HOLLYWOOD—Laughter is a must for me during the week, after a grueling work schedule, there’s nothing like a few laughs and Tyler Perry’s “For Better or Worse” is a perfect treat mid-week.  The series which revolves around several couples navigating themselves through the world of marriage and relationships leading to a possible marriage is an eye-opener.

The series stars Tasha Smith and Michael Jai White as Angela and Marcus Williams. Those faces might be familiar to many as the characters first appeared in “Why Did I Get Married” and its sequel “Why Did I Get Married Too?”

Angela is loud, blunt and doesn’t take mess from anyone. If you step on her toes, expect for her to step on yours. Marcus is more laid back, but in the past has snuck out on his wife creating major tension in their relationship. To say that Angela was pissed when she learned about her husband’s philandering ways would be an understatement. Not only did she put her hubby out the house, she set his possessions on fire at his place of employment.

The laughter of the series is notable because you start to think about your relationships and particular predicaments you may have been involved in and how you reacted. This is not to say that a cheating is a common thread in most relationships, but it happens, and the series evaluates those things. This is not to say that their marriage is picture perfect, its displays the good, the bad and ugly, which is important to see in TV.

 

Marcus and Angela’s relationship is further complicated by his ex Keisha (Kiki Haynes) and her hubby Richard (Kent Faulcon). Richard works with Marcus at C-Sports Now, which complicates things as he is forced to interact with his duplicitous ex, even when he doesn’t want to.

Men will be men and women will be women, which “For Better or Worse” displays quite well. Angela and her girls Leslie (Crystle Stewart) and Jennifer (Cocoa Brown) mingle at Lady Angie’s, a hair salon where the women talk about their significant others. Leslie has had a tumultuous relationship with Joseph (Jason Olive), whose failure to commit nearly cost him the love of his wife. For those newlyweds, the relationship between Joseph and Leslie is one to observe, as it revolves around building trust. Leslie has her imperfections and so does Joseph.

While we experience the ins and outs of these three couples, we have the shows two single characters Todd (Brad James) and Jennifer who are flat-out funny. They know how to quip the perfect lines and the perfect timing to simmer down a heated situation or to make it even funnier than what it is. That episode where the audience suspected that Todd and Jennifer may have slept together, deliver so many laughs I think I might have fallen off of the couch.

The recent weeks have pushed the envelope with tense subject matter involving the paternity of Keisha’s daughter Dominique who recently discovered that Marcus is not her biological father.  This has ignited a fire, where Dominique is lashing out at all parties, Keisha is furious and Angela and Marcus are attempting to cope with the truth, which has been looming over their head for quite some time.

If its laughs, heart and relationship dos and don’ts that are on your radar, then this is a series not to be missed. The season finale of Tyler Perry’s “For Better or Worse” airs Wednesday at 9:00 p.m. on OWN.