Reading the reviews here on Amazon.com and in other places, I purchased this expecting cutting-edge entertainment that showed and really examined the down low' culture African-American and Latino (and others) engage in. I expected this to be above and superior to the Logo show Noah's Arc' that really camped up the gay/queer experience for Black males for the sake of offering a humorous show.
The DL Chronicles' has four episodes to this first season. In my opinion, only one of them has anything of real substance. Otherwise, this is just another show that pretty much takes light of the down low' culture with odd situations, at times over-the-top acting, cheesy-dialogue that pretty much distracts from the main mission of the show. Yes, there are a few love scenes mixed in between the men that probably make this show stand out from the others and gives some viewers the impression that it's accomplishing something or is groundbreaking'. Really, it isn't.
The episode "Boo" is the most realistic and compelling episode of the small lot. It examines the thug' culture that seems more rampant and current in today's culture. Seeing how the character Boo, along with his middle-class family, girlfriend, friends and neighbors deal with and confront sexuality, sex, consequences does stand out from most anything I've seen on the DL culture. The other episodes though don't do much at all but stick the generic boy meets boy' plot and boy and boy have problem, have sex, go back to problem' formula. The first episode deals with a well-off husband who confronts his sexuality and his wife's gay brother and offered some very over-the-top acting that was distracting. One dealt with a couple's adjusting to living with one another and one's coming out to his family, completely given a comedy-treatment. Another with a father coming out to his daughter that's probably the next best episode to "Boo".
In all, it's a decent show but the description on the back, and some of the reviews, give the impression it's a much more serious and gritty show than it really is. It's pretty light and comedic for the most part with moments of seriousness. The only episode that doesn't fall victim to mediocrity is "Boo" which I wish had been expanded on and given more than just an episode. It was by far more realistic, gritty, wow' inducing than the other three episodes that were a bit of a let-down from the much hyped series. |
The DL Chronicles: The Complete First Season dvd movie.