ONE SEASON WONDERS: South Central

On Wednesdays, I take a look at a series that lasted one season or less. This week, I am looking at South Central!

SOUTH CENTRAL

April 5, 1994 - June 7, 1994
10 episodes
FOX

Starring: Tina Lifford, Larenz Tate, Tasha Scott, Keith Mbulo

Created by: Ralph Farquhar and Michael J. Weithorn

Plot: Joan Moseley (Lifford) is a single mother raising her two children, Andre and Tasha (Tate & Scott) and foster child Deion (Mbulo) in South Central Los Angeles.

Brief Pilot Review:

I kept thinking as I watched this pilot how different things would be if this show aired today. Sure, there were a lot of topical plots but the whole feel to the show didn't feel authentic enough to me. It felt much closer to a standard sitcom than a realistic look at a family living in South Central Los Angeles. Having more serious plotlines and some different euphemisms doesn't really make it any different than a suburban white family sitcom except on a surface level. There's a passing mention of police brutality that certainly would have been a bigger discussion today. It's hard to call that a missed opportunity because that just wasn't how sitcoms were constructed back then. It seemed like, at its best, South Central was trying to be a Norman Lear-type sitcom. At worst, it was generic with nothing new to say despite the unique setting.

What helped South Central was a solid cast. Tina Lifford, Larenz Tate and Tasha Scott all had some funny moments and good chemistry with each other. The young Keith Mbulo made less of an impression, not really rising anything above "cute sitcom kid." Tina Lifford really made the most of the material she was given and was a standout throughout the episode. She was particularly strong in a grocery store scene where she first threw a fit and then was horribly embarrassed when she realized her check was going to bounce. There's a conversation about beepers that includes the line about "slime and scum carrying around beepers." Times really have changed a lot since 1994 so that was funny to hear. By the end of the episode, I felt like I could have watched more and maybe the quality of the scripts eventually rose to the quality of the performances.

What Went Wrong:

Despite my review of it comparing it to modern-day standards, there were plenty of people at the time who though South Central was, in fact, quite different. The Orlando Sentinel called it "brave but flawed" while Variety said it was "straightforward, touchingly human and funny." It was noted for being authentic and unlike any other sitcom on TV at the time. At the time, the cast were mostly unknowns. The best known was probably Tina Lifford, who had a recurring role on Knots Landing for several years. This was also a time when FOX was still actively courting the African American audience and just before a wave of cancellations of black-led shows (including South Central).

South Central premiered on Tuesday nights at 8pm, replacing the failed Henry Winkler sitcom Monty and leading into the third and final season of Roc. It was the third new sitcom to air in the 8pm hour on a night where FOX was still trying to establish a presence (besides Monty, the cult favorite but ratings challenged Bakersfield P.D. had started the season). Despite decent reviews, FOX was still struggling on most nights with programming. They had Beverly Hills, 90210 and Melrose Place on Wednesdays, The Simpsons on Thursdays and Married... With Children on Sundays. Other than those flagship shows though, FOX was still in the basement in the ratings and just throwing things at the wall to see what stuck. South Central lasted just a couple months before being cancelled but it has been fondly referred to from time to time in the years since as a show ahead of its time.

Tomorrow: A look at Season 2 (Part 1) of Happy Days!

Next Wednesday: A One Season Wonder look at Bridget Loves Bernie!