Martin!

There is nothing I remember from my childhood more vividly than 'Martin'. There was perhaps no show that summed the essence of black life in the 90's. Starred and written by Martin Lawrence, this show was at turns thought provoking, innovative, and most of all, HILARIOUS. Martin takes us into a world rarely seen by mainstream media, that of young, intelligent, hardworking black people striving to live up to their potential.

Growing up my mother let me get away with watching grown television shows, and Martin was one of them. I didn't always get all of the jokes, but Martin had a way of expressing his comedy not only through words, but through exaggerated physicality, suggestiveness, and sometimes even props. You knew how much hated Pam because of the way he spat 'beady bead' at her. You always felt a little hurt by the way he pulled Cole's simpleton card or played Tommy about 'not having NO job.' But you also knew how much he loved his girl Gina by his supportive 'you go girl'-s.You didn't just hear ol' Marty Mar, you FELT him!

Watching the show on DVD is even funnier than it was when I watched it then. First of all, I get all the jokes now (lol). Second, Cole's hats? Gina's doctored up suits? Cross colors, windsuits and Jordan's? How about those teal-and-orange walls? Pure comedy. The wardrobe is off some straight Do-the-Right-Thing ish (just like the poster on Martin's wall).

Martin is a work of pure genius, and the characters and times it captured are indelibly marked on me and the thousands of other people who came up watching the show. Thank God it's on DVD, because there hasn't been that type of comedy or programming since. I LOVE THIS SHOW!!!

T.