Analysis of the Blackish TV Show - Essay Example

Film Analysis of the Blackish TV Show

Introduction

The blackish TV show is about Andre ‘Dre’ Jackson, who has a perfect career, married to Rainbow and has four children. The show is focused on an African- American family. The first season premiered in September 2014 before being renewed again in September 2015 for the second season. The TV show is currently in its third season. Importantly, Andre has a hard time in gaining some sense of cultural identity that acknowledges the past and embraces the future. Wealth has been portrayed in the film as Andre raises his family in an upper middle-class neighborhood (Nussbaum, 2016). Besides, Andre works as an advertising executive. Therefore, he is financially stable. According to the TV show, an African American family living among the wealthy whites is known to be prosperous. In episode 22 for example, Junior is bought expensive shoes and is comfortable playing video games with his rich friends from the neighborhood. Additionally, on visiting Wes's home, his dad shows off their amazing house as an evidence of wealth. Thus, the blackish TV show outlines the ideology of wealthy and prosperity as discussed.

History and context of the Blackish TV Show

Blackish TV show made a debut on television in September 2014 when the first season was premiered. The show is in a context of an African American family living among the upper-middle-class whites. Therefore, racism, police brutality, the Black lives matter and the underlying story are discussed in this context. In blackish, culture has been stereotyped as deeply rooted in ethnicity, and that is the reason Andre struggles gaining a cultural identity. Furthermore, the title of the TV show has been perceived as being racial. In the scenes of episode 22, Andre demonstrates the negative views of hip-hop based on ethnic backgrounds (Chung, 2016).

Secondly, police brutality is tackled in the TV show accompanied by questions, humor, and hope. Andre and his family are in their living room following up on a coverage where unnamed black teen suffers the wrath of police brutality. Everyone is expecting justice. However, Andre and Rainbow disagree on how to approach their children on the issue of the authority. Andre wants his children to have the perception that police are brutal, and they should be afraid of them. Contrarily, Rainbow wants the children to grow up respecting the authority and trusting the judicial system (Perkins, 2016).

The message of the black lives matter has been clearly communicated in Blackish. The word stems from campaigns against police brutality to racism. The Black lives matter demands that police brutality should stop especially on the African Americans. The black lives matter has used various sitcoms to pass their information including blackish. The TV show tackles police brutality as explained and how the system is rigged. Henceforth, a debate heats up in Andre’s living room followed by a sensitive dialogue between Andre and his wife.

The story behind the creation of the Blackish TV show is to translate a moral lesson on racism and racial discrimination in America as outlined by Barris, the co-creator of the show. He says that it was an ideal time to produce such a film due to the current situation of racial relations among Americans. Besides, the show was inspired by the impacts of the African Americans regarding culture in America (Williams, 2014).

Summary of the Blackish TV show

In the Blackish TV show, Andre is trying hard to enhance a cultural assimilation to his African American family. Andre, with the help from his father, is determined to achieve cultural identity into his family. Furthermore, he wishes to own a family that greatly honors the past and acknowledges the future. The main themes featured in the TV show are racial relations, police brutality and justice, and the black lives matter (Quora, 2014).

Season 2 Episode 22 of the Blackish TV show is named the Supper Rich Kids. The episode commences with a narration from Andre about his son. Johnson expects his son to continue his legacy, but the fact that junior is unique aggravates Johnson. However, when Johnson finally meets Junior’s friends, he becomes excited that finally his son can experience a proper social life.

Episode 22 Scene 0:40 to 1:20’s summary is as follows. The scene begins when Johnson finds Junior, and his two friends, Wes, and Kevil are playing video games in their house. Johnson is happy to meet Junior’s friends as he thinks they are cool and that Junior will experience a real social life. In fact, Johnson hugs Junior warmly when he realizes that the two boys are Junior’s friends.

The last summary is the scene from 10:08 to 10:40. At the beginning of the scene, Junior and his dad are visiting Wes’s family to attend a President Obama's fundraiser. On arriving, they are fascinated by the view of the house, and Wes’s father jokes about Obama complementing his house to get a huge paycheck. The visit leaves Johnson contemplating about how well of Wes’s family is.

Cinematic aspects

Costume

In scene 0:40 to 1:20, the aspect of dressing have significantly defined wealth. Junior’s friends, Wes, and Kevil have dressed well especially their expensive tennis shoes, which fascinate Johnson. Therefore, Andre cannot help but think how well their families especially when he visits Wes’s home for a fundraiser. Thus, the costumes are an indicator to demonstrate wealth (Blackish 2016).

