Comments on: The Whitening of Heroes http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2009/11/30/the-whitening-of-heroes/ Sociological Images encourages people to exercise and develop their sociological imaginations with discussions of compelling visuals that span the breadth of sociological inquiry. Fri, 25 May 2012 19:25:00 +0000 hourly 1 By: Freya http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2009/11/30/the-whitening-of-heroes/comment-page-1/#comment-162871 Freya Tue, 08 Dec 2009 17:36:02 +0000 http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/?p=17420#comment-162871 I've got to agree that this is incredibly confusing. First of all, all the 'white' characters in season 3 were in seasons 1 and 2, as well - counting this, there's only one or two white characters that season 4 has that are missing from season 1. Then, in season 2, the writers introduced a whole bunch of new characters of various races - Elle, Adam, Maya and Alejandro, Monica, West, Caitlin - and the only one that 'survived' to season 3 was Maya, IIRC, the rest were causualties of the writers' strike (especially Caitlin, that's pretty much the biggest loose end EVER!). On the 'people of color' side, the Haitian is missing from seasons 1-4, Micah is missing from season 3 at least, and I haven't watched enough recently (it seems to have jumped the shark) but what about that African man who could paint the future from season 3 or 4? And didn't Micah's dad come back sometime in season 3? Or was that season 2? Oh, and Ando is missing from season 1. Someone should put together a really comprehensive thing like this... Interesting observation: While the minority characters get 'killed off' for real more often, there are several white characters who die more times than all the minorities put together - Claire, Adam, Peter, Sylar, and let's not forget Nikki/Jessica/Tracy/whoever the f*ck she is this week. What's up with that? (In case you couldn't tell, I loved the show during season 1. Season 2 was tolerable, but the writers' strike really did it in. Season 3 was where I mostly gave up, and from my occasional watching, it seems to have jumped the shark in a most spectacular mannet since then.) I’ve got to agree that this is incredibly confusing. First of all, all the ‘white’ characters in season 3 were in seasons 1 and 2, as well – counting this, there’s only one or two white characters that season 4 has that are missing from season 1.

Then, in season 2, the writers introduced a whole bunch of new characters of various races – Elle, Adam, Maya and Alejandro, Monica, West, Caitlin – and the only one that ‘survived’ to season 3 was Maya, IIRC, the rest were causualties of the writers’ strike (especially Caitlin, that’s pretty much the biggest loose end EVER!).

On the ‘people of color’ side, the Haitian is missing from seasons 1-4, Micah is missing from season 3 at least, and I haven’t watched enough recently (it seems to have jumped the shark) but what about that African man who could paint the future from season 3 or 4? And didn’t Micah’s dad come back sometime in season 3? Or was that season 2? Oh, and Ando is missing from season 1.

Someone should put together a really comprehensive thing like this…

Interesting observation: While the minority characters get ‘killed off’ for real more often, there are several white characters who die more times than all the minorities put together – Claire, Adam, Peter, Sylar, and let’s not forget Nikki/Jessica/Tracy/whoever the f*ck she is this week. What’s up with that?

(In case you couldn’t tell, I loved the show during season 1. Season 2 was tolerable, but the writers’ strike really did it in. Season 3 was where I mostly gave up, and from my occasional watching, it seems to have jumped the shark in a most spectacular mannet since then.)

]]> By: Thaddeus http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2009/11/30/the-whitening-of-heroes/comment-page-1/#comment-158726 Thaddeus Fri, 04 Dec 2009 02:56:38 +0000 http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/?p=17420#comment-158726 AH! You have my name...and you were reinforcing my earlier statement. Apparently there are two Thaddeus's who think there are too many blondes on Heroes. ...weird... AH! You have my name…and you were reinforcing my earlier statement.
Apparently there are two Thaddeus’s who think there are too many blondes on Heroes.
…weird…

]]> By: Thaddeus http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2009/11/30/the-whitening-of-heroes/comment-page-1/#comment-158634 Thaddeus Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:25:09 +0000 http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/?p=17420#comment-158634 I would say it REALLY does have a disproportionate amount of blonde characters, specifically women: Tracy, Lauren, Emma, Claire, Claire's adopted mom, Claire's biological mom, Lydia, Elle, Daphne, Nikki/Jessica. Most of the women who are brunette are no longer on the show. Also Claire is Nathan's Daughter, so technically she IS a Patrelli, and thus they are not 100% brunette. I'm suprised Lydia's daughter isn't blonde... I would say it REALLY does have a disproportionate amount of blonde characters, specifically women: Tracy, Lauren, Emma, Claire, Claire’s adopted mom, Claire’s biological mom, Lydia, Elle, Daphne, Nikki/Jessica. Most of the women who are brunette are no longer on the show.
Also Claire is Nathan’s Daughter, so technically she IS a Patrelli, and thus they are not 100% brunette. I’m suprised Lydia’s daughter isn’t blonde…

]]> By: peebs1701 http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2009/11/30/the-whitening-of-heroes/comment-page-1/#comment-157822 peebs1701 Thu, 03 Dec 2009 02:58:17 +0000 http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/?p=17420#comment-157822 The Haitian has finally gotten a name this season. Rene. The Haitian has finally gotten a name this season. Rene.

]]> By: Megan http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2009/11/30/the-whitening-of-heroes/comment-page-1/#comment-157802 Megan Thu, 03 Dec 2009 02:39:00 +0000 http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/?p=17420#comment-157802 Oh yeah, I've definitely already noticed this trend. But really what offends me the most about heroes is that the very dark-skinned black man doesnt even have a name. Thats not a coincidence. Even the people closest to him (like clair's dad) call him The Haitian. It gets on my nerves so damn bad. And Hiro is pretty racist as well. He's my favorite character because he is really the only unselfish person on the entire show and he only uses his powers for good, but they use his ethnicity as comic relief. like "hahaha look at the stupid things this japanese guy says" And of course there's the stupid Clair being a lesbian just for ratings thing. Heroes is dead. The first season was awesome and its never been good since then. They just need to cancel it. Oh yeah, I’ve definitely already noticed this trend. But really what offends me the most about heroes is that the very dark-skinned black man doesnt even have a name. Thats not a coincidence. Even the people closest to him (like clair’s dad) call him The Haitian. It gets on my nerves so damn bad. And Hiro is pretty racist as well. He’s my favorite character because he is really the only unselfish person on the entire show and he only uses his powers for good, but they use his ethnicity as comic relief. like “hahaha look at the stupid things this japanese guy says”
And of course there’s the stupid Clair being a lesbian just for ratings thing.
Heroes is dead. The first season was awesome and its never been good since then. They just need to cancel it.

]]> By: peebs1701 http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2009/11/30/the-whitening-of-heroes/comment-page-1/#comment-157357 peebs1701 Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:17:08 +0000 http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/?p=17420#comment-157357 Solely in the context of this show, it might not matter whether an actor is listed in the opening credits--except for recognizing the name of the actor instead of just the name of the character, however as you mentioned before it is very important for salary and general industry impact. Those who have opening credit are going to be more likely to get roles in the future and the ones they get will likely be better than for those who didn't have opening credit. As far as whether or not they introduced other POC characters in later seasons, they did introduce some very good ones, but for some reason those characters were allowed to fade away. Even the ones that they do keep aren't treated the same as the white characters. We only found out The Haitian's name recently (René). Solely in the context of this show, it might not matter whether an actor is listed in the opening credits–except for recognizing the name of the actor instead of just the name of the character, however as you mentioned before it is very important for salary and general industry impact. Those who have opening credit are going to be more likely to get roles in the future and the ones they get will likely be better than for those who didn’t have opening credit.

As far as whether or not they introduced other POC characters in later seasons, they did introduce some very good ones, but for some reason those characters were allowed to fade away. Even the ones that they do keep aren’t treated the same as the white characters. We only found out The Haitian’s name recently (René).

]]> By: finefin http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2009/11/30/the-whitening-of-heroes/comment-page-1/#comment-157121 finefin Wed, 02 Dec 2009 09:25:52 +0000 http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/?p=17420#comment-157121 I don't think this is accurate enough. Micah for instance had a big role in season 3 (vol.4). okay, he had not much to say, but his character was omnipresent... I don’t think this is accurate enough. Micah for instance had a big role in season 3 (vol.4). okay, he had not much to say, but his character was omnipresent…

]]> By: Evan http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2009/11/30/the-whitening-of-heroes/comment-page-1/#comment-156795 Evan Wed, 02 Dec 2009 01:42:18 +0000 http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/?p=17420#comment-156795 They've been trying to revamp for a wider audience, that may be why they are white-washing. I mean, who in "real America" is going to relate to a bunch of non-white people with special ability. That's MORE scary! ("they took my country" etc.) They’ve been trying to revamp for a wider audience, that may be why they are white-washing. I mean, who in “real America” is going to relate to a bunch of non-white people with special ability. That’s MORE scary! (“they took my country” etc.)

]]> By: Evan http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2009/11/30/the-whitening-of-heroes/comment-page-1/#comment-156790 Evan Wed, 02 Dec 2009 01:39:17 +0000 http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/?p=17420#comment-156790 I watch Heros. There are really only 3 Heros: Hiro (optomistic, geeky, intelligent, asexual asian man) Peter (loving, sensitive, easily taken-advantage of White man-child) and Clair (Blonde cheerleader who just wants to fit in) everyone else mostly evil. I watch Heros. There are really only 3 Heros: Hiro (optomistic, geeky, intelligent, asexual asian man) Peter (loving, sensitive, easily taken-advantage of White man-child) and Clair (Blonde cheerleader who just wants to fit in)

everyone else mostly evil.

