Soul Food

To its credit, "Soul Food" doesn't stop to explain everything to us. The decision to let viewers pick things up as the show proceeds keeps it from getting bogged down in obvious, clumsy, drama-killing exposition. The result is truer and more natural dialogue, better pacing, events that unfold slowly to engage viewers more completely, and characters whose personalities are revealed by what they do and say in the context of their immediate situations. [27 Jun 2000]

"Soul Food" arrives at full boil. It's a cross between "Sisters" and "Providence" and better written than both.

Plenty spicy series “Soul Food” dishes up even more sex and drama than the 1997 hit movie it is based on, while retaining the look and feel that made the saga of the Joseph family so appealing on the bigscreen.

"Soul Food" shows us the range of the African-American experience within the confines of a single family, and most of the time it works well. [23 Jun 2000]

"Soul Food" has its share of soap-opera moments and predictable story threads. ... But the moments in "Soul Food" that bode best for the series' future are the ones that don't try so hard, that show the Josephs struggling to remain a family despite the forces pulling them apart. It's moments like those that give their story strength and should keep viewers anxious to find out what happens next. [28 Jun 2000]

"Soul Food" the series differs from the film in that it replaces romance with nudity and sex. The actors were good and the premiere episode was believable, but let's leave something to the imagination. [26 Jun 2000]

There are things to like about the new Showtime series "Soul Food" ... It's just that the writing, the editing and the camera work are not chief among them. ... The series's aims are laudable. But ultimately, it's the execution, not the intent, that will make it a meal. [28 Jun 2000]