Ankita Sheoran

Netflix’s newest TV series Dear White People premiered on April 28. When googled, the summary you read is “Dear White People is an American satirical television series based on the 2014 film of the same name,” but it’s so much more than that description. The series deals with the prejudices and stereotypes held against minorities; the show also shows the backlash that people receive when they raise their voices against prejudices.

The satirical comedy is set in Ivy League Winchester University. It follows Samantha White, a biracial sophomore, and her outspoken views on racism on campus. She starts a radio show called “Dear White People” to give her a public platform to voice her thoughts and to inform her fellow peers as to what is going on around them.  On the surface, the episodes are about college social life:  drama, parties, romance, and gossip. However, at the core of the show is about a major issue where an on-campus party hosts the theme of blackface.  As a result of this racist action, some of the student body struggles with the fallout.  And as a social commentary, really all of the student body should be struggling.

It takes a party based on acts of racism to wake people up to the underlying racism at the university. The school was in denial until they were given evidence as to their students’ actions.  Ultimately, this party exposed the ignorance about white privilege.   And therefore, the social construct of white privilege become a main message in the series.  And even though the show is tackling  some really deep topics, the writers and directors cushion the issues, at times, with humor. By watching this show you can stay informed and learn about conflicts that still haunt our society to this day. And you also get your daily dose of entertainment.

The acting is high-quality; actress Logan Browning as Samantha is excellent.  Brandon Bell (Troy), Antoinette Robertson (Coco) and John Patrick Amedori (Gabe) are all convincing in their roles as fellow college students.  It is easy to get lost in their performances.  

I highly recommend watching Dear White People.  Don’t miss out on this binge-worthy show and the issues behind it.