Amber AS Media: Representation of Ethnicity

Black

Desperate Housewives: Betty Applewhite
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLgKIcfHq0E

Betty Applewhite and her family join Wisteria Lane in season 2 of Desperate Housewives. The Applewhites are the only African-American family on the street making them different from everyone else. the Applewhites are a classic example of stereotypical subtle racism on TV Drama. Immediately, the family do not fit in with the rest of the community. Betty does not play poker with the rest of the female characters and she does not join in on the gossip with other characters either leaving her an outcast from the rest of the society. This is a stereotypical representation of someone with her ethnicity.

Chicago Fire: Chief Boden
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYgBwnMvNbE

Chief Boden is an example of a countertype of a black character in TV Drama. Chief Boden has authority and power over the other characters as he is the chief of the firehouse. Wallace Boden often displays his bravery in fires and rescues in the show.

Orange is the new black: Crazy Eyes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6a62WrSJhD4

Crazy eyes acts neither as a counter-type or a stereotype for black people in TV drama. She is not seen as an outcast or as different in the show because Orange is the new Black features women in a prison who are segregated into their ethnic groups meaning she fits in with those who have the same ethnicity as her. She may be considered to be represented in a stereotypical way as it is made clear to the audience that she is not as intelligent or mentally stable as the other characters.

White

Gossip Girl: Blair Waldorf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNCOKmeVc-U

Blair Waldorf is an example of a stereotypical Spoilt upper class white teenager. She comes from a rich family who provide expensive accessories and designer outfits for her. Blair stereotypically represents the idea that white people are ranked socially higher than any other ethnic group.