]]> By: splack http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2009/11/30/the-whitening-of-heroes/comment-page-1/#comment-156574 splack Tue, 01 Dec 2009 20:41:08 +0000 http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/?p=17420#comment-156574 Cocaine. Cocaine.

]]> By: Victoria http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2009/11/30/the-whitening-of-heroes/comment-page-1/#comment-156311 Victoria Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:20:12 +0000 http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/?p=17420#comment-156311 Not surprising in the least. We wouldn't want people of color to feel like they're an actual part of American society, now would we? I have a massive, unprofessionally non-scientific theory on this type of thing. Actors of color never appear in mainstream American movies without them being segregated off if the actor isn't Jackie Chan, Halle Berry, Cuba Gooding Jr. or Denzel Washington. People of other ethnicities must act funny or stereotypically, black women must be light-skinned and attractive, men must just be Denzel. If darker or brown-skinned women like Whoopoie Goldberg or Oprah Winfrey are going to act in mainstream American films, you'd better believe they're either "the funny black lady" or a slave. Sure you can find an exception here or there, but this is the norm. And that is why I find it SO disappointing that a popular American show has lost its actors of color. They were just the everyday Americans I know. Sure they had superpowers, but with Sci-Fi shows also being acted by predominantly white people it just continues the divisive way whites still tell people of color that they are excluded and not authentic representations of America today. Not surprising in the least. We wouldn’t want people of color to feel like they’re an actual part of American society, now would we? I have a massive, unprofessionally non-scientific theory on this type of thing. Actors of color never appear in mainstream American movies without them being segregated off if the actor isn’t Jackie Chan, Halle Berry, Cuba Gooding Jr. or Denzel Washington. People of other ethnicities must act funny or stereotypically, black women must be light-skinned and attractive, men must just be Denzel. If darker or brown-skinned women like Whoopoie Goldberg or Oprah Winfrey are going to act in mainstream American films, you’d better believe they’re either “the funny black lady” or a slave. Sure you can find an exception here or there, but this is the norm.

And that is why I find it SO disappointing that a popular American show has lost its actors of color. They were just the everyday Americans I know. Sure they had superpowers, but with Sci-Fi shows also being acted by predominantly white people it just continues the divisive way whites still tell people of color that they are excluded and not authentic representations of America today.

]]> By: abby_wan_kenobi http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2009/11/30/the-whitening-of-heroes/comment-page-1/#comment-156261 abby_wan_kenobi Tue, 01 Dec 2009 14:00:32 +0000 http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/?p=17420#comment-156261 That Thanksgiving dinner scene was the Bennet family who is quite blonde, but this is an isolated scene. The other leading family of the series, the Patrelli family, is 100% brunette. The Parkmans, Mojinder, Hiro & Ando, Sylar, Gretchen and most of the new characters from the Carnival have dark hair. Ali Larter is sort of the token hot blonde, but I wouldn't say that the show has a really disproportionate number of blondies. That Thanksgiving dinner scene was the Bennet family who is quite blonde, but this is an isolated scene. The other leading family of the series, the Patrelli family, is 100% brunette. The Parkmans, Mojinder, Hiro & Ando, Sylar, Gretchen and most of the new characters from the Carnival have dark hair. Ali Larter is sort of the token hot blonde, but I wouldn’t say that the show has a really disproportionate number of blondies.

]]> By: grady http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2009/11/30/the-whitening-of-heroes/comment-page-1/#comment-156109 grady Tue, 01 Dec 2009 10:49:53 +0000 http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/?p=17420#comment-156109 I feel the same! What an amazing first season and then...what happened? Lost was the same way. Really good first season but the rest is terrible. I feel the same! What an amazing first season and then…what happened? Lost was the same way. Really good first season but the rest is terrible.

]]> By: Thaddeus http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2009/11/30/the-whitening-of-heroes/comment-page-1/#comment-156048 Thaddeus Tue, 01 Dec 2009 09:57:11 +0000 http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/?p=17420#comment-156048 Being included in the opening credits certainly increases name recognition with the general public. I recently heard someone comment that Heroes "had too many blonds". When my wife was watching the most recent episode I noticed that there was a Thanksgiving dinner scene with three women, all of whom were blond. And that wasn't counting Ali Larter, a blond woman who has been on the show since the start. Being included in the opening credits certainly increases name recognition with the general public.

I recently heard someone comment that Heroes “had too many blonds”. When my wife was watching the most recent episode I noticed that there was a Thanksgiving dinner scene with three women, all of whom were blond. And that wasn’t counting Ali Larter, a blond woman who has been on the show since the start.

]]> By: phildog http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2009/11/30/the-whitening-of-heroes/comment-page-1/#comment-155873 phildog Tue, 01 Dec 2009 06:54:08 +0000 http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/?p=17420#comment-155873 It should be noted that Ando & Mohinder have had barely any airtime at all. It should be noted that Ando & Mohinder have had barely any airtime at all.

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