While not as polished as the slick production finales viewers are used to from American Idol, Black Entertainment Television put on its “Sunday Best” Tuesday night for the live telecast of its gospel music-themed competition show.
Despite some technical sound challenges, BET’s Sunday Best delivered more spirit — and more reality — than Fox’s music competition juggernaut.
Series favorite Crystal Aikin drew a majority of the more than 1.5 million votes to win the competition over Chicago native and runner up Shari Addison, but both vocally gifted and spiritually charged women are deserving of the grand prize recording contract with the Zomba Gospel recording label.
And Kudos to BET and the show’s voting audience for choosing pure talent over imagery. As naturally beautiful, full-figured women of color, both Aikin and Addison — 33-years old and 46-years old respectively –– are welcome sight and reprieve from the thin, eye candy-esque, often modestly talented 20-something performers that are so prevalent in today’s entertainment world.
The network has yet to officially renew the series for a second season, but with 1.7 million watching Tuesday’s one-hour finale — tops for any BET original show during the 2007-08 season – and with 1.2 million viewers on average tuning into the 10-episode series, BET should give serious consideration to renewing this entertaining and uplifting hit series.
