Diary of a Mad Black Womanrepresents the start of an incredibly successful multimedia franchise. The enduring popularity of the Madea character isdemonstrated by the number of movies, plays, and TV series in which she has featured. As a result, understanding the character’s origins through her original appearance provides important context for any fan. However, whileDiary of a Mad Black Woman’s Netflix arrival is exciting, it also stirs up some old controversies and questions about the franchise.
Every Madea Movie Ranked From Worst To Best (Including Homecoming)
Tyler Perry has revived his popular Madea franchise at Netflix with A Madea Homecoming. Here’s a ranking of all 12 Madea films from worst to best.
Before the production of the movie,Diary of a Mad Black Woman, Tyler Perry mainly worked in theater, directing, writing, producing, and starring in his own shows. The first appearance of Madea came in 1999 in a play calledI Can Do Bad All By Myself,followed by the stage showDiary of a Mad Black Womanin 2001. The stage plays did so well, thatPerry actually used $5.5 million that he earned through ticket sales to fund the production of the 2005 filmDiary of a Mad Black Woman, which was probably the smartest investment he’s ever made.
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Madea’s Fairwell Play
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The initial success ofDiary of a Mad Black Womanand the character Madea brought Tyler Perry a huge success that he never believed would be possible. Not only has he created a 13-film franchise so far as part of theMadea Collection,but his appearances in the films have led tomajor film roles for Tyler Perrysuch as roles inStar Trek, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out Of The Shadows,andDon’t Look Up.Ultimately, by adaptingDiary of a Mad Black Womaninto a film, Tyler Perry successfully made a name for himself in Hollywood.
Why Tyler Perry’s Madea Series Is Still So Popular Almost 20 Years Later (Despite Only 1 Acclaimed Movie)
The Madea Movies Are Not Popular Among Critics, But Audiences Love Them
Given generally poor critical reviews, the Madea movies' enduring popularity is perhaps surprising.I Can Do Bad All By Myselfis the only movie in the Madea franchise with a positive critical reception (61% according to the review aggregatorRotten Tomatoes), and this film was released four years after Diary of a Mad Black Woman. However, while professional critics have been quick to dismiss the series, audiences remain hooked. In fact, every single Madea movie has a much higher audience score than a critical one onRotten Tomatoes, pointing to the fact that the films are popularly entertaining.
“[Madea’s] personality clearly resonates with audiences, either because it offers an exaggerated mirror of reality, or is simply entertaining escapism.”
One explanation is that, despite the questionable content of the films themselves, the Madea character remains an iconic creation. Her personality clearly resonates with audiences, either because it offers an exaggerated mirror of reality, or is simply entertaining escapism. The fact that each installment of the franchise sees Madea in a different situation just creates more depth to the character, making her more lovable – whether she is locked up in prison or playing Santa Claus, her life is never dull. The fact thatDiary of a Mad Black Womanis now on Netflix may only add to her popular legend.
