90210 Spinoff — FIRST PICTURE!

If you’re a fan of The Wire, you will remember in the DVD commentary from Season 4 that Tristan Wilds laments, “I hate that, yo! There are not enough roles for young striving black men.” When I saw that Tristan was selected to be in the new 90210 series, I was happy for him–but am hoping that the writers of the show have seen The Wire and will do this young man justice!! Like Tristan commented that Ed Burns gave him a nail on set and told him that all buildings need to start with something as small as a nail. Let’s just hope the blue prints he receives reach the caliber of his talent.

I didnt know they had a black person in the first one

I love the fact that there is an African-American who is part of the cast, but….

…unfortunately, you can’t put the genie back into the bottle. I mean the African-American character is already adopted, but maybe you can introduce a Black FAMILY that already lives in BH. And please, not a single mother with a deadbeat father, or a family that won the lotto and that’s why they were able to move to BH. Just a hard-working professional nuclear family that just happen to be African-American and just happen to live in BH. Is that too much to ask, is it?

What is this, ‘Different Strokes’?!? Why is it that Black people must be presented as dejected and/or helpless, and the only way that they can achieve affluence is through the charity of well intentioned White families?!? Didn’t we learn anything from the ‘Cosby’s’!?!

I know that these writers, producers, and directors have an African-American neighbor, co-worker, or friend and they know that this potential storyline is tired and offensive.

I am very happy for the Black actor who was able to land the part, because I know that as an actor you’re just trying to eat, but when are we going to stop settling.

I just hope that the storyline doesn’t live up to the stereotypical racist formulas that we have all come to hate.