Girlfriends (2000–2008) User Reviews

A good show with annoying characters

[andartarius · 6/10 · 10 May 2023]

Joan's mishaps and inscerities are truly getting on my nerves, its a cool little show with nice characters and well built story , but joan long running line of boyfriend is truly exhasperating, she has the mentality of a 5 year old putting incredible demands on mens and i wouldnt be surprised the real actress is like that in real life still being single and about 50 years old . As she plays the codependant bipolar who changes her mind every 2 second in the show. Im now at the storyling where her new boyfriend who she ''instantly falls in love with over metting him one time and instantly says i love you'' brings her to vegas and shes so dramatic about him not wanting to marry her after they barely met, yet when he says ok lets go lets get married she makes a big deal about wanted to brag about her dress to everyone, shes never happy ,never content and completely out of her mind.

Girlfriends Are Cold

[mbadugha · 6/10 · 15 November 2006]

I used to love Girlfriends until 2 things happened - 1) I got a DVR & started watching lots of episodes in a short time frame & 2) I started watching Sex & City for the first time w/ DVR. The more I watched Girlfriends the less I like the characters. They treated each other (& the people around them)horribly & the characters have not developed since the first season, & they were all incredibly self-absorbed. By contrast, the Sex & the City girls had all gone through incredible introspection & ended up moving & growing by their final season. W/ respect to treating each other mean - I could not even conceive of being friends w/ Toni after she tried to sleep w/ my man & Joan was so selfish that she turned Maya's & Toni's weddings into mini-dramas about even crying that she couldn't wait for the nightmare of Toni's wedding to be over. By contrast, Charlotte had a hard time w/ Miranda's pregnancy but she was still incredibly supportive. There was a warmth & caring between the Sex & The City girls, that was lacking w/ the Girlfriends. The height of that was last year's finale where all the Girlfriends turned their backs on Joan after she made a mistake.

It grew on me

[filmcrit-2 · 6/10 · 3 March 2005]

This is the show that taught me to look at TV shows for what they are: writers' impressions of what life "somewhere" for "someone" is like. No, this show doesn't portray all of my personal experiences as a Black woman, but it also doesn't portray what I think my life is going to be like as an attorney, either.

If it's funny, then it's funny - and 'Girlfriends' is funny. Just because the stars are Black doesn't mean that it is necessarily there to represent the "Black" experience. Nor does it have to. No more double standard for me. I recommend this show to everyone - not just Black women.

Funny show

[trishystar · 24 May 2004]

This show is really funny but sadly underrated. The lead actors are good though the changing supporting cast is not fantastic. I'll be very sad if this show gets cancelled because I stay up till late to watch it and its definitely worth it.

The show lasts about 20 minutes minus ad breaks and tackles some real-life issues like children, marriage, career aspirations, therapy. I wouldn't compare it to Sex and the City though that may have been how the concept for the show began.

I await its move from late night television show to prime time sitcom but doubt it will be happening too soon. All four female leads are quite beautiful...contrary to previous comments.

Awesome

[gbgya · 10/10 · 11 November 2020]

Great except for the cliffhanger, I want answers. I feel like twenty years is a long time to make viewers wait. Enough is enough. Answers please.

A RARE GEM IN THE COMEDY GENRE

[douglasjordane · 10/10 · 30 September 2020]

I REMEMBER WATCHING GIRLFRIENDS AND FEELING GOOD AFTER EACH EPISODE. WHILE IT WAS A COMEDY, THERE WAS A SOCIAL MESSAGE AS WELL. THIS WAS CERTAINLY A DIFFERENT STYLE OF COMEDY BUT IT WAS FUN TO WATCH AND GROW WITH EACH RESPECTIVE CHARACTERS' DEVELOPMENT.

I LAUGHED; I THOUGHT DEEPER ABOUT LIFE AND I SAW BLACK WOMEN HAVING TRUE FRIENDSHIPS AND STRUGGLES. IT WAS A PLEASANTLY UNIQUE AND BOLD STATEMENT COMING FROM THE MOST UNLIKELY OF PLACES: COMEDY. BRAVO!

Nostalgic

[dwap-12902 · 8/10 · 10 February 2022]

I love this series way back in 2000 still wholesome 22 years later. I kinda find Joan controlling, bossy, judgmental, thinking she's better than everyone else, lowkey narcissistic. Everything had to happen at her house or she wouldn't attend or it wasn't as good as it would have been if it was to be at her house. Then turns around and make everyone feel like she's always there for them. She's that bourgeois friend with the money, status, right family and money connections, who's always there to help her friends out but later uses it to gaslight them about how good she always is to them. She's a victim of her very restricted/protected privileged conservative upbringing.

