Playing the 'V Card' in The Game

Monday, 08 July 2013 01:42 Written by  Iya Bakare

From my Chicago living room, I could hear the gasps from millions of viewers all over the country when Lauren London’s character Keira Whitaker in the BET hit series The Game revealed she was a virgin. In fiction and reality, we’ve come to a point in our culture where this virtue is not socially accepted by the vast majority and is often ridiculed.

On the show’s season finale, Keira’s companion Bryce ‘Blueprint’ Westbrook (portrayed by Jay R. Ellis) discovered he was her first, also known as “the chosen one.” It would be an understatement to say his reaction to this news and his conversation with Keira was less than desirable. After listening to the dialogue between the two, all I could think was “It just got real.” The words exchanged and their body language seemed so realistic and evoked feelings that made my heart ache for one of the characters and want to have a serious conversation with the other.

As a long-standing supporter of the show, I was a bit apprehensive when Pooch Hall and Tia Mowry left and was intrigued about the direction of the show since it centered on their relationship. As the weeks progressed, I became captivated by the story Mara Brock Akil created between the two new characters. My heart dropped on the season finale and I eagerly anticipate what’s next for them.

So, the question is, what’s next for Keira and Blue? Will Keira live up to Jay-Z’s “Song Cry” lyrics that state “But once a good girl’s goin bad, she’s gone forever”? The writers of The Game created a unique story line between those two that’s not a popular one. It goes outside of the box and reaches a different audience, yet holds the attention of the original one (I’m not going anywhere). They opened a can, created an opportunity and started a dialogue about the age-old virtue that some still hold near and dear, and not just our grandmothers.

I hope that as this story plays out, young ladies who watch this show challenge themselves to hold their standards high. There’s nothing wrong with saving such a cherished and valuable piece of yourself for the right person, despite what society (including those who are closest to you) says. This show may depict fictional events, but this is a storyline to follow. In the grand scheme of life, which card will you play?

 


The Game airs Tuesdays at 10 pm/ 9 pm Central.

 


Iya Bakare

Iya Bakare

Iya Bakare, GMO's managing editor, earned both her Bachelor and Master of Arts degrees in print journalism. She earned her B.A. from Delta State University with a minor in English and graduated with a M.A. degree from Columbia College Chicago. In her spare time, the Chicago native continues to freelance and ponder ways to both inform and improve her community one story at a time.

She can be contacted at Iya@glossmagazineonline.com
Follow her on Twitter: @ibakare

Website: www.iyabakare.com