The Wayans Bros.: The Complete Series DVD Review
“The Wayans Bros.” is a goofy but comical sitcom.
Set in Harlem, “The Wayans Bros.” revolved around brothers Shawn and Marlon Williams (played by real-life brothers Shawn and Marlon Wayans) who live together in an apartment. Marlon is a bit of a goofball blabbermouth while Shawn is more of a responsible ladies man. Their father (Pops) owns a diner that Marlon sometimes works at before he moves on to acting work. Shawn runs a newsstand but also takes on other jobs throughout the 5 seasons. On top of that, Shawn and Marlon often engage in get rich quick schemes involving hair gel, children’s party entertainment biz, a golden toilet for a potential President visit, a fake story contest, male escort biz, a prank for a TV show, etc.
Story wise, plots involve dating, jail, family, finding money, a hostage crisis, T.C., misunderstandings, Marlon’s acting jobs, Shawn getting other jobs, the revelation of Pops being in The Temptones, an “It’s A Wonderful Life” spoof, TV show appearances, Pops’ chili, and friends. Of course, given that this is a comedy about brothers, there’s plenty of storylines about brotherhood, brotherly feuds (even a small claims court case), jealousy, and even shared feelings over the same woman. In typical sitcom fashion, the series features a host of guest stars including Gary Coleman, Jerry Springer, Missy Elliott, Garrett Morris, Sherman Hemsley, Pam Grier, Bernie Mac, and Busta Rhymes.
Created by Shawn and Marlon Wayans, Leslie Ray and David Steven Simon, “The Wayans Bros.” debuted in 1995 alongside the premiere of The WB Network. I have fond memories of watching the series in my youth as the personable and energetic cast really made this often cartoony sitcom worth watching. How can you not find yourself laughing at the opening credit sequence, Marlon and Shawn’s shenanigans, and especially the scene stealing John Witherspoon as Pops? The series really found its groove when security guard Dee entered the show in season 2. Anna Maria Horsford brought a new layer to the show and became a central piece to both the comedy and the character dynamics. As silly as the stories and dialogue could be, the characters/cast really grabbed your attention. It’s what made the show work. Shawn and Marlon Wayans have always played well off one another and this extended on past the show when the two developed the highly successful “Scary Movie” franchise.
Given that the show is now 30 years old, some elements have not aged well. There’s a fair amount of racist, homophobic, and transphobic moments played for laughs that did not sit well and were quite cringe worthy to watch now.
Video/Audio:
Presentation: 4:3. How does it look? Don’t expect any restoration here as the series very much resembles its original broadcast form. The real selling point here is that this is the first time the entire series has been collected on DVD.
Audio Track: Dolby Digital 5.1 for season 1 and Dolby Digital Stereo seasons 2-5. How do the episodes sound? The audio is decent for a sitcom.
No extras.
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