I can't believe a lot of the complaints I see about this show here. I guess for some people, the idea of a show that's extremely witty and sexy, with an interesting set of characters about whom the perceptive viewer instantly cares a great deal, is just not enough. Maybe it doesn't fit with preconceived notions of the proper attitudes, but--in part for that very reason--*Barbershop* is the bomb!
After a long day of work, I sat down in front of the tube to find something relaxing and entertaining--something intelligent but not tedious, funny but never infantile. And then I found this, a show that manages to pull off the witty sex-talk that *Sex in the City* supposedly offered, even though to me *that* show always rang false. Whereas SitS seemed to try too hard, this one just flows effortlessly, with an effervescence that springs from strong writing and acting.
I've seen many shows that attempt to create a world like that of *Barbershop*, with its ensemble cast, its spiciness, its clever dialogue, its sardonic treatment of timely themes and its heartfelt approach to universal ones--and usually the result is a tired-looking mishmash designed (however inexpertly) to fool viewers into believing that they're watching something worthwhile. But this one actually achieves what so many others have failed to do. Maybe I'm supposed to be irritated or offended, but I'm too busy enjoying Omar Gooding (a fabulous actor who I loved in *Playmakers*), the great Phil Lamarr of *Mad TV* fame, and a number of other gifted performers.
