Retro Television Reviews: Fantasy Island 2.5 “I Want To Get Married/The Jewel Thief”

Posted on January 17, 2023 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Welcome to Retro Television Reviews, a feature where we review some of our favorite and least favorite shows of the past! On Tuesdays, I will be reviewing the original Fantasy Island, which ran on ABC from 1977 to 1986. The entire show is currently streaming on Tubi!

We learn a little bit more about Fantasy Island in this week’s episode. It’s a strange place!

Episode 2.5 “I Want To Get Married/The Jewel Thief”

(Dir by George McGowan, originally aired on October 21st, 1978)

You know what the best thing about Fantasy Island is?

The Disco Dancing!

Cindy Barker (Meredith McRae) is a big fan of the disco dancing. That’s because her fantasy is to come to the island and meet the man that she’s going to marry. In fact, she wants to marry the guy at the end of the weekend and she’s already spent $20,000 to reserve the island for her wedding. (Tattoo is excited about that.)

Of course, one possible problem with Cindy’s fantasy is that she already has a boyfriend. She’s been dating Eddie (Ken Berry) for a while now. However, Eddie refuses to get married. Every time that they schedule a wedding ceremony, Eddie finds an excuse to cancel. He can’t even say the word “married” without sneezing. Still, Eddie is in love with Cindy and he comes to the Island to try to convince her to give him another chance. He also tells all of her potential suitors that Cindy is actually a prostitute.

Now, to be honest, that’s not the sort of thing that I could forgive. I don’t care who you are or how much you love me, that’s just not something that I’m going to be able to overlook. However, this somehow convinces Cindy that Eddie really does love her so she decides to teach him a lesson by putting on a slit leather skirt and hanging out on a street corner in Fantasy Island’s red light district.

At this point, I said to myself, “Since when has Fantasy Island had a red light district?” Seriously, last week revealed that the island has a desert where the Egyptians buried their pharaohs. This week, we learn that the island has a red light district. Fantasy Island is a strange place. Stranger still, Eddie lying about Cindy and then Cindy pretending to be a prostitute leads to Eddie and Cindy getting married.

While that’s going on, Jordan Montgomery (Steve Forrest) is living out his fantasy of being an international jewel thief and …. wait, what? What type of fantasy is this? You can commit crimes in your fantasies? This island gets stranger and stranger! Anyway, Jordan steals a necklace from Leslie Tarleton (Leigh Taylor-Young), just to discover that the necklace didn’t actually belong to her and his thievery is going to cause her to lose her job. When Jordan attempts to retrieve the necklace so that he can return it, he discovers that it’s been stolen yet again! This time, crime lord Carl Dekker (Peter Mark Richman) has stolen the necklace and is keeping it on his boat, which is heavily guarded and which is also floating off the coast of the island.

So, for those keeping track, Fantasy Island has a desert, a pharaoh’s tomb, a red light district, and a Mafia. It seems like the island’s kind of gone downhill since the end of season one!

Anyway, this was actually a fun episode. Neither story was particularly deep but the action moved quickly and Steve Forrest made for a properly dashing jewel thief. I still don’t think that Cindy should have forgiven Eddie, let alone married him. But it was 1978 and I guess times were different back then.

Finally, Tattoo tried to start his own greeting card company. He was looking to corner the market on sarcastic and downbeat greeting cards. He was just a few decades too early!

Retro Television Reviews: Hang Time 3.11 “The Hustlers” and 3.12 “Fuller’s Rival”

Posted on January 16, 2023 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Welcome to Retro Television Reviews, a feature where we review some of our favorite and least favorite shows of the past! On Mondays, I will be reviewing Hang Time, which ran on NBC from 1995 to 2000. The entire show is currently streaming on YouTube!

The trip to California continues!

Episode 3.11 “The Hustlers”

(Directed by Patrick Maloney, originally aired on October 18th, 1997)

This episode reminds us that it originally aired in 1997 by featuring an entire subplot that revolves around how much the members of the Tornadoes love Mel Gibson.

The Tornadoes are still in California, preparing for their big tournament. (Coach Fuller mentions that they’ve been at the hotel for a week, which sounds like a really long time to be out of school but whatever. Maybe they’re on Spring Break.) When Vince comes across a wallet in the hotel lobby, everyone is excited to discover that it belongs to Mel Gibson. They’re so excited that they don’t even notice Dustin Diamond standing behind them, providing a painfully unfunny cameo as Saved By The Bell‘s Screech Powers.

(Speaking of Saved By The Bell, remember when Mary Beth made out with a character from that show over the summer, while they were both at Space Camp? It’s odd that no one brings Ryan up while they’re all in California and apparently close to Bayside High. It’s almost as if the show’s writers didn’t really pay much attention to what they were writing.)

Danny, Michael, Mary Beth, and Kristy pretend to be members of the cleaning staff and they break into Mel Gibson’s room. When they step into the room, Mary Beth calls out in an exaggerated Spanish accent to see if Mel’s around because she’s pretending to be a maid. Those who have been reading my reviews for a while know that I rarely get offended but I have to say that, speaking as both someone who is a fourth Spanish and whose mother took the occasional cleaning job in order to provide a good life for her four daughters, that actually did offend me a little.

Anyway, the group never does find Mel, though they do crash an exclusive Hollywood party that just happens to be taking place at the exact same hotel where they’re staying. Hopefully, someone did eventually get Mel’s wallet back to him.

The majority of show dealt with Teddy and Julie getting conned by some basketball hustlers. I didn’t even know that basketball hustlers were a thing but apparently, they were a huge problem in 1997. After Teddy and Julie get conned out of a hundred dollars, Michael plays with Teddy and Julie to help them win back their money. Unfortunately, Michael sprains his wrist (what is the deal with Michael constantly spraining stuff?) so Coach Fuller offers to play in Michael’s place. When the hustlers say that they’ll only play against teenagers, Kobe Bryant suddenly enters the gym. (According to Wikipedia, Kobe was 19 when he appeared in this episode.) Being a teenager (assuming that you accept 19 as being a teen as opposed to a young adult), Kobe helps Julie and Teddy defeat the hustlers. Julie and Teddy get their money back. But, to be honest, if they really needed money, they could have just borrowed some from Mel Gibson’s wallet and saved everyone a lot of trouble.

Eh. Between the racist humor and the Screech cameo, I don’t want to talk about this episode anymore. Let’s move on.

Episode 3.12 “Fuller’s Rival”

(Directed by Patrick Maloney, originally aired on October 18th, 1997)

Finally, it’s time for the tournament! Deering makes it to the final game against New York. (New York High School? I’m not sure how these tournaments work. Are they representing a state or a school?) New York is coached by Fuller’s former rival, B.B. Byrnes (Barry Wiggins). B.B. taunts Fuller to such an extent that Fuller loses his cool and gets kicked out of the game. Then Michael gets upset and also gets kicked out of the game. And then the Tornadoes lose!

Fuller apologizes to the team and tells them that good sportsmanship is important. Then, at the award banquet, Danny smashes a cake in B.B.’s face so I guess the lesson wasn’t learned. Oh well.

This episode, especially compared to the previous one, was actually pretty good. Reggie Theus, who could be a bit of a stiff actor, really gets into tearing up the gym when he loses his temper and, for that matter, Adam Frost (who played Michael) finally gets to show a little emotion as well. Plus, this show often tended to portray the Tornadoes as being unstoppable. I always appreciate the episodes where they learn a lesson from losing a game as opposed to the ones where they magically pulling off a last-minute victory.

The California story arc may have been uneven but it ended on a good note. Next week, I assume we’ll be back in Indiana.

Here Are The 2022 Winners of the Critics Choice Awards!

Posted on January 15, 2023 by Lisa Marie Bowman

The Critics Choice Awards were handed out tonight. The show aired on the CW and it was hosted by Chelsea Handler, so I’m sure it was a classy affair. I wouldn’t know for sure because I didn’t watch them but seriously, when has the CW been anything other than classy?

(Dear CW: DAMN YOU FOR CANCELING DYNASTY!)

Anyway, here are the winners. It’s pretty much everyone you would expect to see. The Critics Choice Awards are not known for their upsets. At this point, I think everyone’s used to Everything Everywhere All At Once winning the critical accolades. I’ll be more curious to see if the Guilds follow suit.

