A strong supporting cast includes Margaret Avery as her sick and often fretful mother, Richard Roundtree as her father and Lisa Vidal as her producer and friend, Kara. But it's Union's commitment to all the craziness in her character's life (including sex in all the wrong places, with all the wrong people) that's likely to make Being Mary Jane my newest guilty pleasure.

Thematically ambitious with a strong and nuanced cast, Being Mary Jane, which stars Gabrielle Union, combines daytime television talking points with cable-worthy character depth.

Being Mary Jane has been formulated for being fascinating. Now comes the follow-through.

The series, created by Mara Brock Akil, works for a number of reasons, including Union's performance as a very credible contemporary woman.

What makes it all work, moderately, is Union, who manages to portray Mary Jane as relatable, sexy and vulnerable, without being a saint or goody-two-shoes.

Both the summer movie and Tuesday’s premiere feature plot points so severe and odd that they destabilize the show’s narrative.

Gabrielle Union is by far the best thing about this single-lady-in-search-of-a-life drama.... Alas, the sluggish pacing and ridiculous dialogue send the show down the drain. [31 Jan/7 Feb 2014, p.96]