Oprah Winfrey, Television Ratings, Television Sitcoms, Tyler Perry

OWN’s ‘The Haves and the Have Nots’ Draws Record Ratings But Poor Reviews

The ReadyWriter

Summer OWN

Viewers loved the premiere of Tyler Perry’s ‘The Haves and the Have Nots’ on Oprah’s OWN Network. The series premiere drew record ratings for Tyler and Oprah’s joint partnership. But the critics reviews of the show were brutal.

The show’s stars, Tika Sumpter, left, Renee Lawless and John Schneider helped to make “The Haves and the Have Nots” the network’s highest-rated premiere “ever,” according to a release from OWN.

“The Haves and the Have Nots” is typical of Tyler Perry’s obsession with glorifying the greedy “haves” while pitying the needy “have-nots” in his films.

Los Angeles Times critic Mary McNamara called the show “so awful that the awfulness appears intentional.”

From LA Times:

The 9 p.m. airing delivered 1.77 million viewers (1.57 million of them women age 25-54). The second episode at 10 p.m. grew to 1.8 million viewers (1.67 million were women 25-54).

However, initial reviews for the series were not kind. OWN did not send the show out to critics prior to its premiere, mirroring Perry’s policy of not allowing his films to be pre-screened for reviewers.

Brian Lowry of Variety called the show “claustrophobically cheap, not to mention poorly written and indifferently acted.” He added that the show could potentially damage Winfrey’s legacy of uplift and self-empowerment.

Mary McNamara of the Los Angeles Times was even more scathing, calling the show “so awful that the awfulness appears intentional. Except that might make it interesting, and it just isn’t.”

Published by The ReadyWriter

Writer, Published Author, CEO of ReadyWriter Production Company and Blog Talk Radio Host.

65 thoughts on “OWN’s ‘The Haves and the Have Nots’ Draws Record Ratings But Poor Reviews”

  5. I keep reading that it’s like a soap opera…then what’s the problem…young and the restless been kicking strong for decades.

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  7. He added that the show could potentially damage Winfrey’s legacy of uplift and self-empowerment.
    ==========================
    I wonder if folks know OWN is a network just like ABC, NBC etc…there’s a variety of programming that’s put on…stay mad that a BLACK WOMAN owns her OWN network

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  9. Awww too bad for the critics. I’m afraid they have to watch till the ppl who don’t read reviews btw stop..watching. Vicious. Lololol. 😆

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  10. I enjoyed it. Critics give scandal a mediocre 3.5. I give it a solid every Thursday night like clockwork 😆 so FUCK what the critics say.

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  11. 1.77 million viewers (1.57 million of them women age 25-54). The second episode at 10 p.m. grew to 1.8 million viewers (1.67 million were women 25-54).
    ___________________

    I thought Tyler would get a larger portion of the gay male audience…

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    1. I thought Tyler would get a larger portion of the gay male audience…
      ______________________

      I doubt any group that is less than 4% of the entire population can affect a show’s television ratings.

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      1. I thought Tyler would get a larger portion of the gay male audience…
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        Why? The guys in “Love Thy Neighbor” were corny. none seemed gay or are u saying because T.P. is gay? i don’t get it.

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  12. Tika Sumpter would make me pull everything out of my sexual trick bag. That hoe fine. I’m beatin it up, tossin salad… the works.
    Couldn’t be my woman tho.

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      2. She too old.
        ———————
        How old are you Man?? Do you like’em young *Chris Hansen’s voice*

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      5. How old are you Man?? Do you like’em young *Chris Hansen’s voice*
        ————

        I’m 30. I like em young and fresh!
        And legal! (mostly) LOL.

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      6. Tika’s 32 soon to be 33.
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        @Tamala…. she’s just a little bit past her prime…

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    2. Tika Sumpter would make me pull everything out of my sexual trick bag. That hoe fine. I’m beatin it up, tossin salad… the works.
      __________________________
      What else?
      Sucking toes?
      Two in the Pink, One in the Stink?
      Recipient of tossin salad?
      Nipple clamps? Both?
      Tell me more 😆

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      1. What else?
        Sucking toes?
        Two in the Pink, One in the Stink?
        Recipient of tossin salad?
        Nipple clamps? Both?
        Tell me more
        —————–

        Yeah, I’d suck some toes!
        I like to slide that finger up the poop chute while she riding me.
        Give her that spanking she know she want.
        Oh yeah… she would get it. I loved her since she was in that video with dark skinned Maxwell dude

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      2. Look..@Man & Corp, sounds like y’all gotcha own lil 4play goin on in here and somebody’s gonna be banned. WATCH!

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      1. That hoe fine. I’m beatin it up, tossin salad… the works.
        ————

        😆 Man STOOPID!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  13. The set was cheap (as most of Tyler’s sets are). It was just a big ole soap opera and I don’t see what the issue is. It wasn’t as awful as the critics are trying to make it out to be.

    I’m not fond of the cameras that Tyler uses on most of his films or the angles, but on a scale from 1-10, I’d give the show a 6. I’ll watch it again.

    Love They Neighbors….now, that young woman they have playing the old woman is something else….now that’s bad acting.

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  17. “The Have’s and The Have Not’s”

    I don’t even know what the title means but it was ok. a little unrealistic IMO but then again that’s T.P’s style.

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  19. Of course the ratings were through the roof TP got his stance strong!!! Oprah knew what she was doing when she solicited him for help!

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  20. T.P. don’t do nothing new. the woman playing on “Love Thy Neighbor” is just like Madea. It’s like he’s trying to re-create her. can’t get into his shows.

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