I got a chance to catch the first episode of the new A&E series Hammertime, and I can officially say that it is a very entertaining and heartfelt show. The show is, of course, about MC Hammer (or Hammer for short) and his life with family in Tracy, California. The show takes you into their home and lets you meet their kids.

The first episode is a bit of a mixed bag if you will. The show focuses on a lot of different personalities and my only gripe is that they don’t spend enough time dealing with any one particular person. It seems like Hammer’s day it too full to properly capture in a thirty minute broadcast. Hopefully they’ll work out the kinks as time goes by.

On the bright side the show is very positive and depicts an African American celebrity that’s not mired in controversy, which is nice. The show depicts a strong marriage, well behaved children, and a strong family unit. I must admit that it’s nice to see such a positive environment on television, especially when shows like Jon & Kate plus 8 have don’t help support the idea of a nuclear family.

We all know the story of Hammer by now, and the show doesn’t shy away from that. Hammer is upfront and honest about his past and has shown that he can learn from past mistakes. It’s actually very encouraging to see him doing well and still enjoying a full and happy life. Hammer presents himself and his family as something you can root for.

The show also told me a lot about Hammer that I didn’t know, like how he served in the Navy, and that he is still working on his music which was cool to know. The show also manages to deal with the imperfections that are a part of home life. Young Jeremiah, his 11 year old son, is having trouble in school and Hammer has to deal with it. All I can say is I wish my parents were that cool about bad grades, I’m just saying.

All in all the show is a lot of fun, it seems like unscripted shows are the wave of the future, and you have to take the good with the bad. Lucky for us, this reality show is one of the good ones.