This essay will cover the extent to which the American television series How to Get Away with Murder (HTGAWM) implements the colour-blindness ideology. The essay will examine the show’s colour-blind ideologies through its plot, racial change in society and the blind casting it supports. The paper will then conclude by examining how colour-blinding ideology has influenced production and whether or not the show implements this ideology.
HTGAWM follows Annalise KEATING, a criminal attorney and professor who is entangled in a case of murder, along with her students. The first episode aired on 25 September 2014. There are five seasons and there is talk of a 6th. Shonda Rhime, the creator of Grey’s Anatomy & Scandal fame, is behind this show. She is also known for her use of blind casting, or colour-blind cast. HTGAWM relies on flash-forwards or flashbacks, as well as time lapses for each season.
Jim Crow Laws have been removed and this has led to a change in the racial attitudes of Americans. Jim Crow Laws were implemented in the late 1800s/early 1900s. They were intended to enforce racial segregation. It was evident in places such as restrooms, schools and transportation.
This is known as the Great Migration. Both the repeal of this law, and the introduction of other similar laws, were major steps within the society. These measures removed barriers from the African American population. The remaining racial inequality was not a result of policy, but rather a choice made by an individual. The colour-blind philosophy also held that racism did not exist in America.
But it’s believed that colour-blindness and post-racialism didn’t really begin until Barack Obama became the first African American to be elected president in 2008. Due to the racial past of America with slavery, Jim Crow Laws and heavy segregation, the election seemed to usher in a brand new era. Many people thought that Obama’s presidency would usher in a new era of racial acceptance, but it has actually led to an increase in racism. Obama has also said that he believes in a post racial America. This vision was not realistic, no matter how well-intentioned it may have been. The race is a divisive and powerful force in our culture. Even though America has made great strides in becoming a post-racial nation, racism will always be a part of the society. This ideology of ignoring race also led to the colourblind casting.
The idea that race is not important in American society is called colour-blindness. This idea of color not being important led to the development of colour-blinding casting. Casting without ethnic background is a type of colour-blind casting. This allows for anyone to be cast in the role, as they don’t consider ethnicity. HTGAWM has a cast of people from all backgrounds and doesn’t label them based on their background. The cast is composed of student trainees and employees, as well as lovers of the female protagonist. Annalise Keating invites 5 of her Keating Five students to join her in law with 2 of her assistants. Her assistants are both white, while the Keating five is a mix of two white Americans and two African Americans. In addition, the show introduces a Filipino American as the gay lover to Connor, a white American. The show, however, misses the opportunity to represent American society fully by casting colourblind. Annalise Kating, for example, is a lawyer of African descent who teaches a seminar at a university where many people from different ethnicities attend.
Only 35 percent are women lawyers, and only 8 percent are women of color. This does not represent the American society. Only 1 percent are women. Annalise’s inclusion in the 3 percent bracket for LGBTQ people makes her even more rare. The critics of this ideology are generally against it because they think that the idea is racist, and takes away peoples’ identities. Annalise Kating, a character who is highly regarded for her legal skills in the series may be a good example of the ideology being implemented. In a way, this removes Annalise’s racial identities from the series as everyone admires her for her amazing skills as a lawyer. A lot of people believe that her role in the show encourages color-blindness. Her character also creates the diverse Keating group, the centre of the series.
You could say that HTGAWM did try to overcome its colorblindness by introducing the character Wes. This is because it is in the second season episode, It’s Her Fault, that race was first mentioned. The racial humor is that Wes is related to Annalise. The joke is quickly shot down, and it gives the impression of a racist character. This shows how American society is, even though it’s a joke. Wes is another example where race is brought up in the show. In season 1, he told his girlfriend that he was ”the only Black Kid in Town”. The ethnicity of his character is never mentioned or emphasized. The fact that the show does not give clear details and only mentions Wes’ background could make it seem disrespectful. The show acknowledges racism by mentioning Wes’ background, but does not go into detail. It misses the chance to tell audiences that there are still racial differences in this world. After all, you could argue that even though the show acknowledges the racism, it doesn’t make use of the ethnic background of the actors unless the plot is progressing.
”Freakin’ Whack-a-Mole” is the title of episode six from season one. Annalise is a character in this episode. She appeals for David Allen after he was imprisoned due to the murder of his White lover. The episode serves as a backstory to Annalise’s character, since the case initially opened her eye ”to how the justice system rewards people who lie and not those who tell it the way they see it. This episode refers back to the injustices in the legal system. Innocent people have been hurt by this. A 2014 article, published about 5 months prior to the premiere, stated that four and one percent of all people in prison were mistaken (Hughes 2014). This show, which included a subject so controversial, would have shed some insight on how the Justice System treats cases.
Annalise, in the show, says something similar. “Racism, like slavery, is ingrained into America’s DNA. As long as we continue to turn a blind-eye to those who suffer under it, we’ll never be able to escape these origins. This quote comes from episode 13 of season 4, Lahey v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The statement and what Obama have said suggest that the show is trying to promote this colour-blind ideal world but it also brings out what society has to do to achieve a similar outcome.
If the show chose not to address the issue, the racial background and character development of each character would be amplified. The characters in the show will act according to the ethnicity of each character. Latinos would, for example be expected by the show to speak Spanish a large part of the time. The African-Americans are faced with racism directly, while the two White Americans lead a life of privilege and live up to expectations. The show would have to branch out in different directions if it ignored the ideology. This would also make it difficult for it to maintain its non-linear structure. This is due to the fact that the structure of the series would not allow for the inclusion of each character’s race directly in the show. The show would be ruined if it were to include the ethnicities of the characters.
HTGAWM is a show that does reflect race and racial difference. It also portrays a post-racial narrative that relies heavily on colourblind logic, where characters are deracialised. The show contributes to the post-racial society by making all characters appear normal and ignoring their backgrounds. Normalizing characters who are not racialized exemplifies a liberal individualist America’s post-racial discourse. Overall, this show does a great job of illustrating the current attitudes towards racism in society by ignoring all race. The show is able to follow the color-blind concept but at some key points, it breaks that idea.
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