Not enough black dramas and comedies

The biggest issue this highlights is that Black people in the UK are starved of content. Not just in TV but film, books etc. The Sainsburys and Tesco advert debacle shows just how few black depictions we see on mainstream TV. Soaps don’t count as there is typically the standard black or mixed family to prove representation. Brookside and Hollyoaks didn’t even bother with black storylines, just characters.

Take Desmonds for example. I didn’t like it. There was one African on there, Matthew from the Gambia, who was supposed to be the butt of all jokes. Then there was way too much swirling going on and we were supposed to enjoy it. But I still watched every episode because we were starved.

More representations across more genres would reduce the pressure on the Lovers Rocks of the world. It was always going to disappoint some.

Final Thoughts

Sounds like it wasn’t all that it could have been and, that’s a pity. We want more than just ok when we see ourselves on screen. But! Maybe this is the opportunity for others to tell the stories in a series just on this genre which is as quintessentially British as tea and scones.

Now I’m hungry. Enjoy the remain episodes every Sunday as I think it’s worth watching these nuggets of history. But as all of this is history is what many lived I feel your pain. I’m the same when I’m made to watch yet another Americanised Mandela movie with dodgy accents and  a story line that veers from the man himself. But, until our souls are fully nourished with content we must continue to support and watch and take some positive out of it, no? But the soul into that which failed to rock.

© Chelsea Black ® 2020 (Covid era)

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