White Guy’s Burden: The Racialicious Review of 24: Redemption
By Special Correspondent Arturo R. García
… No, really, people watch this show every week? No wonder the Bush presidency lasted two terms.
24: Redemption is both set-up and appetizer for the show’s incomprehensible fanbase, setting the table three years after the surely cataclysmic sixth season, which left Super Agent Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) on the lam and out of a job, what with his beloved Counter Terrorism Unit being disbanded.
As we begin this two-hour slice of Jack’s traumatic life, the former Republican role model is moonlighting in the fictional African country of Singala, helping out an old special ops buddy (Robert Carlyle) building a school/living shelter somewhere near the country’s border. Where these kids’ parents are, why this school is not co-ed, or staffed by anybody who’s not white, is never explained. The only other person at the camp is a slimy, United Nations worker. Of course the UN guy is French, and verbally fahrts in Jack’s general direction.
But never mind the kids or their harsh socio-political realities, Jack is emotional, man!
He’s depressed about how Season 6 went down, and beset upon by an Annoying Liberal U.S. Bureaucrat (Gil Bellows) serving a subpoena for Jack to testify to Congress regarding “human rights violations.” If we’re talking about the rest of this series, can we move to upgrade the charges to Crimes Against Humanity?
(By the way, we know Bellows is playing a Liberal because he wears dorky glasses and complains about the heat. An Annoying Republican Bureaucrat would have hiked his way across the jungle, carrying the subpoena like Christopher Walken did the watch in Pulp Fiction.)
Jack’s mellow gets harshed even further by a seemingly out-of-nowhere coup organized by the People’s Freedom Army, led by the evil Gen. Benjamin Juma (an under-used Tony Todd) and his #1, Col. Ike Dubaku (Hakeem Kae-Kazim). You know they’re important characters because they’re not featured in a single publicity still Fox released for the movie. Though Juma and Dubaku decry the Singalan government as working for their “white masters” in the U.S., we learn the PFA is in fact being funded by evil American Jonas Hodge (Jon Voight).
In shepherding the schoolchildren to the rapidly-closing U.S. Embassy, Jack has what you could call an off day: 10 kills in just under two hours, as they make their way to asylum before the embassy is evacuated under orders of lame-duck President Noah Daniels (Powers Boothe). The fall of Singala, and Jack’s and the kids’ final march to safety, plays out alongside the inauguration of Daniels’ successor, the “idealistic” Allison Taylor. In order to get the kids on the last helicopter to safety, Jack is forced to forego his “What, me, accountable?” philosophy and turn himself in for testimony.
On the “real world” side of things, the program featured a commercial for Malaria No More and referred viewers to a documentary on child soldiers on its official website. And it’s encouraging, I suppose, that writer Howard Gordon didn’t attempt to give Redemption a “feel-good” ending: you know, Jack killing Juma and Dubaku with both arms tied behind his back (don’t laugh; he killed Dubaku’s brother in that condition) and making Africa safe for Hot Topic and horrible NBA expansion teams. And Juma and Dubaku might get to become true Big Bads along with Hodge when the show resumes in January. But if that’s the best thing to come out of this two-hour informercial for Real Americanism, then … like I said earlier, people watch this every week?
Take me back, Tim Kring, all is forgiven!
Carmen Van Kerckhove is co-founder and president of
black bauer wrote:
i think your analysis is on point, but i think that some other aspects are often glossed over. For instance, the presentation of endemic corruption in our government during modern times i think offsets some of the super-republican/violent nationalist sensationalism. Second, i think the show presents a much messier picture of politics and foreign affairs than a lot of other, shows, and goes out of its way to show the privatization of the military (and paramilitary) forces. I started watching it because i wanted to analyze it as a form of propaganda, (and don’t get me wrong, it is), but i think that it presents a more nuanced example of (albeit albocentric) politics “behind the scenes”.
As far as the new season – i have mixed feelings.
First, everyone gets Africa wrong, whether in fiction or reality, so that much I expected. I think that the focus of the show being in some fictional African country is at least MENTIONING africa somewhere. Sometimes that alone can be enough.
Posted 24 Nov 2008 at 12:00 pm ¶
Gothic Guera wrote:
I hate 24, it seems to sort of take advantage of Americans fear of terrorism and make a popular show about it. The WBM burden ideals seems to be be more popular for some Americans I was at a debate convention and on the debate I went to was on whether or not we should give money to Mexico to help their economy. The girl arguing pro, used the Monroe doctrine for her argument, her speech made me think ” WBM!” Needless to say I was disgusted.
