UMC's 'Stuck With You' Looks Promising

Urban Movie Channel (UMC) just aired the first episode of their original series ‘Stuck With You,’ and makes a promising impression with a great cast laying the foundation for multiple plotlines for season one.

UMC has made a name for themselves as the premier streaming service catering to African American and urban audiences, showcasing films, documentaries, comedy specials, and much more carefully curated for their audiences, and Stuck With You looks like it could become a standout among the collection of original series. Starring Tammy Townsend and Timon Kyle Durrett as Candace and Luvell, Stuck With You follows the trials and tribulations of what appears to be the last leg of their once-marriage — all while they attempt to maintain a positive image to the public. 

Timon Kyle Durrett and Tammy Townsend star as Candace and Luvell in the UMC Original Series, Stuck With You. Courtesy photos

In the first episode, we’re introduced to a uniquely diverse cast. Tammy Townsend gives a great performance, and the chemistry between her and Timon Kyle Durrett’s Luvell as the focus of the show is just the type of perfectly out-of-sync romance that you might expect from a couple putting on a happy front in public while at odds with each other in private. One thing that I’ve noticed with the show so far is the lack of initial character development. Viewers are tossed into the mix not knowing much of anything about the characters, only to be introduced to new characters without much real background information. By the end of the episode, we’re introduced to at least three very different couples and an ex on a mission to reclaim love lost; but who are these people? What brought them together or tore them apart is yet to be seen — I just hope these aspects are left on the cutting room floor.

There’s a surprising amount of moments absent of dialog in the first episode also, seemingly in favor of the “show, don’t tell” school of thought, but I would imagine that some of these moments could be better utilized to give audiences some exposition rather than giving the soundtrack time to shine. Time is precious, so to see it squandered during the mundane silence of everyday moments feels a bit hollow. Hopefully, in future episodes, these moments can be used to give viewers more context to the lives of the characters.

I may seem harsh with my critique of the show, I do think the show has a lot of great potential. The dynamic shifts are a bit jagged, but I like the direction things are going by the end of episode one. They’ve laid the foundation for some obvious plotlines within the cast, so the true test will be how they navigate each one throughout the season. If you haven’t already, start your free trial with UMC and keep up with this and many more great series on their platform.