New Black-led Shows Emerge, but TV Industry Faces Challenges
Even as Black creators push new shows featuring Black characters, the television industry still has a ways to go in producing Black-led shows. Recent additions include ‘How to Die Alone,’ ‘Survival the Th,’ ‘The Vince Staples Show,’ and Hulu’s adaptation of ‘Queenie,’ contributing to a growing trend of Black-led dramedies on various platforms.
Despite this progress, challenges remain. Aisha Durham, a scholar of popular culture at the University of South Florida, noted that the industry often questions whether White audiences will embrace Black-led narratives. This dynamic can lead to longer-running series that focus more on explaining Black experiences rather than celebrating them.
For example, CBS’s sitcom ‘The Neighborhood’ centers around a White family living next to a Black family, focusing more on explaining Black experiences than celebrating them. Conversely, NBC’s ‘Grand Crew,’ depicting a circle of Black friends in Los Angeles, was axed after just two seasons.
Experts argue that the increase in Black-led stories is a positive development, but the harsh realities of the television industry mean that not all shows will succeed. Black-led shows face similar fates to other series, with some being canceled after just a few seasons.
However, the rise of niche storytelling on streaming services and a gradual expansion of broadcast offerings mean that narratives depicting the Black experience are more varied than ever. Shows like CBS’s ‘Bob Hearts Abishola’ and STARZ’s ‘P-Valley’ present unique perspectives on African immigrant experiences and queer Southern narratives, respectively.
