Netflix, Hulu and similar streaming services are the ways many people watch television in this day and age. “House of Cards,” a Netflix exclusive, is the first-ever online-only television show to be nominated for major awards at the Emmys. “Orange is the New Black,” a show that is also a Netflix exclusive, has been similarly successful with fans and critics. Hulu has recently been increasing its emphasis on original programming as well.
So many people have decided to use these outlets that network television was beginning to look like a dated concept. The “Big Four” networks that usually had people glued to the TV now have people changing the channel. The ratings for network television were decreasing at historical rates, and advertisers began to withdraw their funding of these networks.
With alternative outlets becoming more prominent and advertisers losing faith, network television was in dire need of innovation.
ABC decided it was time to diversify its already diverse network and unveiled its new show, “Black-ish.” This show is a comedy about an upper middle class African-American family that struggles to keep its culture while assimilating to their new suburban environment. About 11 million people watched its pilot episode, and it remained a hit for the rest of its premiere season.
After the resounding success of “Black-ish,” ABC continued to produce shows with an ethnically diverse cast and premiered “Fresh Off the Boat” in February. It’s a comedy about an Asian-American family that opens up a restaurant in Orlando. The show has been met with the same commercial and critical success as “Black-ish.”
Fox also acknowledged a call for change, and it answered with the show “Empire.” This show is a drama about the hip-hop music industry and the internal issues of an entertainment company. “Empire” is among the most watched television shows of the “Big Four” this season. About 17 million people watched its season finale, and the hype for the second season is immeasurable.
These shows have quite a bit in common. They are all rating juggernauts. They all premiered within the last year. Most importantly, all of these shows have a primarily ethnic cast.
Throughout the years, ethnic actors have been critical of Hollywood’s lack of diverse roles and have been demanding more representation. It seems like their complaints have not fallen on deaf ears, and the popularity of these shows proves that viewers have similar demands.
Despite this, some people have complained about the increase in ethnic castings. Nellie Andreeva, TV editor for entertainment website Deadline Hollywood, made headlines last week when she claimed Hollywood no longer had enough roles for white actors. She said casting should be done on a color-blind basis and the best person for the role should get it.
While I agree the best person for the role should always be casted, Andreeva’s apprehension and any similar unease are unwarranted.
The roles for white actors are still plentiful. The majority of writers, producers and directors in Hollywood are still white. This means they will still be making shows and characters that reflect their experiences. To claim there are no longer enough roles for white actors is an exaggeration.
Lastly, these shows are successful because they are ethnic and not exclusively watched by one ethnic group. “Empire” is one of the highest rated shows on television. You cannot have the biggest show without appealing to more than one demographic. These shows are successful because they are well-produced and built up the proper hype behind them.
Andreeva and anyone else making claims of discrimination are being professional victims. They are portraying a plight that stems from their own paranoia. Ethnic groups now have television shows that they can identify with, and there is no need to be angry about it.
America is a melting pot of cultures, and our entertainment should reflect that.
Emanuel Griffin is a UF journalism freshman. His column appears on Mondays.
[A version of this story ran on page 6 on 3/30/2015 under the headline “Ethnic casting helps, not hurts entertainment”]
