Are we in the golden era of WW/BM pairings on tv and in movies?

J

Jeffrey Tripp

Well-Known Member
I have notice over the last 5 or 6 years there has been more WW/BM couples on tv and in movies than in the previous 20 or 30 years. The closest I can think of is the Blaxploitation days of the early 70s. I think this era of WW/BM pairings rally started with the movie Focus in 2015 starring Will Smith and Margot Robbie. I think that was the first mainstream movie since Save the last Dance to feature a WW/BM romance. It seems like since then there has been consistent WW/BM pairings across the board( tv shows, reality tv, soap opera, mainstream and independent movies).

Do you guys agree? And do you think this will continue?
 
I'm glad for all the movies and shows that have come out, but I'd hate to think this is our golden age for that stuff. Don't get me wrong, I'm loving the increased number of wwbm couples in media. And sure it's worth acknowledgement. But golden age? I don't think we're there yet. We're still dealing with stuff like always losing to the white guy in a love triangle, couples not getting the full "romantic" treatment (a la Focus), producers/execs tiptoeing around racists. I could go on, but we've all read the complaints in other threads LOL. This has gotta be a step on the way there tho, for sure.

Anyway I do love where we're at right now, but I'm not doing backflips 'cause this isn't the full normalization and representation people deserve. I look at it like this: If this so called golden age ended, I'd still remember it with some big disappointment at what could have been. In fact, if there was a real "golden age," having a golden age wouldn't be such a big deal lol. (That makes sense, right??? Lol) Just my two cents anyway. It's late lol
 
Last edited:
qaz1 said:
I'm glad for all the movies and shows that have come out, but I'd hate to think this is our golden age for that stuff. Don't get me wrong, I'm loving the increased number of wwbm couples in media. And sure it's worth acknowledgement. But golden age? I don't think we're there yet. We're still dealing with stuff like always losing to the white guy in a love triangle, couples not getting the full "romantic" treatment (a la Focus), producers/execs tiptoeing around racists. I could go on, but we've all read the complaints on other threads LOL. This has gotta be a step on the way there tho, for sure.

Anyway I do love where we're at right now, but I'm not doing backflips 'cause this isn't the full normalization and representation people deserve. I look at it like this: If this so called golden age ended, I'd still remember it with some big disappointment at what could have been. In fact, if there was a real "golden age," having a golden age wouldn't be such a big deal lol. (That makes sense, right??? Lol) Just my two cents anyway. It's late lol
Click to expand...
Still a way to go I guess, it's just that even 10 years ago I couldn't imagine the normalization and consistency with ww/bm pairs like it's been the case over the last 5 or 6 years which excites me but I agree things are far from perfect.
 
UK TV shows have a lot of IR couples lately. I think partly this is because they are trying to get more diversity into television and partly because of how common interracial couples are now.
 
Not really. More and more bm/ww pairings happening frequently but you have to take in the details of those relationships.
 
Jeffrey Tripp said:
That is really what I'm talking about the frequency and some of these relationships turn out well but there are still obviously issues.
Click to expand...

I mean that more a factor of Dramas in general. Relationship Drama is just a key part of the formula......Happy Endings happen at the end assuming no cancellations or rushes.
 
I doubt it, IR dating and specifically ww/bm is just getting more and more common in younger generations. The people in charge of these movies/tv shows are all much older. I'd imagine it just keeps getting better from here.
 
LucasBanner said:
I doubt it, IR dating and specifically ww/bm is just getting more and more common in younger generations. The people in charge of these movies/tv shows are all much older. I'd imagine it just keeps getting better from here.
Click to expand...
God I hope your right about the better and better part because I'm looking forward to it.
 
Nothing is perfect, but i agree that there has been an increase. BM/WW couples has been a reality for years but it took them a long time to recognize and explore this pair. I think you can "blame" the tik toks couples. BM/WW young couples are popular there, they can be a little annoying and very extra with exhibitionism but they contribute to normalize this relationship with a young audience and they are an audience to be won.
There is still a lot of progress to be made for sure, but i think it all come in slow steps. Personally i would like to see more stories with black cowboys because Hollywood pretend they don't exist. I would like to see more period drama romances and musicals with BM/WW.
I once read a discussion involving books with BM/WW pair. They said that this books weren't so popular, there wasn't so much consumer audience, the number of writers focused on this pair was small and sometimes the stories suffered from lack of quality. I'm talking about books because Hollywood love make movies about books, best sellers books to be more clear. It doesn't matter if the book is bad, just look examples like Twilight and Fifty Shades or this other book based on a Harry Styles fanfiction, if it sold a lot and have a fan base crazy about this books then you can find a studio looking to make this movies and get the money.
 
I think it is definitely better than it used to be. Just look at Bridgerton, supposedly Netflix's most watched or popular show. It had an interracial couple as the central couple to the story. Although, technically, the black male lead is mixed race/light skin...so the true test still remains could a guy like Mike Coulter and a white female co-star ever have such success as leads. Just look at how his coupling with the Jessica Jones character worked out for theNetflix shows, it was almost over before it started.

Definitely better, and perhaps more fearless about such unions in storytelling. I'll believe golden age when Sam Wilson Captain America gets with Natalie Portman Thor like in the comics. Right next to War Machine and Captain Marvel (also were a couple in the comics) in the MCU.
 
Observeree said:
I think it is definitely better than it used to be. Just look at Bridgerton, supposedly Netflix's most watched or popular show. It had an interracial couple as the central couple to the story. Although, technically, the black male lead is mixed race/light skin...so the true test still remains could a guy like Mike Coulter and a white female co-star ever have such success as leads. Just look at how his coupling with the Jessica Jones character worked out for theNetflix shows, it was almost over before it started.

Definitely better, and perhaps more fearless about such unions in storytelling. I'll believe golden age when Sam Wilson Captain America gets with Natalie Portman Thor like in the comics. Right next to War Machine and Captain Marvel (also were a couple in the comics) in the MCU.
Click to expand...
It doesn't matter if the guy from Bridgerton is light skin he's still black. I have never understood that argument, I don't think a racist would at him any different than they would Mike coulter.
 
To me the difference is that the actor in Bridgerton has some degree of Eurocentric features while say the character's friend that was a boxer is distinctly Black. It sort of tests how some people may gauge willingness for such relationships.

Some women would only go for a mixed/light skin guy because going full throttle big lips/wide nose, darker skinned black man is 'too black'. The actor for the Duke is great, charismatic, good fit, so nothing against him its just that would be how I'd analyze reactions to the coupling.

Jeffrey Tripp said:
It doesn't matter if the guy from Bridgerton is light skin he's still black. I have never understood that argument, I don't think a racist would at him any different than they would Mike coulter.
Click to expand...
 
Observeree said:
To me the difference is that the actor in Bridgerton has some degree of Eurocentric features while say the character's friend that was a boxer is distinctly Black. It sort of tests how some people may gauge willingness for such relationships.

Some women would only go for a mixed/light skin guy because going full throttle big lips/wide nose, darker skinned black man is 'too black'. The actor for the Duke is great, charismatic, good fit, so nothing against him its just that would be how I'd analyze reactions to the coupling.
Click to expand...

I perfectly understand your point, from my experience in the Caribbean, a lot of those mixed dudes even consider themselves white or more locally known as "reds"
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom