For people of a non-white British origin, mainstream TVs road to equality has been, and continues to be, challenging. From the minstrel shows and regularly being called n****r, w*g and p**i (add other words at your leisure) in front of millions, to being blatantly misrepresented and stereotyped, to having to become stars in the US before getting decent opportunities in their country of birth, that road is winding to say the least. The progress that has been made is there for all to see. The journey that still needs to be taken is not as clear.
I watched Criminal UK and was one of many who added to the near universal approval that the storylines, acting, and execution of such a static format deserve. With a premise that initially put me off when I gave the first promos a cursory glance, I wasn’t holding out much hope. As soon as I saw David Tennant’s cultured msenace in thatf irst interview, I became a believer. And season 2 is even better. I cannot be the only one that felt a little offkey seeing Rajesh Kunal Nayyar’s superb turn as a sociopathic murderer. So why am I now conflicted about watching it?
The casting of the protagonists so far, and the outcome of their episodes is troubling me. Maybe it is just coincidence, maybe I am reading too much into it. But we have a middle eastern human trafficker, guilty; a cold blooded Asian murderer, already convicted; A black male domestic abuser, apparently guilty; An Irish woman who took her vigilante justice way too far, guilty; A Jewish/Nigerian female multiple murderer, guilty; And a white middle class man accused of rape, innocent. Now colour me cynical but I can’t help but feel a little let down by the now familiar imagery and lack of awareness. Whether or not it was intentional, the subliminal messaging isn’t so subtle for those on either side of the argument.
Some would say the show started with arguably the most vile character of all, who was white, and who was guilty. Others would say that people of colour who complain about not seeing themseves being represented enough on shows like this, want to have their cake and eat it too. The prejudicial connotation of ‘we’re damned if we do and damned if we don’t.’ But think about it, around 85% of the UK population is white, the majority of crimes taking place in the UK are committed by a white person, yet 57% of the ‘Criminals’ so far, is a person of colour. But further to this, is that statistic negated by the shows overrepresentation of minorities in the Police Force?
There is no doubt that a show called Criminal with a format that puts the offender centre stage, can send a negative message that some in this country and around the world, will happily take up the baton for. Preconceived prejudice can be enhanced and new bigotry can be birthed. The show is unique in the way it can paint a picture of not just what a person can do but the many layers of thinking it takes to drive them to action. If everyone in the real world simply took everyone else at face value, all would be well. But human society loves to generalise and to some, people of colour are a monolith. If one of us acts in a certain way, then the rest must surely follow suit (please add sarcasm).
Now I’m not saying that a dastardly racist deed has taken place, and to be honest I may well be reflecting on something that isn’t consciously there. By trying to do the right thing during casting, the eventual optics may simply have been overlooked. The show was filmed before much of the current social awakening had occurred, but people are well paid to make sure that ramblers like me aren’t given the fuel to comment. This is not simply about putting people into roles and ticking boxes. It is about how the outcome of doing so affects those who are watching, and about the message it sends to us all. Racial history in the UK is nuanced, so the way TV shows like Criminal UK handle that side of things must follow suit. Yes, a tiny part of me understands the need to cater for the majority demographic, and no it’s not an exact science, but surely being conscious about the affects of ethnic shortsightedness in the media, should be the norm instead of the exception.
Random Ramblings 