Toni is the insecure girl who tries too hard to breakfree from poverty and the smalltown countrygal image, she ends up materialistic, self-centered, selfabsorbed narcissistic, but in reality all that is just a front for her fears, insecurities&low selfworth. I feel the others ganged up on her most of the time, they're just plain mean to her, made her the ass of jokes, I can see why "she" left the show. The show lost it's pepper after Toni keft, Jill-Marie nailed that role, it was never the same after she exited.

Lynn was the typical Aquarius. She's over-educated, whimsical, philosophical, but lots of talent&potential. She's hopelessly incapacitated by her identity crisis. She's the open-minded, sexually liberated and artistic woman, very smart, intelligent, acting lazy, spoilt brat, hoochymomma airhead as a way to fit in, deal with her identity crisis and fit in. She seems to have fear of rejection, using sympathy to sponge on her friends. She is the one whose easy to talk to and you can turn to because she's not judgmental.

Maya, the typical ghetto fabulous teen mom, who married too young, yet grounded with some solid values. She's ambitious and determined to rise above her past mistakes and follow her dreams, nonetheless. She's the levelheaded, wiser one among the four.

Girlfriends in 2020 on Netflix

[zconkerite · 7/10 · 19 September 2020]

It's now twenty years since this series first aired, it still holds up. The comparison to SITC is fair on some level and maybe even a bit of Mom which first aired in 2013 however some of the humor is dated which illustrates how far we as Black women have come. Not every thing related to sex and race are funny today as we thought it was back in the day. Whatever, Girlfriends lasted eight seasons! That's good work and enough time for industry growth. Today, Tracee (Black-ish) is starring in and singing in High Note and Producer Mara Brock Ajil (The Game, Mary Jane) is about to take on more well-earned projects big time. That laugh track...

A Show with comedy, drama, and most of all... love.

[ronandboys323 · 10/10 · 1 July 2006]

Girlfriends is an EXCELLENT show which expresses how some friends can truly help to change your life in a positive way. The main characters are Joan Clayton, a 30-something year old entrepreneur, Maya Wilkes, a sassy author and mother, Lynn Searcy, a free-spirit woman who shares many passions, and Toni Childs, a single mother who has changed her wicked ways for the new baby in her life.

All four of them have different personalities but that is also what makes their bond so strong. This show expresses the love that they all share. The four of them lift each other up when they are down and are always willing to lend a hand in each others lives to make it a little bit better. This show is definitely one that will be remembered, this show shows what the true meaning of friends is!

Good, Sassy, Underrated Series

[cdgrnr · 6/10 · 28 July 2012]

Girlfriends is a show about for strong, black women that deal with things that can happen in peoples' everyday lives like, relationships and friendships. Girlfriends stars Tracee Ellis Ross as Joan, Golden Brooks as Maya, Jill Marie Jones as Toni, and Persia White as Lynn. These women give great, funny performances that did not get the credit that they deserved. Ross was the only one that won awards for her acting, but the others should have won some too. I think that this show was very underrated. Girlfriends is a really funny show, even though some of the dialogue can be cheesy. The main cast give great performances. If you are into hip, sassy, funny shows, Girlfriends is the one for you.

so...what is so good about this show again?

[temperamint-1 · 1/10 · 20 February 2008]

I liked season 1 and part of season 2 a little better. Let me just give some bits and parts of the show that made it lose a lot of cool points.

Joan's behavior was completely rotten towards William when they returned from New York, and she was a bit immature, trying to play games, setting him up with both Monica and the other girl. Those that watched the show avidly saw her conduct towards him.

She was actually jealous of Toni when Toni was about to get married. What was that all about? I thought they were true friends. She took out her anger on Ellis, and later cheated on him and lied to him. She was an extremely stink girlfriend. A lying, cheating, jealous, immature fool. Ellis was never that great anyway. Their union, as many other unions on this show, should have never happened.

Maya's conduct was similar, especially when she was William's assistant, and even after she was rightly fired. The episode where Reverend Al Sharpton guest starred made me cuss. William asked her to do one thing, she did something else, and made a spectacle of herself in front of the Reverend. She failed to remember that she was the one who was rude and inefficient, and tried to make William out to be the bad guy. She was an ingrate to both William and Joan. The whole ghetto, sassy act was not cute and not cool. She always felt she could do what she wanted when she wanted where she wanted.

She also wanted to make Darnell miserable after they broke up, calling him over to pick fights with him Wasn't she the one who cheated?

Her friend also acted like a total jerk towards the father of her own children when he came to pick up the kids.

