The addition of the Girlfriends series to Netflix Library was one of the best things that helped me get through the end of the year 2020. Looking at the fact that there is more inclusion of black movies and series on this platform is just beautiful. Even though the series ended years ago, messages from the series can still be applied to the present day. The show takes us through the lives of four black women and friends: Joan, Toni, Lynn and Maya and their honorary friend “William”. It analyses the experiences of black women living in America trying to navigate their way around friendships, careers and relationships. To take us into the lives of the characters, I would be summarising roles played by the characters before going into in depth review of my analysis of the series.
1.Joan : She could be seen as the goody two-shoes of the group. A nervous lawyer who always looks out for her friends even at the expense of solving her own problems which are abundant and almost never ending as the series run through. She could be identified by many as an individual with multiple attitudes throughout the series , they include : A kind boss looking at her treatment of her legal assistant Maya as more of a close friend. She could be seen as someone who cannot keep a secret, looking at her accidentally revealing Toni cheating on Greg. She can also be viewed as a perfectionist which can be identified through her constant need for everything to be flawless. She can also be viewed by many as having really high expectations of men in the sense that immediately she detects a flaw, it tends to lead to her having major breakups. She is also scared that she might not ever find the love of her life.
2.Toni: She plays Joan’s childhood best friend and could be identified as the most proud and materialistic member of the group. She hopes to marry a rich man and break out of her Fresno farm girl roots. She is also a self centred person due to her demanding behaviour from her relationships and her never giving back anything in return. She also doesn’t take responsibility for her actions . She also doesn’t care about the problems of others. She is also narcissistic.
3.Maya : She plays the role of Joan’s assistant who later quits her role to be an author . She is the sassiest member in the group . During the fourth season, she was married to Darnell, her high school sweetheart who she has a son with named Jabari. She creates the catchphrase ,”Oh ,hell no” which she says in every episode .She is also a big conspiracy theorist .She is very protective of her son , Jabari. Maya and her husband get a divorce due to her cheating on him.
This video shows us Maya in her element using the catchphrase “Oh Hell No!!!”.
4.Lynn: She plays the role of Joan and Toni’s biracial roommate. She lives with Joan for 8years before getting kicked out. She has 8 degrees but is too lazy to get a job, prefers to ask her friends for money and follows whatever idea or passion she has. She could be identified as kinky if we look at the remarks she made about engaging in fetishes. The” Lynn Spin” is a sex position of her invention.Her character in the series can also be identified as that of a free-spirited person. She is also an adopted child. She tends to be unkempt with her appearance at times but that doesn’t stop her from still looking pretty.
5. William: He is Joan’s co-worker at the law firm and the girls best male friend. He is a Momma’s boy. He is also seen as a nerd in the series,a lover of Star Trek and comic books. He is continuously searching for love throughout the series. He is also a Republican in the series and he also has a brief romantic relationship with Joan during the series .
The series is a comedy show. The series identifies the significance of strong friendships through the lead characters Joan, Toni, Lynn ,Maya and William. A common subject highlighted in every season is how to be a better friend. Some areas of the show that signify these, include: When the girls are honest with Maya on why she should tell her husband about Stan who she has an emotional affair with. Joan teaches us about boundaries when she almost ends her friendship with Toni for not respecting her feelings. Through the girls and William support for each other during tough times, we can learn more about being more supportive friends. Everyone needs a bit of Toni’s confidence in my own opinion, even though selfish most times, I cannot help but notice how she thinks of herself so highly and nothing gets in her way. Joan quitting her job as a junior partner in a law firm to start a restaurant and Maya going back to college while being a single mum that works as a legal assistant full-time shows us it is never too late to pursue your dreams. Joan’s goal to make senior partner and her struggle to be taken seriously by her male colleagues shows us how to fight for our rights as women in male-dominated workspaces. Joan and Toni’s therapy session show us the importance, therapy plays in making us establish healthy relationships. The show discussed different topics from Colourism, Appropriation of Cultures, HIV/AIDs awareness, Drug and Alcohol addiction, Marriage and Career aspirations. Every girl needs that male friend, they can rely on , this can be identified through William character in the series even though he is very annoying. Maya humorous comebacks are things we could use for those moments we are angry. Lynn teaches us to be more open-minded and less judgemental.
This video takes us through the funniest moments of season one .
