A while back I wrote a piece discussing what I’d watched on Netflix. One of these shows was She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, a queer-positive reboot of a series from the 80’s that ran for 52 episodes and was well-received. Most-notably, it was well-received with LGBTQ+ audiences, due to numerous, positive portrayals of gay and lesbian pairings. With that in mind, it’s easy to view the show-runner, Noelle Stevenson, positively.
Unfortunately, Stevenson appears to have gotten into hot water. This past week, she and her crew held a panel partly to promote her wife’s show The Owl House, but also to respond to fan mail. I haven’t seen the full panel, but the bits I’ve watched highlighted some uncomfortably tone-deaf remarks. One of the biggest offences came from Stevenson joking about Bow, the main character of colour, having a brother named Sow who works in a field.
As expected, fans got upset. So much so that Stevenson apologized on her Twitter page. While I’m not black or gay, so I’m not in the best position to parse nuance, I feel like this could’ve been avoided. I say that as someone who’s put his foot in his mouth before.
On one hand, I understand why this was an issue. Despite being openly gay, Stevenson’s a white woman. She’s also in a considerable position of power and influence. She, therefore, needs to be careful how she presents herself. Like it or not, she’s a brand. And using that, even if unintentional, to promote racially tone-deaf humour isn’t good.
It also sheds new light on her work. I love She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, but its artist’s world-views aren’t detachable from the work. Little details, like Adora being portrayed as a white saviour, are baked into the coding and theming, and they’re now under intense scrutiny. It’s a consequence I don’t think she anticipated.
On the other hand, I think there’s an element of mob outrage with some of the backlash. This isn’t to generalize per se, but there’s an element of “Let’s stir up controversy for fun!” with some of the criticism because of the show’s “SJW virtue signalling”. It also sours real hurt from those negatively impacted, most being queer people of colour. Add in that Stevenson’s apology seemed genuine and sincere, and I wonder if there are people looking for reasons to get angry.
This debacle also makes me feel self-conscious as a creator. I’m not immune to bad-faith positing. I’m worried that could one day backfire, as since the internet never forgives and never forgets. That’s scary.
Still, we’ll see what happens. I only hope that, going forward, Noelle Stevenson and her crew learn from this and better themselves.
In more pleasant news, Kelly Marie Tran, who took a hit for playing Rose Tico in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, has been given a second chance with Disney’s Raya and the Last Dragon. Though little’s known about this film, aside from being inspired by Southeast Asian mythology, we now know that Tran’s voicing Raya. Cue the reactions.
I think this is great. I loved Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and Rose was one of my favourite characters. The backlash she received for merely existing was heartbreaking, and it made me lose hope when she was sidelined in the next film. So for her to not only make a comeback, but also have a starring role? Like James Gunn’s situation, this is heartwarming to see resolved.
It also makes me happy because, to paraphrase an online commenter, it shows that the bad guys lost. There’s so much injustice on a regular basis, film included, that a happy ending, especially in this case, is nice. It shows that some stories can turn out well, silly as that sounds. We need this to happen more often, notwithstanding how Star Wars fans can be brutal to those they don’t approve of.
There’s a lot to be unhappy about with Disney. I’m sure I don’t need to remind you of their misgivings. Kelly Marie Tran’s second chance at stardom isn’t one of them. If anything, it’s the opposite. It gives me hope.
Rounding this off, I’ve decided to discuss High Score. You know, the Netflix docu-series about the early decades of video gaming? I watched all 6 episodes. And you know what? It was good.
There are several reasons why. For one, its production value, especially for Netflix, is excellent. It’s not simply a talking heads mini-series, there’s real filmmaking involved. There are excellent transitions, there’s great animation, and everything’s engaging. This is the successor to G4TV’s ICONS that we need.
Two, the series is fun to watch. Aside from shining spotlights on obscure innovators, like the late-Jerry Lawson, it gives a thorough look at how video games have evolved. This is the kind of information I wish had existed in the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s, which it covers throughout its run. I’m disappointed it took so long to get a docu-series like this, but I’ll take it!
And three, Charles Martinet’s a perfect choice for narrator. Hearing the voice of Mario in his natural register is equal parts amazing and charming, even if some lines aren’t impressive on paper (like his joke rant about Pat Buchanon coming out as gay.) Martinet sells his narration, making this a pleasant documentary to watch and listen to. It’s nice.
If I have one piece of criticism, it’s that the docu-series occasionally jumps around. This is noticeable during the e-Sports section. A lot of time is spent on this side-tangent before going back to the main point, and it’s a little distracting. But that’s a minor issue with an otherwise-fantastic miniseries. I recommend it.
That about does it for now. Take care, and I’ll see you next time!
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