Stream It Or Skip It evaluates the new Paramount+ drama "Route 187," produced by Tyler Perry but written by Mark E. Swinton, a veteran of Perry Studios. The show follows various characters in South Winslow, where crime and violence are rampant; one scene involves three young men attacking a teen on Route 87, which is often referred to as “Route 187,” with "187" being the police code for homicide. Despite some promising elements like local reporter Mason James seeking stories amid the neighborhood's turmoil, the article notes that the show lacks subtlety and depth in its storytelling, making it difficult to enjoy despite potential underlying quality.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-17,
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Story summary
Tyler Perry-produced drama Route 187 debuted on Paramount+, written by veteran Mark E. Swinton of Perry Studios. The series follows three young men, Roshawn, William, and Darrell, who harass a teen named Terrell during a bus ride in South Winslow along Route 87, nicknamed "Route 187." After the altercation on the bus, where the trio assaults both Terrell and the bus driver, local reporter Mason James tries to find stories for his struggling newspaper. The show’s setting highlights crime-ridden areas of South Winslow, aiming to depict perseverance amidst adversity, despite initial skepticism about Perry's typical nuanced approach in writing and directing.
Written for “Tyler Perry Series Premiere” on 2026-09-17,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
We tend to approach any Tyler Perry-produced series with caution, mainly because Perry isn’t known for nuance in his writing or directing.
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Perry → tend → writing
However, the new Paramount+ drama Route 187 is written by Perry Studios veteran Mark E. Swinton, so we have a little bit of hope that the show won’t be a complete mess.
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show → write → hope
A bus stops and lets on three young men.
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bus → stop → men
When one of them doesn’t have the money for the fare, the three men start harassing a teen who is bouncing a basketball between his legs.
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who → have → legs
The Gist: The bus route where the three thugs — Roshawn (Elijah Collins), William (Javen Lewis) and Darrell (Kerby Collins) — attack the teen, Terrell (Bryce Clyde Jenkins) is on Route 87 in South Winslow.
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thugs → attack → Winslow
The route is often nicknamed “Route 187,” with “187” being the police code for homicide.
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187 → nickname → homicide
After the thugs carry Terrell out of the bus and beat him, the bus driver eventually gets involved outside the bus and gets beaten himself.
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driver → carry → bus
Mason James (Christopher Livingston) is a local reporter who is facing the reality that the newspaper he owns is going to be publishing its last edition.
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he → face → edition
Still looking for stories, he finds out from T. Jay (Lawrence Robinson), who owns the used tire shop that young Black women keep disappearing from the neighborhood.
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women → look → neighborhood
What Mason doesn’t realize is that T. Jay runs a meth-making operation in the basement of the shop.
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Jay → realize → shop
Meanwhile, Tamara Henderson (Erica Pinkett) is denied visitation with her kids, and an angry outburst gets her thrown in lockup for contempt of court.
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her → deny → court
What Shows Will It Remind You Of?
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It → remind → You
Route 187, created by Mark E. Swinton, with Tyler Perry as one of the executive producers, is reminiscent of shows like The Chi.
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Route → create → Chi
Like many Perry productions, Route 187 doesn’t exactly come at its subject with much in the way of subtlety.
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Route → come → subtlety
The first scene we see is three guys attacking a teen on the bus whose route provides the show’s name.
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route → see → name
By the end of the 30-minute episode, Terrell’s mother, court clerk Lisa Mims (Tonia Jackson), is hyperventilating at the news that her son is in emergency surgery.
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son → hyperventilate → surgery
Terrell’s brother is shown paying a prostitute $10 for favors next to a dumpster before he gets the bad news.
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he → show → news
But what we are hoping is that, as we get through these fast-paced episodes, Swinton’s sensibilities will win out and the characters will get some depth.
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characters → hop → depth
Mason is likely the factor that ties these stories together, but the nerdy lines he’s given, along with Livingston’s uneven portrayal, is endemic of what ultimately makes this show tough to watch.
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show → tie → portrayal
There’s a better show underneath some of the messy dialogue and over-the-top acting, but it may try the patience of viewers who keep watching in hope of finding that better show.
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who → ’ → show
To be honest, no one really stands out, though Lawrence Robinson plays T. Jay and his twin brother Emp; T. Jay’s reaction to one of his guys accidentally calling him “Emp” shows us that they aren’t exactly close.
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they → stand → us
We mentioned that dumpster-side transaction.
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We → mention → transaction
Also, T. Jay has all of his meth-making employees strip naked so they don’t pocket anything while working.
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they → have → anything
Terrell’s mother Lisa can’t breathe as she gets word that her son’s injuries are life-threatening.
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injuries → breathe → word
Route 187 suffers from a lack of nuance and some inconsistent performances.
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Route → suffer → nuance
But we’re still recommending it because we’re hoping there’s at least a little nuance revealed as the series moves along.
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series → recommend → it
Joel Keller (@joelkeller) writes about food, entertainment, parenting and tech, but he doesn’t kid himself: he’s a TV junkie.
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he → write → himself
His writing has appeared in the New York Times, Slate, Salon, RollingStone.com, VanityFair.com, Fast Company and elsewhere.
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writing → appear → Times
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