TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — It’s a series that’s become a cultural phenomenon that has America and the world talking and it's known as Bridgerton.
Powerhouse producer Shonda Rhimes who’s responsible for shows on KGUN 9 like Grey’s Anatomy just hit another home run on Netflix with the show as fans swoon and wait for more of what’s next.
The series is based on books written by historical romance author Julia Quinn
“In a lot of ways, it tells us a lot more about the present than about the past and what we need in this moment,”
Doctors Ntare and Erika Gault with the Africana Studies department at the University of Arizona say things are changing for the better and Bridgerton is part of that conversation.
It’s especially true with the expansion of positive images about black life that show the limitless potential of what black children can see and become. Families are also connecting more and having discussions about shows on social media.
"I think it's causing more intergenerational viewing and thinking on things like race and other cultural topics,” Erika Gault said.
"It takes place in London, but we see Asians, we see Latinos we see Black people co-mingling we see them as royalty we see them in different stations in life,” Ntare Gault said.
Film and TV studies professor Dr. Anna Cooper believes the historical context and issues woven within the series give viewers a different take on the regency era and its glamour.
"It's giving work to actors of color in a genre where they don’t usually get it. We’re seeing more costume dramas that show gay relationships that show people of color who lived within the 19th century European status of the costume drama and I think it's really cool to see that revision,” Cooper said.
While the landscape of television and streaming continues to evolve from the days of Norman Lear and his role in diversifying network television with shows like The Jefferson’s. To the Shondaland world of Bridgerton the lives of Black Americans will continue to be told in more ways than one in the years to come.
"Now that you see more versions of Blackness, more shades of color I think it's really showing people what the possibilities are,” Erika Gault said.
AUTHOR JULIA QUINN WILL BE AT THE 2021 TUCSON FESTIVAL OF BOOKS VIRTUAL EVENT ON SUNDAY, MARCH 7TH FROM 1 TO 2 PM MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME
