Watching and Loving the White, Male “Stranger Things”
Can a show that’s white and male still expand who can be a hero, who’s worthy of our attention, and who deserves to have their story told?
Race
Four Reasons Why Charmed is Heir to Buffy’s Legacy
I love Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I watched it live, made sure I hadn’t missed an episode with the DVDs, and read all the think-pieces I could (and there are a lot). Not to mention science says it’s good for you — watching shows like Buffy (aka shows with kickass female leads) has a proven positive correlation to less gender […]
Becoming Exceptional: What We Owe Michelle Obama and Beyoncé
I have been watching and rewatching the glory and salvation that is Beyoncé’s Homecoming. The over 2-hour film chronicles her historical performance as the first Black woman to headline Coachella. The film is everything and shows the strength and dedication of a woman who has reinvented so much of the music industry. Truly, there is nothing […]
The Good Fight: Delightful, Problematic, Unflinching
The Good Fight is delightful. Taking place in the Chicago law-and-politics universe of The Good Wife, the show focuses on Christine Baranski’s standout character, the fiercely calm Diane Lockhart. The first episode starts with Trump’s inauguration and follows Diane as she loses her life’s savings in a Murdoch-like-scam. Forced out of retirement, she lands on her feet at […]
Why Michael Burnham is Great and “Star Trek: Discovery” is Not
It is rare to see women of color on screen. Across media, women get about a third of speaking roles with people of color only getting a third of that. That’s about 10%, significantly less than our percentage of the general population. And of course, women of color in lead roles in STEM-focused shows are […]
The Joy of Watching Women of Color in Power
Wednesday, many of us watched, as former personal lawyer to Donald Trump, Michael Cohen, testified before the House Oversight committee. In his opening statement, Cohen called President Trump a “racist, conman, and a cheat.” Unfortunately, watching a white man being called out appropriately is never as satisfying as it should be. Usually, these events tend to […]
Six Reasons Why “Russian Doll” is So Perfect (Warning: Spoilers)
If you haven’t binged Netflix’s Russian Doll yet, you should. The show is perfect. Pretty bold to say, I know, but in the world of prestige media, I challenge you to find something better. Much has been made of Russian Doll’s use of all woman writers and directors and I, of course, love seeing women’s […]
“Roma” and the Pressure to Represent all of the Latinx Experience
“I’m Mexican.” That’s something I say sometimes. Mostly to people who are (rudely) asking “where are you [really] from?” And sometimes to those who take my light skin as an invitation to say something racist. Every once in a while to a fellow Latinx person as we share experiences. The thing is, though, I’m not […]