Better TV role models if only for a couple episodes

Last night, I was looking through my shows that I record throughout the week and I saw two pleasant suprises. Two of my favorite black actors have been introduced on two of my favorite shows.

Gabrielle Union is the partner for lead character Charlie Crews on the TV series Life. If you don't watch Life, it's about a police officer who is framed for murder, goes to jail, is then exonerated in which he recieves a large sum of money from the department plus a new job as detective on the police force. On and while in jail for about ten to fifteen years he also becomes a Zen Buddhist which provides the quirkiness to his character and is the only reason the show has any merit versus the ton of detective shows out there.

But Union will be playing his new partner while they send his old partner on another arc. Union's character Sara Seever is an overachiever, who can do almost anything, is extremely intelligent and prepared, and doesn't make mistakes. And if you didn't know she's also GORGEOUS.

Also, in the TV series The Office, Idris Elba (The Wire, Daddy's Little Girls alongside Union) is introduced as Charles Miner, the new regional Vice President in place of Jan and Ryan. The big difference is Elba is a very practical, no nonsense manager. He doesn't defer to Michael Scott (Steve Carrell) or even find him amusing. His presence is so large and looming that he actually makes Scott feel emasculated which drives the theme of the show.

I'm happy to see Hollywood cast these actors this week in both of these shows. Union for one has complained publicly about the lack of roles for black actors and actresses in Hollywood. I mean, I think personally until we start making our own movies and doing them well we will always have that problem because the media portrayal of our race actually portends into alot of places where the living room is the only place you see black people. But it still is important to note, that whether regional VP or hot shot detective, these roles can be played aptly by black actors and actresses.

Union has typically been put in roles where she is the snobby, sassy black girl and Elba is characterized as the tough, strong black man. I can't say that either one is taking a big step out of the roles that are comfortable for them but they may be taking a step out of the setting.