Best Picture

“Everything Everywhere All at Once” (A24)

“Avatar: The Way of Water” (20th Century Studios)
“Babylon” (Paramount Pictures)
“The Banshees of Inisherin” (Searchlight Pictures)
“Elvis” (Warner Bros.)
“The Fabelmans” (Universal Pictures)
“Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” (Netflix)
“RRR” (Variance Films)
“Tár” (Focus Features)
“Top Gun: Maverick” (Paramount Pictures)
“Women Talking” (MGM/United Artists Releasing)

Best Actress

Cate Blanchett – “Tár” (Focus Features)

Viola Davis – “The Woman King” (Sony Pictures)
Danielle Deadwyler – “Till” (Orion/United Artists Releasing)
Margot Robbie – “Babylon” (Paramount Pictures)
Michelle Williams – “The Fabelmans” (Universal Pictures)
Michelle Yeoh – “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (A24)

Best Actor

Brendan Fraser – “The Whale” (A24)

Austin Butler – “Elvis” (Warner Bros.)
Tom Cruise – “Top Gun: Maverick” (Paramount Pictures)
Colin Farrell – “The Banshees of Inisherin” (Searchlight Pictures)
Paul Mescal – “Aftersun” (A24)
Bill Nighy – “Living” (Sony Pictures Classics)

Best Director

Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert – “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (A24)

James Cameron – “Avatar: The Way of Water” (20th Century Studios)
Damien Chazelle – “Babylon” (Paramount Pictures)
Todd Field – “Tár” (Focus Features)
Baz Luhrmann – “Elvis” (Warner Bros.)
Martin McDonagh – “The Banshees of Inisherin” (Searchlight Pictures)
Sarah Polley – “Women Talking” (MGM/United Artists Releasing)
Gina Prince-Bythewood – “The Woman King” (Sony Pictures)
S.S. Rajamouli – “RRR” (Variance Films)
Steven Spielberg – “The Fabelmans” (Universal Pictures)

Best Limited Series

“The Dropout” (Hulu)

“Gaslit” (Starz)
“The Girl from Plainville” (Hulu)
“The Offer” (Paramount+)
“Pam & Tommy” (Hulu)
“Station Eleven” (HBO Max)
“This Is Going to Hurt” (AMC+)
“Under the Banner of Heaven” (FX)

Best Drama Series

“Better Call Saul” (AMC)

“Andor” (Disney+)
“Bad Sisters” (Apple TV+)
“The Crown” (Netflix)
“Euphoria” (HBO)
“The Good Fight” (Paramount+)
“House of the Dragon” (HBO)
“Severance” (Apple TV+)
“Yellowstone” (Paramount Network)

Best Young Actor/Actress

Gabriel LaBelle – “The Fabelmans” (Universal Pictures)

Frankie Corio – “Aftersun” (A24)
Jalyn Hall – “Till” (Orion/United Artists Releasing)
Bella Ramsey – “Catherine Called Birdy” (Amazon Studios)
Banks Repeta – “Armageddon Time” (Focus Features)
Sadie Sink – “The Whale” (A24)

Best Comedy

“Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” (Netflix)

“The Banshees of Inisherin” (Searchlight Pictures)
“Bros” (Universal Pictures)
“Everything Everywhere All at Once” (A24)
“Triangle of Sadness” (Neon)
“The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” (Lionsgate)

Best Acting Ensemble

“Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” (Netflix)

“The Banshees of Inisherin” (Searchlight Pictures)
“Everything Everywhere All at Once” (A24)
“The Fabelmans” (Universal Pictures)
“The Woman King” (Sony Pictures)
“Women Talking” (MGM/United Artists Releasing)

Best Talk Show

“Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” (HBO)

“The Amber Ruffin Show” (Peacock)
“Full Frontal with Samantha Bee” (TBS)
“The Kelly Clarkson Show” (Syndicated)
“Late Night with Seth Meyers” (NBC)
“Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen” (Bravo)

Best Comedy Special

“Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special” (Netflix)

“Fortune Feimster: Good Fortune” (Netflix)
“Jerrod Carmichael: Rothaniel” (HBO)
“Joel Kim Booster: Psychosexual” (Netflix)
“Nikki Glaser: Good Clean Filth” (HBO)
“Would It Kill You to Laugh? Starring Kate Berlant & John Early” (Peacock)

Best Foreign Language Series

“Pachinko” (Apple TV+)

“1899” (Netflix)
“Borgen” (Netflix)
“Extraordinary Attorney Woo” (Netflix)
“Garcia!” (HBO Max)
“The Kingdom Exodus” (MUBI)
“Kleo” (Netflix)
“My Brilliant Friend” (HBO)
“Tehran” (Apple TV+)

Best Animated Series

“Harley Quinn” (HBO Max)

“Bluey” (Disney+)
“Bob’s Burgers” (Fox)
“Genndy Tartakovsky’s Primal” (Adult Swim)
“Star Trek: Lower Decks” (Paramount+)
“Undone” (Prime Video)

Best Movie Made for Television

“Weird: The Al Yankovic Story” (The Roku Channel)

“Fresh” (Hulu)
“Prey” (Hulu)
“Ray Donovan: The Movie” (Showtime)
“The Survivor” (HBO)
“Three Months” (Paramount+)

Best Actress in a Drama Series

Zendaya – “Euphoria” (HBO)

Christine Baranski – “The Good Fight” (Paramount+)
Sharon Horgan – “Bad Sisters” (Apple TV+)
Laura Linney – “Ozark” (Netflix)
Mandy Moore – “This Is Us” (NBC)
Kelly Reilly – “Yellowstone” (Paramount Network)

Best Actor in a Drama Series

Bob Odenkirk – “Better Call Saul” (AMC)

Jeff Bridges – “The Old Man” (FX)
Sterling K. Brown – “This Is Us” (NBC)
Diego Luna – “Andor” (Disney+)
Adam Scott – “Severance” (Apple TV+)
Antony Starr – “The Boys” (Prime Video)

Best Hair and Makeup

“Elvis” (Warner Bros.)

“Babylon” (Paramount Pictures)
“The Batman” (Warner Bros.)
“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” (Marvel Studios)
“Everything Everywhere All at Once” (A24)
“The Whale” (A24)

Best Visual Effects

“Avatar: The Way of Water” (20th Century Studios)

“The Batman” (Warner Bros.)
“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” (Marvel Studios)
“Everything Everywhere All at Once” (A24)
“RRR” (Variance Films)
“Top Gun: Maverick” (Paramount Pictures)

Best Editing

Paul Rogers – “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (A24)

Stephen Rivkin, David Brenner, John Refoua, James Cameron – “Avatar: The Way of Water” (20th Century Studios)
Tom Cross – “Babylon” (Paramount Pictures)
Matt Villa, Jonathan Redmond – “Elvis” (Warner Bros.)
Monika Willi – “Tár” (Focus Features)
Eddie Hamilton – “Top Gun: Maverick” (Paramount Pictures)

Best Production Design

Florencia Martin, Anthony Carlino – “Babylon” (Paramount Pictures)

Dylan Cole, Ben Procter, Vanessa Cole – “Avatar: The Way of Water” (20th Century Studios)
Hannah Beachler, Lisa K. Sessions – “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” (Marvel Studios)
Catherine Martin, Karen Murphy, Bev Dunn – “Elvis” (Warner Bros.)
Jason Kisvarday, Kelsi Ephraim – “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (A24)
Rick Carter, Karen O’Hara – “The Fabelmans” (Universal Pictures)

Best Cinematography

Claudio Miranda – “Top Gun: Maverick” (Paramount Pictures)

Russell Carpenter – “Avatar: The Way of Water” (20th Century Studios)
Linus Sandgren – “Babylon” (Paramount Pictures)
Roger Deakins – “Empire of Light” (Searchlight Pictures)
Janusz Kaminski – “The Fabelmans” (Universal Pictures)
Florian Hoffmeister – “Tár” (Focus Features)

Best Comedy Series

“Abbott Elementary” (ABC)

“Barry” (HBO)
“The Bear” (FX)
“Better Things” (FX)
“Ghosts” (CBS)
“Hacks” (HBO Max)
“Reboot” (Hulu)
“Reservation Dogs” (FX)

Best Actress in a Comedy Series

Jean Smart – “Hacks” (HBO Max)

Christina Applegate – “Dead to Me” (Netflix)
Quinta Brunson – “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)
Kaley Cuoco – “The Flight Attendant” (HBO Max)
Renée Elise Goldsberry – “Girls5eva” (Peacock)
Devery Jacobs – “Reservation Dogs” (FX)

Best Actor in a Comedy Series

Jeremy Allen White – “The Bear” (FX)

Matt Berry – “What We Do in the Shadows” (FX)
Bill Hader – “Barry” (HBO)
Keegan-Michael Key – “Reboot” (Hulu)
Steve Martin – “Only Murders in the Building” (Hulu)
D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai – “Reservation Dogs” (FX)

#SeeHer Award

Janelle Monáe

Lifetime Achievement Award

Jeff Bridges

Best Animated Feature

“Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” (Netflix)

“Marcel the Shell with Shoes On” (A24)
“Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” (DreamWorks Animation)
“Turning Red” (Pixar)
“Wendell & Wild” (Netflix)

Best Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television

Daniel Radcliffe – “Weird: The Al Yankovic Story” (The Roku Channel)

Ben Foster – “The Survivor” (HBO)
Andrew Garfield – “Under the Banner of Heaven” (FX)
Samuel L. Jackson – “The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey” (Apple TV+)
Sebastian Stan – “Pam & Tommy” (Hulu)
Ben Whishaw – “This is Going to Hurt” (AMC+)

Best Costume Design

Ruth E. Carter – “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” (Marvel Studios)

Mary Zophres – “Babylon” (Paramount Pictures)
Catherine Martin – “Elvis” (Warner Bros.)
Shirley Kurata – “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (A24)
Jenny Eagan – “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” (Netflix)
Gersha Phillips – “The Woman King” (Sony Pictures)

Best Song

“Naatu Naatu” – “RRR” (Variance Films)

“Lift Me Up” – “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” (Marvel Studios)
“Ciao Papa” – “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” (Netflix)
“Hold My Hand” – “Top Gun: Maverick” (Paramount Pictures)
“Carolina” – “Where the Crawdads Sing” (Sony Pictures)
“New Body Rhumba” – “White Noise” (Netflix)

Best Score

Hildur Guðnadóttir – “Tár” (Focus Features)

