In the world of entertainment, specifically onscreen, conversations about Black representation are often double-edged: On one side, there’s the tokenism imposed on a people who were long denied control over their own narratives; on the other, there’s the powerful reclamation of all that was stripped away, and then some. That’s the dual discourse at the heart of “Seen & Heard,” HBO’s two-part exploration of the history of Black representation on television.
Executive-produced by Issa Rae and directed and produced by Giselle Bailey and Phil Bertelsen, the docuseries combs through the origins of Black images in TV and their cultural legacy, as told by some of the leaders of our television movement.
Oprah Winfrey, Tyler Perry, Shonda Rhimes, Debbie Allen and Mara Brock Akil are just some of the figures in the doc who reflect on their contributions to a cultural landscape that didn’t always possess the nuance and authenticity that Black storytelling calls for. That’s because our stories were once shaped mainly by white TV creators and writers who did not know how to write with us in mind.
A prime example of that is highlighted in Part 1, as 1970s staples like “Good Times” and “The Jeffersons,” produced by the late Norman Lear (who’s also featured in the doc), were praised for introducing new portrayals of working-class Black families into living rooms across America. Still, like many shows of the time that featured Black people, they were not immune to stereotypes.
“Good Times” star John Amos (whose voice is featured) famously took issue with the direction of the sitcom, particularly when it came to Jimmie Walker’s character, J.J. Evans, and the frequent use of his “Dy-no-mite!” catchphrase. Amos was ultimately fired and killed off the show over continued differences with the writers. His co-star, Esther Rolle, also left for a season over similar concerns.
In one old interview, Rolle expressed how she felt about the way Black people were presented on television at the time, saying, “I still think there isn’t enough of a variety to reflect a whole group of people.”
“But until there is more participation behind the scenes,” she added, “we’re not going to be able to control what is before the camera.”
“In both Parts 1 and 2, ‘Seen & Heard’ bounces between the triumphs and setbacks that Black television has endured through the years.”
Those words become a central theme through the remainder of “Seen & Heard.” While the two-part film addresses the root cause of the flawed history of Black representation on television, it devotes even more attention to the effect, which is how a people who have been historically robbed of our humanity and opportunities respond when given the chance to reclaim and reshape our identity in the television landscape.
Hence, Part 2 explores a new generation of creators like Rae (“Insecure”), Ava DuVernay (“Queen Sugar”), Lena Waithe (“The Chi,” “Twenties”), Syreeta Singleton (“Rap Sh!t”), who are all featured and have since risen to prominence and expanded the spectrum of diverse Black representation.
In both Parts 1 and 2, “Seen & Heard” bounces between the triumphs and setbacks that Black television has endured through the years — like the booming age of ’90s and early 2000s Black sitcoms that suddenly disappeared after networks like The WB and Fox built legacies off the backs of those shows and their Black audiences.
Still, a spirit of resilience persists amid the different eras of Black television.
“Seen & Heard” doesn’t follow a linear timeline. However, it still shows the most critical periods of Black television and how our leading creators chose to push back against each era’s limitations in an effort to keep our legacy alive. More importantly, it explains why it’s so vital for us to hold the power over our own stories. The result is a reminder of how hard-earned the fight was, and still is.
If nothing else, the documentary is a fair depiction of the ongoing cycle of struggle and progress to maintain Black representation on television — and how that work is still far from over. As Allen points out at the end of the doc, “Overcoming is a journey. It’s not a destination. And we’re all still in the making.”
Both parts of “Seen & Heard” will be available to stream on HBO Max on Sept. 9 at 9 p.m. ET.
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