Posted 24 Nov 2008 at 12:06 pm ¶
Jus Plain Ol Me wrote:
Call me incomprehensible. Call me shallow. Call me whatever you like. This is one of the few shows that I have never missed.
While the depiction of many characters over the years may be less than harmonious with the aims of Racialicious – particularly the depiction of those from the Middle East – this show has always utilized a diverse cast: President Palmer, President Palmer II, Reiko Aylesworth (oh my – swoon – or whatever guys do that is like a swoon), Regina King (even though I hated her character), Curtis Manning.
The show just hasn’t jumped my shark yet.
Posted 24 Nov 2008 at 12:13 pm ¶
noah wrote:
Yeah, this was a pretty bad episode. None of the main actors except the bad guys were people of color! Seriously, every one in the U.S. was white, male and female.
Why couldn’t the heroic school leader have been African-American or Afro-British (since the character appeared British)?
I read a review of the new movie “Australia” on Aintitcool.com. The reviewer, a white Australian, savaged the movie in a review because he felt it was racist in its depection of indigenous Australian as passive victims depending on whites, Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman, to save them.
Speaking of Kidman and Jackman, it’s interesting that two Aussies would each end up adopting a biracial (half-black/half-white) son. Not that there’s anything wrong with that but what conversations must young Oscar Jackman and Connor Cruise have? Maybe one day they can have a converation with Michael Jackson’s children about transrational adoption?
Posted 24 Nov 2008 at 12:15 pm ¶
jen* wrote:
I’ve never watched this show. It never appealed to me. I’m amazed that it’s on its 6th season! The one thing I’ve ever known about it was that it was a hugely Republican favorite. I guess cuz it deals with terrorism?
It’s kind of interesting to read about it… I’m not in the market for new shows [and I'm actually in the process of trimming a few out], but I don’t mind catching up on the story.
Posted 24 Nov 2008 at 12:16 pm ¶
Eva wrote:
I’ve watched this show from season one to season four. I’ve never been able to understand why Republicans love this show.
First, Palmer was the only decent president (well his brother was too but he didn’t last very long). Then there was this scary Cheney looking guy who was always lurking around, he tried to impeach Palmer because he wasn’t tough enough. Then they had a president who when he was VP tried to have Jack killed, then had Palmer killed and then tried to frame Jack for his murder, that president was weak and spineless, so spineless that his wife ran off with the secret service agent. I think they killed that prez off as well.
Also I like the concept that the entire season is one day, also no one is safe (except Jack) in the cast. The end of the first season was very shocking and I think that started other shows to realize that they could kill off major characters and the audience wouldn’t turn away.
I didn’t watch last night (had to watch “Brotherhood” on Showtime) but maybe I’ll check it out this season.
Posted 24 Nov 2008 at 12:42 pm ¶
Adrianne wrote:
I’m a 24 fan because Jack Bauer is so hilariously, unbelievably out of control, ‘patriotic’, brave, etc. that it makes me laugh. I get caught up in the hype and I am thoroughly entertained: Jack broke three ribs at 12:20 pm, jumped from a moving train at 1:05pm, berated a smug superior at 1:09, and killed 33 guerilla terrorists at the same time! Hee hee.
Those pesky racial, gender, and cultural stereotypes usually slide right off my back; it IS a Fox show after all. I actually haven’t watched the last few seasons, but I heard the radio commercial and I had nothing else to watch while doing the dishes and waiting for Entourage.
This episode did really make me cringe. I wondered all the same questions: Where are all these boy’s families? Really, two white American men have to save these kids?! The generically African accents irked, too. The opening ‘kill the cockroaches’ scene just pissed me off. I didn’t even want those black child ‘actors’ to be there. The new president is that king of white woman?! Redemption – Give me a break.
Posted 24 Nov 2008 at 1:12 pm ¶
ryanmffjm wrote:
noah,
Not all the bad guys were African. What about the white-guy-arms-supplier-conspiracy led by Jon Voight?
I when I saw this last night I new racialicious was going to be dumping all all over it. Some perspective is in order here because as noah opines, “this was a pretty bad epsisode,” yes one episode, a snap-shot of the entire series. It’s a series, where if one has paid attention, the large majority of the bad-guys was been white males.
It also a series where one of the most heroic characters was an African American President of the United States. President David Palmer is a character that predates even Obamas Senate run. Sort of progressive isn’t it? Or is it propaganda as black bauer states above?
What’s good here is that this airing draws attention to child soldiers. A horrible practice where young boys are sepparted from their families, hopped-up on drugs, given automatic weapons, and coerced to perform uspeakable acts of violence against civilians. From one report:
“the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers believes that more than 120,000 children under 18 years of age are currently participating in armed conflicts across Africa. Some of these children are no more than 7 or 8 years of age.”
But never mind, lets get all bent out of shape because one Hollywood tv show (with a long track record of strong minority characters) shows a white guy trying help African children.
Posted 24 Nov 2008 at 1:28 pm ¶
OTM wrote:
An Annoying Republican Bureaucrat would have hiked his way across the jungle, carrying the subpoena like Christopher Walken did the watch in Pulp Fiction.
That made me laugh in my workplace in a very loud and inappropriate way. I thought liberal government bureaucratic nerds went out with the EPA guy in Ghost Busters.
Posted 24 Nov 2008 at 1:43 pm ¶
Sobia wrote:
Maybe its just me but I have noticed that whenever stereotypes about Arabs and/or Muslims (ie Pashtuns in another thread) pop up in Racialicious analyses, commenters don’t seem bothered. Stereotypes about Black and Hispanic people get commenters up in arms, but Arabs and Muslims…enh….ah well. Or is it just me being an overly sensitive Muslim?
Personally I have never watched 24 but I have Muslim friends who find it very offensive. Muslims have a bad enough image as it is, shows like this don’t help that.
Demonization of Muslims might explain why Republicans like it so much.
Posted 24 Nov 2008 at 1:43 pm ¶
Latoya Peterson wrote:
@ryan –
For clarity –
1. Yes, we were all over this show. I told Arturo about it as soon as I heard the promo for it on the radio about a month back. We’re a site that critiques race and pop culture.
2. David Palmer isn’t the only representative black president on the small screen.
3. 24 also isn’t the only outlet bringing awareness to the child soliders issue. However, shorter form offerings have actually done a better job showing what the children go through and the choices they have to make. For example, Wendi wrote about Fall Out Boy’s video for ““I’m Like a Lawyer with the Way I’m Always Trying to Get You Off (Me & You)” and breaks down where shows (like 24) fail in remembering to humanize their human interest plotlines.
On one, 24 gave the fictional African country a name, but in all the promos, ad material, and behind the scenes footage, it was “Africa, Africa, Africa.” On 2, all the kids and villagers were essentially conduits to Jack’s story arc, with little personality besides playing on the basic moral obligation people feel when children are in peril. Notice, no such concern for the treatment of all the other adults left behind at the embassy. From the segments I watched I didn’t see much characterization put into the black characters at all. Most of the auxillary characters were interchangable, just the sad eyed child who touched Jack’s arm at the end had enough screen time to add a little depth to his character. But again, he is also a type: the innocent, ignorant of the world, who must be taken unsullied and raised right. They dropped some info on item four, so I will give them that.
But I also happened to watch a short film (currently making the national rounds) about child soldiers which gave each individual character more backstory, history, personal conflict, and overall depth in a fifteen minute movie, than I saw in any of the involved children in the hour of 24 I half-watched.
And to all – not just Ryan, because I have been deleting a lot of comments in this vein lately – read the damn site description. Under about this blog on our side bar, it clearly states:
our no-holds-barred critique of questionable media representations,
Operative word: critique. If you don’t want to see your favorite show criticized, don’t read this blog.
Posted 24 Nov 2008 at 1:46 pm ¶
Sobia wrote:
This sentence should have read
Stereotypes about Black and Hispanic people get commenters up in arms (as they should)….
I realized that my initial comment may have come across the wrong way without the addition of the comment in brackets.
Posted 24 Nov 2008 at 1:47 pm ¶
BlowTheTrumpet wrote:
Can ANYONE in this discussion name just one….one….television series or major film in which there was a black hero/heroine who was rescuing the helpless whites from evil??
*crickets chirping*
There is ONLY excitement when the formula is righteous-white hero-saves-the-blacks?
That is just sooo (yawn} over done, unrealistic…and tiring….
Kiefer was cute in his younger days however…
Posted 24 Nov 2008 at 2:37 pm ¶
ryanmffjm wrote:
Latoya,
Pardon, but I was merely critiquing the critiques, as some seemed a little too reactionary. Beating up on a show like 24 is not much of an intellectual challenge. The phrase “low-hanging fruit” comes to mind. And let’s face it nobody could ever accuse it of being nuanced.
Furthermore, it seemed like folks had already formed their opinions of the show based on the promos alone, and watched it for no other reason than to confirm them.
Sure, there are other examples of media drawing attention to this issue, but nothing approaching the massive audience that a program like 24 does. You cited a music video, my response, they still make those?
And yes, I’m fully informed as to the “damn site description” I’ve been reading this blog for over three years, since it’s Mixed Media Watch days. It’s usually pretty interesting and inclusive of different points of view.
BTW, 24 is not my favorite show.
Posted 24 Nov 2008 at 2:50 pm ¶
Fatemeh wrote:
Hilarious and on-point! Arturo, I loved this review.
Posted 24 Nov 2008 at 2:55 pm ¶
Latoya Peterson wrote:
@Ryan –
Pardon, but I was merely critiquing the critiques, as some seemed a little too reactionary. Beating up on a show like 24 is not much of an intellectual challenge. The phrase “low-hanging fruit” comes to mind. And let’s face it nobody could ever accuse it of being nuanced.
No problems here. And it is definitely easy to beat up on shows because many are not designed to be intellectually challenging. (See: Charm School, A Shot at Love, Gimme Sugar)
However, as folks do arrive here searching for these shows, and may not be familiar with the themes most of us take for granted, the take down is necessary.
Sure, there are other examples of media drawing attention to this issue, but nothing approaching the massive audience that a program like 24 does. You cited a music video, my response, they still make those?
I wondered who the hell is watching Fox? But again, different audiences for different products.
And yes, I’m fully informed as to the “damn site description” I’ve been reading this blog for over three years, since it’s Mixed Media Watch days. It’s usually pretty interesting and inclusive of different points of view.
BTW, 24 is not my favorite show.
Ha. I specifically said not just you, because it isn’t just you. I approved your comment because it appeared you actually had something of substance to say. However, this morning I have deleted two fan letters to DL Hughley (addressed, Dear DL…) and an angry leave my show alone rant which added nothing to the conversation besides “50 Cent is the realest!” and a few days back, I deleted a comment which essentially read “I love this blog, but can you stop discussing my favorite shows? You should just stick with the important stuff.”
Failure to read means I delete the comment.
You can read, which means you’re fine.
Posted 24 Nov 2008 at 3:36 pm ¶
Mahsino wrote:
At least they gave the country a real title instead of “Somewhere in Africa”, that’s a step up, right?
I tried to watch it, but once I saw Tony Todd, I promptly turned on the sleep timer, put it on mute, and went to sleep.
Posted 24 Nov 2008 at 3:37 pm ¶
Arturo wrote:
Mahsino: I had to stop myself from looking for Usutu in the rebel camp.
Latoya: Oh, wow, can I read that “50 Cent is the realest” rant?
BlowTheTrumpet: It’s my hope that soon, very soon, we’ll be able to apply that very scenario to Doctor Who. I’m calling hella dibs on that story …
Posted 24 Nov 2008 at 4:50 pm ¶
MK wrote:
I haven’t watched the premier of 24 yet (it’s on DVR however), but I would assume it will be like the previous seasons: Jack kills some people, saves some people, all in a (literal) day’s work.
Yes, the show is silly much of the time, and many times exemplifies the white man saving the non-whites, or defeating them. However, it does provide some great stressful entertainment taking those things away. It’s not my favorite show (and I probably wouldn’t have cared if they had not brought it back for another season), but it was the premise that got me to watch it.
Like a lot of entertainment in this country, it is essentially white man’s entertainment. Then again, so is South Park, and so many people tout that pile as revolutionary and ingenious.
Posted 24 Nov 2008 at 5:29 pm ¶
jen* wrote:
Arturo – are you saying what I think you’re saying? That the new Doctor is gonna be a POC? What what?! May hafta start watching again…
Y’all let me know, now.
Posted 24 Nov 2008 at 7:33 pm ¶
Mike wrote:
@BlowTheTrumpet
There was an animated series called “Spawn”. And “Blade” must have saved a white person at some point, although I don’t recall. “Without a Trace” also might qualify, depending on your criteria.
Posted 24 Nov 2008 at 7:37 pm ¶
lechatnoir wrote:
I just finished watching it, I deffo had to download it as a I know it will not be dubbled in french until later this year lol!
No I was never a big fan of 24, but this right here is the last straw !
I actually thought Singala was an African country I had not heard of .being of African descent , I know most countries by names but the tiniest sure not. That being said the “oh.. so fictional argument does not hold water” it seems to be a mix of a little reality and stereotype, my guess is the importance of the current events in Congo helped shape the story, the “rebel” leader here who is portrayed by Isaac the Bankole , clearly has a little French accent in his all africanised English, I am pretty sure they picked him up just like they woulda picked Dijimon Honsou.
Now this episode was tasteless , down to the sort of yellowish orange colour grade they used for the african footage.
Not all the heroes where white still, even the bad white characters hold the key executives positions in the governement.Ain’ t that the character of Jon Voigt .
On another note .I was in an adoption mood when I saw the kids.they look just like me when I was their age.
at Sobia this is not the place nor the time for this. Besides there are 450 millions of black muslims in Africa alone. If you don’t know black stereotypes in the arab world I can help.
Posted 24 Nov 2008 at 7:38 pm ¶
Brigitte wrote:
Not to change the subject or anything but I really need to talk about last night’s True Blood. Is there post coming up about that?
Posted 24 Nov 2008 at 7:55 pm ¶
bluemorpho wrote:
Arturo: Don’t tease. Is there any reason to hope/believe that a non-white 11th Doctor is in the works? ? I eagerly await your critique, if so. It probably sounds naive, but Mickey/Martha/Martha’s family/casting in general on Doctor Who made me realize how rarely I see characters of color who are developed, autonomous, and lean away from stereotype. (It’s far from perfect, but the bar’s set so low that it’s a breath of fresh air just the same…)
Posted 24 Nov 2008 at 8:11 pm ¶
bluemorpho wrote:
Arturo: Don’t tease. Is there any reason to hope/believe that a non-white 11th Doctor is in the works? ? I eagerly await your critique, if so. It probably sounds naive, but Mickey/Martha/Martha’s family/casting in general on Doctor Who made me realize how rarely I see characters of color who are developed, autonomous, and lean away from stereotype. (It’s far from perfect, but it’s a breath of fresh air just the same…)
Posted 24 Nov 2008 at 8:13 pm ¶
BSK wrote:
For what it’s worth, something that “24″ has often done a good job of is highlighting the complexity of the “good guy/bad guy” dynamic. They have tread carefully around issues relating to “terrorism” making a point to demonstrate that those who carry it out are on the fringe of any legitimate representation of the groups the seek to speak for and are often bolstered by people whom we would consider “good”. Considering how early in this storyline it is, it is entirely possible that we see Juma and Dubaku revealed to be infinitely more complex characters and much more than simple dark-skinned evildoers. Thus far, we have not seen that, but given “24″’s history, I would count on it.
There are certainly some questionable messages in the show, but if you watch it with a critical eye, it clearly demonstrates: that America/the West has as much to do with the precarious situation it finds itself in as does the people we often blame for it; that while questionable tactics such as torture or retaliatory politics maybe sometimes achieve immediate effects, they have dramatic effects on the practitioners of such approaches; and that things are rarely cut-and-dry with anyone being entirely good or entirely bad (try to find one character who hasn’t flipped across this line several times and who hasn’t both been sympathetic and reviled).
Posted 24 Nov 2008 at 8:47 pm ¶
Yvette wrote:
Brigitte, re: True Blood–
I will say this as loudly as I can over the ‘Net:
LAFAYETTE BETTER NOT BE DEAD!
I will yank HBO off of my Dish plan if he is.
Posted 24 Nov 2008 at 9:10 pm ¶
Joseph wrote:
@Arturo
I heart you. You complete me.
@Sobia
No, it’s not just you. I’m not sure what to do with it but I’ve noticed it too.
Posted 24 Nov 2008 at 10:13 pm ¶
ryanmffjm wrote:
From BlowTheTrumpet:
“Can ANYONE in this discussion name just one….one….television series or major film in which there was a black hero/heroine who was rescuing the helpless whites from evil??”