Michael Giacchino – “The Batman” (Warner Bros.)
Justin Hurwitz – “Babylon” (Paramount Pictures)
John Williams – “The Fabelmans” (Universal Pictures)
Alexandre Desplat – “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” (Netflix)
Hildur Guðnadóttir – “Women Talking” (MGM/United Artists Releasing)

Best Original Screenplay

Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert – “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (A24)

Charlotte Wells – “Aftersun” (A24)
Martin McDonagh – “The Banshees of Inisherin” (Searchlight Pictures)
Steven Spielberg, Tony Kushner – “The Fabelmans” (Universal Pictures)
Todd Field – “Tár” (Focus Features)

Best Adapted Screenplay

Sarah Polley – “Women Talking” (MGM/United Artists Releasing)

Rian Johnson – “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” (Netflix)
Kazuo Ishiguro – “Living” (Sony Pictures Classics)
Rebecca Lenkiewicz – “She Said” (Universal Pictures)
Samuel D. Hunter – “The Whale” (A24)

Best Supporting Actress

Angela Bassett – “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” (Marvel Studios)

Jessie Buckley – “Women Talking” (MGM/United Artists Releasing)
Kerry Condon – “The Banshees of Inisherin” (Searchlight Pictures)
Jamie Lee Curtis – “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (A24)
Stephanie Hsu – “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (A24)
Janelle Monáe – “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” (Netflix)

Best Supporting Actor

Ke Huy Quan – “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (A24)

Paul Dano – “The Fabelmans” (Universal Pictures)
Brendan Gleeson – “The Banshees of Inisherin” (Searchlight Pictures)
Judd Hirsch – “The Fabelmans” (Searchlight Pictures)
Barry Keoghan – “The Banshees of Inisherin” (Searchlight Pictures)
Brian Tyree Henry – “Causeway” (A24/Apple Original Films)

Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

Henry Winkler – “Barry” (HBO)

Brandon Scott Jones – “Ghosts” (CBS)
Leslie Jordan – “Call Me Kat” (Fox)
James Marsden – “Dead to Me” (Netflix)
Chris Perfetti – “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)
Tyler James Williams – “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)

Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Sheryl Lee Ralph – “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)

Paulina Alexis – “Reservation Dogs” (FX)
Ayo Edebiri – “The Bear” (FX)
Marcia Gay Harden – “Uncoupled” (Netflix)
Janelle James – “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)
Annie Potts – “Young Sheldon” (CBS)

Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television

Paul Walter Hauser – “Black Bird” (Apple TV+)

Murray Bartlett – “Welcome to Chippendales” (Hulu)
Domhnall Gleeson – “The Patient” (FX)
Matthew Goode – “The Offer” (Paramount+)
Ray Liotta – “Black Bird” (Apple TV+)
Shea Whigham – “Gaslit” (Starz)

Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television

Niecy Nash-Betts – “Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” (Netflix)

Claire Danes – “Fleishman Is in Trouble” (FX)
Dominique Fishback – “The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey” (Apple TV+)
Betty Gilpin – “Gaslit” (Starz)
Melanie Lynskey – “Candy” (Hulu)
Juno Temple – “The Offer” (Paramount+)

Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

Giancarlo Esposito – “Better Call Saul” (AMC)

Andre Braugher – “The Good Fight” (Paramount+)
Ismael Cruz Córdova – “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” (Prime Video)
Michael Emerson – “Evil” (Paramount+)
John Lithgow – “The Old Man” (FX)
Matt Smith – “House of the Dragon” (HBO)

Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

Jennifer Coolidge – “The White Lotus” (HBO)

Milly Alcock – “House of the Dragon” (HBO)
Carol Burnett – “Better Call Saul” (AMC)
Julia Garner – “Ozark” (Netflix)
Audra McDonald – “The Good Fight” (Paramount+)
Rhea Seehorn – “Better Call Saul” (AMC)

Best Foreign Language Film

“RRR” (Variance Films)

“All Quiet on the Western Front” (Netflix)
“Argentina, 1985” (Amazon Studios)
“Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths” (Netflix)
“Close” (A24)
“Decision to Leave” (Mubi)

Best Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Made For Television

Amanda Seyfried – The Dropout (Hulu)

Julia Garner – “Inventing Anna” (Netflix)
Lily James – “Pam & Tommy” (Hulu)
Amber Midthunder – “Prey” (Hulu)
Julia Roberts – “Gaslit” (Starz)
Michelle Pfeiffer – “The First Lady” (Showtime)

Here Are The 2022 Nominees For The NAACP Image Awards!

Posted on January 15, 2023 by Lisa Marie Bowman

On the 12th, the nominees for the 2022 NAACP Image Awards were announced. The winners will be announced on February 26th and the nominees can be seen below!

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Angela Bassett
Mary J. Blige
Quinta Brunson
Viola Davis
Zendaya

MOTION PICTURE CATEGORIES

Outstanding Motion Picture
A Jazzman’s Blues (Netflix)
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Marvel Studios)
Emancipation (Apple TV)
The Woman King (Sony Pictures Releasing)
TILL (United Artists Releasing/Orion Pictures)

Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
Daniel Kaluuya – Nope (Universal Pictures)
Jonathan Majors – Devotion (Sony Pictures Entertainment)
Joshua Boone – A Jazzman’s Blues (Netflix)
Sterling K. Brown – Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul (Focus Features)
Will Smith – Emancipation (Apple)

Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture
Danielle Deadwyler – TILL (United Artists Releasing/Orion Pictures)
Keke Palmer – Alice (Vertical Entertainment)
Letitia Wright – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Marvel Studios)
Regina Hall – Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul (Focus Features)
Viola Davis – The Woman King (Sony Pictures Releasing)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
Aldis Hodge – Black Adam (Warner Bros. Pictures / New Line Cinema)
Cliff “Method Man” Smith – On The Come Up (Paramount Pictures)
Jalyn Hall – TILL (United Artists Releasing/Orion Pictures)
John Boyega – The Woman King (Sony Pictures Releasing)
Tenoch Huerta – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Marvel Studios)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Angela Bassett – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Marvel Studios)
Danai Gurira – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Marvel Studios)
Janelle Monáe – Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (Netflix)
Lashana Lynch – The Woman King (Sony Pictures Releasing)
Lupita Nyong’o – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Marvel Studios)

Outstanding Independent Motion Picture
Breaking (Bleecker Street)
Causeway (Apple TV)
Mr. Malcolm’s List (Bleecker Street)
Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story (Hulu)
The Inspection (A24)

Outstanding International Motion Picture
Athena (Netflix)
Bantú Mama (ARRAY)
Broker (NEON)
Learn to Swim (ARRAY)
The Silent Twins (Focus Features)

Outstanding Breakthrough Performance in a Motion Picture
Jalyn Hall – TILL (United Artists Releasing/Orion Pictures)
Joshua Boone – A Jazzman’s Blues (Netflix)
Ledisi – Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story (Hulu)
Y’lan Noel – A Lot of Nothing (RLJE)
Yola – Elvis (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture
A Jazzman’s Blues (Netflix)
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Marvel Studios)
Emancipation (Apple TV)
The Woman King (Sony Pictures Entertainment)
TILL (United Artists Releasing/Orion Pictures)

Outstanding Animated Motion Picture
DC League of Super-Pets (Warner Bros. Pictures / WAG / DC)
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (Netflix)
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (Universal Pictures)
Turning Red (Pixar Animation Studios)
Wendell & Wild (Netflix)

Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance – Motion Picture
Angela Bassett – Wendell & Wild (Netflix)
Keke Palmer – Lightyear (Walt Disney Studios)
Kevin Hart – DC League of Super-Pets (Warner Bros. Pictures / WAG / DC)
Lyric Ross – Wendell & Wild (Netflix)
Taraji P. Henson – Minions: The Rise of Gru (Universal Pictures)

Outstanding Short-Form (Live Action)
Dear Mama… (Film Independent)
Fannie (Chromatic Black)
Fathead (University of Southern California)
Incomplete (20th Century Digital, Hulu)
Pens & Pencils (Wavelength Productions/Black TV & Film Collective)

Outstanding Short-Form (Animated)
I Knew Superman (Houghtonville Animation)
More Than I Want To Remember (MTV Entertainment Studios)
Supercilious (York Cinemas)
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse (Apple Studios)
We Are Here (271 Films)

Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Motion Picture)
Elvis Mitchell – Is That Black Enough For You?!? (Netflix)
Ericka Nicole Malone – Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story (Hulu)
Krystin Ver Linden – Alice (Vertical Entertainment)
Mo McRae – A Lot of Nothing (RLJE)
Stephen Adetumbi, Jarrett Roseborough – This Is My Black (Campus of Pine Forge Academy)

TELEVISION + STREAMING CATEGORIES

Outstanding Comedy Series
Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Atlanta (FX)
black-ish (ABC)
Rap Sh!t (HBO Max)
The Wonder Years (ABC)

Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series
Anthony Anderson – black-ish (ABC)
Cedric The Entertainer – The Neighborhood (CBS)
Donald Glover – Atlanta (FX)
Dulé Hill – The Wonder Years (ABC)
Mike Epps – The Upshaws (Netflix)

Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series
Loretta Devine – Family Reunion (Netflix)
Maya Rudolph – Loot (Apple TV+)
Quinta Brunson – Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Tichina Arnold – The Neighborhood (CBS)
Tracee Ellis Ross – black-ish (ABC)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Brian Tyree Henry – Atlanta (FX)
Deon Cole – black-ish (ABC)
Kenan Thompson – Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Tyler James Williams – Abbott Elementary (ABC)
William Stanford Davis – Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Janelle James – Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Jenifer Lewis – black-ish (ABC)
Marsai Martin – black-ish (ABC)
Sheryl Lee Ralph – Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Wanda Sykes – The Upshaws (Netflix)

Outstanding Drama Series
Bel-Air (Peacock)
Bridgerton (Netflix)
Euphoria (HBO Max)
P-Valley (Starz)
Queen Sugar (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)

Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series
Damson Idris – Snowfall (FX)
Jabari Banks – Bel-Air (Peacock)
Kofi Siriboe – Queen Sugar (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)
Nicco Annan – P-Valley (Starz)
Sterling K. Brown – This Is Us (NBC)

Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series
Angela Bassett – 9-1-1 (FOX)
Brandee Evans – P-Valley (Starz)
Queen Latifah – The Equalizer (CBS)
Rutina Wesley – Queen Sugar (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)
Zendaya – Euphoria (HBO Max)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Adrian Holmes – Bel-Air (Peacock)
Amin Joseph – Snowfall (FX)
Caleb McLaughlin – Stranger Things (Netflix)
Cliff “Method Man” Smith – Power Book II: Ghost (Starz)
J. Alphonse Nicholson – P-Valley (Starz)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Adjoa Andoh – Bridgerton (Netflix)
Bianca Lawson – Queen Sugar (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)
Loretta Devine – P-Valley (Starz)
Susan Kelechi Watson – This Is Us (NBC)
Tina Lifford – Queen Sugar (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)

Outstanding Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special
Carl Weber’s The Black Hamptons (BET Networks)
From Scratch (Netflix)
The Best Man: The Final Chapters (Peacock)
The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey (Apple TV+)
Women of the Movement (ABC)

Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special
Morris Chestnut – The Best Man: The Final Chapters (Peacock)
Samuel L. Jackson – The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey (Apple TV+)
Terrence Howard – The Best Man: The Final Chapters (Peacock)
Trevante Rhodes – Mike (Hulu)
Wendell Pierce – Don’t Hang Up (Bounce TV)

Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special
Niecy Nash-Betts – Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (Netflix)
Regina Hall – The Best Man: The Final Chapters (Peacock)
Sanaa Lathan – The Best Man: The Final Chapters (Peacock)
Viola Davis – The First Lady (Showtime)
Zoe Saldaña – From Scratch (Netflix)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special
Glynn Turman – Women of the Movement (ABC)
Keith David – From Scratch (Netflix)
Omar Benson Miller – The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey (Apple TV+)
Russell Hornsby – Mike (Hulu)
Terrence “TC” Carson – A Wesley Christmas (AMC)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special
Alexis Floyd – Inventing Anna (Netflix)
Danielle Deadwyler – From Scratch (Netflix)
Melissa De Sousa – The Best Man: The Final Chapters (Peacock)
Nia Long – The Best Man: The Final Chapters (Peacock)
Phylicia Rashad – Little America (Apple TV+)

Outstanding News/Information (Series or Special)
Roland Martin Unfiltered: Black Votes Matter Election Night 2022 Coverage (Black Star Network/YouTube)
ABC News 20/20 Michelle Obama: The Light We Carry, A Conversation with Robin Roberts (ABC)
Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (PBS)
OWN Spotlight: Viola Davis – The Woman King (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)
The Hair Tales (Hulu)

Outstanding Talk Series
Hart to Heart (Peacock)
Red Table Talk (Facebook Watch)
Sherri (Syndicated)
Tamron Hall (ABC)
Uninterrupted: The Shop (YouTube)

Outstanding Reality Program, Reality Competition or Game Show (Series)
Legendary (HBO Max)
Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls (Amazon Studios)
Shark Tank (ABC)
Sweet Life: Los Angeles (HBO Max)
The Real Housewives of Atlanta (Bravo)

Outstanding Variety Show (Series or Special)
A Black Lady Sketch Show (HBO Max)
BET Awards 2022 (BET Networks)
Deon Cole: Charleen’s Boy (Netflix)
Martin: The Reunion (BET Networks)
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah (Comedy Central)

Outstanding Children’s Program
Family Reunion (Netflix)
Raising Dion (Netflix)
Raven’s Home (Disney+)
Tab Time (YouTube Originals)
Waffles + Mochi’s Restaurant (Netflix)

Outstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited-Series)
Alaya “That Girl Lay Lay” High – That Girl Lay Lay (Nickelodeon)
Cameron J. Wright – Family Reunion (Netflix)
Elisha Williams – The Wonder Years (ABC)
Khali Spraggins – The Upshaws (Netflix)
Ja’Siah Young – Raising Dion (Netflix)

Outstanding Host in a Talk or News/Information (Series or Special) – Individual or Ensemble
Jada Pinkett-Smith, Adrienne Banfield-Norris, Willow Smith – Red Table Talk (Facebook Watch)
Jennifer Hudson – The Jennifer Hudson Show (Syndicated)
Kevin Hart – Hart to Heart (Peacock)
Lester Holt – NBC Nightly News (NBC)
Tracee Ellis Ross – The Hair Tales (Hulu)

Outstanding Host in a Reality/Reality Competition, Game Show or Variety (Series or Special) – Individual or Ensemble
Keke Palmer – Password (NBC)
Lizzo – Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls (Amazon Studios)
Tabitha Brown – Tab Time (YouTube Originals)
Taraji P. Henson – BET Awards 2022 (BET Networks)
Trevor Noah – The Daily Show with Trevor Noah (Comedy Central)

Outstanding Guest Performance
Amanda Gorman – Sesame Street (HBO Max)
Chance the Rapper – South Side (HBO Max)
Colman Domingo – Euphoria (HBO Max)
Glynn Turman – Queen Sugar (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)
Gabourey Sidibe – American Horror Stories (FX)

Outstanding Animated Series
Central Park (Apple TV+)
Eureka! (Disney Junior)
Gracie’s Corner TV (YouTube)
The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder (Disney+)
Zootopia+ (Disney+)

Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (Television)
Billy Porter – The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder (Disney+)
Cedric the Entertainer – The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder (Disney+)
Chris Bridges – Karma’s World (Netflix)
Cree Summer – Rugrats (Nickelodeon)
Kyla Pratt – The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder (Disney+)

Outstanding Short Form Series – Comedy or Drama
Between The Scenes – The Daily Show (Comedy Central)
Oh Hell No! With Marlon Wayans (Facebook Watch)
Rise Up, Sing Out (Disney+)
Sunday Dinner (Youtube)
Zootopia+ (Disney+)

Outstanding Short Form Series or Special – Reality/Nonfiction
Black Independent Films: A Brief History (Turner Classic Movies)
Daring Simone Biles (Snap)
Historian’s Take (PBS)
NFL 360 (NFL Network)
Omitted: The Black Cowboy (ESPN)

Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Television)
Amy Wang – From Scratch (Netflix)
Branden Jacobs-Jenkins – Kindred (FX)
Hannah Cope – Karma’s World (Netflix)
Quinta Brunson – Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Syreeta Singleton – Rap Sh!t (HBO Max)

RECORDING CATEGORIES

Outstanding New Artist
Adam Blackstone – Legacy (BASSic Black Entertainment Records/Anderson Music Group/Empire)
Armani White – Billie Eilish (Def Jam Recordings)
Coco Jones – ICU (Def Jam Recordings)
Fivio Foreign – B.I.B.L.E (Columbia Records)
Steve Lacy – Gemini Rights (RCA Records)

Outstanding Male Artist
Brent Faiyaz – Wasteland (Lost Kids)
Burna Boy – Love, Damini (Atlantic Records)
Chris Brown – Breezy (Deluxe) (RCA Records/Chris Brown Entertainment)
Drake – Honestly, Nevermind (OVO/Republic Records)
Kendrick Lamar – Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers (pgLang/Top Dawg Entertainment/Aftermath/Interscope Records)

Outstanding Female Artist
Ari Lennox – age/sex/location (Dreamville/Interscope Records)
Beyoncé – Renaissance (Columbia Records/Parkwood Entertainment)
Chlöe – Surprise (Columbia Records/Parkwood Entertainment)
Jazmine Sullivan – Hurt Me So Good (RCA Records)
SZA – S.O.S. (RCA Records/Top Dawg Entertainment)

Outstanding Gospel/Christian Album
All Things New – Tye Tribbett (Motown Gospel)
Hymns – Tasha Cobbs Leonard (Motown Gospel)
Kingdom Book One – Maverick City Music & Kirk Franklin (Tribl Records, Fo Yo Soul Recordings and RCA Inspiration)
My Life – James Fortune (FIYA World/MNRK Music Group)
The Urban Hymnal – Tennessee State University (TSU/Tymple)

Outstanding International Song
Bad To Me – Wizkid (RCA Records/Starboy/Sony Music International)
Diana feat. Shenseea – Fireboy DML, Chris Brown, Shenseea (YBNL Nation / EMPIRE)
Last Last – Burna Boy (Atlantic Records)
No Woman No Cry – Tems (Def Jam Recordings)
Stand Strong – Davido feat. Sunday Service Choir (RCA Records/Sony Music UK)

