Keyshia Cole: The Way It Is

Keyshia Cole: The Way It Is
Season 2 DVD cover
Genre	Reality television
Created by	James DuBose Keyshia Cole
Starring	Keyshia Cole Neffeteria Pugh Frankie Lons
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No. of seasons	3
Original release
Network	BET
Release	July 12, 2006 (2006-07-12) – December 30, 2008 (2008-12-30)
Related
Frankie & Neffe

Keyshia Cole: The Way It Is is an American reality television series starring R&B singer Keyshia Cole. The program aired on BET from July 12, 2006, to December 30, 2008, over three seasons. It documented Cole's professional career and personal life, particularly her efforts to reconnect with her biological mother, Frankie Lons, and older sister, Neffeteria Pugh. The series was produced by BET and DuBose Entertainment, with James DuBose serving as an executive producer.

Production

The series was developed for BET as a docudrama chronicling Cole's music career and relationships with her family. Its first season premiered on July 12, 2006, and consisted of six episodes, concluding on August 16. The season followed Cole as she balanced her growing career with efforts to reconnect with her estranged mother and support her older sister and extended family. In an interview with OK!, Cole discussed the effect of appearing on reality television and her reasons for allowing viewers access to her family life. She said, "It just gave people a little insight on me and my family. I wanted that." DuBose, the series' executive producer, discussed its development in a November 2007 interview with the Los Angeles Sentinel. He described the program as an "organic, heart-wrenching story" and explained that the production team sought to document the family's experiences without scripting their interactions. He also discussed the decision to introduce family counseling into the program, explaining that the family members had agreed to participate.

BET announced a second season on July 17, 2007, which premiered on October 30. The six-episode season continued to follow Cole's musical development while documenting her attempts to rebuild her relationship with her mother and provide a stable home for members of her family. BET president of entertainment Reginald Hudlin described the first season as "truly compelling" and praised its "honest and exclusive storytelling". DuBose said the second season would be an "inspirational story" about Cole's determination and personal development.

The third season premiered on November 11, 2008, and concluded on December 30. It continued to follow Cole's work on her music while documenting conflicts among family members, their efforts to address unresolved issues, and a family trip to Trinidad and Tobago.

Cast

• Keyshia Cole as herself
• Frankie Lons – Cole's biological mother
• Neffeteria "Neffe" Pugh – Cole's older sister
• Manny Halley – Cole's manager
• Yvonne Cole – Cole's adoptive mother
• Leon Cole – Cole's adoptive father
• Elite Noel – Cole's younger sister
• Sam Cole – Cole's younger brother
• Amina Harris – Cole's friend

Series overview

Episodes

Ratings and viewership

The series became one of BET's successful reality programs during its run. The October 30, 2007, premiere of the second season attracted 1.24 million households and 1.49 million total viewers, making it the network's then-highest-rated telecast, according to Cynopsis. The third-season premiere drew 1.94 million viewers and was described in Viacom's fourth-quarter 2008 report as the most-watched original-series premiere in BET's history at the time. The third-season finale, which aired on December 30, 2008, attracted 2.1 million viewers. This was below the 2.9 million viewers reported for the second-season finale in December 2007.

Reception

In a November 2007 profile in the Los Angeles Sentinel, Stephanie Frederic praised the production, describing it as a "compelling and cleverly produced series" that presented "the real side" of Cole's life. Reviewing the second-season DVD for the African American Literature Book Club, Kam Williams awarded it four stars, although his assessment of the program was sharply critical. He called it a "jaw-dropping train wreck" and argued that it appealed to a "lower common denominator" than other reality programs. Melissa Camacho of Common Sense Media discussed the series' treatment of family relationships, personal hardship, and reconciliation. She noted that, despite the family's conflicts, its members "genuinely want to make it work". The review also identified discussions of substance abuse, domestic violence, and child abandonment, as well as frequent arguments and strong language.

Spin-off

The series led to the spin-off Frankie & Neffe, which followed Lons and Pugh. BET announced the program in May 2009, with its premiere scheduled for August 18. DuBose said the spin-off would document the pair's development and independence, explaining that "everyone has a Frankie and Neffe in their family".

References

External links

• Keyshia Cole: The Way It Is at IMDb