Last week, unlike The Hollywood Reporter's Tim Goodman, I calmly railed against ABC's new show Work It. After watching the premiere of Showtime's House of Lies, I was compelled to give the new show credit for what it is doing right. I can't speak for whether the show will be popular, I can't find a review out there where people think the show is any good. However, the complaints about the show have nothing to do with Don Cheadle's performance as Marty.
Cheadle's role is in the kind of casting that the African-American community has been pleading for. This is a mainstream show, with an African-American male in the lead. It could have easily been cast for a Caucasian male, just like all of the formulaic shows on the USA network that House of Lies is being compared to. He has a white ex-wife, and a son that actually looks biracial.
Unlike ABC's Work It, House of Lies addresses transgendered people in a tasteful and realistic way. Marty's son, Roscoe, successfully auditions for the role of Sandy in Grease. Marty's dad, Jeremiah, played by Glynn Turner (Col. Taylor from A Different World) is an ex-psychologist who encourages Roscoe. Marty even stands up to Roscoe's teacher when she suggests Sandy's role should go to a girl.
Throw in the lesbian sex scene, and you've got a show that advances representations of inter-racial relationships and all kinds of minorities on television. It doesn't work hard to break down stereotypes, and this is the OPPOSITE of a preachy show. Therefore, regardless of whether this show is any good or not, I give it mad props for how these themes are addressed. Personally, I think this show is interesting and original, and for now, I plan to keep watching.
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