If it’s one television series that puts the idea of commitment to the test, it’s the drama series Monogamy now in its third season, the show stars Jill Marie Jones, Vanessa Simmons, along with a few other Hollywood hitters including Brian White and Darius McCray as part of four married couples who embark on an unconventional method of therapy with the goal of revitalizing their failing unions. The lifestyle they enter into appears enticing until it nearly destroys them.
If you ask Jones and Simmons whether or not they believe the concept of monogamy exists, they both agree that it’s all about what works for the individual couple. “The show is definitely a conversation starter for that,” Simmons, who has been with longtime partner Michael Wayans for over a decade, told Shadow and Act in a recent interview. “If you can handle a swap in that manner. The way the show has made me think is more so looking at my own relationships and making sure I’m giving my partner what he needs and also being open about what I need. I could never personally enter a situation like what our characters are doing but it has offered so much insight.”
And it’s easy to see why Simmons and Jones would be hesitant to test the construct of monogamy. By the end of season 2, their characters’ marriages are on the brink of divorce. As season 3 progresses, viewers witness what they will and won’t do to try and salvage what’s left.
Filming was obviously different this season because of COVID-19 constraints. But for Jones, reuniting with her cast is always a pleasure, and much needed after a year or so of quarantine restrictions. “It’s like summer camp every time I see these people,” Jones gushed. “I really do love these people. Our set was so COVID compliant and it was really great to work on a set where I felt safe.”
Both have several other projects in the works. When S&A last spoke with Simmons, she was promoting the new initiatives for her beloved brand Pastry. That remains a passion of hers. She is also gearing up for the season 2 premiere of the BET sports drama Games People Play. Last season, fans were shocked to discover that her character was guilty of murder. This season picks up where season 1 left off and also introduces a slew of other characters who get embroiled in the scandals of the league.
As always, fans are constantly yearning for a real Girlfriends reunion. Creator Mara Brock-Akil has said she’d like to do a movie and give closure for the four characters of Toni, Maya, Lynn, and Joan. Jones wants the same. But this time around, she wants to see some growth within the superficial world of Toni Childs.
“If we were to come back, we know that Mara has it down but in terms of Toni, I just would like for her feet to be grounded a little bit,” Jones said. “I still have the sass but just kind of just be on earth a little bit more.”
The season wrapped this Thursday, Sept. 30. The full season can be streamed on ALLBLK.