Ever heard of The Unit on CBS? It’s a show that appeals to the same demo as 24, only it centers on a team of Special Forces types instead of a lone wolf operator like Jack Bauer. Their field commander is a highly competent African American Sergeant Major named Jonas Blain. He’s the alpha-male of the cast who leads a group of mostly white guys on secret missions. Coincidentally, he’s played by Dennis Haysbert, the same guy who portrayed President Palmer on 24. (If he’s not careful Haysbert is going to end up being type cast as a strong black lead character actor)
On a recent episode Blain, of his own accord, jeopardized his primary mission in order to attempt to liberate a group of Eastern European women (read, white) who had been trafficked into forced prostitution by a group of underworld/terrorist types (also white).
His wife on the show is also a strong, fully realized African American character who mentors the white wives of the other team members.
Kind of surprising from a “white man’s entertainment” kind of show isn’t it?
Posted 24 Nov 2008 at 11:12 pm ¶
jvansteppes wrote:
Brigitte: I cosign with enthusiasm!
Posted 25 Nov 2008 at 12:55 am ¶
Rob Schmidt wrote:
I’ve seen every episode of “24.” It hasn’t been as good as it was in the early seasons, but it’s still watchable. As I think “Redemption” demonstrated.
I gather Republicans like the show because it uses torture and proclaims that it works. I like it because the underlying sensibility (as expressed by David and Wayne Palmer and the people who support them) is liberal. Jack is generally reluctant to torture or kill people and he stands up for the underdog. I’m guessing he voted for the Palmers and for the new President Taylor.
As I understood it, Jack is being charged with torturing people illegally, not just “human rights violations.” That the show is finally calling him on his moral crimes is a positive development. I’d say “24″ sees torture as a necessary evil at best–to be used only in “ticking bomb” situations.
Of course, Jack has a magical ability to tell when the people he’s tortured are lying. In reality he couldn’t tell and most of his attempts would fail. That’s a key flaw in “24’s” scenarios.
Posted 25 Nov 2008 at 6:34 am ¶
Rob Schmidt wrote:
As people noted, “24″ has showcased many positive minority characters. That’s balanced by its view that non-Western foreigners (Muslims, Chinese, and now Africans) tend to be evil. It’s a mixed bag that’s not all bad, but it could’ve been better.
“Redemption” is worse than average in this regard. It basically shows no African culture, no African adults except soldiers, and two white guys in charge of saving everyone. The country seems to be one huge military camp.
Moreover, inventing foreign countries is one of my pet peeves. Creators never put a fictional country in North America or western Europe, but other regions are fair game. The message is that most of the world is strange and unknown to us, so we can make it up as we please.
Nevertheless, I applaud “24″ for tackling a Rwanda/Darfur analogue. I think we can predict what will happen. To keep his deals secret, Jon Voight will pursue the President’s son and eventually the President. The President will offer Jack a pardon if he takes out Juma and his rebels singlehandedly. And Jack will do what the West should’ve done in past instances of genocide, which is intervene.
P.S. It’s Sangala, not Singala, and this is the 7th season, not the 6th.
Posted 25 Nov 2008 at 6:37 am ¶
Rob Schmidt wrote:
Here’s a good list of “black” TV shows:
http://creativefolk.com/blackhistory/blacktv.html
There aren’t a lot of blacks saving helpless whites, unless you include Julia and Cliff Huxtable.
Posted 25 Nov 2008 at 6:47 am ¶
BSK wrote:
I’m curious why my comment didn’t post? I wrote what I thought was a fair response to the critique defending some aspects of “24″. I felt it was respectful in tone and language and simply sought to offer a contrasting viewpoint to the one presented in the original post. Is there a reason my didn’t clear?
Mod Note – It cleared – just no one checked the blog since last night. If your comment still says “awaiting moderation” it’s in queue. If you don’t see it after posting it either got stuck in the spam filter or was deleted for content. – LDP
Posted 25 Nov 2008 at 7:37 am ¶
sfsinger wrote:
The most recent media representation I can recall that has Black people saving whites for a change is the Spike Lee movie which nobody went to see.
I see attempts being made but not enough support when it counts.
I’m looking forward to Day 7 of 24. I almost wrote an entire post about it as well, but I’ve been reading some interesting ones across the blogosphere. The show always requires a suspension of belief. The kids annoyed me a little bit with the chatter and the questions. I definitely noticed a lack of Black adults. Yes the plot might be a bit contrived but I think it’s good for people to take note of the volatile operation and know they can do something to help.