Outstanding Music Video/Visual Album
About Damn Time – Lizzo (Atlantic Records)
Be Alive – Beyoncé (Columbia Records/ Parkwood Entertainment)
Lift Me Up – Rihanna (Def Jam Recordings)
LORD FORGIVE ME feat. FAT, Pharrell and OLU of EARTHGANG – TOBE NWIGWE (THE GOOD STEWARDS COLLECTIVE)
The Heart Part 5 – Kendrick Lamar (pgLang/Top Dawg Entertainment/Aftermath/Interscope Records)

Outstanding Album
age/sex/location – Ari Lennox (Dreamville/Interscope Records)
Breezy (Deluxe) – Chris Brown (RCA Records/Chris Brown Entertainment)
Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers – Kendrick Lamar (pgLang/Top Dawg Entertainment/Aftermath/Interscope Records)
Renaissance – Beyoncé (Parkwood/Columbia Records)
Watch the Sun – PJ Morton (Morton Records)

Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – Music From and Inspired By – Ryan Coogler, Ludwig Göransson, Archie Davis and Dave Jordan (Hollywood Records)
Bridgerton Season Two (Soundtrack from the Netflix Series) – Kris Bowers (Capitol Records)
Entergalactic – Kid Cudi (Republic Records)
P-Valley: Season 2 (Music From the Original TV Series) – Various Artists (Lions Gate Records)
The Woman King – Terence Blanchard (Milan Records)

Outstanding Gospel/Christian Song
All in Your Hands – Marvin Sapp (Elev8 Media & Entertainment LLC)
Fly (Y.M.M.F.) – Tennessee State University (TSU/Tymple)
Positive – Erica Campbell (My Block Inc.)
Whole World In His Hands – MAJOR. (MNRK Music Group)
Your World – Jonathan McReynolds (MNRK Music Group)

Outstanding Jazz Album – Instrumental
Detour – Boney James (Concord Records)
JID014 (Jazz is Dead) – Henry Franklin, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Adrian Younge
The Funk Will Prevail – Kaelin Ellis (NCH Music)
The Gospel According to Nikki Giovanni – Javon Jackson (Solid Jackson Records)
Thrill Ride – Ragan Whiteside (Randis Music)

Outstanding Jazz Album – Vocal
Legacy – Adam Blackstone (BASSic Black Entertainment Records / Anderson Music Group / Empire)
Linger Awhile – Samara Joy (Verve Records)
Love and the Catalyst – Aimée Allen (Azuline)
New Standards Vol. 1 – Terri Lyne Carrington (Candid Records)
The Evening : Live at Apparatus – The Baylor Project (Be A Light)

Outstanding Soul/R&B Song
About Damn Time – Lizzo (Atlantic Records)
Cuff It – Beyoncé (Columbia Record/Parkwood Entertainment)
Good Morning Gorgeous Remix feat. H.E.R. – Mary J. Blige (300)
Hurt Me So Good – Jazmine Sullivan (RCA Records)
Lift Me Up – Rihanna (Def Jam Recordings)

Outstanding Hip Hop/Rap Song
Billie Eilish – Armani White (Def Jam Recordings)
City of Gods – Fivio Foreign (Columbia Records)
Hotel Lobby – Quavo, Takeoff (Motown Records/Quality Control Music)
The Heart Part 5 – Kendrick Lamar (pgLang/Top Dawg Entertainment/Aftermath/Interscope Records)
Wait for U – Future feat. Drake and Tems (Epic Records)

Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration (Traditional)
Kendrick Lamar feat. Blxst & Amanda Reifer – Die Hard (pgLang/Top Dawg Entertainment/Aftermath/Interscope Records)
Mary J. Blige feat. H.E.R. – Good Morning Gorgeous Remix (300)
PJ Morton feat. Alex Isley and Jill Scott – Still Believe (Morton Records)
Silk Sonic – Love’s Train (Atlantic Records)
Summer Walker, Cardi B, and SZA – No Love (LVRN/Interscope Records)

Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration (Contemporary)
Beyoncé feat. Grace Jones and Tems – MOVE (Columbia Records/Parkwood Entertainment)
Chris Brown feat. Wizkid – Call Me Every Day (RCA Records/Chris Brown Entertainment)
City Girls feat. Usher – Good Love (Motown Records/Quality Control Music)
Future feat. Drake and Tems – Wait For U (Epic Records)
Latto feat. Mariah Carey and DJ Khaled – Big Energy (Remix) (RCA Records)

DOCUMENTARY CATEGORIES

Outstanding Documentary (Film)
Civil (Netflix)
Descendant (Netflix)
Is That Black Enough For You?!? (Netflix)
Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues (Apple TV+)
Sidney (Apple TV+)

Outstanding Documentary (Television)
Black Love (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)
Everything’s Gonna be All White (Showtime)
Frontline (PBS)
Race: Bubba Wallace (Netflix)
Shaq (HBO Max)

WRITING CATEGORIES

Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series
Aisha Muharrar – Hacks – “Episode 206” (HBO Max)
Ayo Edebiri, Shana Gohd – What We do in the Shadows – “Episode 405” (FX)
Brittani Nichols – Abbott Elementary – “Student Transfer” (ABC)
Karen Joseph Adcock – The Bear – “Episode 105” (FX)
Quinta Brunson – Abbott Elementary – “Development Day” (ABC)

Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series
Aurin Squire – The Good Fight – “Episode 603” (Paramount+)
Branden Jacobs-Jenkins – Kindred – “Episode 101” (FX)
Davita Scarlett – The Good Fight – “Episode 604” (Paramount+)
Joshua Allen – From Scratch – “Episode 105” (Netflix)
Marissa Jo Cerar – Women of the Movement – “Episode 101” (ABC)

Outstanding Writing in a Television Movie or Special
Bree West – A Wesley Christmas (BET Networks)
Ian Edelman, Maurice Williams – Entergalactic (Netflix)
Jerrod Carmichael – Jerrod Carmichael: Rothaniel (HBO Max)
Lil Rel Howery – Lil Rel Howery: I said it. Y’all Thinking it (HBO Max)
Matt Lopez – Father of the Bride (HBO Max)

Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture
Charles Murray – The Devil You Know (Lionsgate)
Dana Stevens, Maria Bello – The Woman King (Sony Pictures Releasing)
Jordan Peele – Nope (Universal Pictures)
Krystin Ver Linden – Alice (Vertical Entertainment)
Ryan Coogler – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Marvel Studios)

DIRECTING CATEGORIES

Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series
Angela Barnes – Atlanta – “The Homeliest Little Horse” (FX)
Bridget Stokes – A Black Lady Sketch Show – “Save My Edges, I’m a Donor!” (HBO Max)
Dee Rees – Upload – “Hamoodi” (Amazon Studios)
Iona Morris Jackson – black-ish – “If A Black Man Cries in the Woods” (ABC)
Pete Chatmon – The Flight Attendant – “Drowning Women” (HBO Max)

Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series
Debbie Allen – The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey – “Robyn” (Apple TV+)
Giancarlo Esposito – Better Call Saul – “Axe and Grind” (AMC)
Gina Prince-Bythewood – Women of the Movement – “Mother and Son” (ABC)
Hanelle Culpepper – The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey – “Sensia” (Apple TV+)
Kasi Lemmons – Women of the Movement – “Episode 106” (ABC)

Outstanding Directing in a Television Movie or Special
Anton Cropper – Fantasy Football (Paramount+)
Marta Cunningham – 61st Street (AMC)
Sujata Day – Definition Please (Netflix)
Tailiah Breon – Kirk Franklin’s The Night Before Christmas (Lifetime)
Tine Fields – Soul of a Nation: Screen Queens Rising (ABC)

Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture
Antoine Fuqua – Emancipation (Apple)
Chinonye Chukwu – TILL (United Artists Releasing/Orion Pictures)
Gina Prince-Bythewood – The Woman King (Sony Pictures Releasing)
Kasi Lemmons – I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Sony Pictures Releasing)
Ryan Coogler – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Marvel Studios)

Outstanding Directing in a Documentary (Television or Motion Picture)
Nadia Hallgren – Civil (Netflix)
Reginald Hudlin – Sidney (Apple TV+)
Sacha Jenkins – Everything’s Gonna Be All White (Showtime)
Sacha Jenkins – Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues (Apple TV+)
W. Kamau Bell – We Need to Talk About Cosby (Showtime)

LITERARY CATEGORIES

Outstanding Literary Work – Fiction
Africa Risen: A New Era of Speculative Fiction – Sheree Renée Thomas (Macmillan)
Light Skin Gone to Waste – Toni Ann Johnson (University of Georgia Press)
Take My Hand – Dolen Perkins-Valdez (Penguin Random House)
The Keeper – Tananarive Due, Steven Barnes (Abrams Books)
You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty – Akwaeke Emezi (Simon & Schuster)

Outstanding Literary Work – Nonfiction
Finding Me – Viola Davis (HarperCollins Publishers)
Grace: President Obama and Ten Days in the Battle for America – Cody Keenan (HarperCollins Publishers)
Requiem for the Massacre – RJ Young (Counterpoint)
Under the Skin – Linda Villarosa (Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group)
Who’s Black and Why? A Hidden Chapter from the Eighteenth-Century Invention of Race – Henry Louis Gates, Andrew S. Curran (The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press)

