STILL RAMBLIN'

So yes, my Blacks-in-television rant has yet to see its end.

While doing my daughter's hair last night, we were watching a show on the Family Channel called Good Luck Charlie. I was appalled (disgusted, frustrated, pissed off, annoyed and whole lot of other things) by the role the only black character in the show (as far as I know) played:

A teenage girl who doesn't give a damn about her education, gets overly excited about a B grade that she doesn't think she deserves and ultimately changes a B into a D so that her mother doesn't end up having high expectations, while her White friend scolded her about the importance of taking her education seriously.

REALLY DISNEY?

That character undermined everything I've ever taught my own children about education. It was insensitive, stereotypical and downright uncalled for.

Let me clarify that despite what race this child is, a character like that has no place in a children's show in this day and age. The fact that she is a SHE and is BLACK made it that much worse. It's safe to say that this show has officially gone on the "Do Not Watch" list.

Raven Goodwin plays another character on the show HUGE which I have yet to check out. I hope it does her more justice than this role though, because to be quite honest it is a shameful role to play. I understand the importance of getting paid but at what expense? She's a beautiful girl with enough talent to be a hell of a role model. Hopefully she'll leave this role behind very soon!

Progressive TV?

There's a new children's show coming out that features a black character as one of the main characters. I believe his name is Nick. The show is called the Cat in the Hat Knows A Lot About That. I think its great that one of the main characters is a person of color.It deviates from plot of the well known book by Dr. Seuss but it teaches children the importance of diversity.

Now I'm a critic by nature, so of course I found something wrong with it anyway. Not so wrong that I won't allow my children to watch it, but just wrong enough that I had to complain about it :) As is my nature.

Apparently the voice actor that plays "Nick" is White. I know I sound like a whiner, but I can't help but wonder why they couldn't just go all in. Were there not enough talented black or other voice actors of color that they could find to audition and successfully fulfill this role? I wonder if it the creators decided that they'd already "done us a favor" by making Nick black in the first place? Maybe that's it. After all this is a Canadian television show. And Canada? Not all that progressive.

I guess its what the kids see that matters most, not what they hear.

I will say this, even though its a shame a black actor lost out to that role, I'm glad they decided against the stereotypical black dialect.

Now that's progressive.

Progressive Television

An issue close to my heart (burning in it and causing the occasionally rant), is the presence of Blacks on television. It's always bothered me that the only shows portraying Blacks were comedies containing (but of course not limited to) a lot of buffoonery. Or even worse as the 'token Black' in any given show. Or the boyfriend of the white girl next door. I'm all for interracial relationships, love is love, but when it comes to television can't we mix it up a bit? Maybe show a functional Black couple once in a while?

I loved Sam and Naomi together. They're both beautiful, intelligent and successful. I just wish Shonda could have let them be functional for a decent amount of time. The demise of Eggs and Tara was also a shame and left me almost (but not quite) as devastated as Tara.

When Soul Food came out years ago, a lot of us were satisfied. It was, as far as I know, unprecedented and although it dealt with some deep seeded and sometimes over the top drama (what hour long drama doesn't) it was real, for most of us.

While scrolling through Fall Previews last night, I noticed a new show. It wasn't the description that caught my eye, it was the billing. Not the producer, or director either but the actors in the leading roles:

Boris Kodjoe and Gugu Mbatha-Raw

I'm very, very excited to see this show. I'm a big TV buff and also a pretty harsh critic. But I'll be honest, if this show sucks (although considering the creator's cred it likely won't) I'll still watch, just on principle alone! And even if they turn to be a not so functional couple (based on the description its likely), at least they'll still be in the leading roles of an action drama, so it'll be worth the sacrifice!

Congrats Boris and Gugu! Please make us proud!