Did Lynn say she wanted to burn down Joan's house after she was kicked out? Did she also want to do the same after Toni fired her as her assistant at her new real estate office? That was supposed to be funny? Don't even get me started on Toni Chlamydia Childs and Monica the Control Freak.

There is so little respect for one another that I sometimes question the friendships. The writer of this show is another writer I wish I could talk to face to face. If there is anything that I am not understanding, then she can show me. I want to go through episode by episode and drill her.

Great Show

[ypsiwitch-1 · 10/10 · 8 February 2007]

I was resistant to the show at first because I was overwhelmed with shows like Moesha, the Parkers, and I didn't like the way they portrayed black people. But This show is different. These women and especially Reggie Hayes show strong successful Black people who worked their way up to their positions. You can see a bit of your self in all the characters, and William is non stop funny as a momma-loving, republican, success oriented lawyer.

There are other characters that you learn to enjoy, but the friendships between these women is stronger than anything thrown at them; including man troubles.

I feel cheated.

[lilooolaura · 7/10 · 9 April 2021]

Hey. I spent 8 seasons with these people. I suffered through season 7 Joan. That was not the series finale I deserved. Not even a fast forward into the future to see how things end? Please.

That is all.

High class minstrel show

[Newsense · 1/10 · 10 March 2009]

I'll admit that Girlfriends didn't look so bad for the first 5 episodes. Im not sure why I watched this junk for at least 3 seasons but I guess I was just being optimistic that this show might have gotten better as it progressed but it didn't. There are times when this show blatantly rips off elements of Sex and The City. In this review I'll state everything that made me despise this show. The characters are pretty obnoxious and as the show progresses its hard to like them because they do some pretty stupid things to jeopardize their lives. Joan Clayton(Tracee Ellis Ross) cant keep a steady relationship with a man to save her life. Maya Wilkes(Golden Brooks) doesn't know if she wants to be with Darnell or not and she drives him as well as the viewers of this show nuts with her high strung antics. Lynn Seacy(Persia White) is the most likable character in this show but she is not without her flaws. She does not know if she wants to be with men or women(and she drives them both insane), She is very scatterbrained and when people depend on her she is likely to fail them. Plus I found it very typical that the most likable character of all of them is the one of mixed heritage. Toni Childs(Jill Marie Jones) is the most reprehensible of all characters. As a matter of fact she is probably the most insufferable character in sitcom history. She is a high class gold-digger that puts poor Todd Garrett(Jason Pace) through hell. So much so that when he took her to court that I was ecstatic but unfortunately the idiot had to feel sympathy for this loathsome tramp and dropped the case. William Dent(Reginald C Hayes) would be a likable character but his moronic horn dog ways makes it virtually impossible to like him. He ruins what could have been a decent relationship with his boss(played by Anne Marie Johnson) to be a pig and is constantly running back to that gold-digging self-centered trollop Monica(Keesha Sharpe), even though her love for him was only on a financial level. Pluss episode after episode is wasted on him chasing after Donna Williams(Jill Scott) and we all know that wouldn't have worked out at all. Darnell Wilkes(Khalil Khan) seems somewhat smart till you realize that only a fool would put up with Maya for so long. There are plenty of episodes that make me disgusted with this show but there is one episode that is stuck in my mind eternally. The episode where William forgets to pose as Santa Claus(or Satan's Claws) for Jabari and the the girls were mad at him for that made me sick to my stomach. First of all we all know that Santa Claus is an imaginary character so you're going to get angry at William because he doesn't cater fairy tales to a little boy that needs to be fed truth in order to grow up to be a mentally stable adult? How insane is that? And we wonder why these kids grow up to be so self- destructive. If they are fed these poisonous fairy tales all their lives how can they deal with reality? Any Black parent that feeds their kids these harmful tall tales needs to be locked up for the rest of their natural lives.

In closing, Girlfriends is wildly overrated and symbolizes everything thats wrong with modern Black sitcoms. Back in the day bourgeoisie morons criticized shows like Frank's Place, Different World, Roc, The Cosby Show and Parent Hood for being unrealistic and preachy but those shows were way over their snooty heads and were leaps and bounds over the rubbish that passes for sitcoms now. As for the comparisons to Living Single, don't make me laugh. Living Single might not be deep but it had class and you don't despise the characters of that show. Sure they were pretty goofy but they were likable characters. The characters of Girlfriends are so repulsive that you just want them to get trampled by a stampede consisting of the starting lineup of every team on the NFL. You cranks that want to be entertained instead of being "preached to" have found your mindless junk food. Enjoy it and savor every bite. Pretty soon there will be a Black Michael Bay to satisfy your appetite for mindless action movies with no substance. As for me I will not go near another Black sitcom. I am always anxious to see Black people on the TV screen but when all I'm getting is chittlin circuit trash like Girlfriends, Eve, Cuts, The Game and Half and Half , I begin to lose hope for quality Black shows because every show that was cool like All Of Us is countered by dreck like the shows I just mentioned.

Grows stronger with each season

[budikavlan · 14 May 2003]

This show started out good, and has gotten better and more assured throughout its run. Comparisons to "Sex and the City" and "Living Single" are fair, but only tell half of the story. As the show has developed, it has made such comparisons necessarily reductive: "Girlfriends" combines the best of both of those predecessors and throws in other elements to make a series which is both thought-provoking and one of the most raucously funny projects on TV today. Its location in UPN's Monday night "ghetto" is both a blessing and a curse: it gives "Girlfriends" a firm foundation within the target African-American audience, but it limits the show's ability to reach out to other audiences. I wish more people would seek it out; I'm pretty sure they'd love it as much as I do. During the third season, scripts have continued to tackle serious subjects with greater and greater success, while keeping the laugh count as high as ever (much higher than 90% of comedies on the air). The performances remain strong as the characters are taken through much more than usual sitcom paces. This show actually has the nerve to tell real stories, rather than growing stale out of fear of change. The producers have managed to keep the viewers laughing while becoming the leading fictional forum for racial issues and simultaneously earning its feminist bona fides (including an A+ rating from NOW).

Girlfriends

[mcqrose · 10/10 · 11 August 2006]

Finally, there is a sitcom that allows people to see that we as black females do and can have a productive lifestyles. It is funny, refreshing and the women are attractive. I think all the women on this show are beautiful and I just want to thank them and hope that they continue to be a part of my Monday evening line up, that I love to watch. I pray that they do have a new and wonderful season in the fall. We need more shows like this, I really appreciate the show, if I am not home to watch, I tape it. Maya oh hell yea, and Toni and perhaps she could give her little husband a little more time. My favorite Joan and her freeloading buddy with the "degrees" are a joy to watch. I love William too, and I want to wish you all much love and thank you for your show. You have our support and hope that you can continue to be a blessing to the black community.

Could watch this series over and over

[oneblessedmom-93400 · 10/10 · 31 January 2021]

I completely connect with each of these characters in different ways. You'll laugh, cry, and get lost in this show. The actors are amazing and have a true and real relationship with each other. Truly a fan! This show has been my therapy since Covid started. Thank you for bringing it back!!

Excellent Sitcom

[oaimerid36 · 9/10 · 12 June 2006]

I truly have been enjoying all the characters featured on Girlfriends. Their talent is so deep and rich that I have to remind myself they are actually actors and not real life characters. Having said that I know you will agree with me that it is because of their true talent which is so convincing, compelling and genuine to life that I can almost believe in the reality of the characters as true to life.

I look forward to "many" more seasons of "my" Girlfriends! Congratulations "Girlfriends" for your success of the past and the future with "CW".

Debbie

If you like Frasier, you'll probably like Girlfriends

[lonestarnot · 8/10 · 31 January 2007]

It's unclear who led Girlfriends' formation, whether Kelsey Grammar rounded up a bunch of African-American heavyweights to build a show, or whether the heavyweights leveraged Grammar's success to get their show aired. Either way, Girlfriends operates at the peak of Hollywood production, with a VERY richly talented team of actors, writers, producers, etc.

The result seems much like Frasier, blending stereotype, caricature, and "comedy of manners" humor with delicately woven stories of challenges contemporary audiences will see as "real" and relevant. That's a tightrope walk. The humor is an established art, in accomplished hands; but the right compromise between humor and realism is far less certain, even for such a skilled group.

Though I might personally prefer to tweak the compromise a bit more toward realism, that would make it a different show. I really like Frasier -- familiar eccentricities/caricatures and all. But I find Martin Lawrence, Tyler Perry, and Eddie Murphy far too silly/campy/ghetto. I did, however, notice that they continue to make more money and garner more fame than certain others. The very-accomplished-but-not-as-famous crew behind Girlfriends surely notices that too.

Creators for HBO & Showtime craft shows to build on the networks' reputation for more weighty/intense/realistic programming. (e.g. Soul Food) Girlfriends' creators must likewise craft the show for the very different market positioning at UPN.

I expect the Girlfriends we see is a very deliberately crafted balance, adjusted to maximize ratings/earnings in a UPN context. The same could be said of Frasier; and I find both shows entertaining.

