We tend to approach any Tyler Perry-produced series with caution, mainly because Perry isn’t known for nuance in his writing or directing. However, the new Paramount+ drama Route 187 is written by Perry Studios veteran Mark E. Swinton, so we have a little bit of hope that the show won’t be a complete mess.
ROUTE 187: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?
Opening Shot: A bus stops and lets on three young men. When one of them doesn’t have the money for the fare, the three men start harassing a teen who is bouncing a basketball between his legs.
The Gist: The bus route where the three thugs — Roshawn (Elijah Collins), William (Javen Lewis) and Darrell (Kerby Collins) — attack the teen, Terrell (Bryce Clyde Jenkins) is on Route 87 in South Winslow. The route is often nicknamed “Route 187,” with “187” being the police code for homicide. After the thugs carry Terrell out of the bus and beat him, the bus driver eventually gets involved outside the bus and gets beaten himself.
Mason James (Christopher Livingston) is a local reporter who is facing the reality that the newspaper he owns is going to be publishing its last edition. Still looking for stories, he finds out from T. Jay (Lawrence Robinson), who owns the used tire shop that young Black women keep disappearing from the neighborhood. What Mason doesn’t realize is that T. Jay runs a meth-making operation in the basement of the shop. Meanwhile, Tamara Henderson (Erica Pinkett) is denied visitation with her kids, and an angry outburst gets her thrown in lockup for contempt of court.
What Shows Will It Remind You Of? Route 187, created by Mark E. Swinton, with Tyler Perry as one of the executive producers, is reminiscent of shows like The Chi.
Our Take: Like many Perry productions, Route 187 doesn’t exactly come at its subject with much in the way of subtlety. The first scene we see is three guys attacking a teen on the bus whose route provides the show’s name. By the end of the 30-minute episode, Terrell’s mother, court clerk Lisa Mims (Tonia Jackson), is hyperventilating at the news that her son is in emergency surgery. Terrell’s brother is shown paying a prostitute $10 for favors next to a dumpster before he gets the bad news.
But what we are hoping is that, as we get through these fast-paced episodes, Swinton’s sensibilities will win out and the characters will get some depth. Mason is likely the factor that ties these stories together, but the nerdy lines he’s given, along with Livingston’s uneven portrayal, is endemic of what ultimately makes this show tough to watch. There’s a better show underneath some of the messy dialogue and over-the-top acting, but it may try the patience of viewers who keep watching in hope of finding that better show.
Performance Worth Watching: To be honest, no one really stands out, though Lawrence Robinson plays T. Jay and his twin brother Emp; T. Jay’s reaction to one of his guys accidentally calling him “Emp” shows us that they aren’t exactly close.
Sex And Skin: We mentioned that dumpster-side transaction. Also, T. Jay has all of his meth-making employees strip naked so they don’t pocket anything while working.
Parting Shot: Terrell’s mother Lisa can’t breathe as she gets word that her son’s injuries are life-threatening.
Our Call: STREAM IT. Route 187 suffers from a lack of nuance and some inconsistent performances. But we’re still recommending it because we’re hoping there’s at least a little nuance revealed as the series moves along.
Joel Keller (@joelkeller) writes about food, entertainment, parenting and tech, but he doesn’t kid himself: he’s a TV junkie. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, Slate, Salon, RollingStone.com, VanityFair.com, Fast Company and elsewhere.