Emperor of Ocean Park

I had high hopes for this show with its solid cast but I was quickly let down.

First off, the lead actor, Grantham Coleman is a bland boring monotone actor with zero range on his acting skills. I saw him before playing Ronnie on Raising Kanan and unfortunately, on this show, he is still playing Ronnie just dressed up as a lawyer. His demonor is the same. His look and over grown mustache are the same. Even his portal of both characters are exactly the same.

Secondly, this show has a plot that just isn't entertaining and does a horrible job of keeping the viewer enthralled. There isn't much action, its mostly 85% dialogue between two mid range actors continuously discussing "the arrangements" which after 7 episodes I still have no clue what these "arrangements" are.

Save yourself the time and take nap. It'll be more entertaining than watching this.

Finally, a Hollywood TV series with black leads where, no one is selling drugs, no one is from the hood, no one is on welfare, in public housing or on government support and needs to be saved. It's a miracle. The casting is good, the actors have range, they're educated, well spoken and employed and actually own stuff.

Hollywood need to produce more TV shows like this. Here's a gentle reminder, that not all POC come from lower income backgrounds, are African American and have a connection to narcotics. More of this Hollywood and less of everything else. More recognition of the fact that your audience stretches far beyond people who like shows like snowfall, the wire, godfather of harlem and abbott elementary. It's about time that Hollywood ups it's game and widens the scope of its content in both TV and film.

My only quibble is that I was drawn to this show because of FW who can do no wrong as an actor. He's got it going in lenght, breadth, and depth, when it comes to his craft. And in looks too, in that he's not the standard roll out from casting central.

As a leading man, he carries the weight with ease and grace and never phones it in, you here that Denzel? Al? Nicholas? Forrest never! Phones! It! In!

You guys can learn from him.

Not a whole lot of FW in this first episode but that there is of him is pitch perfecto!!! And I excpect a lot of backstory to unfold.

Rest of the cast, storyline, writing, all A's. Good mix of characters and the casting. Tension is not melodramatic, just the right setting on the dial.

So I'm all set to see ep 2. Let's go, let's go, let's go!!!

Only half way through and Im obsessed. Have closed to 800 shows on my Watched List. This related to family complexities, social issues always leaving you needing more. The episodes seemlessly run together. It's the perfect show to binge in a day. It has an interesting perspective of how a father maintains unique relationships with each of his children which i think many will find relatable. Even though my political knowledge is limited the writers include me through the perspective of one of the children. In addition, the family dynamic is further relatable through the choice a of the siblings and how they complicate families. All while a mystery is being solved and real lives are being lived.

Implied message of series = White people evil, Republicans bad Actuality of series = Writing bad, Acting tolerable.

I really wanted this show to be enjoyable just because of what Forest Whitaker has accomplished in his storied acting career and brings to any project he takes on. Unfortunately this was not the case here. From the very beginning, this series draws strong racial and political boundaries, under the guise of a dramatic television project. It doesn't make the statement then lighten up, but doubles down on the rhetoric and ramps up on the hatred and vitriol.

For the viewers that can watch this and realize that it's just a television series (that was intended to entertain but falls short of that goal) it's mildly watchable and barely coherent. But for the easily triggered and politically radical viewers it is a blueprint to manipulated anger and even more racial and political division.