(1) Nathan Newman wrote:
> BTW upon demand of LBO kibbutzers, there were a number of
> black people in the crowd scenes in last night's episode,
> although the general white bread nature of Sunnyvale remains
> the same. That the head of evil in town is apparently a
> nice-nice glad-handing white corporate-type politician is
> a bit of a counter to the "vampires as black" metaphor.
No kidding! But he's not so much a corporate-type politician as he is a Rotary Club type. I remember him ticking off stuff like Boy Scout jamborees or some such, in his to-do list, along with his plans to attain ultimate power over the universe.
He's got a definite corporate vibe, but it's more evidenced in the fact of his having everything laid out in his organizer, rather than anything in its contents. That itself is one of the little wrinkles I do so enjoy.
> Blacks may, as in Faith's predecessor, be junior partners in
> evil -- metaphor for buppie capitalism serving the boss,
> anyone? -- but evil in Buffy's world seems to be the odd
> alliance of white corporatist power and fundamentalist
> religion that others have noted.
Sounds good to me.
(2) Gar Lipow wrote:
> >
> > > Kendrick was portrayed as less than Buffy in just about
> > > every way (except hotness). She was technically better
> > > at fighting, but lacked Buffy's ability to tap into her
> > > rage, and thus was worse in real fights.
> >
> > So, let's get this straight. She's MORE rational, MORE in control --
> > good ole signs of European/White superiority, and this makes her LESS???
>
> It got her ass whipped in fights. And when she learned to get mad (at
> her only shirt being torn) she started fighting better. Yes, in the
> context it made her less.
(1) Circumstantially yes. But you're claiming that blacks are portrayed as lesser. This goes to essence, not circumstance. Kendra was presented as more rational. There's no way around that. This is the exact opposite of the long history of how blacks are portrayed.
(2) But, then, as you noted, she DID learn to get mad. Showing that she could outgrow the limiting aspects of her rationality and being in control.
> > > She was a "good" type, obedient to her watcher, and thus
> > > lacked the social circle or help Buffy had.
> >
> > Well, she had a much shorter period of time as a Slayer, and we
> > only got to see her out of her element. She was pretty damn
> > adventurous in even coming to Sunnydale in the first place.
>
> Sure, that's a reason -- doesn't change the fact.
It makes ALL the difference between portraying a character as lesser vs. portraying a character who's circumstantially less developed and has room to grow.
> > > She was portrayed pretty much as a naïf,
> > > sort of a little sister for Buffy.
> >
> > Buffy was a Slayer more than twice as long as Kendra was
> > during the time Kendra appeared on the show. Plus Buffy had
> > all the advantages of companionship you list. Kendra was
> > culturally out of her element. Yet she had a strong sense
> > of duty and this stood her in remarlably good stead in
> > negotiating a foreign land.
>
> Same thing -- the point is she was a sidekick.
The show is all about circumstance, coping with it, overcoming it, being challenged by it, etc. It's not about static characters. I'm talking about those circumstances and how Kendra is situated, you respond with a static label. I don't think you're watching the same show I am.
> > All of which is to say I didn't see her as less than Buffy
> > in any of the ways you do. She was less developed -- heck
> > she was minor recurring character -- but I think it was a
> > real loss that they didn't keep her.
> >
>
> She was a candidate for continuing character. But she never
> really had a chance. Look, every continuing one of Buffy's
> friends has something they do better. Willow is the computer
> geek and magic user; Xander makes the wisecracks; Faith is a
> walking Id etc... Kendra was given no advantage.
Xander makes the wisecracks and KENDRA was given no advantage!
> > > Mr. Trick the second black character, was one of many
> > > vampires. He was portrayed as smarter than the average
> > > vampire, but also cowardly.
> >
> > > (Many of the vampires portrayed seem quite fond of risk taking.)
> >
> > All the dumb vamps are fearless. The smart ones aren't.
> > Mr. Trick was not only one of the smart ones, he was deliciously
> > stylish about it, and a real technophile to boot.
>
> No - Angelus, the evil version of Angel was quite bright (though
> twisted) but remained pretty fearless.
Yes, Angelus was unique, a point that was made over and over and over again.
(3) J Cullen wrote:
> >
> >Nothing absurd about it. Wanna do "The Simpsons" next? The only blacks
> >are the doctor & his family. What's that say?
> >
>
> Actually, at least one of Homer's co-workers at the nuclear plant is black
> and one of the local cops is black.
Egads! You're right! And the co-worker even had a speaking part, what, in last Sunday's show? Or was it one of the random reruns I catch from time to time?
Still, I think the doctor & his family are the only blacks to figure in the foreground of any episodes. It's slim enough to cast suspicion, no?
> And, of course, the Simpsons are yellow.
Not Marge's hair, tho!
-- Paul Rosenberg Reason and Democracy rad at gte.net
"Let's put the information BACK into the information age!"