This review contains spoilers, click expand to view.
"The Paynes" get off to a great three episode start. The viewer sees the original cast for the first time in nearly six years, since the finale of the original "House of Payne." Then the show takes a nose dive. We are introduced to the main story line set up by Curtis's (LaVan Davis) idiocy. He moves Ella (Cassi Davis) to another state right under her nose and she oblivious about it. However, one could actually look past that as it is the premise of the entire show. However, the show takes yet a deeper nose dive when the viewers are introduced to "Nyla" (Stephanie Charles) a single mother working at the new help center. Almost immediately, we are introduced to her boyfriend "Kendrick" (Matthew Law) who is a surgeon. Afterwards, it takes another nose dive by revealing that Kendrick is abusive, because after all this is a Tyler Perry Production and all black men beat their women. What brings the show down as a whole is the wall-to-wall idiocy of the characters.
The writing is abysmal at best. For example, Nyla is the person getting abused but for some reason keeps returning to the same guy. How are we suppose to feel sorry for her if she keeps making the same mistake. On top of that, it is as if we are supposed to feel sorry for the abusive boyfriend. He constantly returns and begs for her forgiveness and wins her back. In the process, he's being put over as this sympathetic character. Why should we feel sorry for a man beating his wife? How does that produce sympathy? Then, Nyla who is basically playing the "in-love" girl easily comes off as an idiot.
Metacritic Score 2/10
My Personal Star Rating is 1/5 (F)
This show is awful and I do not recommend it...… Expand