The Soul Man: The Complete First Season

TV Land's The Soul Man, a spin-off from Hot in Cleveland, features a fairly high-concept sitcom setup, as a pop-star sensation steeped in Las Vegas showmanship gets the calling and returns home to St. Louis—reborn as a preacher, but still full of the R&B showbiz spirit. Amply living up to his name, Cedric the Entertainer inhabits the role of Reverend Boyce “The Voice” Ballentine with great comedic skill. Ditto Niecy Nash as Lolli, his loving yet long-suffering wife, who discovers a lot of crossover elements between the music and God businesses. Also on hand in this family-friendly show are cranky dad Barton (John Beasley), frisky teenage daughter Lyric (Jazz Raycole), and huckster brother Stamps (Wesley Jonathan). While there is a narrative backbone of Christian religiosity here, Reverend Ballentine and his church are less interested in sermons than roof-raising music. Glimpses of Ballentine's past life as “The Voice” are particularly amusing, and there's solid chemistry in the interplay between Cedric and Nash. The Soul Man is no TV milestone, but it does serve up mindless secular fun, especially for fans of classic '80s sitcoms. Compiling all 12 episodes from the 2012 debut season, extras include interviews with cast and crew and a music video. A strong optional purchase. (T. Fry)