On this last week’s Melissa Harris-Perry show she devoted a whole segment to Shonda Rhimes’ show Scandal. In the segment she is joined by Andrea Plaid, Heather McGee, Joy-Ann Reid and Janet Mock.
They discuss the show in every aspect from its deliciously soapy plots and Olivia Pope’s (Kerry Washington) great wardrobe to really illustrating the importance of having an imperfect black female lead on television as well as the importance of diversity.
Scandal is the first drama with an African American female lead since Teresa Graves in Get Christie Love in 1974, and is filling a void we desperately needed on television. It also illuminates the argument of why we need more diverse voices creating television shows. As a new viewer of Scandal, it incorporates everything I love about television–soap opera dramatics coupled with cultural commentary on all kinds of issues.
Watch Scandal on Thursday nights on ABC at 10pm (The first season is currently streaming on Netflix). Catch Melissa Harris-Perry on MSNBC on Saturday and Sunday from 10am-12pm EST.
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