‘The Ms. Pat Show’ cast on Season 2, tackling deep subjects: ‘It’s an honor to be a part of it’
Theodore Barnes, Briyana Guadalupe, Brittany Inge and Vince Swann sat down with theGrio to break down their hit BET+ sitcom.
“The Ms. Pat Show” is back for more! The second season of the acclaimed BET+ sitcom has officially begun, and theGrio caught up with some of the cast who broke down working on the impressive show, trusting the creative team and more.
With an Emmy nomination, adoring fans and a rare 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, “The Ms. Pat Show” certainly made a splash when it premiered last year. The sitcom starring the comedian of the same name is loosely based on her life and is described as a “grown-folks sitcom.” Now returning for a second season, the cast members are back at work crafting hilarious and thought-provoking episodes for their viewers, but this time, they at least know that they can connect to people.
“It’s really great to see specifically because when I initially got the script years ago I saw the potential in it,” Briyana Guadalupe, who plays Ms. Pat’s daughter Janelle in the series, explained to us. “When you’re working on it you see how great it is and you just can’t wait for other people to see it. So to see the accolades that it’s getting and to see the response, it’s just that reassurance of like, I knew this was great and I knew people would connect with this and want to hear these kinds of stories.”
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Theodore Barnes, who plays Junebug, Ms. Pat’s younger son, shared similar sentiments. “People are gonna like it or they’re not, there isn’t an in-between with ‘The Ms. Pat Show.’ If you don’t like it, you’re just not ready for it yet.” Even if it may seem like too much for some viewers, Barnes insists, “It’ll grow on you, if you don’t [like it]. You gotta have a little time with yourself.”
The sitcom format has also proved to be one that allows actors to gracefully and purposefully attack important topics such as drug addiction, sexual identity and more, while giving healthy doses of comedy in their storytelling.
Brittany Inge, who plays Ms. Pat’s daughter Ashley in the series, referred to it as a “hybrid of theater and television. Especially with Jordan E. Cooper as our showrunner and creator who is a brilliant playwright … he is able to bring those theatrical elements and tie them into the storytelling in a way.” She added, “It’s just an honor to be a part of it.”
Vince Swann, who plays Brandon James, called the show’s creator “a genius” while explaining his praise. “To be able to give just enough drama with the tough topics that we have to face, with the balance of humor to kind of soften the blow … hats off to Jordan, he is the brainchild with that.”
Inge added, “It’s messaging without being preachy, that’s what I love about it.”
“The Ms. Pat Show” is currently streaming on BET+.
