Representation of Black life in A Different World and Empire

¶ … Empire (2015)

A Different World is a hit TV sitcom from the 1980s period whose first episode aired on television in the year 1987. The plot and storyline of the TV show surrounded the everyday lives of groups of college students attending the fictitious HBCU Hillman College. A Different World was a hit and largely loved by the young black American audience. As the show progressed, the audience are able to perceive the characters of A Different World develop and transform openly as they get to learn every day from their experiences, education and teachings from the classroom and the different pieces of advice given to each other. It is not an underestimation to have the perception of A Different World being the sole most significant cultural connect for traditionally black colleges and universities in the history of America. More so, the TV show is deemed to be one of the top pop cultural attainments for African-Americans in their history. Its influence on revealing the value and social concept of the HBCU is but a connotation to a greater possibility of displaying charming young African-Americans from varied upbringings as smart, amusing, and contemplative in their educational endeavors (Russel, 2015).

Empire is a musical drama TV show that started airing in January 2015. The television show is centered on the city of New York and revolves around a hip hop entertainment and music company known as Empire Entertainment. Empire revolves around the drama that ensues amongst the members of the instituting family of the music company as they fight and tussle for power and control of the company. Empire together with TV shows similar to it are not only producing more diverse faces on the television scene, but are also harnessing the power of black American audience and viewers. The Empire has an effect similar to that A Different World brought about, in the sense that the black folks are a group long ignored by television networks, irrespective of the fact that African-Americans watch a top-heavy share of conventional television (Kang, 2015).

Episode Analysis: Discrimination in the Society

One particular episode that will be discussed is "Cat's in the Cradle" which was episode fourteen of season five. In this episode, Ron and Dwayne go through a personal encounter with racism. This particular episode is deemed significant for the reason that it assisted several individuals to cope with unyielding matters and issues. It is safe to say that a majority of students are yet to experience discrimination and racism to a personal extent, and when they do in fact experience it, at times it is difficult for them to comprehend and react fittingly to what has taken place. A Different World made it realistic and open to the fact that racism continues to exist and any individual can experience discrimination. In particular, this episode and the TV show in general provided a teaching regarding the significance of being an educated black man or woman, and that it is imperative not to have the sense of invisibility in the social structures of the social order.

The episode of the TV show Empire discussed is the first episode of the first season. In this episode, the plot portrays Lucious Lyon played by Terrance Howard realizing that he might be dying soon and beckons his sons letting them know that he will be grooming one of them to take over and lead the company. Cookie, played by Taraji P. Henson, who is Lucious's ex-wife is also released from prison comes home and she means business. The main element of this episode is perceived from the way Lucious discriminates his son Jamal who is gay. Jamal complains about the age-old division that exists between creativity and selling out as he points out that his father will not allow him to lead the company because he is gay. In particular, Lucious meets up with him and tells him that he cannot come out and reveal his sexual preference if he wishes to pursue a career in music. For an additional effect, the show portrays Lucious and Cookie sitting in the kitchen, spending time with friends, discussing music at the same time as Jamal enters the very same room with his mother's shoes. This upsets Lucious extremely who grabs Jamal and leaves the room, swearing appalling, homophobic words.

Conclusion

In conclusion, television sit-coms do reflect and mirror the American society. During its time, A Different World portrayed the need for black American individuals to enter colleges and universities and attain knowledge. Similarly, it also indicated the issues within the American culture at the time such as racism and discrimination against the black community. Fast forward three decades later and Empire as a television sit-com continues to offer a representation of the society in America. In particular, the show highlights one of the present issues in the American culture, which is how Americans react to homosexuals and the discrimination, or ill-treatment that they receive (Kang, 2015).

In addition, in an era and at a time when television stations face incessant and intense competition with each other, different from several years ago when only a few stations were in existence, television has become more commercial in its approach. Despite the fact that these shows have to be entertaining, and attain a following, they also have to be ostentatious and exhilarating, so as to steal the target audience ahead of the competition. This can be perceived in the present shows such as Empire where diversity has come to play a key role. In the present day American culture, individuals are fighting for equality and therefore the sitcoms have shifted to diversity. This is to engage and ensure that all individuals from different races are able to relate and enjoy the show. It also takes into consideration individuals of different sexual preferences regardless of whether people like it or not. The two shows indicate a great change in time and American culture. Empire represents the present while A Different World denotes the past in the sense that in the olden times, aspects such as gay individuals kissing and indulging on television would not be tolerated and would spark unrest. However, in the present, this aspect is being championed as the society is embracing and empathizes with individuals having different sexual preferences openly (Kang, 2015).