October 24, 2007
We Do Need Another Hero
I've mentioned before how I am not one of those academics who does not (or claims to not) watch television. I only watch a handful of shows regularly, but definitely one of my favorites is Heroes.
The new season started a couple of weeks ago and I am finally caught up on the episodes. I must say--Even though the series has one of the most diverse casts in current TV-land, I started to fear last season as many of the folks of color seemed to be dropping faster than Black men in horror films. I should not have feared, though, as this season there are new heroes to get to know--including heroes of color. I share the opinion of Racialicious guest blogger, Elton, who writes:
The character I’m most excited about this season is Monica Dawson, the black New Orleanian girl. She’s a cousin of Micah, the boy genius and technopath, who is starting to discover a talent of her own. Being a native Southerner myself, I appreciate seeing the South on Heroes, even if it’s not completely accurate (especially the horrible, atrocious accents). The South has a long and racially charged history of poverty, hardship, and tragedy, from slavery to the Trail of Tears to the Civil War to the Civil Rights Movement. These issues are part of every American’s history, but Southerners have to live most directly with the consequences.
Monica is being played by Dana Davis. Her Heroes bio describes her as a classically trained musician (viola) who has also sung with Peabo Bryson, Roberta Flack, and Barbra Streisand. Bravo, Monica/Dana! Let's see what you've got!
Meanwhile, casting from the Star Trek well continues. In a postscript to the Racialicious blog post, Elton mentions anticipating whether or not "Nana Dawson"--played by Nichelle "Uhuru" Nichols--has powers and what they may be. I also assume she will be revealed to have powers of some sort, as these abilities appear to have a genetic component. (Oh, how I pray that she does not turn out to be a stereotypical voodoo lady...) My hope is that George "Sulu" Takei will return despite being killed off--perhaps in flashbacks or prior time sequences. The show also features another ST alum in a minor role: Dominic Keating, who played Lieutenant Malcolm Reed on ST: Enterprise.
At any rate, hopefully we'll see more of Monica, Nana, and some of the other new Heroes this season. Happy viewing!
Posted by perry032 at October 24, 2007 10:14 AM | TrackBack| Printer-friendly version
I was a fan right from the start of season 1. I'm enjoying season 2 more than the season 1 so far, in part because of the multicultural infusion.
Posted by: Walt Jacobs at October 24, 2007 01:16 PMYou know, I can't seem to blog these days, but I do find time for Heroes!! I should blog during the show!
I love this show--it appeals to the comicbook-with-great-political-overtones lover in me! I was waiting to see what Monica's powers were going to be, and I too love the Southern element. I think you are right though--it would be terrible to bring out the stereotypical voodoo image but that is likely going to happen. Although if the genetics follow--she should be able to do something with her body....
Posted by: Mon at October 24, 2007 09:38 PMHello, Walt. Good to "hear" your voice again, Mon. I am glad to see there are at least a couple other higher ed type folks who are Heroes viewers. I really hope they are able to do more to push the boundaries with their cast. So far everyone has pretty much played to (stereo)type. But I have high hopes. Plus the show is just so much darn fun!
Posted by: Yvette at October 29, 2007 09:42 AM