Diversity Is Front and Center in New Streaming Success

By TV / Video Download Archives
Cover image for  article: Diversity Is Front and Center in New Streaming Success

Changing the visual landscape of films and television has been a long time coming. The enduring myth was as follows: Content that did not cater to the so-called general market (a popular euphemism for white people) would never be popular. An extension of that flawed thinking went even further, suggesting stories featuring Black or generally diverse themes and talent would not find traction with overseas audiences.

The success of Black Panther has been a notable and undeniable shattering of that very broken thinking. As important as Black Panther has been, however, new diversity norms are being set on streaming platforms. Most recently, Bridgerton and Lupin on Netflix and Gangs of London on AMC+/Amazon have been ushering in new standards in diverse storytelling.

Bridgerton (pictured at top) is the first release for Netflix from creator/producer Shonda Rhimes. She is an unparalleled creator who, after a high profile split from ABC, has found greener pastures at Netflix. Wasting no time, the streamer dropped this period drama on Christmas Day 2020, and so far it has become one of the most successful releases in Netflix's history. Most strikingly, it has been No. 1 in 76 countries around the world. So much for not resonating with international audiences!

Why is this show so hot? In a notable shift from typical period storytelling of this kind, Bridgerton turns the genre on its ear by creating a world populated with Black characters on all levels of society. Costume period dramas in the tradition of Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice and Little Women come with a dedicated audience, familiar stories, and whiteness. Bridgertonleans into the elements we all know -- costumes, family rivalries, and romance -- and imbues them with color, both literally and figuratively. Bridgerton doesn’t just swap white sensibilities with a Black aesthetic. It invites the viewer to rethink their monochromatic relationship with series of this kind.

Throughout what are commonly known as medieval, Renaissance and Victorian histories, there has always been a Black presence. A cursory examination into the African ancestors of Queen Charlotte, Beethoven and Alexander Dumas demonstrates that Bridgerton is not inventing the narrative as much as expanding it.

The French series Lupin is a brilliant series that at first blush is in the vein of Ocean's 11 and The Thomas Crown Affair. Upon closer inspection, the series is much more than that. It traces its origin story through the Inception-like connection of the novels of the fictional thief Arsene Lupin, created by Maurice Leblanc, and the 1965 manga/anime series Lupin the III. French books become Japanese manga/anime that become a modern-day streaming tour de force.

Lupin is a Sengalese first-generation Parisian who is a gentleman thief with a complicated family legacy. His ability to effortlessly navigate life on the edge is not only due to incredible skill but to the reality that Black bodies are often invisible to the powerful. At the same time, it can be manipulated and used, which forms the story's backdrop. Unlike another Netflix hit, Emily in Paris, the Paris of Lupin is naturally and accurately diverse. The full reality of France’s colonial legacy is on display with Africans, both North and Sub-Saharan, fully included in the world of Lupin.  

Finally, Gangs of London owes more to Guy Ritchie's grimy London tales than The Sopranos. In Gangs of London, the lines between the underworld and high finance are blurred and often crossed. The characters come from various backgrounds: Irish, Turkish, Pakistani, Albanians, Travelers and more. All of them are working through their factional rivalries against the entrenched British system that created the environment for struggle in the first place. Gangs of London is a reminder that even the underworld is more diverse than you might have imagined.

The success of these programs is proof that such familiar genres as period drama, heist thrillers and gangster stories are fertile ground for new character journeys. The commitment to surfacing a new reality that will not ignore the lived experience of entire swaths of people is powerful. It is also incredibly valuable.

As our appetite for streaming continues unabated, so should our ability to have as broad a palette as possible. Numbers don't lie, and diverse stories are the truth.

Click the social buttons above or below to share this content with your friends and colleagues.

The opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author and/or subject(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillage.com/MyersBizNet, Inc. management or associated writers.

 

 

Copyright ©2024 MediaVillage, Inc. All rights reserved. By using this site you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.