It is the show that has taken the world by storm this summer, bringing millions of readers to the Oprah Winfrey Network every Tuesday since it debuted May 28th. Written, produced and directed by Tyler Perry, we were introduced to three families who outwardly may have appeared differently but are more connected than those around them could ever know.
As delicious as the drama is between them, I have found that the lessons we learn each week or just as compelling. Leave it up to Tyler Perry to be able to entertain and inspire us through one drama series.
NO BAD DEED GOES UNPUNISHED: From the very first episode (actually in the first 10 15 min.) we are able to see how Judge Jim Cryer (played by John Schneider) is not just a smooth liar but a cheater as well. His indiscretion with the escort Candace Young ( played by Tika Sumpter) is something that follows him through the series, leading to events that will not only affect his family but those in Candace's as well. It is his wife Katheryn (played by Renee Lawless) that reminds him that his sins are coming back to him through his children.
The lesson? No bad deed goes unpunished, even if we can see the results from the beginning.
HELL HATH NO FURY...: Katheryn Cryer is the matriarch of her family but she is also a woman with deep secrets and an even deeper resentment for the life (and lies) she has been forced to live. Her husband Jim has put her in a situation where she has had to hide her disdain for him, but with the hiring of Hanna Young ( played by Crystal Fox) she finds someone she can confide in. It is through her interactions with Hannah that she reveals not just her health troubles but why she is keeping it from her family. Also when Hannah needs her help on behalf of her son Benny (played by Tyler Lepley), it is Katheryn who gets Veronica Harrington ( played by Angela Robinson) involved, ultimately revealing truths and a scandal that some never saw coming.
The lesson? We've heard that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, but Kateryn also shows that that the urge for revenge is a cancer that can kill far more than any physical ailment you might experience.
THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE: Though there are issues that all of the characters in this drama are dealing with it is Hanna Young that is holding much of her truth away from others. As we meet her in the first episode she refuses to tell her employers the Cryers that Candace Young is her daughter for fear of losing her job. Later we see her refusing to tell her son Benny that Tony Watson (played by Patrick Faucette) is his father. We also don't know much about Candace's father and some of the accusations that she has made. When we finally see Hanna admit the truth about Candace we see the sigh of relief that comes over her and the way she is able to relax even more.
The truth also has a lot to do with how Veronica learns more about her husband David (played by Peter Parros) and his involvement in the Candace Young and later Benny Young scandals. She is able to see that her husband is capable of lying without evidence of conscience and has no problem calling him on it.
The lesson? No matter how difficult it might be, the truth is always the best road to walk. It's not always easy to digest, but the lasting benefits are far better than the consequences that come from lies.
TO THINE OWN SELF BE TRUE: As you have already seen the truth is something that is a problem for many on The Haves and the Have Nots, and especially among the children of the Cryers and Jeffrey Harrington ( played by Gavin Houston) there are serious problems living the truth.
Wyatt (played by Aaron O'Connell) and Amanda (played by Jaclyn Betham) are part of a family that is seen as being powerful yet these two are deeply affected by events that have taken place in their lives. We don't know the full story yet, but what we do know is that something happened to the two of them that caused them to cope in various ways. For Wyatt that seems to be drugs and alcohol. For Amanda it is through hurting herself, resulting in two suicide attempts. Individuals enter their lives with the hope of giving them something to look for, but will they find the courage to be themselves in spite of what others (including their own parents) think?
Jeffrey has been the most painful to watch as it comes to the issue of living one's truth. We've seen his love for Wyatt show itself in various ways, included the anger that erupted leading into the finale. Part of the reason he has been so reluctant to openly express himself is the warning given by his own mother that nothing other than what's expect of him will be tolerated.
The lesson? I think the character Candace says it best: You'll never be happy until you are living a life that is honest and true. She says this to Amanda and to Jeffrey, and it's a great message for us as well.
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What will Season Two bring? We will find out soon enough, but what we already know is that this show will continue to grow in popularity as those watching continue to be enthralled and engaged in each and every episode.
Conversations LIVE radio interviews with The Haves and The Have Nots cast:
Interview with Jaclyn Betham (Amanda Cryer)
Interview with Tyler Lepley (Benny Young)
Interview with Gavin Houston (Jeffrey Harrington)
Interview with Patrick Faucette (Tony Watson)
Interview with Renee Lawless (Katheryn Cryer)
Interview with Angela Robinson (Veronica Harrington)
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