Why TV can’t be called the ‘idiot box’ anymore

The internet went into uproar recently over the trailer for The Great Wall, starring Matt Damon as a warrior who must save China from dragons. From prominent Asian-American actress Constance Wu to independent bloggers, more and more people have begun voicing their frustrations with the rampant whitewashing that is still prevalent in Hollywood today.

On television shows, though, the portrayal of diverse characters has, in the recent past, reached new depths that had previously remained unexplored.

In the past few years alone, a vast line-up of shows have completely altered the television landscape. These include Empire, headlining Terrence Howard, How to Get Away with Murder, starring Viola Davis, Fresh off the Boat, starring Wu, and Mr Robot, with Rami Malek.

In addition, top TV show leads are no longer the one-dimensional, “ordinary” characters they used to be. Some of the biggest shows are fronted by characters who not only deviate from the norm because of their non-whiteness, but also because they are not defined solely by the colour of their skin. These characters deal with mental health issues, substance abuse, and personality disorders while also being subjected to social prejudices — just like regular, everyday people.

For example, Malek’s Elliot in Mr Robot is a cyber-vigilante and a substance abuser with mental health issues and identity disorders. Trai Byers’ portrayal of Andre, the Wharton-educated, high-powered CFO with a bipolar disorder in Empire, also discusses the perception of mental health disorders in the African-American community.

Flawed positive lead characters are also helping normalise mental health issues, which have traditionally been represented as being dangerous (A Beautiful Mind, Psycho), or worse, comical (Monk).

Fans have lauded Krysten Ritter’s titular character in Jessica Jones, a hard-drinking female superhero character who is diagnosed with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) as a result of surviving severe abuse. Jones is especially notable as a character because superheroes are seldom seen as beings vulnerable to the after-effects of surviving trauma — they merely become grim, with little else explained about their ordeal and thought process, like Batman.

“Personally, I find it difficult to connect with everyday people when it comes to these issues. Either no one talks about it or it’s just misunderstood,” said Revathy Rajan, Dubai-based TV-blogger and Jones fan. “But the idea of having not just a TV character, but rather a superhero tackling these problems as well, makes it more relatable to audience viewers such as myself. The show explores the idea that even the characters we believe to be invulnerable go through problems like anxiety, PTSD and depression themselves. This idea is used to reinforce a hopeful message... that having these issues does not make you weak or incapable in anyway. Fans adore superheroes for their strength, powers and invincibility. But they look up to them just as much, if not more, for the way they deal with problems that plague the common man.”

And that’s just one of the reasons why it’s unfair to call TV the idiot box anymore — just as unfair as it is to expect audiences to believe that nobody from China could have saved China.

According to Sabir Haque, a UAE university professor and filmmaker, greater inclusivity in media, specifically films, is only possible when diverse people create their own content, which is both representative of their specific identity and universally relatable at the same time. “You can’t sit back and wait for the perception to change by itself,” he says. “Until and unless the content creators are immigrants, you won’t be able to change the perception.”

Here are the top six three-dimensional characters on TV right now:

Andre from Empire (Played by Trai Byers)

Andre is an ambitious CFO with bipolar disorder desperately craving the acknowledgment of his father, the CEO of Empire Entertainment. Andre is the only person in his family who has no musical talent, and thus relies on his intellect to find favour with his father, becoming frustrated when he is unable to do so.

Jessica Jones from Jessica Jones (Played by Krysten Ritter)

Jessica Jones is a former superhero turned-private investigator after a traumatic experience. Jones is a sarcastic, witty character who has been diagnosed with PTSD. She consistently has flashbacks from her painful past so turns to alcohol to numb her pain.

Elliot from Mr Robot (Played by Rami Malek)

Elliot is a computer programmer by day and a cyber-vigilante by night, working to bring down large corporations. He is seen as having mental health issues like social anxiety disorder and depression, and is a substance abuser. The series has been nominated for multiple awards for the upcoming 68th Emmy Awards, including outstanding drama series, outstanding writing for a drama series, and outstanding lead actor in a drama series for Malek.

Multiple characters from Orphan Black (Played by Tatiany Maslany)

We have to mention the actor in this case, not the character — because if we did, we’d have to list out 12. Maslany plays a dozen different roles, each with their own set of problems, which range from what is believed to be depression-related suicide to personality disorders. Maslany is up for the Emmy Award for outstanding lead actress in a drama series.

Tulip O’Hare from Preacher (Played by Ruth Negga)

Canonically, in the comics, Tulip is white, but in the TV version she is played by the Irish-Ethiopian actress. She is the preacher’s (Jesse Custer played by Dominic Cooper) fierce, aggressive, gun-toting ex-girlfriend with a dark past tainted by violence.

Annalise Keating from How to Get Away with Murder (Played by Viola Davis)

Keating is a glamorous, whip-smart defence attorney and law professor who has suffered sexual violence at the hands of a family member in her past. Her turbulent life also involves multiple miscarriages and failed relationships. Davis, along with Maslany, has been nominated for outstanding lead actress in a drama series. Davis made history last year by becoming the first black actress to win an Emmy Award in the lead actress category. The Emmy Awards ceremony is due to take place on September 18.

— Sayema Wasi is an intern at Gulf News.