The Village depicts real-life struggles of Brooklynites

Photo courtesy of Jcchoi, Wikipedia
NBC premiered their new scripted drama, “The Village” a few weeks ago on March 19. The series is a mix of “This Is Us” and “A Million Little Things” as it centers on an apartment building in Brooklyn, depicting real life struggles of the tenants.
This show certainly deserves some praise alone for not being a crime or hospital drama like the countless ones the network loves to force on the public, like “New Amsterdam,” “Law and Order,” “Chicago Fire,” “Chicago MED” and obviously “Chicago P.D.” Poorly marketed, the show is easily confused for the East Village, depicting a gentrified version of Brooklyn. In actuality, the name of the building is The Village.
The show markets itself as comforting and sometimes sentimental, but trying too hard with cheesy lines like “when you’re under this roof, you’re family,” as if the producers are actually writing a script for an Olive Garden commercial. One saving grace is how the show features one of the most diverse casts on cable TV right now.
The African American super of the building, Ron (Frankie Faison), is losing both his historic bar, and possibly his wife Patricia to cancer, who is played by the iconic Lorraine Toussaint. Their son Ben (Jerod Haynes), who had moved back into the building after the loss of his own son, is sparking a romance with Iranian single mother Ava (Moran Atias).
Battling with ICE, Ava is fighting to keep her son and her home. The building welcomes back long time resident Enzo (Dominic Chianese) who moves in with his grandson Gabe (Daren Kagasoff) after years wasting away at a retirement center.
The Village also welcomes their new subletter, Nick (Warren Christie) who is secretly – not so secretly – the biological father to Katie (Grace Van Dien) now a pregnant teen much like her mother Sarah (Michaela McManus).
It's a mouthful of a plot and yes, the show is corny and especially sappy in all the most obvious cliche ways. The show needs to mature, but the selling point of “The Village” is that it’s actually not a bad watch. Once you start watching, you get infested and the episodes end before you know it.
Believe or not, the show has great writing. The representation does not end at casting, but portrays lifelike PTSD, much needed healthy relationships between people of color, while raising awareness about immigration.
The show will have you rooting for them, and crying with them. This new network series has undeniable potential if NBC decides to renew it. Hopefully the mushy touchy-feely plot lines will carry on to a season two.
4 stars
mperez9@ramapo.edu
Get Top Stories Delivered Weekly
More ramaponews News Articles
- Y2K fashion makes a comeback this spring
- Anime "Attack on Titan Season 4: Part 1" reigns popular
- Elliot Stabler returns to "Law & Order: SVU"
- Lil Nas X embraces queer lust and hellish imagery in new music video
Recent ramaponews News Articles
MOST POPULAR RAMAPONEWS

SGA elections open: here's what you need to know By DANIELLE DEANGELIS

Overview of Derek Chauvin trial, likely to last weeks By GABRIEL MATTHEW LUYUN

Rutgers stirs debate mandating COVID-19 vaccines By TORI D'AMICO

Y2K fashion makes a comeback this spring By JULIE BILDER
GET TOP STORIES DELIVERED WEEKLY
FOLLOW OUR NEWSPAPER
LATEST RAMAPONEWS
- SGA elections open: here's what you need to know
- Overview of Derek Chauvin trial, likely to last weeks
- Rutgers stirs debate mandating COVID-19 vaccines
- Y2K fashion makes a comeback this spring
- Anime "Attack on Titan Season 4: Part 1" reigns popular
- Ramapo ranks high for best New Jersey colleges
- Elliot Stabler returns to "Law & Order: SVU"
OUTSIDE THE LINES
- This Spring Promises an Abundant and Flavorful...
- Drug-free Ways To Deal With Morning Sickness
- Redefining ‘Summer School’: How Year-Round Learning Can ...
- Baby Boomers Still Playing Together Even “Party G...
- Cataract Surgery Saves An Avid Bowler’s Vision In R...
- It Is Time To Spring
- Newsworthy Travel Trends
- Louisiana's Bayou Teche Byway
- Being 55+ Has Its Advantages
- Working From Home With Ticket To Work
FROM AROUND THE WEB
- Conoce Estos 5 Números Si Tienes Diabetes
- Savvy Financial Planning Sooner Means More Money Later
- Protect Your Skin and Eyes from Unseen UV Rays
- BookTrib's BookBites: Hollywood, Cybersecurity, History...
- Cleaning Out the Medicine Cabinet Keeps Others Safe
- Bring the Ballpark Home for Baseball Season
- BookBites: The OPUS X Series - A Paranormal Sci-Fi Saga...
- BookTrib's Bites: Four Great Reads to Wash Away Those...
- Healthy Eating Adds Up to a Healthy Heart
- Entrepreneur Inspires Youth with Community Projects
COLLEGE PRESS RELEASES
- GEN.G, EASTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY LAUNCH Work From Home: The NetWORK FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN GAMING/ESPORTS
- GEN.G AND UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY HOST HOOPS AT HOME NBA 2K TOURNAMENT BRINGING TOGETHER STUDENTS, FACULTY, ALUMNI AND FANS
- Phi Kappa Phi Announces Expansion of Fellowship Program
- GEN.G, MEDILL EMBARK ON CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE PROGRAM
- San Francisco Thought Leader Shares the Results of His Scholarly Inquiry into Economic Principles That Create Wealth