Review of “Love Is” by Kathia Woods

"Love is" the new show brought to us by the creative team of Mara Akil Brock and Salim Akil. It’s the semi-biographical story of how they met. "Love Is" is set in the ’90s. Two reasons for this., it’s the time when they met and was also the time-period Mara was a writer on the sitcom Moesha. The pilot episode introduces us to Nuri and Yasir. Nuri is an aspiring writer, and Yasir is an aspiring writer/director.

They first set eyes on each other at a coffee shop that Yasir's friends Sean drag him too. The idea was to show Will his infatuation with Nuri. In the end, its Yasir who ends up engaging Nuri. We fast-forward to a year later. Nuri obtains that writing job. Yasir is not doing as well living with a semi/girlfriend and very unemployed. The beauty of this show is in writing. It’s gives something that is often missing in African-American love stories intimacy.

The attraction between the two characters is not just physical but spiritual. It’s the connection of a dream. In each other’s presence, they don’t have to explain what the other wants. It’s just understood. Nuri played by Michele Weaver, and Yasir played by Will Catlett previously appearing on Brock’s other show “Black Lightning” are unknowns but if this show grows will soon become household names.

Rounding out the cast are veteran actors Kadeem Hardison, Clarke Peters, and Wendy Davis. Do yourself a favor and add this show to your TV watching schedule. I guarantee you that you will be pleasantly surprised. So, take a ride back to the '90s and that particular type of love. “Love Is" premieres on Own June 19th at 10 pm