Sunday, March 3, 2013

The Walking Dead's Episode "Clear" Reviewed: Unlike Rick, Black Men Go Crazy When Faced wth Zombies

The Walking Dead's most recent episode "Clear" was one of the best installments of the series to date. In keeping with its established, and now repetitively obvious themes, Clear continued The Walking Dead TV show's problematic representations of race and gender.

In Clear, Carl, as the stand-in and inheritor of his father's white masculine authority is so independent and headstrong that he risks his life for the purpose of sentimentality.

Moreover, Carl imperils Michonne, the show's only black female character--and she continues to serve her duty as a protector and aide to the white characters. As I alluded to here, once more, a white child has more authority than a black adult on The Walking Dead.

As we have repeatedly seen on The Walking Dead, Michonne, despite her best intentions, acts of assistance, and invaluable skills, is an object of distrust. In Clear, Michonne has finally "earned" her acceptance from Rick and Carl.

Interestingly, Michonne has been held to a uniquely high test of trustworthiness by Rick and the group. Why? Because Michonne is a symbolic "problem." She is black and female. In the white racial frame and America's collective racial subconscious, women of color are burdens on the State, what are non-productive citizens despite their labor.

Morgan, who saved Rick's life during the series' first episodes, has finally returned. The Walking Dead has a black man "problem" as well. The show's emphasis on white masculine authority cannot tolerate or accept black men as either rivals or peers for Rick. Consequently, an informal rule of two has been adopted. As such, when one new black male character appears his predecessor must be removed from the narrative. T-Dog was killed. Tyrese was driven off by Rick. As a replacement for Tyrese, Morgan was (re)introduced in Clear.



He too fits the problematic tropes of race and gender that drive The Walking Dead TV series. T-Dog was a mute black manservant butler. Michonne is the mysterious and almost feral "strong black woman" warrior negress who cannot be trusted. Tyrese was "sensible" and "reasonable." He is was/is also non-threatening.

Morgan, Rick's savior, is now mentally unbalanced, fragile, and unpredictable. Morgan also wants Rick to free him of this world by shooting him. The former is such a "weak" man that he does not even have the courage to commit suicide. He is emasculated in a second way as well: Morgan does not even have the resolve of Jacqui, the show's only other black female character (she too was peripheral, mute, and underdeveloped) who committed suicide at the end of Season One.

Morgan's mental state is a mirror for Rick. Morgan is what Rick could perhaps easily become if he surrenders to despair. This juxtaposition is a classic one. The humanity of white folks, and whiteness, more generally, is highlighted in the literary imagination by comparing its traits and qualities to those of non-whites.

In the early 20th century, notions of "racial character" and "manhood" were central to America's (and the West's) public discourse. There, race men and race women, white elites, and others debated the essential character of the "black race" as compared to that of "the white race."

A racial logic and ideology was reproduced where white men of a certain economic and social class were naturally heroic, intelligent, survivors, warriors, and noble. White men of a lower class, and not quite "whites" like the Jews, as well as Southern and Eastern Europeans, were also not of the right "racial stock." Blacks and non-whites most certainly had to prove their race's fitness for full citizenship and masculine respect if they were to be judged the "equals" of white men.

These ideas are also present in classic science fiction and dystopian literature. White men can explore the stars and outer space. They can master technology with ease. White men can conquer alien species.

In worlds like The Walking Dead TV show, white men have the character, ability, and strength to both endure and survive. While they may bend, white men will not break under the pressures of this new reality.

In the dystopian imaginary of speculative fiction, black men, if they are present at all, are depicted as weak, unfit, and often mentally ill. Schizophrenia was once described as "the freedom disease." In science fiction and speculative fiction, black folks are apparently very susceptible to such conditions.

Morgan is a character in keeping with an ideology which suggests that black and brown Americans are contingent citizens who do not really belong in the polity. They are weak. Black men are also marked by a duality, where historically in the American racial imagination, they are depicted as both the black beast rapist and a civic child who is not self-sufficient.

Even in hopeful and "progressive" science fiction, these narratives about black men, insanity, and mental instability are present. Star Trek, has many such examples.

In classic Trek, Dr. Daystrum, the creator of the M5 computer has a mental breakdown and is sent to an insane asylum. Tuvok, the half-human half-Vulcan on Voyager, falls deep into a state of psychosis. Captain Sisko on Deep Space Nine is literally taken out of his body by a spiritual connection with an alien race, has visions, and is actually committed to a mental hospital when his consciousness travels to Harlem, New York in an alternate reality.

The Walking Dead TV show is part of a long tradition of storytelling in which black men are marginalized. Consequently, its problematic relationship to race and gender is not new. Dead people can rise from the grave in The Walking Dead TV show; but, fully evolved black characters who are not two-dimensional tropes which reflect the white racial frame are not allowed to exist.

26 comments:

Invisible Man said...

I'm glade you are able to write about walking dead with out giving away details as I have to wait another hour to watch the show online streaming from some "sight" in Saudi Arabia probably out of the mansion belonging to some despot, who's son is kind enough to make these shows available for those of us who don't own a TV or cable. Sometimes I don't know if the writing on this show is getting better or worse???? I'm also pissed that they kicked "Cutty Wise" out of the prison.
And by the way, do you listen to Rob Redding and the Redding Report?

Cain S. LaTrans said...

I have not seen this series, though I have been following Chauncey's rants...

Frankly, the first folk I'd prefer to hang out with in case of Zombie attack are folks who understand Wendigos. Second folk are Black folk, because they've dealt with mindless folk all their lives.