Outstanding Literary Work – Debut Author
America Made Me a Black Man – Boyah Farah (HarperCollins Publishers)
Illustrated Black History: Honoring the Iconic and the Unseen – George McCalman (HarperCollins)
Marriage Be Hard – Kevin Fredericks, Melissa Fredericks (Penguin Random House)
Truth’s Table: Black Women’s Musings on Life, Love, and Liberation – Ekemini Uwan, Christina Edmondson, Michelle Higgins (Penguin Randomhouse Convergent Imprint)
What the Fireflies Knew – Kai Harris (Penguin Random House)

Outstanding Literary Work – Biography/Autobiography
A Way Out of No Way: A Memoir of Truth, Transformation, and the New American Story – Raphael G. Warnock (Penguin Random House)
Scenes from My Life – Raphael G. Warnock (Penguin Random House)
The Light We Carry – Michelle Obama (Penguin Random House)
Walking In My Joy: In These Streets – Jenifer Lewis (HarperCollins Publishers)
You’ve Been Chosen – Cynt Marshall (Ballantine Books)

Outstanding Literary Work – Instructional
Black Joy: Stories of Resistance, Resilience, and Restoration – Tracey Lewis-Giggetts (Gallery/Simon and Schuster)
Cooking from the Spirit – Tabitha Brown (William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
Eat Plants, B*tch: 91 Vegan Recipes That Will Blow Your Meat-Loving Mind – Pinky Cole (Simon & Schuster)
Homecoming: Overcome Fear and Trauma to Reclaim Your Whole Authentic Self – Thema Bryant (Penguin Random House/TarcherPerigee)
The Five Principles: A Revolutionary Path to Health, Inner Wealth, and Knowledge of Self – Khnum Ibomu (Hachette Book Group)

Outstanding Literary Work – Poetry
Best Barbarian – Roger Reeves (Norton)
Bluest Nude – Ama Codjoe (Milkweed Editions)
Concentrate – Courtney Faye Taylor (Graywolf Press)
Muse Found in a Colonized Body – Yesenia Montilla (Four Way Books)
To the Realization of Perfect Helplessness – Robin Coste Lewis (Alfred A. Knopf)

Outstanding Literary Work – Children
Ablaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas – Jeanne Walker Harvey, Loveis Wise (HarperCollins)
Black Gold – Laura Obuobi, London Ladd (HarperCollins)
Blue: A History of the Color as Deep as the Sea and as Wide as the Sky – Nana Brew-Hammond, Daniel Minter (Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers)
Stacey’s Remarkable Books – Stacey Abrams, Kitt Thomas (HarperCollins – Balzer + Bray)
The Year We Learned to Fly – Jacqueline Woodson, Rafael Lopez (Penguin Random House)

Outstanding Literary Work – Youth/Teens
Cookies & Milk – Shawn Amos (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
Inheritance: A Visual Poem – Elizabeth Acevedo (HarperCollins – Quill Tree Books)
Maybe An Artist, A Graphic Memoir – Liz Montague (Random House Studio)
Me and White Supremacy: Young Readers’ Edition – Layla F. Saad (Sourcebooks)
Opening My Eyes Underwater: Essays on Hope, Humanity, and Our Hero Michelle Obama – Ashley Woodfolk (Feiwel & Friends, Macmillan)

PODCAST CATEGORIES

Outstanding News and Information Podcast
SundayCivics (LJW Community Strategies)
Beyond the Scenes – The Daily Show (Central Productions, LLC)
Black Tech Green Money (The Black Effect Podcast Network)
Holding Court with Eboni K. Williams (Interval Presents & Uppity Productions)
Into America with Trymaine Lee (MSNBC)

Outstanding Lifestyle/Self-Help Podcast
Chile, Please (Honey Chile)
GoOD Mornings with CurlyNikki (Walton Media, LLC)
Man to Man: A Black Love Wellness Series (Black Love Inc.)
Maejor Frequency (Audible)
Therapy for Black Girls (Therapy for Black Girls)

Outstanding Society and Culture Podcast
Comeback with Erica Cobb (Erica Cobb LLC/One Street Studios)
Higher Learning with Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay (Spotify & The Ringer)
Into America with Trymaine Lee (MSNBC)
LeVar Burton Reads (SiriusXM’s Stitcher Studios)
The Sum of Us (Higher Ground)

Outstanding Arts and Entertainment Podcast
Angie Martinez IRL (Media Noche Productions)
Black Girl Songbook (Spotify & The Ringer)
Jemele Hill is Unbothered (Unbothered Inc, Spotify, Lodge Freeway Media, Exit 39)
The Read (Loud Speakers Network)
Two Funny Mamas (Mocha Podcasts Network)

COSTUME DESIGN, MAKE-UP & HAIRSTYLING CATEGORIES

Outstanding Costume Design (Television or Film)
Francine Jamison-Tanchuck – Emancipation (Apple Studios)
Gersha Phillips, Carly Nicodemo, Heather Constable, Christina Cattle, Sheryl Willock, Becky MacKinnon – Star Trek: Discovery (Paramount+)
Gersha Phillips, Carly Nicodemo, Lieze Van Tonder, Lynn Paulsen, Tova Harrison – The Woman King (Tristar Pictures)
Ruth Carter – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Marvel Studios)
Trayce Gigi Field – A League of Their Own (Prime Video)

Outstanding Make-up (Television or Film)
Angie Wells – Cheaper by the Dozen (Disney+)
Debi Young, Sandra Linn, Ngozi Olandu Young, Gina Bateman – We Own This City (HBO Max)
Michele Lewis – The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey (Apple Studios)
Ren Rohling, Teresa Vest, Megan Areford – Emergency (Amazon Studios)
Zabrina Matiru – Surface (Apple Studios)

Outstanding Hairstyling (Television or Film)
Camille Friend – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Marvel Studios)
Curtis Foreman, Ryan Randall – RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars (Paramount+)
Louisa V. Anthony, Deaundra Metzger, Maurice Beaman – TILL (United Artists Releasing/Orion Pictures)
Mary Daniels, Kalin Spooner, Darrin Lyons, Eric Gonzalez – All American (The CW)
Tracey Moss, Jerome Allen, Tamika Dixon, Lawrence “Jigga” Simmons, Jason Simmons – Fantasy Football (Paramount+)

OUTSTANDING SOCIAL MEDIA PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR NOMINEES
@Theconsciousless- George Lee
@thechristishow – Christianee Porter
@earnyourleisure – Troy Millings & Rashad Bilal
@KevOnStage – Kevin Fredericks
@lynaevanee – Lynae Vanee (Lynae Bogues)

Lisa Marie’s Week In Television: 1/8/23 — 1/14/23

Posted on January 14, 2023 by Lisa Marie Bowman

This week did not leave much time for television watching. I had a doctor’s appointment on Wednesday. I drove my father to and from a doctor’s appointment on Friday. And I had a lot of movies to watch!

Here’s some notes on the five (yes, only five) television programs that I watched this week!

Abbott Elementary (Wednesday Night, ABC)

“FIGHT!”

What a wonderful episode, this was. Sometimes, kid just don’t get along and there’s nothing you can do about it.

Hell’s Kitchen (Thursday Night, FOX)

It’s time for the blind taste test! The blind taste test is an annual Hell’s Kitchen tradition but it’s hard for me to think of another season where the chefs failed quite as dramatically as they did during this season. It was a bit odd because, for the most part, the chefs have been pretty strong this season. Last night proved that anyone can have an off-day.

Brett was sent out of Hell’s Kitchen as the end of this week. To be honest, I don’t think anyone was surprised, as it was obvious that Brett will be a great head chef once he gets more experience but he wasn’t quite ready just yet. Still, it was kind of sad to see Brett go. He was always entertaining and he definitely always seemed like he was doing his best to improve with each dinner service. Brett also seems like the type who will be back whenever the show does another all-star season.

Law & Order (Thursday Night, NBC)

For the second week in a row, Samantha Maroun actually got to do something more than just gaze lovingly Price. This week, she led the prosecution of a rich teenager who was arrested for beating an ex-con to death. The teenager’s defense was that he had been driven temporarily mad by super-strong marijuana. (Yes, I can hear everyone rolling their eyes. Look, I’m just reviewing. I didn’t write the episode.) Maroun was determined to get a murder conviction until Price told her that she was taking the case personally and that she needed to set aside her personal feelings and her own guilt about the death of her sister.

To which I have to say, really? Like, who is Price to tell anyone not to take a case personally? Price takes every case personally. Price put a pharmaceutical CEO in prison because Price has never gotten over the death of his junkie brother. Price may have been correct about Maroun but it still feels a bit hypocritical on his part. That said, I think the writers may have figured out that having two prosecutors who take everything personally doesn’t always work dramatically. Ever since the show returned from its holiday break, Price has suddenly been a lot more pragmatic.

There’s a lot of people online who, after last night’s episode, are convinced that Price and Maroun are in love with each other. They’re probably right. McCoy’s not in any position to forbid it, either. (It’s kind of funny how McCoy has gone from being a self-destructive, alcoholic womanizer to being the voice of wisdom.)

Night Flight (Night Flight Plus)

This week, we finished up watching Night Flight’s 1982 New Year’s Eve special. Most of it was made up of footage of Grace Jones performing and being interviewed. It was weird but entertaining. Apparently, 1983 got off to a very trippy start.

