BET's Critically Acclaimed Series 'SOMEBODIES' Switches to a New Time
Based on the 2006 Sundance Audience Favorite, "SOMEBODIES" Moves to 10:00
P.M.* on Tuesdays
NEW YORK, Oct. 3 -- BET's first scripted series SOMEBODIES
moves to the most coveted primetime slot in television as it shifts to
10:00 p.m. on Tuesdays, with repeat episodes airing in the previous 10:30
p.m. time slot. The groundbreaking series has been universally praised by
television critics across the country as one of the best new series of the
year.
SOMEBODIES follows the life of Scottie, an African-American
undergraduate at a large university trying to figure out his place in the
world. While his housemates -- Marlo, Six, Tory, and Jelly -- are preparing
to transition out of college and into the real world, Scottie is set to
enter yet another year as a "professional student." Recognizing the need to
get his life on track, Scottie embarks on a journey of self-discovery
without exactly knowing which path to follow and everyone in his life has
an unsolicited opinion on the direction he should take. From his eccentric
Southern family (Aunt Agnes, Uncle Skeeter and Uncle Charles) to his
sometime girlfriend, always good friend, Diva, from the caustic musings of
his fire-and-brimstone preacher (Reverend Hill) to the sarcastic ribbings
of his buddies, everyone has an opinion about Scottie's life except
Scottie. The sixth episode in the 10-episode series premieres in its new
time slot on Tuesday, October 7.
"Hadjii has crafted a sweet little world that he inhabits with
unassuming style and grace." -- The Hollywood Reporter
" ... the star-writer-producer has a genial Everyman presence and
surrounds himself with a rich array of characters. Although hardly a
breakthrough, the show does provide a window into an African-American
experience that's increasingly underrepresented." -- Variety
"Good for BET. 'Somebodies' is something, all right, small and odd but
also out-of-nowhere fresh and funny. 'It is not uplifting or angry or about
drugs or crime or sports or music or sex,' wrote Ebert of the film version.
'It is about ordinary young people who are very, very funny because they
don't seem to know they're in a movie, and aren't performing for any
imagined audience, black or white. Their purpose is to celebrate
themselves.' All true of the series, too." -- New Orleans Times Picayune
"It's hard to believe it has taken this long for BET to produce an
original scripted comedy. Across TV, we're lucky to find any show that
deals with race consistently -- even backhandedly, as did ABC's short-lived
and largely underappreciated sitcom 'Cavemen.' So why should a network
aimed at black audiences abdicate sharp, smart commentary about race to the
likes of Comedy Central and (occasionally) the CW? 'Somebodies,' the new
BET sitcom that premieres tonight at 10:30, doesn't tiptoe around the
subject, which is what makes the show so honest and so funny. Based on the
movie of the same name, which made a splash at the 2006 Sundance Film
Festival, it centers on Scottie, a perpetual college student in a Southern
university town." -- Boston Globe
"BET's first scripted show is a fresh take on the black sitcom, with a
singular point of view. It's worth watching." -- Hartford Courant
" ... a comedic voice that has the laser incisiveness of Chris Rock and
the knowing graciousness of Garrison Keillor." -- Associated Press
"There are henpecked-husband jokes, and a 'Hide, it's my husband'
scene, and hot neighbor girls washing a car. But for the most part, it
avoids the obvious, even when it looks to be headed there. Sweet, lyrical
and a little cracked, it's worth seeking out." -- LA Times
"After nearly three decades, BET finally has a sitcom of its own, and
it's called 'Somebodies.' The original comedic series, which debuts
tonight, is produced by Pete Aronson and Warren Hutcherson, the executive
producers behind 'The Bernie Mac Show.' But the heart and soul of the show
is comedian Hadjii, who created 'Somebodies' and the 2006 film that
inspired it." -- Detroit News
"'Somebodies' was created by and stars Hadjii, who plays Scottie, a
fun-loving college slacker on the long-term educational plan. While his
pals are poised to embrace adulthood, he's on his seventh year and
counting. 'I got sperm that's gonna finish college before you do!' blurts a
derisive housemate. Floating through the show with a relaxed bemusement,
Hadjii's character simply rolls with the punches, instantly winning us
over. And he's just one piece of a solid cast of fresh performers who wring
plenty of laughs from the material. They're not cheap laughs, either. The
show, filmed on location in Athens, Ga., is flowing with a brand of humor
that makes clever observations about the state of black youth, student life
and race relations. In other words, 'Somebodies' possesses what any
promising sitcom should have: A voice." -- Contra Costa Times
"One of '5 new fall TV shows you shouldn't miss.'" -- Associated Press
SOMEBODIES is executive produced by Hadjii, Nathaniel Kohn, Pete
Aronson and Jordan Levin. Brett King (SVP, Scripted Programming) is the
executive for BET Networks.
Viewers can visit
http://www.bet.com/OnTV/BETShows/somebodies/default.htm for more about
SOMEBODIES, including biographies, upcoming episodes and exclusive
interviews with the cast.
*All times ET/PT
About BET Networks
BET Networks, a division of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is the
nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public
affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The
primary BET channel reaches more than 87 million households according to
Nielsen Media Research, and can be seen in the U.S., Canada and the
Caribbean. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a
diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading internet
destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET Digital
Networks - BET J, BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for
cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Event Productions, a full-scale
event management and production company; BET Home Entertainment, a
collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs
and video-on-demand; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video
content for wireless devices; and BET International, an extension of BET
network programming for global distribution.
About Generate
Generate (http://www.generatela.com) is an independent production and
management studio creating professional entertainment properties targeted
at Millennials across all media platforms with an emphasis on exploiting
opportunities in the digital landscape. Launched in early 2006, Generate is
the first production and management studio established by media leaders
with a proven track record with young audiences and blue-chip advertisers
to create content across multiple platforms embraced by young adults.
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