The reason why I enjoy television and film is because in the words of The Incredible Jessica James, I enjoy dialogue-driven dramas that explore the human condition. I also relish learning about different perspectives, behaviors and complexities, and getting a glimpse into different cultures.
I was motivated to pursue production due to the pervasive lack of multidimensional Black characters in film and television. From age 10 onwards there was a growing disconnect in the amount of images I saw that related to me.
I am now beside myself, overcome with joy, at how many new shows are debuting, telling stories of Black women and men that are genuine and chock-full of the range of human emotions we all possess.
These portrayals thankfully go against the stereotypical representations of Black humans in cinema often manifested in a “sassy,” maternal, funny but undesirable Black woman and/or femme, and the overtly sexual, cowardly but strong, shortsighted Black man who serves as comedic relief. They are usually sidekicks if not background characters.
While we had a few television classics in the 90’s such as Family Matters, Living Single, Sister, Sister, and Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, the aughts dried up such visual models of everyday Black American life, instead giving birth to the ever-controversial yet addictive “reality TV” genre. I would argue that the docuseries genre spawned a new-age Blaxploitation, particularly as it relates to on-screen portrayals of Black women.
From Insecure to Black Panther, we can finally see lead Black actors within numerous cinematic genres, giving us representation within various storylines and coming from different walks of life. In this blog I will explore the character development, cinematography, and main themes of such series because thoughtful, nuanced entertainment that centers Black humanity matters - Black narratives matter!
Yesss! Two years later, the second iteration of this South African drama has blown its predecessor out of the water. It was certainly worth the wait. The writing, acting, cinematography, and character development all take it up a notch this season. It’s kind of like watching a whole new show.
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