America has come a long way in terms of representation of people of color on television. With shows like "Fresh Off the Boat" or "American Crime," viewers are constantly reminded of the changing American demographic.
Riding on the wave of "Modern Family," ABC has introduced "Blackish," a show featuring a black family in America interacting with the world. The show first aired in September of 2014, and since then has been causing ripples in the entertainment world. Tracy Ellis Ross, who plays a biracial doctor and the mother on the show, was nominated for an Emmy this year.
Aside from light humor and the typical family dynamic of a television sitcom, "Blackish" presents something new and much needed in America today.
With a heavy tone of satire, the show creates situations that nearly every American can relate to, whether in the workplace or at school. It then puts every viewer in the perspective of a black person, a perspective usually hard to understand from the outside.
"Blackish" also humanizes the black family, providing more than just the token stereotype of a broken, lower-middle-class family that television usually portrays. The family comprises of both parents educated and very present, therefore giving viewers a new image to look to. It further addresses these stereotypes in an approachable, comedic way.
This idea of purposeful satire is not new; "Saturday Night Live" is constantly taking jabs at the world’s social ills. Yet, "Blackish" is especially important because it stages the sad reality of these issues right along with the humor. In laughing at the jokes, you realize a person of color’s feelings on them and how they aren’t actually funny.
Most importantly, "Blackish" is what America has needed because it puts a microscope on how America still views black people and their struggles and advances. In Season 1 episode 8, viewers learn of the mother’s biracial identity. She struggles to define herself as two races and become comfortable in her identity, thus informing viewers about the complexity of America’s biracial population. Viewers identify with the various characters in episode 12 of the most recent season as they deal with the results of the election and recognize everyone’s different political views and values.
America needs "Blackish" as much as any law or president because it demonstrates many different perspectives of people of color about issues that a white audience may not understand. Among these important issues, "Blackish" also manages to make almost everyone laugh so much that they come back next week wanting more.
