For far too long, many mainstream TV shows and movies have perpetuated racial stereotypes that can be hurtful, damaging and downright boring.
Plenty of examples of classic shows give a limited scope of what characters of color can be portrayed as, while allowing white counterparts to embody a variety of identities. This excludes people of color from seeing their identities reflected on screens while also shielding white audiences from understanding any culture that isn’t their own.
The issue stems from a longtime problem of Hollywood giving a larger platform to white directors, writers and actors who ultimately get to decide what stories get seen by a widespread audience.
In more recent years, there have been examples of TV shows that attempt to break that boundary and expand on what stories are told. And while there’s a long way to go with equal representation across the board in media, it’s nice to see examples of shows that give a more accurate representation of real life for a larger group of people.
If your TV roster needs some refreshing, check out these 13 TV shows that break racial stereotypes, and allow for all new stories and characters to be on display for everyone to see.
1. ‘Fresh Off The Boat'
FILE - In this Friday, Aug. 5, 2016 file photo, actors, from left, Lucille Soong, Randall Park, Constance Wu, Ken Jeong, Ann Hsu, Ian Chen, Hudson Yang and Forrest Wheeler pose for photographers during a media event promoting their television comedy series "Fresh off the Boat" in Taipei, Taiwan. The sitcom was the first American TV show to film on location in Taiwan and the first to have a majority of dialogue in Mandarin in one episode. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)AP
‘Fresh Off The Boat’ took the typical American sitcom that usually features an all-white cast and centered it around the life of a Taiwanese-American family. The TV show broke milestones by just going on air, as it was the first network sitcom in the U.S. to feature an Asian-American family as the main characters in more than 20 years. It confronts issues like bullying, immigration, sexuality and more, while making you laugh the entire time.
2. ‘The Chi’
Lena Waithe, second from left, creator/executive producer of the Showtime series "The Chi," answers a reporter's question as cast members Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, top left, and Yolonda Ross, top right, and executive producer Common look on during a panel discussion on the show at the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018, in Pasadena, Calif. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP
‘The Chi,' created by Lena Waithe, shines light on experiences of black people who don’t always get the attention of the news or mainstream TV. It depicts the lives of real people dealing with issues like poverty and gang violence, and how those issues shape who someone is. The Showtime series completely immerses you in the real south side of Chicago with drama that is hard to look away from. And instead of putting the focus on the problems that the people are facing, ‘The Chi’ is groundbreaking because it focuses on the real people and the emotions they feel while they actually experience the consequences of those problems.
3. ‘Pose’
‘Pose’ is not only progressive in its representation of BIPOC, but it also delves into an LGBTQ+ subculture that is often misunderstood in mainstream media. The show is about the 80s ballroom culture scene, and rather than depicting its characters as spectacles to be gawked at, they are shown as an empowered family made up of strong characters that are both relatable and aspirational.
4. ‘Insecure'
Prentice Penny, from left, Yvonne Orji, Issa Rae and Jay Ellis appear at the "Insecure" panel during the HBO TCA 2020 Winter Press Tour at the Langham Huntington on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2020, in Pasadena, Calif. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP)Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP
‘Insecure’ is a comedy that centers around a black woman that is hilarious without relying on any of the stereotypes that are often assigned to black women on TV. The show, which was created by and stars Issa Rae, is as authentic as it gets, and both laughs at and celebrates the experiences of an average black woman in her 20s. It’s easy for anyone to relate to, and you’ll have a hard time not binge-watching all of the episodes in one sitting.
5. ‘Never Have I Ever'
The newest show on this list is a coming-of-age story about an Indian-American girl dealing with the loss of her father. The show is witty, and it’s nearly impossible to not fall in love with the main character, Devi. Devi tries to navigate high school and the complicated relationships that come with that, with her family, friends and boys. Netflix also just renewed it for a second season.
6. ‘The Good Place'
Ted Danson, from left, Manny Jacinto, Kristen Bell, D'Arcy Carden, William Jackson Harper, Jameela Jamil and Marc Evan Jackson arrive at "The Good Place" press line on day three of Comic-Con International on Saturday, July 20, 2019, in San Diego. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP
NBC’s beloved sitcom ‘The Good Place’ shows realistic interracial relationships without making them a big deal. Many shows with interracial couples often play up the differences between the two, and make it seem like race is the most important aspect of a relationship. This show barely even addresses race at all, but rather focuses on the actual relationships between the characters. It doesn’t act like they are taboo, or that anything out of the ordinary is going on because two characters who are different races are together -- it just lets them exist freely in the fictional world.
