106 & Changed?

Hi all. It's Andrew once again.

Have any of you heard of 106 & Park? Of course you have; we all have. 106 & Park is a music video countdown show airing on the Black Entertainment Television network, better known by all as BET. The show has been on the air for a decade since September 11, 2000 (yep, you read right). The show is known for its countdown format, urban flow and hyped-up audience. It's kinda like a black TRL. It's also named after its first studio address, 106 Street and Park Avenue. Its hosts become household names by their first show. Recently the show said goodbye to host Terrence Jenkins and Rocsi Diaz and said hello to new hosts, previously-unknown radio hosts Shorty Da Prince, Paigion, and Miss Mykie (fortunately that's not their real names) and hip-hop superstar Bow Wow (this is his first major television role [and BET's perfect excuse to keep the show relevant]).

Now the reason I am making a post on this show is because 106 & Park has completely revamped itself. The network tore down and figuratively swept down its previous logo, set and graphics under the rug and built a brand new set from scratch and made the show look like TRL in some era of that show's history. Basically it's not very urban anymore; it's more mainstream. It's like 2 hours of Yo! MTV Raps and Entertainment Tonight. Plus this is a new "season". I didn't know the show had seasons; I thought it was all one continuous season with cosmetic changes thrown in. I figured this all happened when the show went on the road to LA for about a week last week.

I couldn't watch the the first show because I don't have cable. So go ahead and laugh. I don't cry from internet mockery anyway. I had to wait until the next day online to watch and discuss. Yes I have the Internet, so careful with your mockery; I might not read it anyway.
By the way, it you want to watch this, here's the link: http://bet.us/WdqE4G

Now here's my thoughts about the new 106 and I'm a little mixed. I love the set; it looks less crowded and much more clearer than the last one. I love how the interview and stage areas are connected and that they're not connected by a zigzagged walkway. Of course the "livest" audience is still there, so they are in the left and right sides with a little in the middle. The special guest entrance is awesome; the doors are TV screens and open like entering a supermarket. I don't like how the direction the show is going however. I feel like BET is pushing the new co-hosts waytoo hard, as seen in the open, and there is no use for segments for the co-hosts when the real segment is the Top 10 countdown. And most of the videos that day didn't even air for a full 30 seconds. They should fix that. And they need to slow down and let the new hosts find their footing. Shorty is trying way too hard to be like Terrence and both Paigion and Mykie are trying way too hard to be like Rocsi with Paigion having her calmness and Mykie with her hype tendencies. Bow Wow is fine on his own. Don't get me wrong; I like the new hosts a lot, but they remind me a lot like Terrence and Rocsi, and even some of former hosts AJ Calloway and Free. And the graphics look like TRL; I'll get used to that. I thought they look nice and colorful.

So in conclusion, Set looks great (and should stay), new format is not (and should go), hosts are trying too hard and need to find themselves, the show is a Top 10 countdown (and needs to stay that way), (no hosting segments; just keep Wild Out Wednesday and Freestyle Friday). Anyway, I think I need to watch more of the new 106 & Park to solidify my opinion. Will it get more better? Depends if you watch it. Don't watch it? It's fine. I admit I don't watch a lot of BET anyway except for 106 and reruns of The Parkers.

Later, guys.