Wow, another dud. And this one's a real shame. The idea was interesting, but the device used to propagate the idea doesn't work.
Said device is backwater racism. The only real redeeming facet to this story is that the actor portraying the racist didn't come across as a stereotypical hick. But the message was clear, especially when all the other white cops show up: white people don't want black people to go to college. This could have been a great episode, uniting black and white people as simply people who care for each other and help each other against race-agnostic evil. I'm not going to get preachy here, but I'm a white guy and the more black and white and, well, just people that go to college to learn a craft and have a career, the better off we all are. More college graduates means a better economy, a stronger country and fewer lower income slums. I want everyone to be the best possible version of themselves. And I'm not alone.
So if the writers of this show wanted to be avant-garde and stick with the outside-the-box patina of the original series, maybe they could show the seldom-Hollywood-backed point of view of unity over race division. Instead of saying things like "we all need to come together" with the implication that it's one race uniting, they could espouse the view that all races should bind against evil and, therefore, become humans and advance as a society, civilization and people. Instead of focusing on differences to keep us apart, focus on commonalities that unite us. Help us garner an attitude of helping one another and caring for our fellow man.
Instead, they chose a political, divisive path that has become stale and volatile over the years. We need less towing the party line, more leading the way to a brighter future.
OK, that said, the acting was excellent by all - especially Sanaa Lathan (she is a true lady of the screen with chops like few others). Even through the jejune writing, the actors really pulled out some terrific performances. It's the only redeemable aspect to this episode.
Jordan Peele seemed less robotic, or maybe he's growing on me. Either way, his narration didn't pull me out of the story as much as the previous two episodes.
Said device is backwater racism. The only real redeeming facet to this story is that the actor portraying the racist didn't come across as a stereotypical hick. But the message was clear, especially when all the other white cops show up: white people don't want black people to go to college. This could have been a great episode, uniting black and white people as simply people who care for each other and help each other against race-agnostic evil. I'm not going to get preachy here, but I'm a white guy and the more black and white and, well, just people that go to college to learn a craft and have a career, the better off we all are. More college graduates means a better economy, a stronger country and fewer lower income slums. I want everyone to be the best possible version of themselves. And I'm not alone.
So if the writers of this show wanted to be avant-garde and stick with the outside-the-box patina of the original series, maybe they could show the seldom-Hollywood-backed point of view of unity over race division. Instead of saying things like "we all need to come together" with the implication that it's one race uniting, they could espouse the view that all races should bind against evil and, therefore, become humans and advance as a society, civilization and people. Instead of focusing on differences to keep us apart, focus on commonalities that unite us. Help us garner an attitude of helping one another and caring for our fellow man.
Instead, they chose a political, divisive path that has become stale and volatile over the years. We need less towing the party line, more leading the way to a brighter future.
OK, that said, the acting was excellent by all - especially Sanaa Lathan (she is a true lady of the screen with chops like few others). Even through the jejune writing, the actors really pulled out some terrific performances. It's the only redeemable aspect to this episode.
Jordan Peele seemed less robotic, or maybe he's growing on me. Either way, his narration didn't pull me out of the story as much as the previous two episodes.