7. ‘Atlanta’
From left to right, Brian Tyree Henry, Zazie Beetz, Donald Glover and Lakeith Stanfield attend the "Atlanta Robbin' Season" FYC Event at the Saban Media Center on Friday, June 8, 2018, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP
You should watch Donald Glover’s ‘Atlanta’ if you haven’t already for the sole reason that it is a visual feast. The show follows Earn, played by Glover, who is navigating the rap scene in Atlanta. The show shines a light on hip hop culture without fetishsizing it, or labeling it as other. The series showcases Glover’s unique sense of humor while also being very real with characters that are easy to like and connect with.
8. ‘This Is Us'
The cast of "This Is Us," winners of the award for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series, poses in the press room at the 25th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2019, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
This NBC drama is progressive because one of the main characters, Randall, is a man who was adopted into a white family, and the series shows how that has impacted him as an adult. The character is groundbreaking for many reasons -- it tells a positive story of adoption with a loving family dynamic as well as it shows a successful black man who overcame the hardships he grew up in and achieved some aspects of the “American Dream,” such as having a house and a family. Aside from that, Randall’s own family dynamic is a positive depiction of a loving black home, whereas many depictions of black families on TV show broken homes and neglect. The show also confronts sexuality, racism, mental health and more, often through Randall’s experiences particularly.
9. ‘Black-ish'
FILE - In this April 28, 2018 file photo, the cast of "black-ish" attends a For Your Consideration event in Burbank, Calif. Pictured from left are Nelson Franklin, Peter Mackenzie, Jenifer Lewis, Miles Brown, Anna Deavere Smith, Anthony Anderson, Tracee Ellis Ross, Marcus Scribner, Yara Shahidi, Marsai Martin and Jeff Meacham. ABC is bringing back the lion’s share of its series for next season, including “black-ish,” “A Million Little Things” and “The Rookie.” Those are among the shows that will return in the 2020-21 season, the network said Thursday, adding to the list of previously announced renewals for a total so far of 19. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP
‘Black-ish,' and its subsequent spinoffs ‘Grown-ish’ and ‘Mixed-ish,' have been crucial as far as expanding representation of people of color on TV. The show follows a black family living in an upper-middle-class area who deal with the ups and downs of life as a team. The plot itself isn’t groundbreaking, but because it puts black people into traditional sitcom roles that aren’t over-exaggerated, it’s important.
10. ‘One Day At A Time'
Justina Machado, from left, Rita Moreno and Todd Grinnell participate in the Pop TV "One Day at a Time," panel during the Winter 2020 Television Critics Association Press Tour, Monday, Jan. 13, 2020, in Pasadena, Calif. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP
This series is somewhat of a reboot of the 1970s show of the same name, but in the modern version, a Hispanic family is put at the center stage. The sitcom follows a Cuban-American family, and tackles issues like politics, sexuality, mental illness, immigration, racism and more. The show is realistic, and allows viewers to connect with the complex characters who are dealing with problems that they can relate to in the modern-day.
11. ‘All American'
This show expands the narrative of a black character by showing how class can impact the black experience in general. It tells the story of a young black football player, Spencer, who is navigating two completely different worlds in southern Los Angeles. Not only does Spencer deal with that juxtaposition, the predominantly black cast also shows how diverse the black experience in American can be, rather than portraying it as something monolithic.
12. ‘The Boondocks'
This show put blackness in the center of a cartoon that uses satire and comedy to make commentary on American culture and issues like racism, politics and more. It followed two young black characters who move into a predominantly white neighborhood and is based off a comic strip. While the show does deal with hard-hitting issues, it exudes an overall coolness by using humor, hip-hop music and street aesthetics to make it extremely watchable.
13. ‘Vida'
Tanya Saracho, foreground center, creator/showrunner/executive producer of the Starz series "Vida," poses for a portrait with cast members, from left, Mishel Prada, Melissa Barrera and Roberta Colindrez during the 2020 Winter Television Critics Association Press Tour, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2020, in Pasadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP
‘Vida’ is about two Mexican-American sisters who move back into their childhood home after their mom dies, and they learn some hard truths about their family. The show explores the meaning of family and how rooted that is to people’s identities, particularly for Latino women. However, the themes of gentrification and generational divide are relatable to a variety of people, particularly if they’ve moved away from the place they grew up. The show is also in Spanglish, which makes it even more realistic from Latino-Americans who are used to code switching in their day-to-day lives.
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