Saved: 3 inclusive shows which got a 2nd chance
Let’s be honest, we are living in a golden age of television! And with streaming networks popping up left and right, there are too many shows to count. But instead of looking at the new shows, I’d like to direct your attention to a few inclusive TV shows which got a second chance. These shows were at one point almost out the door, but luckily, someone swooped in and saved them, and boy was it a relief. These shows are some of the most inclusive shows on television right now.
One Day at a Time
The once Netflix turned POP original series One Day at a Time focuses on the Alvarez family. A Cuban household consisting of army veteran divorcée Penelope, her mother, and her two teenage children. Throw in an overly friendly building manager and an awkward Stephen Tobolowsky (Ned from Groundhog Day) and you’ve got yourself a comedy.
Based on the original 1975 show of the same name, One Day at a Time is packed with women, features both a lesbian and a non-binary character, and often treads the line between comedy and drama by focusing on serious and important subjects such as addiction, mental health, gun control, and racism. The character of Lydia does exhibit some at times overly stereotypical behavior of Cubans, like the fact that she loves to salsa dance, and she is a passionate and fiery individual. She does have a great relationship with her family members and easily accepts that her granddaughter Elena is a lesbian, even though it goes against her religious beliefs.
Elena’s coming out is a large part of the first season and her sexuality continues to be a main focus of the show, as it explores her relationships with her family and her “Sydnificant” other, Syd (yes puns are popular on this show). Syd identifies as non-binary, a sexuality not often represented on TV.
Another large focus of the show is Penelope juggling her role as both a mom and a modern-day career woman, while also struggling with her mental health. The show even shows her attending group therapy. One Day at a Time’s ability to address serious topics while still remaining a situation comedy is extremely impressive, and I sure am glad that the Pop channel decided to jump in and give it a second chance after Netflix pulled the plug.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Brooklyn Nine-Nine originally aired on Fox for five seasons, but was cancelled in 2018. The show was quickly picked up by rival network NBC. Brooklyn Nine-Nine may have started off focusing mainly on Andy Samberg’s character Jake, but it quickly became clear that the real heart of the show was its ensemble cast. The show’s cast includes two Latina women and two Black men, but race is not a focal point of the show. Instead, it focuses on the wacky everyday lives of these police detectives. Every now and then, an episode or two will focus on such subjects as racism or sexual identity, and characters Captain Holt and Rosa Diaz being gay and bisexual do sometimes influence the plot, but it is never what solely defines their characters or the main focus of the show. Instead, Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s core themes are friendship, family, and love.
Lucifer
Another former Fox show which was saved after cancellation is Lucifer, which was picked up by Netflix after four seasons. Lucifer is a supernatural procedural “dramedy” starring Tom Ellis (Miranda) and Lauren German (Texas Chainsaw Massacre) about the actual devil (Ellis) teaming up with a Los Angeles cop (German) to solve crimes. The television series is based on the DC Comics character of the same name. The comic book characters gravely differ from those in the show. The show consists of four (and sometimes five, depending on the season) main female cast members, four people of color, and two pan sexual characters. Similar to Brooklyn Nine-Nine, sexual identity and race are not the only driving point in the show. There is actually no plot line regarding Lucifer’s or Maze’s pansexuality, just a line or two confirming it, and only one plot line in a season five episode revolving around race. Lucifer and Maze can often be seen with same sex partners throughout the show, but it is never the show’s sole defining purpose. Instead, Lucifer also focuses on themes like redemption and love.
There are a lot of TV shows out there right now, and with everyone being stuck inside their houses because of the corona virus, it is the perfect time to start watching a new show! Whether you’re looking for a heartfelt comedy or a procedural drama, might I suggest these cluvie-tastic shows which are so good they survived cancellation.
