages social commentary to ensure that it be a trending topic online, I was intrigued. (Random thought: So I’m still pretty new to the social media world. Since there is already a hashtag in the show’s title, would you type in ##BlackLove on Twitter?) Who doesn’t love black love and its representation in our families and in the media, right? Well, in the first few episodes, that’s not what we see. It is the search for black love that drives this show. I was intrigued.

This show follows the reality show structure with a group of five women who are on the search for that perfect love. They have group meetings with relationship coaches and speak during private confessionals.  My impression so far is that the encounters that we witness are extremely scripted. The conversations between the ladies and the dates that they go on do not appear organic at all. For example, on one episode one of the ladies went on a blind date that appeared to be going very well until the guy told her that he had a surprise for her and pulled out some hard liquor which seemed extremely random for a first date with someone who you do not know. He continued to drink the liquor even after she declined and looked on disapprovingly. This seemed quite forced. I guess it was intended to prove that love and the perfect guy are hard to find.  

Out of the five women who are seeking love, three of them are already dating, which makes me wonder why they are even there? The youngest woman, who is in her twenties, prefers an older and more established guy. Is it just me or is that code for a sugar daddy? Another woman is dating a guy who she overpowers. The last is dating a white man, which I guess is the show’s creators’ way of encouraging the idea that black love is not limited to love between two black people. By episode three, two of these three women have agreed to date the men that they were seeing exclusively. I guess we have to watch the remainder of the series to see if these relationships result in that coveted #BlackLove.

The final two women are divorcees. Well, not totally. One woman was on the reality show/social experiment Married at First Sight when she got married and divorced, so does that even count? Yes, they were legally married, but it wasn’t a relationship that was nurtured over time prior to saying “I do.” The second woman is still legally married. She is separated from her husband and still really wants to remain married. I would think that this would make her a bit reluctant to date since she still cares for him. Either way, my point is that out of the five women, only one of them is actually seeking a man/partner.

Again I say that it is still early in the show, so there is a lot that may happen in the development of these women and their love lives. Despite the fact that the events of the show appear choreographed, it is refreshing to see a group of successful black women who are not being competitive, catty, and immature on our screens. When I visit some of the popular blog sites, I never see mention of this show or any of the women on it.  I guess if the show continues to leave out the calling of each other every name other than what their mother gave them, throwing of wine glasses, and twerking they never will.

Despite how it may sound, I do like the show. It’s interesting to observe how each woman approaches love and learns about herself during the process.