Anglos freak out at kids with a bag of skittles and tea...

My two cents....

Cain S. LaTrans said...

What are Anglos NOT afraid of?

Cain S. LaTrans said...

And Zombies bore me, frankly.

Of all the Supernatural creatures I have run across, I view zombies as less threatening than a rabies infected wolverine or dog.

chauncey devega said...

Rants? Never. Focused. Precise. Skilled criticism.

chauncey devega said...

I thought I gave away too much. Thanks though. Do watch the episode and share your thoughts.

Wavenstein said...

In all repeat airing of this episode, they should put up a Michonne help counter at the top left corner. It would ring up once every time Michonne says "help" in this episode. Similar to the Allen Iverson "practice" counter in his infamous practice press conference. I bet people are going to be talking about how much "progress" her character made this episode as well. What a joke man, a joke.

chauncey devega said...

That is a funny joke. Please let me help you Mr. Rick and good master Carl! Pretty please!!!

Sunkissed said...

Would love if you did a critique on the video game industry and it's depictions of people of color and obsession with white bald space marines. Not many credible voices like yours have taken up this topic.

Madness Unstoppable said...

FIrst time finding this site looking for Walking Dead reviews. Glad this was my first time. I love when people try to skew everything to make it sound racist... it just shows how many morons are on the internet (yes, I'm talking about the author)

chauncey devega said...

There is a great website called this cage is worms. Check it out, they do some great analysis of videogame aesthetics.

Improbable Joe said...

While still problematic, I didn't find this episode as terrible or troubling as most of the season. If we were watching this episode play out in Season 1, there'd probably be little/nothing to complain about. There certainly wouldn't be as much of a feeling of Michonne as a servant, or insanity being the province of black men.

The problem is that you can't help but see this episode in the context of the show as a whole. Having one episode where Michonne doesn't act like a sullen, psychotic mental defective doesn't make up for a whole season of her grumbling about how she wants her daddy's records and glaring menacingly at everyone. And the fact that she only has a personality so that she can suck up so they don't put her out is stupid considering that at this point the prison is the least safe place in Georgia. And the "only one black man at a time" rule is so ridiculously obvious that I'm amazed that they haven't done some reshoots/reediting to at least soften it a little.

DrunkenShrimp said...

Is it possible that, perhaps subconsciously, the writers
can’t help but compose the Morgans and Michonnes on TWD as they would any white
character exactly because they are, for a variety of reasons, unable or
unwilling to consider how or even why a character’s race would have dramatic
implications for the other characters as well as the viewers? All this to say,
is it possible they don’t consciously do such a bad job of fully realizing
characters of color precisely because their worlds are so racially uniform they
just don’t have the tools?

dark clark the mark said...

Crybabys..get over it

chauncey devega said...

the ignorant beauty of conservative postracial colorblindness. my take has always been that writers make choices. they should be held accountable regardless of the motivations or explanations. you may very well be right.

chauncey devega said...

see the response over at the Daily Kos. Typical deflecting and denying of some pretty obvious elements of TWD tv show.

Improbable Joe said...

Do I really want to? I'm sure it is pretty horrible, all those middle-class liberal white folks being color-blind. Can they at least admit that the show is generally terrible? Because that is at least a fair defense: "No, they aren't racist, they're just the worst writers on TV for EVERY character." I'd totally accept that as a defense.

DrunkenShrimp said...

Too true. The dilemma then for me becomes finding a way to hold such artists accountable for those choices without assuming the role of "negro ambassador" and explaining the how and why of their errors.

Lee Viola said...

I sorta like the show because it is brainless and horrible and is just a rambling insignificance to stare at before the work-week begins. It's racism is obvious, and almost as funny as watching TV commercial after TV commercial showing upper middle-class white and black people co-existing in a Wealthy and Wise Uberconsumer Pepsi Harmony Universe. I'm always amazed at even how few black zombies exist in a very heavily black-populated area of the US. Michonne's an awful character---I don't even think I'd know her name if I didn't read this entry. But I was suprised she mentioned she had an ex-BOYfriend. Thought they sorta hinted she had a thing for white gal Andrea. BTW, an amazing lack of gay characters on the show; not sure about the comic...

chauncey devega said...

The graphic novel had a few gay characters. I always shill for the books. Read them. Very, very much better than the TV show.

craig said...

I don't buy the argument that the writers don't know what they're doing in portraying the black characters. Writing takes courage. The architect Frank Loyd Wright said "The only thing more timid than a million dollars is ten million dollars". The pilot episode featured Morgan as a complex character because the show was in its exploratory stage, and that took courage, but now that they have 20 million viewers they fall back on timid, reliable themes.

chauncey devega said...

All about the money. The writers know that research suggests that white audiences will not watch a show or movie with "too many" non white characters.

SabrinaBee said...

Well, you know blacks mental states are fragile. AH and Micchonne, someone has to look out for the "lil white chi'ren" after of course chomping on food like a horse. But, then apparently they had her waiting around for the role. This strong zombie hunter black woman who has survived out in the wild alone was relegated last week to make a home in an overturned prison truck. I know you saw that.

Miles_Ellison said...

And it probably also shows that neither black nor white people will watch a show with three dimensional black characters that aren't stereotypes.

chauncey devega said...

Tyler Perry > than Frank's Place in many a home. Never mind Rock. Great stuff from Brother Dutton.

Miles_Ellison said...

True. And that is the problem.