Dialogue

The dialogue in the selected scenes plays a vital role in supporting the ideology of wealth. In the second scene, 10:08 to 10:40, the dialogue between Andre and Wes’s father is unusual. When Johnson compliments about the house, Wes’s father replies that President Obama did the same when he visited. Besides, he brags about Obama getting him to write a huge check. Furthermore, he is very boastful about his house the beauty sun’s view. Therefore, from an analytical perspective, the dialogue shows a wealthy man being proud of himself as well as his capabilities to even write a huge paycheck to Obama (Blackish 2016).

Camera movements

A close-up shot has been used in scene 0:40 to 1:20 on Johnson when he finds Junior with his friends in the living room. The shot shows Andre's amazement at Junior’s friends, and he admires their tennis shoes. Johnson finds the tennis shoes fascinating and expensive. Therefore, the close-up shot supports the ideology of wealth.

The long shot is used to show the beautiful view of Wes’s home. The house has a fantastic view, especially with the glass walls. Therefore, only a wealthy individual can afford such an expensive house. Thus, the ideology of wealth is supported (IMDb 2014).

Do not Judge a Book by its Cover

The proverb has been used to describe how image and character can remarkably differ. Foremost, Johnson is moved by the fact that Junior’s friends dress well. He, therefore, assumes that they are cool and that they may be pivotal in changing his son’s social life. However, the character of the two boys is far from being cool. The two boys talk to Andre in an entirely disrespecting manner especially when Andre asks about the Obama fundraiser. Besides, the two boys even make fun of Andre as they walk out of the house (Blackish, 2016).

Cultural Differences

As the name of the show “blackish”, much difference in cultural values is depicted throughout the TV series. Contrast rises significantly supported by the fact that the family resides in a white dominated neighborhood. Fundamental differences in both cultures are illustrated in the different preferences they embrace in their activities. For instance, the father tries to stop his son from playing hockey, as it is associated with whites. Their food choice of eating chicken is also another practice that sets the blacks distinct from the white (Cudjoe, 2014). Differences are also depicted in the different generations, which endured different cultures at the time of their growth. In this case, the father was brought up in an environment where blacks were discriminated. However, the kids seem to have a new whole experience. It, therefore, triggers a cultural conflict in the event of cultural differences experienced at each time (Falon, 2014). As a result, the father tends to be more objective to the current uprising of the kids where he insists that it is essential to understand their background and struggles. However, the existence of a black president sets the family to modernity and a new culture of equality. Another cultural difference is depicted where the sons seek to abandon his religion for Judaism so as he can hold mitzvah party. Different in the faith practice makes the son feel more attracted to a religion where he is free to practice his interest. From the episode attached, significant cultural differences are evident where the family members have embraced different behavior practices that indicate the diversification of the cultural practices. As an association with the blacks, their culture is associated with basketball playing, alcohol drinking, and passion for music. Contrarily, their mother who bears a white origin depicts moral values of the whites that include wearing age appropriate clothing, cooking and cleaning (Blackish, 2016). The contrast between the family members perfectly illustrates the cultural differences between different generations.

Stereotypes about the white people and the black people

The Whites are stereotyped to be more superior regarding individuality, lifestyle behavior, emotional sensitivity and prosperity (Quora, 2014). In this case, the mother shares embrace the ideology of the whites with an optimistic view about the new generation. She acts less conservative by claiming that there is need of anymore more struggle (IMDb, 2014). The White man is also stereotyped with sensitivity in his behavior were as seen, the family has embraced the Queen’s English hence acting more gentle. It is quite evident that whites seem to be more prosperous and wealthy in the sense that the family chooses to live in the upper middle-class society dominated by whites. From this stereotype, we can see the efforts of the family trying to embrace their culture and blend new characters. However, blacks are stereotyped as new money in the sense that they come from demeaning backgrounds characterized by struggle. In this context, the family is doing financially okay depicting its success. As a result, they chose to move to the new middle-class society as an achievement of their success. It is an aspect that blacks are stereotyped as new money. Through this aspect, they tend to be more cautious and aware of their previous struggles and triumphs hence being more conservative (Cudjoe, 2014).

In conclusion, the Blackish TV show portrays the ideology of wealth and prosperity. Blackish TV show illustrates a modern family and a modern world society (Fallon, 2014). The title of the TV show depicts the central theme of a family living in a culture dominated by whites, but they quest to hold on their originality. However, efforts to gain identity in the new neighborhood are characterized by some struggles regarding embracing the new diversity. It is characterized by the conservative nature of the father who claims that the new generations are less of insight, as they do not know their background. His efforts to remain oriented to the struggle are however suppressed by his wife who claims that there is no need for any further struggle (IMDb, 2014). Concern about the wellness of the family in regards to the new exposure depicts love for the children, which supports the claim that black American love, and protects their children immensely (Coates, 2015).