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Tuesday, April 07, 2009
If you've been waiting for the highly-anticipated second season of The DL Chronicles on the here! network, and truth be told many of us have been waiting for two years, then you'll have to wait until the GLAAD award winning show finds a new home.
Despite being a hit for the all gay network the second season of The DL Chronicles has been "postponed", which in Hollywood is a nice way of saying cancelled.
Loldarian.com reached out to creators Deondray Gossett and Quincy LeNear but due to contractual obligations neither were able to comment on the future of The DL Chronicles on the here! Network at this time.
A visit to the network's website shows no sign of The DL Chronicles in their current or future lineup and a request to the network for a statement was not issued prior to the publishing of this post.
Much like it's sister site LOGO, the here! Network is ignoring a segment of the gay community by making the decision to end production on the only original series involving black gay characters despite the shows huge success.
Bleu Magazine West Coast Entertainment Editor and former College Hill cast member Ray Cunningham weighs in on this unfortunate news and offers this money quote," My thought is, here! would rather continue to support their white shows with no respect for the audience of color that came to the channel in support of The DL Chronicles. I only ordered that channel because of that show. So the creative minds they are, they figure let's thrown Jensen Atwood on a show(Dante's Cove) for a consolation prize - sorry that doesn't make it better! Sounds like a old text book case of use the black folks for ratings then disregard them!"
It's particularly stinging when coupled with the fact that black gay and lesbian characters are rare during a time when gay visibility seems to be increasing on prime time television for whites and many in our community are still reeling from the cancellation of Noah's Arc on LOGO.
"The DL Chronicles was an amazing series", says Karamo Brown in a statement to loldarian.com. Brown appeared in the first season. "The creators Deondray and Quincy truly created something magical and groundbreaking. I am sad that it is going off the air but I am sure we will see greater shows from Deondray and Quincy".
I have no doubt that the creative duo will continue to produce great art, but meanwhile I think the folks at the here! Network should hear from those of us who disapprove of their decision.
Money talks and a huge loss of subscriptions to the network along with a barrage of e-mails is bound to get somebody's attention.
20 Comments:
Honestly. I never did care for here! TV..those white gay shows were nothing I could relate too. I mean come gay white vampires? At least with DL Chronicles that dealt with realistic issues concerning black men.
We really need our own black gay channel instead pleading to these people who could care less about blacks and their gay men. I know that sounds crazy but they have the power and it is not in their interest feature US on THEIR network.
April 07, 2009 2:27 PM
i never even got to check out dl chronicles on here! tv. i ordered it but never found it in the lineup, so i quickly canceled. saw the first four episodes on dvd. how many other episodes are there? those four were entertaining.
April 07, 2009 3:22 PM
WOW... but is anyone really surprised by a predom white gay network cancelling a black gay related show...(someone whispers logo and noah's arc). So whats next? Have they tried TV ONE, VH-1, hell MTV?
April 07, 2009 4:19 PM
I just don't get it. I watch Logo and see the endless parade of white lesbian movies that are usually quite horrible (not content but production). Then I look at the fact that I ordered Noah's Arc Jumping the Broom on Amazon and had to wait over a month and even then they still didn't have it in stock. After all that, knowing the following that Noah's Arc received and question their (Logo) judgment for canceling it.
Then I look at the DL Chronicles and have to say that it is the best gay ,or otherwise, series that I've seen in a long time. Now to hear that this is being canceled really makes you wonder. I don't like throwing the race card out there but it is in my head on this one.
I hang around a pretty diverse crowd and know of many "gay" and "straight" people who would tune into these shows and enjoyed them. This is including RuPaul's Drag Race. I have yet to hear of any of my friends talk about any other show on those stations.
Is there something that I'm missing?!?
April 07, 2009 4:44 PM
That number is suggesting a different number.
212-209-5302
April 08, 2009 4:09 PM
I got turned onto the DL Chronicles by some friends and was pleasantly surprised when it came from Netflix.
I did not enjoy the four scenarios equally, but I thought it had potential. For what it's worth, my sister thought the Chronicles were more realistic than Noah's Arc.
With only 4 episodes having been aired, I would hope the creators of the show are not too surprised by the network's decision.
It's clear that our experiences aren't treated with respect by the mainstream gay media. Maybe the next move is for black LGBT entreprenuers to start an online entertainment network. Charge a monthly fee for streaming programming, and sell DVDs on the side. I know this is the model used by porn sites, but I am thinking this is cheaper and more realistic than trying to get a television channel.
Anthony in Nashville
April 08, 2009 4:47 PM
this is why we need our own network.here tv and the logo channel are both full of you know what
April 08, 2009 7:12 PM
This seems to be standard practice by the White gay media. Are we still surprised? This even happens in the straight media. Desperate Housewives got some Black characters for a season and then got rid of them. I suspect they only do this to get Black viewers. Then when they get rid of the Black characters or shows (to satisfy their White viewers) they think the Black viewers will be too lazy to cancel or stop watching. And guess what. THEY ARE RIGHT. I know lots of black folks who have never gotten rid of Logo even after Noah's Ark got cancelled. Its the old bait and switch and we fall for it over and over again.
