Some TV shows I watch might be racist, or racist-lite

[matt819]

I've been rewatching the Australian show, Sea Patrol. It's not very good, but we keep tuning in. Just a few episodes left in the seris.

The racism part? There has not been one person of color serving on the HMAS Hammersley in its five seasons. They do turn up as bad guys now and then, portrayed almost as caricatures of bad guys. I really think they could have at least made an effort.

Next: Death in Paradise. I really like this show, set in the fictional island of Ste. Marie in the Caribbean (actually Guadeloupe). The police commissioner, the sergeant, and the two officers are all black. There has been some turnover in these positions, but they have continued to be played by black actors. And the work together well as an ensemble.

The racism part? The inspector is always white and always an detective on loan from some police service in the UK. (BTW, I vaguely recall an episode early on explaining the seeming overlapping British and French administration of the island, but it is weird that the inspector is a white British detective, the sergeant is a black French speaking person (all gorgeous), and the commissioner and the officers are English speaking. So. . . why haven't there been any local black inspectors? Why have the French-speaking sergeants never been promoted to inspector? It's a goofy show, extremely formulaic, but entertaining, but the white inspector thing is just strange.

[demigoddess]

1. I watch Death in Paradise and now that you bring it up it is strange.

I thought it was something to do with the British legal system and the Ste Marie was still part of it. But, if you look, you see that all the British guys are a little weird. So maybe the Brits want to get rid of them.

[matt819]

2. Yeah, they're all weird

but they're all good detectives.

Maybe the message is that white people might be good detectives, but they are very odd. But surely there are black British detectives.

Yes, I'm overthinking this.