Project Greenlight (YouTube)

On Wednesday night, I watched three episodes of the third season of Project Greenlight. This is the season that aired on Bravo and which detailed John Gulager’s efforts to direct Feast. No one had any faith in Gulager but he did a pretty good job with Feast and he’s the only one of the Project Greenlight winners to go on to have a notable career. The episodes that I watched deal with the casting of the film and it was once again infuriating to watch as the film’s casting director went out of her way to undercut Gulager and cast her best friend in the film. The third season of Project Greenlight is the one that really makes the viewer hate Hollywood.

Retro Television Reviews: California Dreams 3.8 “The Princess and the Yeti” and 3.9 “Winkle/Wicks World”

Posted on January 14, 2023 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Welcome to Retro Television Reviews, a feature where we review some of our favorite and least favorite shows of the past! On Saturdays, I will be reviewing California Dreams, which ran on NBC from 1992 to 1996. The entire show is currently streaming on YouTube!

This week the Dreams go to Colorado and Public Access Television. To quote Matt Garrison, “Let’s do it!”

Episode 3.8 “The Princess and the Yeti”

(Dir by Patrick Maloney, originally aired on October 29th, 1994)

The Dreams have left California for Colorado! It’s on temporary, however. They’ve been hired to play at the ski resort that’s owned by Lorena’s father, Mr. Costas (Abraham Alvarez). Lorena is looking forward to skiing and showing off her new outfit. Her father wants her to work the front desk. “I’m allergic to work,” Lorena says, which leads to everyone saying that Lorena is spoiled.

Which is not true at all! Listen, Lorena is on vacation. You don’t work when you’re on vacation. At no point does Lorena’s father say that he’ll pay for Lorena to work the front desk. Instead, he just says, “I need you to work the front desk tonight.” Nah, old man. It doesn’t work like that. I, myself, have been called spoiled enough time to know that everyone is being way too hard on Lorena. Lorena has every right to expect a chance to ski while on a SKI VACATION!

Anyway, Mr. Costas wants to expand his resort but there’s an old man (Sandy Ward) who lives in a cabin and he refuses to move off his property. If the stubborn old man wasn’t bad enough, there’s also a Yeti running around the forest. But what if that Yeti is just a man dressed in a costume? Who would have the motive? Mr. Costas? No, he would be costing himself money by doing that. How about the Old Man? Other than the Dreams, he’s the only other person in this episode.

After Tony gets scared by the Yeti, he runs into the forest. The rest of the Dreams follow him and come across the Old Man’s cabin and his yeti costume. When Mr. Costas finds out, he wants to press charges but the Dreams are like, “He’s just an nice old man!” Yeah, and you’re a bunch of high school kids from California. Your opinion really isn’t that important.

The Dreams get mad at Lorena for not telling her father that the Old Man deserves to stay in his cabin. (Again, I’m not sure how it’s any of their business.) Miffed, Lorena goes skiing alone and injures her knee. The Old Man saves her life and Lorena offers to help pay off whatever money the Old Man is costing her father by working the front desk and not taking an allowance for a year. Mr. Costas agrees and everything works out …. except, of course, Lorena lives in California so how is she going work the front desk of a Colorado resort?

Also, I don’t care how nice the Old Man is. He still dressed up like a Yeti and did a lot of property damage to Mr. Costas’s business. Drag his his ass to jail!

This episode mostly serves to remind us that the California Dreams belong in California and on the beach. It just doesn’t seem right whenever they appear in a different location. It’s like one of those weird episodes of Saved By The Bell: The New Class where the gang all ended up working at a ranch. As much of a misfire as this episode was, I did laugh at the scene where Jake had to wear Lorena’s pink snow jacket while searching for Tony. A few years ago, in the middle of a torrential rain storm, Jeff informed me that he would rather get soaked and risk pneumonia than borrow my hot pink umbrella. What do men have against the color pink?

Anyway, let’s move on!

Episode 3.9 “Winkle/Wicks World”

(Dir by Patrick Maloney, originally aired on November 12th, 1994)

Tony and Sly get a show on public access TV! What was the deal with people in Peter Engel-produced shows always ending up on Public Access Television? Anyway, The Goo-Ga-Moo Guys becomes a big hit, despite being just a lame Wayne’s World rip-off. (To the show’s credit, Jake refers to show as being a “Wayne’s World rip-off.”) Unfortunately, this means that Tony no longer has time to play drums and Sly no longer has time to manage the band. Lorena takes over as manager and teaches the band how to be classy so that they can play an upper class gig that is, for some reason, being held at Sharky’s.

Anyway, fame goes to Tony and Sly’s heads. In the end, though, they decide that friendship is more important than fame. *Yawn* This is a plot that was used and reused by so many Peter Engel-produced shows that, at times, it seems as if the entire Englverse was an autopilot.

Hopefully, next week’s episodes will encourage us to seek good vibrations and feel mellow.

Retro Television Review: One World 3.13 “Hitting On A Guy”

Posted on January 13, 2023 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Welcome to Retro Television Reviews, a new feature where we review some of our favorite and least favorite shows of the past! On Fridays, I will be reviewing One World, which ran on NBC from 1998 to 2001. The entire show is currently streaming on Tubi!

The Cast of One World

On January 6th, 2001, One World aired not only the finale of their third season but also the final episode of the series. All stories and shows must come to an end and we have reached the end of One World. For one last time, here’s the One World theme song.

Does anyone else find it weird that the show never bothered to update their opening credits, despite the fact that Brandon Baker hit a major growth spurt and cut his hair after the first season? Seriously, it just seems incredibly lazy.

Episode 3.13 “Hitting on a Guy”

(Directed by Mary Lou Belli, originally aired on January 6th, 2001)

Dave and Karen have been named the Foster Parents of the Year! Marci decides to throw a big party for them at …. can you guess where? …. Miami’s “hottest under 21 club,” The Warehouse! Unfortunately, the kitchen crew refuses to work for the party because they haven’t been paid for the week. (Why would Marci, who is just the assistant manager, have to deal with payroll? Where’s The Warehouse’s owner?) Fortunately, the entire family decides that they’ll do the cooking themselves. But …. IT’S THEIR PARTY!? Who cooks at their own party!? What type of party is this?

Meanwhile, Jane is dating a nice guy named Ralph but he reminds her of her former foster brother, who was also named Ralph and who was abusive. Because she’s thinking about the Bad Ralph, she beats up the Good Ralph. Jane comes to terms with her anger and apologizes to the Good Ralph. Good Ralph says thanks and then runs off.

Having lost Good Ralph, Jane still shows up at the Warehouse party and gives a speech about how thankful she is for the Blakes. Dave rewards her by giving her a piece of Cake and that’s how the series ends.

And I have to admit that I was a little bit moved by all of the Blake kids giving their testimonials, though I honestly doubt I’ll remember anything about any of them a week from now. I was also surprised that the show did not end with Karen giving birth. I imagine that any other TNBC show would have. In the end, One World ended with a lot of unanswered questions. Will Ben ever find success as a musician? Will St. Neal ever get into college? Will Sui ever make the Olympic team? How long until Maci gets fired from her job at the Warehouse? Will Cray ever come to terms with having a black grandfather? (Seriously, that whole episode was weird.) Will Jane ever find a stylist who understands how to make her hair look good? Sadly, these questions will never be answered.

One World is a show that attempted to bring some edge to the TNBC brand. Occasionally, it came close to succeeding. Usually, it was a bit too much like California Dreams with juvenile delinquents instead of a rock band. One of the huge problems with the show was that the Blakes themselves had very little chemistry. Watching the actors perform opposite each other, it was hard to believe they even knew each other’s names, let alone lived together. Alisa Reyes and Michelle Krusiec (who played Marci and Sui) were the strongest performers on the show but they were rarely given enough to do.

Staring next week, I’ll be reviewing something new in this time slot. Until then, we’re all living in one world!

Retro Television Reviews: City Guys 3.13 “Down and Out In Soho” and 3.14 “When Al Met Dawn”

Posted on January 12, 2023 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Welcome to Retro Television Reviews, a feature where we review some of our favorite and least favorite shows of the past! On Thursdays, I will be reviewing City Guys, which ran on NBC from 1997 to 2001. The entire show is currently streaming on Tubi!

Smart and streetwise!

Episode 3.13 “Down and Out in Soho”

(Dir by Frank Bonner, originally aired on October 30th, 1999)

So, I guess the reality show is still a thing. This episode begins with Ms. Nobel telling the Gang that she’s spoken to the show’s producer and she thinks it would be a good idea for them to do a community service project. I find myself asking this every review but seriously …. how is this any of Ms. Nobel’s business? Is Ms. Nobel a producer on Reality House now?

Anyway, the community service project involves hanging out with a bunch of Romanian immigrants. This leads to a lot of scenes featuring the immigrants speaking in broken English and thick accents while the audiences laughs it up. For a show that was supposedly all about celebrating diversity, City Guys certainly did enjoy poking fun at people with thick accents.

When Dawn comes across Euri, one of the Romanians, sleeping on the streets, she invites him to come live at the loft. Jamal warns that the guy could be a thief but he’s outvoted by his loftmates. Euri moves into the Loft and promptly steals a computer. At first, Dawn is disillusioned and swears she’ll never help another immigrant. Fortunately, Jamal and Dawn then run into Euri at a coffeehouse and he explains that his name is actually Joey and he’s from New Jersey. Upon discovering that she was robbed by an American instead of a Romanian, Dawn feels a lot better.

In the B-plot, Cassidy starts a folk act with L-Train and Chris and pretends to be a bad singer so that Chris and L-Train will quit the group. But if Cassidy wanted to be a solo act, why was she working with L-Train and Chris in the first place?

