BET's Critically Acclaimed Series 'SOMEBODIES' Switches to a New Time

BET's Critically Acclaimed Series 'SOMEBODIES' Switches to a New Time

Based on the 2006 Sundance Audience Favorite, "SOMEBODIES" Moves to 10:00 P.M.* on Tuesdays

NEW YORK, Oct. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- BET's first scripted series SOMEBODIES moves to the most coveted primetime slot in television as it shifts to 10:00 p.m. on Tuesdays, with repeat episodes airing in the previous 10:30 p.m. time slot. The groundbreaking series has been universally praised by television critics across the country as one of the best new series of the year.

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SOMEBODIES follows the life of Scottie, an African-American undergraduate at a large university trying to figure out his place in the world. While his housemates -- Marlo, Six, Tory, and Jelly -- are preparing to transition out of college and into the real world, Scottie is set to enter yet another year as a "professional student." Recognizing the need to get his life on track, Scottie embarks on a journey of self-discovery without exactly knowing which path to follow and everyone in his life has an unsolicited opinion on the direction he should take. From his eccentric Southern family (Aunt Agnes, Uncle Skeeter and Uncle Charles) to his sometime girlfriend, always good friend, Diva, from the caustic musings of his fire-and-brimstone preacher (Reverend Hill) to the sarcastic ribbings of his buddies, everyone has an opinion about Scottie's life except Scottie. The sixth episode in the 10-episode series premieres in its new time slot on Tuesday, October 7.

"Hadjii has crafted a sweet little world that he inhabits with unassuming style and grace." -- The Hollywood Reporter

" ... the star-writer-producer has a genial Everyman presence and surrounds himself with a rich array of characters. Although hardly a breakthrough, the show does provide a window into an African-American experience that's increasingly underrepresented." -- Variety

"Good for BET. 'Somebodies' is something, all right, small and odd but also out-of-nowhere fresh and funny. 'It is not uplifting or angry or about drugs or crime or sports or music or sex,' wrote Ebert of the film version. 'It is about ordinary young people who are very, very funny because they don't seem to know they're in a movie, and aren't performing for any imagined audience, black or white. Their purpose is to celebrate themselves.' All true of the series, too." -- New Orleans Times Picayune

"It's hard to believe it has taken this long for BET to produce an original scripted comedy. Across TV, we're lucky to find any show that deals with race consistently -- even backhandedly, as did ABC's short-lived and largely underappreciated sitcom 'Cavemen.' So why should a network aimed at black audiences abdicate sharp, smart commentary about race to the likes of Comedy Central and (occasionally) the CW? 'Somebodies,' the new BET sitcom that premieres tonight at 10:30, doesn't tiptoe around the subject, which is what makes the show so honest and so funny. Based on the movie of the same name, which made a splash at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival, it centers on Scottie, a perpetual college student in a Southern university town." -- Boston Globe

"BET's first scripted show is a fresh take on the black sitcom, with a singular point of view. It's worth watching." -- Hartford Courant

" ... a comedic voice that has the laser incisiveness of Chris Rock and the knowing graciousness of Garrison Keillor." -- Associated Press

"There are henpecked-husband jokes, and a 'Hide, it's my husband' scene, and hot neighbor girls washing a car. But for the most part, it avoids the obvious, even when it looks to be headed there. Sweet, lyrical and a little cracked, it's worth seeking out." -- LA Times

"After nearly three decades, BET finally has a sitcom of its own, and it's called 'Somebodies.' The original comedic series, which debuts tonight, is produced by Pete Aronson and Warren Hutcherson, the executive producers behind 'The Bernie Mac Show.' But the heart and soul of the show is comedian Hadjii, who created 'Somebodies' and the 2006 film that inspired it." -- Detroit News

"'Somebodies' was created by and stars Hadjii, who plays Scottie, a fun-loving college slacker on the long-term educational plan. While his pals are poised to embrace adulthood, he's on his seventh year and counting. 'I got sperm that's gonna finish college before you do!' blurts a derisive housemate. Floating through the show with a relaxed bemusement, Hadjii's character simply rolls with the punches, instantly winning us over. And he's just one piece of a solid cast of fresh performers who wring plenty of laughs from the material. They're not cheap laughs, either. The show, filmed on location in Athens, Ga., is flowing with a brand of humor that makes clever observations about the state of black youth, student life and race relations. In other words, 'Somebodies' possesses what any promising sitcom should have: A voice." -- Contra Costa Times

"One of '5 new fall TV shows you shouldn't miss.'" -- Associated Press

SOMEBODIES is executive produced by Hadjii, Nathaniel Kohn, Pete Aronson and Jordan Levin. Brett King (SVP, Scripted Programming) is the executive for BET Networks.

Viewers can visit http://www.bet.com/OnTV/BETShows/somebodies/default.htm for more about SOMEBODIES, including biographies, upcoming episodes and exclusive interviews with the cast.

   *All times ET/PT    About BET Networks  

BET Networks, a division of Viacom Inc. (NYSE:VIA) (NYSE:VIA.B) , is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 87 million households according to Nielsen Media Research, and can be seen in the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET Digital Networks - BET J, BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, an extension of BET network programming for global distribution.

About Generate

Generate (www.generatela.com) is an independent production and management studio creating professional entertainment properties targeted at Millennials across all media platforms with an emphasis on exploiting opportunities in the digital landscape. Launched in early 2006, Generate is the first production and management studio established by media leaders with a proven track record with young audiences and blue-chip advertisers to create content across multiple platforms embraced by young adults.

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Source: BET Networks

CONTACT: Michelle Clark, BET Networks-NY, +1-212-205-3158,
michelle.clark@bet.net, or Zabrina Horton, BET Networks-LA, +1-310-481-3737,
zabrina.horton@bet.net

Web site: http://www.bet.com/
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Profile: International Entertainment