Selena Roberts | Staff Writer
Netflix has does it again.
The streaming service has released several shows that are centered around an African-American cast, including Dear White People, Chewing Gum and now She’s Gotta Have It.
She’s Gotta Have It is a reboot of Spike Lee’s 1986 film.
Spike Lee is responsible for several hit films, including Do The Right Thing, Malcolm X, Crooklyn and School Daze.
The new show has already generated some controversy, but it has also attracted new fans.
Although the show is based on the movie, the new series provides a refreshing look at how females define themselves in relationships in 2017.
The show is set in New York and centers on an artist named Nola Darling.
Nola is an independent spirit who does not let anyone put a label on her when it comes to her sexuality or her relationships.
The audience can see the firsthand experiences of her struggles in dealing with her identity as an African-American woman.
Throughout the series, Nola struggles with choosing what type of person she wants to be with, so she ultimately dates more than one man.
She has three love interests throughout the 10 episodes, and they all have completely different personalities: the goofy yet lovable Mars Blackmon, the well-established investor yet still married Jamie Overstreet and the handsome yet self-absorbed model Greer Childs.
At some point in time, each man wants to establish an official relationship with Nola.
However, Nola will not allow anything to further develop in her love life unless it is on her terms.
In one episode, Nola says, “If they want to deal with me, it has to be on my terms, or it ain’t gonna happen.”
Although some critics have stated that Nola’s character is promiscuous and immature, she is anything but that.
She is firm in her beliefs and will not let any man change her values. Everyone is different, so she does not represent every female, but she does provide a different take on the dating experience for women that viewers do not usually see.
Besides the intriguing storyline and over-the-top characters, the show deals with real-life issues that women and men both deal with.
Some of the storylines focus on topics like harassment, gentrification and sexism.
Nicole Peterson, a freshman biology major, said, “The show provides a different look for how women handle themselves in relationships. I like the material and hope it has another season.”
She’s Gotta Have It stands out from the rest because it provides something that many other shows do not.
It portrays a woman of color who is finding herself through trials and tribulations, all while knowing her worth.
DeWanda Wise, who plays Darling, said, “There was so much in Nola that I saw in my friends, in myself, in where I was in my early 20s. There was just such a rich and vast life there.”
The Hampton Script 