It was a bit of a confusing episode. Apparently, everyone is watching the reality show but no one recognizes Chris or Jamal when they’re in public. And we never actually see a camera crew filming the group. If the Loft is full of cameras, wouldn’t they have captured Euri/Joey stealing the computer?

Hopefully, this next episode will make more sense….

Episode 3.14 “When Al Met Dawn”

(Dir by Frank Bonner, originally aired on November 6th, 1999)

“After two months of Reality House,” Cassidy says as the episode begins, “the best part is that you really get to know your roommates.”

“The worst part,” Jamal says, “is you really get to know your roommate.”

Actually, for the past two and a half seasons, the characters on this show have exclusively hung out with each other, to the extent that it almost seems like they’re in a Ms. Nobel-centered cult. It also seems like they should already know each other.

Speaking of getting to know each other, Dawn and Al are working on a science project together and they end up falling for each other and you know what? They’re actually a cute couple. However, Dawn is worried about the pressure of pursuing a relationship while on a reality TV show. “I mean, look at Gwyneth Paltrow and Ben Affleck!” she says, “Their relationship was killed because no one would leave them alone!”

Wow, Ben and his love life have been pop culture reference points for a while now.

(By the way, Dawn and Al’s science project is a big bulky television mounted on the handlebars of a bicycle. The idea is that you can watch TV while pedaling but it seems like it would just cause more accidents than anything else.)

Since Dawn and Al are keeping things a secret, L-Train sets Al up on a date with another girl. When the girl kisses Al, Dawns sees them and freaks out. At the science fair, Dawn humiliates Al by accusing him of cheating. Ms. Nobel, who has nothing better to do, tells Dawn that it was actually all her fault for trying to keep things a secret. (Ms. Nobel isn’t wrong but again, why does Ms. Nobel have to get involved in everything?) Dawn hijacks that Manny High radio station and asks Al to meet her at their favorite coffeehouse. Of course, everyone else from the reality show and the school all show up at the coffeehouse so that they can watch Al and Dawn get back together. It’s kind of cringey but, again, they’re a cute couple.

Meanwhile, Chris and Jamal are in love with the building’s new superintendent. So, the Loft is actually in a real building as opposed to just being a Big Brother-style set? I’m starting to think this show is not a realistic look at reality television.

Retro Television Reviews: The Love Boat 1.20 “Memories of You / Computerman / Parlez Vous?”

Posted on January 11, 2023 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Welcome to Retro Television Reviews, a feature where we review some of our favorite and least favorite shows of the past! On Wednesdays, I will be reviewing the original Love Boat, which aired on ABC from 1977 to 1986! The series can be streamed on Paramount Plus!

It’s Valentine’s Day on The Love Boat!

Episode 1.20 “Memories of You / Computerman / Parlez Vous?”

(Dir by Richard Kinon, originally aired on February 13th, 1978)

It’s time for the annual Valentine’s Day cruise! On Valentine’s Day, only singles are allowed to board the Love Boat. Everyone, even the members of the crew, wears a heart-shaped nametag. Julie has decided to liven things up by hiring Nick Heider (Frankie Avalon), who claims that his computer can decide who is compatible and who isn’t. Captain Stubing is hoping that the computer will set him up with someone because apparently, Stubing is tired of being single. To be honest, that really doesn’t make much sense. When you’re the captain of the ship, you’re going to get laid on Valentine’s Day. It doesn’t matter if you’re bald, middle-aged, and take yourself a little bit too seriously. A captain has power and power is an aphrodisiac.

Nick turns out to be kind of sleazy, with his wide collars and his unbuttoned shirts. Nick also has a crush on Julie and he wants her to take part in his compatibility survey. Julie says that she doesn’t believe that computer can decide who is compatible. If Julie doesn’t believe in Nick and his computer, why did she hire him for the cruise?

As you can probably guess, Nick fills out a survey for Julie anyway. The computer pairs them together and Julie and Nick actually do fall in love, though I have a feeling we will never again see or hear about Nick after this episode. Meanwhile, Captain Stubing is told that the computer can’t find any matches for him. The Captain is pretty depressed until all of the computer-selected couples start fighting. I would think that people taking a dislike to each other would be a problem on Valentine’s Day cruise but whatever. The computer fails and Stubing smiles smugly.

While this is going on, Gopher is recruited to act as a translator for two French women (Barbi Benton, Susan Silo) who are on the cruise. Gopher’s French turns out to be really bad but fear not. It turns out that the French women are actually Americans and they speak perfect English. They’re just pretending to be French in order to attract wealthy men. Jamie Farr and Danny Dayton nearly fall for the scam but then Gopher hears the women speaking English and he exposes them. Of course, despite ruining their scam, Gopher still gets a (temporary) girlfriend out of it when Brigitte (played by Barbi Benton) turns out to be very forgiving.

Finally, Doc thinks that he’s found his soulmate for the cruise when he spots jingle writer Lilly Mackin (Patty Duke). However, Lilly can’t stop looking at another passenger named Ted (Ricky Nelson). Lilly swears that Ted looks just like Alex, her former partner who mysteriously vanished. Doc suggests that Ted might be suffering from stress-related amnesia. Fortunately, Ted falls in love with Lilly and, after she kisses him, he starts to slowly remember bits of his past life as Alex. That’s the power of Valentine’s Day on The Love Boat!

I loved this episode. I took French in high school and college and I used to be really pretentious about it so I definitely related to Brigitte and Yvonne. And the amnesia story was just intriguing enough to hold my attention. Finally, I could help but laugh at how impressed everyone was with Nick and his match-making computer. There was nothing that Nick said that sounded different from what we currently hear in Match.com and EHarmony commercials. That said, I agree with Julie. Romance should be spontaneous and unpredictable, not pre-programmed.

The Valentine’s Day cruise was success! Will the success continue? We’ll find out next week!

Retro Television Reviews: Hang Time 3.9 “Not a D’Amata” and 3.10 “Kristy’s Other Mother”

Posted on January 9, 2023 by Lisa Marie Bowman

The Tornadoes go to California! But first, we have to sit through some crap about Vince and his brother….

Episode 3.9 “Not a D’Amata”

(Directed by Patrick Maloney, originally aired on October 11th, 1997)

It turns out that Vince has a bother named Nick (played by Michael Sullivan’s real-life brother, Billy). Where has Nick been over the past season and a half? He has been in Paris, at music school. When he returns from France, Vince is shocked to discover that Nick has gone from being just like Vince to being someone who wears a beret, speaks fluent French, and writes poetry! Vince is so upset that Nick has switched from being one stereotype to another, he rejects his brother. Fortunately, Michael points out that not everyone is a three-point shooter and not everyone is a …. well, he uses a lot of basketball terms. The important thing is that Vince accepts the new Nick.

(If this episode were made today, it would be about Nick coming out and Vince struggling to accept it. But, since this episode is from 1997, it’s instead about Vince freaking out over Nick wearing a beret.)

While this is going on, Mary Beth and Kristy throw a fund raiser for the library. Apparently, they’re going to raise money by having Coach Fuller throw balls through a basket. Unfortunately, Fuller keeps missing his shots. It looks the library is going to be closed! Fortunately, a real basketball player named Gary Payton shows up and goads Fuller into regaining his confidence. Not being a fan of the game, this whole storyline was weird to me. I just know the audience went crazy whenever anyone threw a basketball.

Episode 3.10 “Kristy’s Other Mother”

(Directed by Don Barnhart, originally aired on October 11th, 1997)

This episode opens with a shot of the Beverly Hills Hotel….

Wait a minute? Isn’t this show set in Indiana?

Well, it turns out that the Tornadoes have been invited to compete in a tournament in Los Angeles and, for some reason, they’re saying at a luxury hotel in Beverly Hills. (Remember when Mary Beth spent a thousand dollars on sports bags and was told that she had spent all the money the team had in its annual budget? I imagine flying to California and getting rooms for the entire team at a luxury hotel costs a bit more than a thousand dollars.) Strangely, Kristy accompanies the team to Los Angeles but none of the other cheerleaders come with her. If you’re already wasting all that money on a hotel in Beverly Hills, why not bring the entire school? Seriously, if you’re going to get fired for fiscal incompetence, you might as well go all out.

(How much school are the Tornadoes skipping to go to this tournament?)

It turns out that Kristy has a reason beyond cheerleading to go to California. She wants to meet her birth mother, who turns to be a fabulously wealthy actress who is starring in a movie with Harrison Ford. (No, Harrison Ford does not make an appearance.) Kristy’s mom is like, “Move to California!” but Kristy ultimately decides that she prefers Indiana. Considering what lay head for California, Kristy made the right decision. That said, Kristy’s decision still doesn’t make much sense. What teenager is going to choose small town Indiana over a chance to live with a movie star in Beverly Hills?

Meanwhile, Vince, Danny, and Michael appear on a dating game show that’s being filmed at the hotel. Vince wins a date with a girl other than Mary Beth. Needless to say, Mary Beth is not amused. Wisely, Vince gives her a lot of presents.

This was a pretty silly and fairly mawkish episode but at least the hotel looked nice. This episode was directed by Don Barnhart, who directed several episodes of Saved By The Bell and California Dreams. It also ends with the Tornadoes still in California so I’m guessing this L.A. tournament thing is going to last for a few more episodes. We’ll find out if I’m right next week!