Posted 25 Nov 2008 at 8:23 am ¶
Latoya Peterson wrote:
@Ryan – Ever heard of The Unit on CBS? It’s a show that appeals to the same demo as 24, only it centers on a team of Special Forces types instead of a lone wolf operator like Jack Bauer. Their field commander is a highly competent African American Sergeant Major named Jonas Blain. He’s the alpha-male of the cast who leads a group of mostly white guys on secret missions. Coincidentally, he’s played by Dennis Haysbert, the same guy who portrayed President Palmer on 24. (If he’s not careful Haysbert is going to end up being type cast as a strong black lead character actor)
On a recent episode Blain, of his own accord, jeopardized his primary mission in order to attempt to liberate a group of Eastern European women (read, white) who had been trafficked into forced prostitution by a group of underworld/terrorist types (also white).
Oh yeah, I forgot about that show. I’ve seen a few episodes of the Unit, it’s a pretty solid show. (It’s got a long plot arc though, so half the time I don’t what the wives are talking about because their stories really build from week to week.)
Has anyone watched both shows in enough detail to provide a compare and contrast?
Posted 25 Nov 2008 at 9:16 am ¶
Bill wrote:
So we lived in Senegal, in Dakar, from 2005-2006. Loved it. Made real friends who weren’t expats or rich. Really.
“24″ was showing on tv and everyone loved it. They’d ask us, oh do you like “24″? and we’d say, no, we think it’s sick, it’s Bush-era fear-mongering. Oh, yes, I see, our friends would say, and then add that they liked Jack Bauer. And they all hated Bush. I didn’t get it then, and I don’t get it now, but damn if I didn’t wish I was living there now.
Posted 25 Nov 2008 at 9:25 am ¶
pete wrote:
I think I’ve only ever seen a couple of episodes of the first series. From what I saw and from what I’ve read of the plot and from what I know of this kind of TV generally, I don’t understand why anyone expects anything more from it. I long ago decided I wouldn’t be able to stand watching any more of it.
Of course its going to be utter hokum, complete piffle and reactionary fantasy. This sort of stuff should really be transposed to a galaxy far, far, away and dressed in some sort of allegorical sci-fi clothes, that’s the only way it would be bearable to watch.
I mean, the ‘West Wing’ isn’t much better and liberals apparently like that. The whole genre (supposedly real-world based drama/adventure) is mostly annoying drivel.
Has this blog said anything about ‘The Wire’? I’ve never seen it, so I might be entirely wrong, but I’ve been told it might be a rare example of a real-world set drama that doesn’t insult one’s intelligence. Is this true?
@Rob Schmidt
“Creators never put a fictional country in North America or western Europe”
Well there’s Ruritania and the Grand Duchy of Fenwick but I guess that was back when continental Europe was itself an exotic and mysterious place for the British.
Posted 25 Nov 2008 at 4:13 pm ¶
Sobia wrote:
@Joseph:
Thank you. I was beginning to wonder if there was something wrong with the way I was seeing things.
@lechatnoir:
Since this not the place to talk about it I will not dwell on it. But I will say that I did not bring up any Black/Arab dichotomy. (btw…What was the point of bringing up stereotypes about Black people in the Arab world?) My point was simply that along with critiquing negative stereotypes about other racial/ethnic minority groups, we should also be just as passionate about critiquing negative stereotypes about Arabs/Muslims/Middle Easterners.
Posted 25 Nov 2008 at 4:41 pm ¶
MK wrote:
I suppose 24 is a product of the Bush era, which is why so many think the show is a Republican’s wet dream. I would be careful to write it off simply as a conservative, fear-mongering show. Sometimes it has taken a look at that same fear-mongering that does take place in our country. Oh yeah, and the show had a fictional black president before our country did in real life.
I’m not surprised people in other countries would like the show. American entertainment, especially escapism, does have a broad appeal. Plus, it’s easily mass-marketed.
Posted 25 Nov 2008 at 6:11 pm ¶
Joseph wrote:
@ Sobia
Cosign.
Posted 26 Nov 2008 at 12:53 am ¶
The Cruel Secretary wrote:
@Sobia–double co-sign. And I *do* feel that this was an appropriate post to talk about it.
Posted 26 Nov 2008 at 10:20 am ¶
BSK wrote:
Latoya-
Thanks for the note. Didn’t mean to stir up trouble, but was curious to see it didn’t post. I have gotten used to having my posts blocked on Freakonomics because I’m deemed “offensive” when I criticize their viewpoints, but I was surprised to see that it might have happened here to a legit response, but am glad to see that wasn’t the case. Thanks.
Posted 26 Nov 2008 at 3:36 pm ¶