Common Sense Media Review
By Joyce Slaton
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Great successful-woman series with sexy stuff.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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Being Mary Jane
What's the Story?
BEING MARY JANE isn't always easy. Stunning talk show host Mary Jane Paul (Gabrielle Union) has worked her way up to the top of the food chain at the Atlanta-based network on which her show appears. But her personal life doesn't always run as smoothly. She's looking to fall in love, but unfaithful married man Andre Daniels (Omari Hardwick) keeps getting in the way. At home, Mary Jane's invalid mother Helen Patterson (Margaret Avery) struggles to maintain her own marriage and health, while Mary Jane's father Paul (Richard Roundtree) worries about his family. Mary Jane's older brother Patrick (Richard Brooks) deals with an on-again, off-again drug addiction and his pregnant teenage daughter Niecy (Raven Goodwin) while other brother Paul Jr. (B.J. Britt) tries to keep his young kids in line. Meanwhile, Mary Jane's position at the network is never safe, her friends are having their own romantic and professional adventures, and all Mary Jane wants to do is find the time to hit the gym and get a full night's sleep.
Is It Any Good?
Many a network show has captured the life of a lovely young something-or-other: doctor, teacher, lawyer. Watching a woman in her early 30s work to get ahead in her career while navigating her own love life is a time-tested television formula, but Being Mary Jane distinguishes itself with fresh, smart writing and an appealing ensemble of cast members, each of whom have their own soapy problems to deal with.
Union herself, who's struggled to find the right roles since her breakout role in the cheerleader flick Bring It On, is enormously sympathetic in her nuanced portrayal of Mary Jane. She doesn't always make the right decisions (having sex with Andre at the gym might have been the wrong choice, for one thing), but she's so intelligent and emotionally savvy that watching her is a towering pleasure. Add to that a warm and loving family (which adds its own complications), and a circle of zesty friends and Being Mary Jane transcends its seen-it premise to become something quite rare: A realistic portrait of a young woman learning how to be her best self. This show is highly recommended, though parents may want to watch with teens to counter any too-mature messages.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why a drama about a young and beautiful television personality would be appealing to watch. Why is Being Mary Jane not about a woman in her 40s or 50s? What storylines does Mary Jane's youth make possible or more likely?
Is Mary Jane wealthy or poor? Did she go to college or not? Does she like her job? How does the show tell you these things without having to state them outright?
Is the audience supposed to like Mary Jane? To judge her? To relate to her? What clues do you get from her depiction? Consider dialogue, costumes, plotting and setting in your answer.
TV Details
- Premiere date : July 2, 2013
- Cast : Gabrielle Union , Omari Hardwick , Margaret Avery , Stephen Bishop
- Network : BET
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Family Stories ( Siblings )
- TV rating :
- Award : NAACP Image Award - NAACP Image Award Nominee
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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