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I laughed quite a bit while watching “Meet Brown Meadows,” the series premiere of Tyler Perry‘s latest TBS sitcom Meet the Browns, and somewhat less during the follow-up episode “Meet London and the Competition.” I won’t deny that much of the plotting on both was predictable and not sophisticated in the sense of, say, 30 Rock or The Big Bang Theory. But, the show definitely seems to be a fun way to pass a half-hour or two … so far (more on the quantifier soon).
During the premiere episode “Meet Brown Meadows,” we find central character Leroy Brown preparing to transform his house into a retirement home called Brown Meadows, per his deceased father’s last wish. Brown’s renovation plans, which he’s dangerously carrying out himself, are interrupted, however, when a fire strikes another already established retirement home down the street.
Social worker Carmen Martinez drops by Brown’s home with news of the tragedy and quickly convinces the irritable but kindhearted owner to open his doors for “one or two” — but actually more like a dozen — of the displaced residents. Unfortunately, Robin Robinson, the snotty owner of the other residence, is none too pleased to learn she has a budding business rival nearby, so she immediately calls an inspector to sabotage Brown’s goal.
Bad move, to say the least. Brown is now more determined than ever to remain open, even after the inspector essentially shuts him down because the residence doesn’t meet strict requirements. One of the funnier repeated riffs consists of Brown insisting he doesn’t need a license for the business because he doesn’t drive; he rides his bike, and if the residents need to go anywhere, they’ll take a bus.
Brown has several major character quirks, one of which is his unique (mis)use and (mis)understanding of words and phrases. In this case, he obviously misinterprets what kind of license he needs to make Brown Meadows legal, but I know a lot of people with the same dislike of driving and preference for cheaper and/or public transportation.
After the failed inspection, Robin steals all but two of her residents back: oversexed Edna, a nice-looking senior who claims she’s only 45, and Colonel Jackson, a former Marine who’s also oversexed and likes to use the bathroom outside in the bushes. Brown is furious that the two residents he likes the least are the two who stay, and when his adult daughter Cora asks why, he explains, “‘Cause he crazy and she nasty.” Well put, not to mention accurate.
The two undesirables end up helping Brown, though, when melodramatic, rich Daisy LaRue “of stage and screen” arrives to move into the non-existent penthouse suite. Cora is offended by Ms. Daisy’s (as they come to call her) request that they “watch the black one” closely — at that point, there are no less than four “black ones” of varying complexions around, so nobody can figure out which “black one” she means — but all Brown cares about is the size of Daisy’s bank account, even after Cora confirms she’s not one of the actresses from The Golden Girls.
The day after Daisy’s arrival, Robin stops by in a huff because Daisy’s cab apparently took her to the wrong retirement home. Yet, when she threatens to call the inspector on Brown again after Daisy refuses to leave, Edna and the Colonel step in to threaten Robin with the same. The Colonel accuses her facility of not only having roaches and mold, but also rats as big as the not-so-small Brown. Case closed.
Next, on the less funny and more uneven but still fairly entertaining second episode “Meet London and the Competition,” Brown is arrested on a terrorist-threat charge just as it’s time to hire a handyman to complete all the household repairs he’s finally figured out he can’t finish himself.
While mailing a box for his church at the airport, he tells a clerk who asks what’s inside that it’s “the bomb,” meaning “fantastic,” of course. The arrest leads to several mentions of the Tyler Perry character Madea, Cora’s mother, whom Brown indicates looks like a man now. This too-long segment falls flat on its face, but I imagine hardcore Madea fans might appreciate it more.
After Brown is released from jail on bail and hires competent eye-candy handyman Jesus, celebutante Paris Hilton-clone London Sheridan (the very, very weak link in the episode’s cast) arrives. She comes to what she considers the projects to complete her community service after getting arrested (yet again) for driving under the influence of alcohol. Although she’s a conceited, dimwitted pain in the butt, everyone gets in line with her as a houseguest after Brown shows them the big check her father gave him for the favor.
Next up on January 14 are the back-to-back episodes “Meet the Dependents and the Divas” and “Meet Your Family.” If both are as good as or better than “Meet Brown Meadows,” then Meet the Browns might have staying power. If they don’t even manage to demonstrate the same quality as the weaker “Meet London and the Competition,” however, the sitcom could end up only being able to attract diehard Perry fans.
Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns airs Wednesdays on TBS at 10pm and 10:30pm EST.
