Roadside Attractions, Lionsgate Televison, Netflix
Dear White People is the 10-episode Netflix series created, written and directed by Justin Simien, based on his film of the same name (episodes following the pilot were written and directed by several contributing creatives). We join Winchester University campus on the heels of the biggest scandal of the year, a blackface party held by the white-run humor/satire publication, Pastiche. Our provocateur is Samantha White (Logan Browning), outspoken leader of the Black Student Union with her own radio show, ‘Dear White People,’ where she attempts to illuminate, challenge, and educate her fellow classmates on matters of race.
Each episode focuses on a key character that populates the black residence hall, Armstrong Parker, including Sam, Lionel, Troy, Coco, Reggie, and Gabe (Joelle better get her ep in S2). With a cold open before chapter title reveal, wallpaper treatment hasn’t looked this good since Garden State. The outspoken Sam leads the revolution and episode one. Lionel Higgens (DeRon Horton) follows as he struggles to find his voice in both the black and gay communities. Troy Fairbanks (Brandon P. Bell) balances the expectations of being the perfect black leader with being a regular guy who likes women, video games (his ‘turrets’ while gaming is hilarious), and relieving stress through quick bathroom hits of marijuana. Colandrea “Coco” Conners (Antoinette Robertson) is conflicted between fitting in, escaping her past, and being herself. Reggie Green (Marque Richardson) is ready to lead the revolution until the revolution grabs him by the throat and thwarts him into the spotlight.
Beautifully shot, beautifully styled, and beautifully lit, the show is well written with pop references bouncing off every scene to this fangirl’s delight. Funny and witty, pop culture abounds with conflicted feelings of liking The Cosby Show, the difference between Dion and Stacey Dash, ‘nothing after Clueless matters,’ the challenges of becoming Insta legit, the virtues of waist thin ass thick, and the irresistibility of Gosling eyes. On top of all those references is the epicenter of black college life at Winchester, Defamation Wednesdays, where all the characters gather to watch a parody of Shonda Rhimes’ Scandal. The students cheer and jeer in outrage at the protagonist’s often questionable choices.
As our ‘ethnic but non-threatening’ narrator explains, there’s a lot more going on than meets the eye. Justin Simien attempts to both entertain and educate viewers, and he succeeds on both fonts earning Dear White People a rare 100 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. While his stories are far from my experiences, there’s lessons to be learned, empathy to be gained and razor sharp intelligence and wit to be admired. Netflix announced the show will return for season two, I for one, will be enrolling, you should too.