Review of Glee

Throughout American television history, black women have been viewed negatively not only by white people but black people as well. Not only is their hard work and dedication to their families overlooked at times, but they are also constantly made fun of and degraded in the media. While there are times in which black women can be depicted in a positive light in movies and TV shows, the reality is that the majority of the time they are cast as unpleasant characters. For example, in the TV show Glee- a tv show known for its depiction of diversity and inclusiveness- , Amber Riley plays Mercedes Jones who for a while was the only black woman depicted in the show. Mercedes Jones first appears in the pilot episode of Glee in which a majority of the main characters are introduced. In this episode, the first time Mercedes is seen is on stage as she auditions for the club. The song she sings is "Respect" by Arethra Franklin. At first, this may not seem like it plays into a stereotypical view of black women, but when comparing her auditions to the other members, it is clear that their performances somehow reveal something about their own personalities. Rachel, for example, sings "On My Own" from the musical Les Misérables which relates to her love for musical theatre and Tina sings "I Kissed a Girl" by Katy Perry which depicts her as edgy which is how she appears in style. With this information, I can infer that through the song Mercedes chooses it may relate her to somebody demanding and sassy. It is possible to look at Mercedes's song choice as a song that shows off her powerful voice, but you can also see it as a preview of her character just as the other characters were previewed through their songs. Additionally, in the pilot episode during a scene in which the members are rehearsing, Rachel is singing the lead with Finn while the other members sing back up. Halfway through the song Mercedes interrupts and says "Oh hell to the no. I'm not down with this background singing nonsense. I'm Beyoncé. I ain't no Kelly Rowland. '' Not only does this come off as overly aggressive for them to only be rehearsing a song for the characters in the show, but it also comes off as sassy and aggressive to the viewers as well, especially for this to be the first episode. This shows that the preview of Mercedes's personality through her song choice in auditions was pretty accurate. The show Glee is well known for its ability to depict how it is possible to overcome individual differences and become the best version of yourself. It is also known for speaking on controversial issues within minority groups of people. This is seen through the gay characters Kurt, Blaine, Brittany, and Santana as well as the trans characters Unique and Coach Beiste. It even touches on people with physical disabilities such as Artie who is in a wheelchair. When it comes to Mercedes, I feel as though through the beginning seasons the creators of the show failed black girls and women when they decided to introduce Mercedes as selfish, sassy, and demanding. There is nothing wrong with a sassy character, but when it seems that that is all they are portrayed to be it becomes a problem.