Male character construction in Girlfriends is an interesting side note. William is given more development & air time than any male on Sex & the City or L-Word, serving as a foil not just in interaction but in his parallel story lines. In making the story about the girlfriends, the writers have wonderfully shown no urge to regurgitate the standard set of negative black male stereotypes. Even more than with Sex & the City, Girlfriends mostly explores the leads' "issues" by contrasting with normality in its male actors.

Fun and entertaining sitcom.

[m-47826 · 5/10 · 24 May 2021]

That is free of race baiting and against victimization speech. So it's possible. The show aired twenty years ago, which is probably the reason for that. I'm only at season one, but I'm enjoying it so far. And if this light tone is kept throughout, I think I'm about to have a good time watching this series. The only real issue I have with it though, is the Lynn character. She's weird, but not in a funny way. Like the actress was on drugs, and it distracts me. Maya is my favorite, obviously. And I love how fearless the humor can get sometimes, especially for a CW series. And even though the show was clearly trying to be Sex and The City meets Friends, with colored women. It has its own appeal and sens of humor, and I like it.

great show

[justbfit · 10/10 · 15 August 2013]

This was a brilliant story about successful African American girlfriends. The writers took us through their valleys and their celebrations. Each character had a different personality. It was well received by professionals. It wouldn't be a show with out one male friend. Big Willie was the voice of reason for these girlfriends. His whit, logic, and a great level of success created balance to the show.

Each girlfriend had her own form of success. But, eventually they all found their true calling/success. They were all happy.

Unfortunately, the show was canceled during the writer's strike. Losing this show was a definitely loss. I wish someone would pick this up or give us a reunion show.

A Sophisticated Comedy

[cubria · 27 October 2004]

This show is, in my opinion, a very funny well written well acted program. I find it to be sophisticated and not your typical "urban" comedy. The chemistry between the four actresses is wonderful and believable. I must admit that there is a familiar feeling to the format of the show but, so what there are many sitcoms that are "like" other sitcoms that doesn't necessarily mean they are bad. Girlfriends brings a fresh approach to a old format. I like the fact that all the characters are in different places in their lives and that they are different in their approach to life, I find most of the story lines to be very truthful and realistic. This show is worth your time!

definitely something for the ladies

[amanda-401 · 9/10 · 1 November 2006]

When this show first came out it was considered the Sex and the City for the black folk, and while the premises of the show is smiler (withe the four female friends looking for love career and everything else in between) it's rather different as well.

it's incredibly witty in that Frasier type way and that probably has to do with Kelsy Grammar producing the show, and while they not afraid to talk about sex or in the case of Joan the lack there for every episode is not contaminated with naked torsos all over.

this show does not give the illusion that as a writer for a weekly column you can afford to stay in the heart of Manhatton (i come from South Africa and i know that is expensive) and afford Jimmy Choo's and Blonicks please, these women work hard to look as good as they do, and in Joan's case you might even make yourself broke trying to maintain the look.

This show defiantly found a way to touch on all subjects, broken homes (with out being stereotypical because daddy doesn't always have to beat mommy or be an alcoholic for the home to break up) in the case of Maya and her husband.

you have the Nimphomaniac friend who refuses to stop studding and get a job in the case of Lynn.

the up and coming Legal Aid in the form of Maya

the definite girls girl in the form of Toni Childs so this show def has something for us all....

Defnaitly something for the ladies but Gentlemen you more then welcome to join the fun....

Girlfriends!!!! We need you!!!

[herbodiedhair · 10/10 · 30 May 2021]

When I tell you I combine this with Martin and Living Single, that alone tells you my collabor of TV. I truly appreciate girlfriends for their timeless topics. I WANT TO SEE THIS UNFOLD. We have enough tv we didn't ask for but this is one that is wanted. The world thanks you in advance and the culture celebrates you.

a great comedy

[niidalai · 6 October 2005]

Lynn, Joan, Tony and Mya and sometimes William. All i can say is that the chemistry is great the acting is great and the show is also great. It is as if each episode is funnier than the previous. The producers are really doing a good job. In fact if i compare it to the parkers and soul food which i believe were also great..i think this out shines them By far. I just hope the ending ..if there is to be an end ..will not be rushed and messed up ...just like that of soulfood and parkers.

Man this is a comedy for any race.....do not miss out on it....as a Ghanian living in Africa....i don't have any issues with any of the Topics being discussed in this comedy so therefore i am in the best position to judge this programme...and like the majority of the reviewers wrote..this is definitely a "must see" show. I also hope it Comes out on DVD soon, so that i can have my very own copy. I think it is one of the best comedies ever...and it has good plots and the Characters are well defined.

Dalai..Ghana - West Africa