April 08, 2009 10:57 PM
I've always wondered about black representation in GLBT entertainment. Everyone in the gay community should identify on some level with the painful vacuum of not seeing yourself represented in mainstream media....and I think it's a shame things are also lopsided in gay media, but that is something that can be fixed. You can also see the DL Chronicles on VEOH.com for free btw. Great post, and thanks for introducing me to the series. Hopefully it can/will be resurrected.
April 09, 2009 3:02 AM
Hey Darian,
I did email the here! network like you suggested. I received an email from Mr. Rosenzweig assuring me that the DL Chronicles is NOT cancelled.
He states, "The information you received about the network canceling this series is entirely erroneous...please let me reiterate that THE D.L. CHRONICLES has not be cancelled. The second season is developed, and we expect to announce production plans later this year."
April 09, 2009 7:41 PM
Anonymous-
I received an e-mail from him today as well and wouldn't you know it said the same thing. Where there's smoke there's fire. I'll be addressing this tomorrow. Stay tuned.
April 09, 2009 7:44 PM
So, the bullshit continues, huh?
"They" can't seem to fathom that
there actually ARE gay men of color
who, lo and behold, enjoy being with
o-t-h-e-r gay men of color.
They don't want to show that on
the screen. Black men loving, or
wanting to love another Black man?
Noooooooooo. It must fuck with their
sense of reality, since they
must want to believe that all MOC
are like the snowqueens who fawn over
and chase behind "them", 24-7.
The DL Chronicles, much like Noah's
Arc, is/was a much loved program,
and successful. The ratings were
there, so how is the cancellation
explained??? Wake up Black gay men.
This is just more proof of
how little regard "they" have for
us. If we are not just appendages
hanging on to them, they can't be
bothered. "They" don't want us
represented on screen, unless we
are shown under their guidance and
leadership (Rockdogs), or unless
we are in dresses/wigs/makeup (Drag
Race). Yeah, if it was some stereotypical
shit like "The DL Dragqueens", it would be in
production right now. To think they have the
fucking unmitigated gall to get pissed if we
don't vote for causes that are more of
a concern for them. Nah, unless its some
Brotha making goo goo eyes at some Justin
Timberfake look-a-like, I guess we won't be
seeing much of us on these gay
networks. No Mo' to LOGO, and
here! can step to the gaddamn rear!
As for the series not being canceled as mentioned in the prior
2 comments.....I'll believe when I
see it.
Peace
April 10, 2009 3:54 AM
You know those jews don't about blacks.
April 15, 2009 11:45 PM
It isn't to my surprise that this has happen. There is segregation even I'm the gay community. No white channel wants to show the real truth and characteristics about black gays and lesbians because they fear of having to share their thoughts or criticism about the HIV rates between whites and blacks. If they were to show just white shows of vampires and demons that is okay. But they dare not show the other side. Even in our community who we call family can be our own enemies.
April 21, 2009 3:13 PM
I cannot believe it. I just happened to come across this blog in time to find out the bad news that the second season of DL Chronicles has been cancelled. I only subscribed to Here! Network for that show, and I have been patiently waiting for several months now. Oh well... Time to cancel Here! Network.
May 21, 2009 12:51 AM
First and foremost... Darian keep your headup! Gentlemen... where theres a will theres a way! 1st lets not fight with people we may not win a battle with but show them you arent the only producers out there. For example Tyler Perry did plays on stage for years before he accepted the offers from corporate america. If you have to make your movies for DVD only like so many others are doing go that route. Believe you me, I will be one of the first to buy the second season. Whether you know it or not the power of word of mouth and emails are still a black gays community strongest weapon and yes as the majority of consumers. We can make or break you.
July 21, 2009 12:32 AM
I just came across this site while trying to figure out where that supposedly "already produced" 2nd season of DL Chronicles went. Well it's November, and still no sign of the 2nd season on Here!'s .com presence.
I read through the comments and agree: What upsets me about Noah's Arc and DL Chronicles being cancelled is the blatant disregard for representation of gays of ALL colors on both Logo and HereTV.
Yet when it comes time to get political and rise up for the Great Gay Rights cause, all we hear from Gay whites to their Straight white counterparts is how "Being gay is just like being black." and can't understand why the black populous at large refuses to support them.
November 22, 2009 5:56 PM
this is why the glo network(maurice jamal) and the embrace network are so important because shows like the dl chronicles and noah's arc are too good to just be used by logo and here tv just to get us over to watching their otherwise colorless shows
April 05, 2010 1:32 PM
I am Australian (white) and while I can't comment on the treatment of gay black Americans in US society I must add that I was very disappinted to hear that this series was not to continue. I found the men real and their stories quite moving. While some of the acting was a bit rough I thought the guys were hot and the show explored a side of gay life I know very little about. hopefully another great series will come along sooner rather than later.
June 08, 2011 6:37 AM
I'm neither white not black, i'm brown but I, for one, loved the episodes. . They were real and entertaining, some of the men were really hot!
August 24, 2011 12:42 PM
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