Don’t judge me when I am watching superheroes on tv, I am learning how to be a better human.
Since the inception of comic superheroes they’ve been addressing societal issues that we’ve been too nervous to talk about out loud. The arts are so important and sometimes we forget how critical they are in our lives. At this moment in American history, there are television shows speaking on what’s going in the world and you might want to check them out. I want to particularly focus on the superhero ones. Let your kids watch these shows.
I have expressed for the longest time that my favorite superhero is Superman, see my review on Man of Steel in the past. This has not changed even with the popularity of Black Panther (although the women warriors in Black Panther are my women crushes every day!). There was something about an alien from another planet trying to fit into a new home, who had lost contact with his family, that I could relate to as in immigrant child that left her home at the height of a civil war. This has always been the story of super heroes actually in comics. Many people relate to something deep inside them that is not just about their super powers. In certain times of American history, like the Great Depression for example, these stories were a beacon of hope. These super heroes captured what people felt. Today is no different.
I have been meaning to write about this for awhile because I have noticed the themes more strongly, especially after the recent U.S. presidential election. I first noticed it in the CW show, Supergirl. I don’t follow this show religiously as I do, say Game of Thrones, but it is something I like to have on when working or relaxing because it’s light and fun. In the last and current season though, you’ll have to be very ignorant to not notice the many episodes dealing with what has been happening in the U.S. I won’t post details because I am a true geek and fan who hates spoilers and won’t do that to you all, but here are some issues the show has hinted at or just straight out hammered into your face: 1) racism (2) immigrants/refugees acceptance (3) LGBT issues of a wide variety from lack of family acceptance to discrimination in the workplace. Now I am more of a Flash fan, which is one of my faves because it has a fun and light feel similar to Supergirl, in fact the crossover episodes are just so amazing if you are into this stuff that you must check it out! Anyway back on topic, the Flash is a bit more subtle when it comes to these issues than Supergirl, but they are there, especially given the fact that the cast is very diverse. The show that just won’t let you NOT notice though is the Gifted.
I actually randomly ran into this show on Hulu, but have binged the first season because from the first episode the show deals with something in our society that we are battling today. I haven’t done my full homework on this show and I don’t want to yet, because I want to be like the ordinary American watching this (from Africa haha) who is not a geek like myself that must comb through Google and comics to get backstories and history. The little I did pick up though, because the name comes up in the show frequently, is that they are somehow like the X-men. Now I know the X-men and I am obsessed with the message that they have had from their inception.
The Gifted allows us into backstories of both “good” and “bad” guys. It’s not just a black and white painting of issues around discrimination. You might ask why does it matter for us to know why bigots/racists for example feel the way they do, but we have to appreciate and admire the capacity for art to shine light on issues in creative way and humanize even villains. They’re better than me because I frankly don’t put in that effort anymore as I have become very jaded these 31 years of my life. It is an interesting way to change people’s views about certain issues. We might make the argument that not everyone is going to connect the dots like I am, but kids watch these shows and I know for many the message is coming through. It is perhaps good material to use as a teaching moment in your household. Don’t look down on some of these shows because you are into some type of show that you think is more intellectually superior. There’s a reason why for a long time these characters speak to us and I for one appreciate the makers and actors of these shows for not shying away from addressing these issues. There is more than one way to approach an issue. Thanks to these creative people for their angle!
P.S.
If you want me to do an all spoiler blog post dissecting some of the episodes from these shows, holler at your girl. I have been dying to have a conversation with someone about this. Maybe I will start a thread on Facebook or go search groups to see the reception these episodes have been receiving.
Salone Creatives 
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