Review of "195 Lewis"
By Lauren Murray
Honest and poetic, 195 Lewis Season 1 is an evolutionary series following the intricate lives of several queer women of color set in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. You have the relationship of Yuri & Camille, navigating the muddy waters of polyamory, but with one harboring a curiosity as to the exact role they play in each other’s lives. You have Ann, the ever flirtatious but “aint no one really trying to holla” stud that I sense could be going through an internal gender identity conflict, and then you have Kris, newcomer on the block, possibly running from someone or something in her past. And these characters don’t even include the entire slew of underlying plots that weave in and out of the already complicated situations that occur when feelings are involved.
Directed by Chanelle Aponte Pearson and Executive Produced byTerence Nance, both of MVMT Studios and created by Rae Leone Allen and Yaani Supreme, 195 Lewis offers you a foray into the language of black queerdom and exactly what it means to “Play or find a Queen”, if you know what I mean. You get love, fear, curiosity, angst, and excitement all in this one season! Without giving too much away, I am wondering what will happen as Yuri’s relationships progress on. Will Camille continue to be #1, or do see new & unexpected love interests on the horizon? Let’s just see, right?
Lust worthy, but most importantly transparent, we see a sincere exploration between friends just trying to make it, whether it is making a sustainable income through the things that give them joy, giving and receiving love ethically, and also maintaining sense of self and staying true to your values while being free from societal ideologies on how our sexuality should be, feminine or masculine.
I appreciate shows like this for providing visibility to queer woman of color and for holding space for these types of much needed conversations. Queer women are here, we have stories, and our stories matter.
With fresh music selections, mood lighting for days, and plenty of melanin to go around, 195 Lewis is the show I didn’t know that I needed, but I’m happy it’s here. I can’t wait for Season 2, and will definitely be telling all of my friends about this one. Plus, I wonder which of the 5 types of lesbians I would be categorized as? Lol, the world will never know…
Want more on the show? Peep my interviews with Chanelle & Rae as they discuss the inspiration behind the series and what else we can expect from production.
You can watch 195 Lewis here, and don’t forget to let us know what you thought!
Read Lauren's 2-part interview from this summer with director Chanelle here!