Representation of Ethnicity (Own Personal Notes)

How did Roots and The Cosby Show challenge previous sterotypical representations of black people in TV dramas?

•   'Roots'  (1984-92) was the first time (on US television) that the realities of slavery was brought to the screens. The audience were able to identify the protagonists of the show, through struggles such as violence/brutality and rape. 
•   'The Cosby Show'  (1984-92) featured a 'functional black family quietly confident in being black.' It was met with some scorn/criticism. Some critics claimed it fed the mirage that racial injustice could be overcome through individual economic advance. However, some recognised the show could be used to introduce further black television shows and to open the door for many black media artists. 
•    It could be described as 'assimilationist' - The process whereby a minority group gradually adopts the customs and attitudes of the prevailing culture. Social equity was not a raised issue in the show. 
• However, for the frst time, it showed how African Americans shared many values common across the United States. 

What does the article say about the representation of black policemen in programmes such as Miami Vice and Hawaii Five-O?

• Hawaii Five-O, and Miami Vice and NYPD Blue. The first was definitely still within the Tonto tradition insofar as the ethnic minority cops were concerned ("Yes boss" seemed to be the limit of their vocabulary). Miami Vice's tri-ethnic leads were less anchored in that tradition, although Edward James Olmos as the police captain often approximated Captain Dobey in Starsky and Hutch, apparently only nominally in charge. 
•  A central issue, however, raised once more the question of "modern" racism. A repetitive feature of the show was the skill of the police detectives in pressuring people they considered guilty to sign confessions and not to avail themselves of their legal rights.
• Within the paradigm of "modern" racism, co-opting ethnic minority individuals into police work made a great deal of sense (the security industry was living proof). Any TV reference was extremely rare to the fierce racial tensions often seething between police officers. How much had changed?