Sunday, August 5, 2018

Representation Matters

Lately I've been reading a cozy mystery called A Gentleman's Murder by Christopher Huang. It's set in 1924 London, and the protagonist is a half-English, half-Chinese man who belongs to a prestigious gentleman's club. He counts being accepted there as validation that he's English, but some people still discriminate against him and treat him as a foreigner, asking "Where are you from?" like I've experienced so many times in my 30+ years in America. Eric Peterkin also reviews murder mysteries for a living, so of course a murder happens right in the club.

According to Deadline, it's going to be developed for television, and I'd be glad if we finally get an Asian detective on TV who's not a Charlie Chan stereotype or the token diversity in a procedural starring white people. I'd love it if he appeared on Masterpiece Mystery! but it seems like PBS is far more interested in period dramas to find their next Downtown Abbey, than mysteries lately. I hate that they keep showing Grantchester, which is just a glorified soap opera, not really a detective show like the classic Agatha Christies they used to do. With my luck, the show will end up on Amazon or some cable channel. At least I can enjoy the novel.

Reading it, and watching Kim's Convenience on Netflix, makes me wish that the Brits had made Wok into a show. I loved that pilot and would have enjoyed seeing more about the Chinese immigrant experience in London.

And where the fuck is the Chloe Kim Barbie that Mattel announced months ago for Women's Day? They were going to make a whole line of inspiring women Barbies, but so far I've only seen 3 of them released for sale. Where are the rest, Mattel?

No comments: