Tyler Perry's ‘She the People’ is a political comedy that misses the mark

Tyler Perry’s first foray into political satire on Netflix with “She the People” is more of a show which serves as background noise while scrolling on your phone than it is a compelling comedic masterpiece.

The first eight-episode drop of the comedy, which premiered last week and is written, directed and produced by the renowned actor and film-maker, pales in comparison to other stellar series in the genre with shows like “Veep”, “Spin City” and “Parks and Recreation.”

The storyline, which sees an ambitious lawyer become Mississippi's first black lieutenant governor while battling personal and professional challenges, has much room for exploration.

But much of the dialogue falls flat, the jokes barely land, and the overall production fails to leave a lasting impression.

The series also includes a dynamic cast, spearheaded by the acclaimed Terri J. Vaughn, who plays the titular character of political newbie Antoinette Dunkerson.

The actress, who is acclaimed for her roles on “The Steve Harvey Show” and “All of Us”, is well-versed in Perry’s production’s having starred in “Daddy’s Little Girls" and “Meet the Browns.”

For  “She the People”, Vaughn is joined by familiar faces from the Perry universe, including Jo Marie Payton, Karon Riley and Robert Craighead.

You would think that this assembling of some of the stars from Perry’s project would result in some of his finest work, but instead, there is not much chemistry between them, and many of their performances are lacklustre.

And while the next instalment of the show, which will be released in August, could redeem its poor debut, it will take a lot for that to happen and for it to rank among Perry’s best work.

“She the People” kicks off with Dunkerson making her political intentions known during a local television news interview, only for her to be met with a condescending presenter who insists that she is unlikely to succeed.

But Dunkerson is determined to prove her critics wrong. Things then take a turn on election night when she unintentionally goes viral after punching a teenage boy in defence of her daughter at a house party.

This spikes her ratings, and she is elated when she wins the election, but her excitement soon dwindles when she meets Governor Harper (Craighead), a sexist politician who is stuck in the past.

Harper and his team are determined to sideline her, forbidding her from hiring her own staff and not taking any of her innovative ideas seriously. She even shuts her out, making himself unavailable for any meetings with her.

Dunkerson also faces embarrassment when she is sent out on bizarre events to represent the governor, including a pig hollering contest and a country fair where she is verbally attacked by the governor’s loyal supporters.

While she is attempting to find her feet in this unfamiliar political arena, she is also forced to contend with her zany family, including a rebellious teenager Cleo (Payton), a socially-awkward son Titus (Tré Boyd), an old-school mother Lola (Drew Olivia Tillman) with interesting takes on discipline, as well as her politically-uneducated cousin Shamika (Jade Novah) who she is forced to hire.

There is also Basil (Dyon Brooks), Tamika’s exuberant boyfriend and Jed (Kevin Thoms), a staffer at the governor's mansion. They both fail to leave a comedic impression, and their characters don’t offer depth to the series. 

Another aspect of the storyline I feel could have been better introduced is Dunkerson’s romantic interest in her bodyguard. Much of their interactions are confusing and not as funny as Perry might have intended. 

In addition, aspects of the show which include political corruption are also featured in a predictable way, and this part of the series failed to leave viewers pondering deeper societal issues as satire sets out to do.

“She the People” might include universal themes of battling self-doubt, overcoming self-doubt and dealing with family conflicts, but it does it in a way that has played out many times on our screens before.

As Dunkerson’s journey continues on the second part of the inaugural season of “She the People”, here is hoping for less silliness and a more comedic and poignant offering.

* I rate “She the People” 2 out of 5 stars.