Four Reasons Why 'Single Ladies' is Doomed Without Stacey Dash

When we heard that a new kind of "Sex and the City" was coming to TV, we were thrilled. We watched VH1's "Single Ladies" slowly stretch into a palatable little affair. We overlooked some of the growing pains and quirks-deciding that Queen Latifah's brainchild was something we could tolerate. Even the players---LisaRaye McCoy, Charity Shea, and Stacey Dash---grew on us.

But on the heels of Season 1's finale, the unthinkable has happened: Stacey Dash is leaving the show. Rumored friction with co-star LisaRaye is said to be at the root of her departure---even though she cites the strains of filming on location in Atlanta as the reason for her exit. Will the series suffer with Dash gone? These signs point to 'yes.'

What will become of the boutique?

Val's boutique is like the show's headquarters. Though it's unlikely that the locale will be tossed out with its owner, Single Ladies' execs will have to find a creative way to continue to make the boutique relevant to the story. The same goes for Val's apartment, which she used to share with Keisha (LisaRaye). With Keisha's character in hot water with Malcolm, she'll probably move back into Val's digs anyway.

Stacey's new fans will be disappointed.

For those too young to remember when Stacey portrayed a high schooler in "Clueless", she has become a new TV friend. You might say that the virtually ageless star has garnered a new following---young women who have easily latched onto the fabulous lifestyles of the "wives", bad girls, and divas of their favorite reality shows. These women might not take too kindly to an imposter filling Val's Louboutins.

Val is (was) the perfect "Carrie."

Those who compare "Single Ladies" to "Sex and the City" would agree that Val is the most Carrie-like. Her delicate frame, loopy love goals, and neurotic charm are going to be difficult to replace with another African American actress. We know that the story wasn't meant to be a direct replica of the HBO series. In any event, people have grown accustomed to the character's quirks and will be looking for the same kind of personality in her replacement.

Replacing Val might not make a difference.

There are basically two ways to handle the issue of Stacey Dash's departure from the show: replace her or get rid of her character. Unfortunately, each option poses a problem. Fans accustomed to Dash's dainty, quirky demeanor might not cozy up to a new "Val" immediately. With Dash gone, the brunt of the show will land squarely on the shoulders of LisaRaye, whose acting skills have left some viewers cold.

On the other hand, the opposite might occur. If VH1 replaces Stacey Dash with a significantly stronger actress, the rest of the cast will definitely have to step up their game, or risk weighing down the show. If they fade quietly into the background, the new "star" of the show takes over, and gets her own spinoff.

SOURCES:

www.insidetv.ew.com

www.vh1.com

www.clutchmagonline.com