For reasons unknown, BET is hiding some of its best shows on its streaming platform instead of promoting them on the main channel! As a result, you may have been missing out on Bigger, a great new show about 5 best friends from college who are navigating life, love and sex in the city of Atlanta.
Starring Tanisha Long as 30-something vintage shop owner Layne Roberts, Bigger is a 30-minute dramedy from Will Packer that’s streaming on BET+ every Thursday. There are 10 episodes in total, with 3 left to stream before season 1 is up, so here are 5 reasons why you need to go ahead and get that free trial of BET+ and catch up on Bigger before the season finale.
1) It’s hilarious.
There are full-on LOL moments throughout this series. Think Girlfriends meets Fleabag, with Layne breaking through the fourth wall to explain the wild things happening in her life, from faking an orgasm with her long-term boyfriend, Greg, to seeing cartoon birds and flowers when a fully loaded random guy she takes home unzips his pants. Another great scene is when one of Layne’s friends, Tracey, tries to up her influencer game by making her own creepy ASMR videos on YouTube, with gag-worthy results. And when Layne goes to meet Greg’s wealthy parents, she finds herself in a real-life Get Out situation with characters who give Jordan Peele a run for his money.
2) All of the characters have their own lives.
Layne is the star, but her friends Veronica (Angell Conwell), Deon (Chase Anthony), Tracey (Rasheda Crockett) and Layne’s cousin Vince (Tristen Winger) are more than just moral support. Veronica is a successful real estate agent who is confident and in control of her life–until her former assistant starts outshining her. Tracey was a reality show star on Basketball Exes who was replaced on the show with the woman her ex cheated on her with. Now she’s starting over as an influencer and trying to live life on her own terms. Deon is trying to climb the ladder in Corporate America so he can financially support his mom, but the rat race is conflicting with his ability to be unapologetically Black and it’s starting to wear him down. Vince didn’t go to college with Layne and the crew, but he snuck into their classes freshman year and never left. He’s an old-school daytime DJ at a strip club trying to let go of his past so he can move forward. Though they all read each other when necessary, their decade-long friendship keeps them as close as family.
And everybody on the show can act! That’s just not always a given, so props to the Bigger cast and casting director.
3) The social commentary is subtle and on point.
Black folks in major cities know all about the impact of gentrification on communities, and even how being more privileged than others can sometimes lead to Black folks being gentrifiers themselves. Layne has to come to terms with this when the space she’s leasing for her shop is on a gentrified block alongside a yoga studio. A homeless vet named Willie, who was born and raised in the area, pitches a tent in front of Layne’s shop and Layne (who is awful at making choices) has to make a choice when she finds herself in the middle of a community that wants to see Willie gone.
Meanwhile, Deon is stuck in Corporate America, having to choose between reporting his white co-workers for saying “n*gga” or not making waves and landing that promotion he’s been working hard to get so that he can take care of his mom who’s back in North Carolina. Black millennials are absolutely at the age where taking care of family members is real and necessary, and Bigger seamlessly builds in the social commentary through character development and dialogue, without beating its audience over the head with the point.
4) The soundtrack is lit.
Black millennial lovers of R&B rejoice because Bigger serves you all of your classic faves starting in the first episode. From a hilariously epic sex scene set to Ginuwine’s “Pony,” to a revenge dance set to Missy Elliott’s “One Minute Man,” the songs will have you reminiscing and reflecting on life alongside Layne and her crew.
5) It’s relatable content.
On a road trip in the middle of the season, Layne and Deon bond over the stress of living up to their parents’ expectations, even in their 30s, and how it impacts how they live and who they love.
Layne is also trying to figure out if her safe, doctor boyfriend, who is bad at sex, even knows her well enough to “love” her as much as he claims. In a world where Layne would probably be criticized for not being sure about locking down the wealthy Black doctor who wants to marry her, other characters like Deon point out that this seemingly “perfect” guy is actually really controlling and manipulative in subtle ways. While Greg has his flaws, Layne does too, and like good friends, Deon, Veronica, Vince and Tracey call her out when she’s being foul.
But it’s all love. These characters are figuring it out together and filling a need for more smart, fun, well-made Black millennial content for those who want Bigger and better out of life.
Speaking of wanting better out of life, BET, don’t fumble the bag. Get this show on the air and give it a second season!
New episodes of Bigger stream on BET+ on Thursdays.
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Photo: BET
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