Comments on: Eastenders: yet another ethnic cliche http://thethirdestate.net/2009/12/eastenders-yet-another-ethnic-cliche/ What Is The Third Estate? Everything. What Has It Been Until Now In The Political Order? Nothing. What Does It Want To Be? Something. Wed, 08 Sep 2010 10:34:27 +0100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: julia http://thethirdestate.net/2009/12/eastenders-yet-another-ethnic-cliche/comment-page-1/#comment-6181 julia Wed, 23 Dec 2009 17:02:30 +0000 http://thethirdestate.net/?p=3228#comment-6181 It is "packed full of clichéd caricatures" as Chris H says, but the stereotypes of white working class people are mitigated by the fact that there are lots of them, so at least you get an impression of variety and a bit of depth occasionally. In fact, some of the characters and issues are portrayed with some empathy and complexity, particularly Stacey and her mother, who are grappling with bipolar disorder. This is greatly helped by the fact that both characters are played by talented and sensitive actors, but the script for this storyline is also pretty good on the whole. Clichés and caricatures are a very serious matter, though, when a single character seems to represent a whole minority group. I was utterly shocked by the portrayal of the one Jewish person in the entire cast as a brutal debt collector. This is much more than a cliché -- it's a vicious, centuries-old, antisemitic image which the producers of Eastenders either agree with or have failed to recognise. Either way, it is shameful. Something similar applies to the racist portrayal of Amira's father as a two-dimensional, threatening patriarch, whose character and relationships make no sense at all, and whose appearance in the series seems entirely gratuitous, at least so far. It is “packed full of clichéd caricatures” as Chris H says, but the stereotypes of white working class people are mitigated by the fact that there are lots of them, so at least you get an impression of variety and a bit of depth occasionally.
In fact, some of the characters and issues are portrayed with some empathy and complexity, particularly Stacey and her mother, who are grappling with bipolar disorder. This is greatly helped by the fact that both characters are played by talented and sensitive actors, but the script for this storyline is also pretty good on the whole.
Clichés and caricatures are a very serious matter, though, when a single character seems to represent a whole minority group. I was utterly shocked by the portrayal of the one Jewish person in the entire cast as a brutal debt collector. This is much more than a cliché — it’s a vicious, centuries-old, antisemitic image which the producers of Eastenders either agree with or have failed to recognise. Either way, it is shameful.
Something similar applies to the racist portrayal of Amira’s father as a two-dimensional, threatening patriarch, whose character and relationships make no sense at all, and whose appearance in the series seems entirely gratuitous, at least so far.

]]> By: DavidR http://thethirdestate.net/2009/12/eastenders-yet-another-ethnic-cliche/comment-page-1/#comment-6164 DavidR Tue, 22 Dec 2009 20:33:51 +0000 http://thethirdestate.net/?p=3228#comment-6164 Wot bruv? stereotypes on eastenders? You're 'aving a giraffe Wot bruv? stereotypes on eastenders? You’re ‘aving a giraffe

]]> By: Owain http://thethirdestate.net/2009/12/eastenders-yet-another-ethnic-cliche/comment-page-1/#comment-6146 Owain Tue, 22 Dec 2009 00:12:14 +0000 http://thethirdestate.net/?p=3228#comment-6146 Luckily for me, my tastes are far to refined to watch such cliched stereotypes and recycled story lines such as those proffered by Eastenders. I only watch Hollyoaks. Luckily for me, my tastes are far to refined to watch such cliched stereotypes and recycled story lines such as those proffered by Eastenders.

I only watch Hollyoaks.

]]> By: Chris H http://thethirdestate.net/2009/12/eastenders-yet-another-ethnic-cliche/comment-page-1/#comment-6134 Chris H Mon, 21 Dec 2009 20:11:12 +0000 http://thethirdestate.net/?p=3228#comment-6134 It's packed full of cliched caricatures regardless of ethnicity. Brassy landladies, dodgy dealers, philandering vicars. It's got the lot. Except reality. It’s packed full of cliched caricatures regardless of ethnicity. Brassy landladies, dodgy dealers, philandering vicars. It’s got the lot. Except reality.

]]> By: Philip Hosking http://thethirdestate.net/2009/12/eastenders-yet-another-ethnic-cliche/comment-page-1/#comment-6131 Philip Hosking Mon, 21 Dec 2009 19:19:22 +0000 http://thethirdestate.net/?p=3228#comment-6131 Have Welsh or Gaelic speakers ever been featured in Eastenders? Do they ever get a mention on any TV station in any program, TV producers being so keen to promote British multiculturalism as they are? Have Welsh or Gaelic speakers ever been featured in Eastenders? Do they ever get a mention on any TV station in any program, TV producers being so keen to promote British multiculturalism as they are?

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