"The Last O. G.," created by John Carcieri and Jordan Peele and released in 2018 on TBS, is a comedy series that tackles social issues through humor. The show stars Tracy Morgan as Tray Barker, a former convict who returns to his old neighborhood in Brooklyn after serving a 15-year sentence. Tray finds his neighborhood completely gentrified, with his girlfriend Shay (Tiffany Haddish) now married to a white man named Josh (Ryan Gaul).
The show's central theme is the effects of gentrification on Tray's life and the way it has changed his neighborhood. Shay, who goes by Shannon now, has become the leader of an organization seeking to end homelessness, and her character development is a key aspect of the show. Tiffany Haddish does a fantastic job altering her body language, tone, and vernacular between when she is speaking to an old white couple and when she is speaking to Tray one-on-one, highlighting the challenges of maintaining her true self in a new environment.
Tracy Morgan's delivery and demeanor are enough to maintain the energy of the show, even in scenes where he is not the main source of humor. The show features other great comedians in the characters of Gaul and Cedric the Entertainer, who adds comedic chemistry with Morgan in brief on-screen interactions.
One of the funniest scenes is a conversation between Mullins, the halfway house owner played by Cedric the Entertainer, and Tray, where Mullins defends his right to make sex-related jokes.
The show's main weakness is its plot, which is too familiar and mundane. However, the social commentary and humor of the pilot episode are interesting enough to generate hope for the rest of the series.
Overall, "The Last O. G." promises to be a watchable show, but without compelling characters, it won't break through to greatness.
Rating: 7/10.
