Its a great show, it also sets a new standard. In 1973 there was nothing like this on the air. There's a heavy influence of Lorraine Hansberry in the show's writing(which is a good thing) with a dash of the supernatural. What a cast! Rockmund Dunbar is A-list and hope he gets some big films in the future(haven't watched PRISONBREAK yet). Nicole Ari Parker is already A-list and this show underlines that she is one of the best in film or television. The thing that kept me attuned to this show was its pace and its daring to take on tougher than usual African-American dramatic topics. I wouldn't expect a show like this to morph into The Sopranos, TWIN PEAKS or Desperate Housewives. It did deliver some striking tableaux and establishing shots that aimed to be as arresting as those other shows. My biggest complaint is that it was not shot widescreen style(I feel that 16:9 aspect ratio is the way to go when it comes to drama). Another thing that made the show were the guest stars. Whoa, top shelf pretty much across the board with standouts like Tyra Ferrell, Dennis Haysbert, Gary Dourdan, Richard Roundtree, Nikki Micheaux, James Avery and Isaiah Washington. Irma P. Hall popping up then and again was a treat as well. I'm coming late this show and I have to admit I was resistant because I thought it was going to be mawkish and too sentimental for my tastes. I was wrong and I stand corrected.
