why no African epic series?
Discussion
I am about to start watching Cursed but there's one thing I know will bug me - and that's the fact the Arthur is BAME. I know it's a fiction/fantasy but, for me, the legend being set in (slightly) post Roman Britain jars if it's got the king being BAME.
All of which brings me to the point of the thread - we've got loads of European fantasies and/or legends (and had them for quite some time) as well as a few Chinese and Japanese but nothing from an Afro-centric perspective. Why? Even with my lack of knowledge of African culture/literature there must be loads suitable for adaptation?
All of which brings me to the point of the thread - we've got loads of European fantasies and/or legends (and had them for quite some time) as well as a few Chinese and Japanese but nothing from an Afro-centric perspective. Why? Even with my lack of knowledge of African culture/literature there must be loads suitable for adaptation?
Front the bits I've caught from Cursed I did initially think the same thing. But then I guess it's not really a historical drama, more a fantasy drama loosely based on the legend, so no real harm in using artistic licence. Of course for balance I'd expect to see a few white tribesmen in this hypothetical African series 
I agree an African based historical/fantasy series would be good to see, but I wonder if it's a bit of a hot potato, especially in the current climate. The danger perhaps being that it could be accused of playing to a stereotype of Africa/Africans which might upset the professionally offended?
I agree an African based historical/fantasy series would be good to see, but I wonder if it's a bit of a hot potato, especially in the current climate. The danger perhaps being that it could be accused of playing to a stereotype of Africa/Africans which might upset the professionally offended?
irocfan said:
I am about to start watching Cursed but there's one thing I know will bug me - and that's the fact the Arthur is BAME. I know it's a fiction/fantasy but, for me, the legend being set in (slightly) post Roman Britain jars if it's got the king being BAME.
All of which brings me to the point of the thread - we've got loads of European fantasies and/or legends (and had them for quite some time) as well as a few Chinese and Japanese but nothing from an Afro-centric perspective. Why? Even with my lack of knowledge of African culture/literature there must be loads suitable for adaptation?
Do you mean why are there no western productions based on African fantasy?All of which brings me to the point of the thread - we've got loads of European fantasies and/or legends (and had them for quite some time) as well as a few Chinese and Japanese but nothing from an Afro-centric perspective. Why? Even with my lack of knowledge of African culture/literature there must be loads suitable for adaptation?
I dare say there are loads of African ones but we don’t tend to get African tv or films in the uk?
I somehow watched a Nigerian soap the other day on something called tv plus. I can see why uk broadcasters don’t buy many African productions. Not exactly up there with chinese and Japanese productions.
Unlike Irish-Americans, African-Americans show little interest in the origins of their ancestry, Roots is the only thing I can recall,
So it's really up to African writers, broadcasters and media to make a blockbuster series that defines the continent
rather than expect Netflix, Sky or Amazon to stump up for a minority interest.
So it's really up to African writers, broadcasters and media to make a blockbuster series that defines the continent
rather than expect Netflix, Sky or Amazon to stump up for a minority interest.
I guess Egypt is the closest to having a history worth creating a series about. I'd like to see a big budget show on this.
I saw a documentary once on the Saharan salt traders which could make a good series.
Also the richest man ever, Mansa Musa, King of Mali, would be an interesting topic.
African countries seem to be very much focused on their present and future rather than their history though I'd welcome corrections on this.
I saw a documentary once on the Saharan salt traders which could make a good series.
Also the richest man ever, Mansa Musa, King of Mali, would be an interesting topic.
African countries seem to be very much focused on their present and future rather than their history though I'd welcome corrections on this.
irocfan said:
I am about to start watching Cursed but there's one thing I know will bug me - and that's the fact the Arthur is BAME. I know it's a fiction/fantasy but, for me, the legend being set in (slightly) post Roman Britain jars if it's got the king being BAME.
All of which brings me to the point of the thread - we've got loads of European fantasies and/or legends (and had them for quite some time) as well as a few Chinese and Japanese but nothing from an Afro-centric perspective. Why? Even with my lack of knowledge of African culture/literature there must be loads suitable for adaptation?
There could easily be series about more recently famous Africans like Biko, Mandela or Idi Amin or Gaddafi etc All of which brings me to the point of the thread - we've got loads of European fantasies and/or legends (and had them for quite some time) as well as a few Chinese and Japanese but nothing from an Afro-centric perspective. Why? Even with my lack of knowledge of African culture/literature there must be loads suitable for adaptation?
Historic series about the Zulu tribes or Madagascar queen Ranavalona would also be interesting I think.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranavalona_I
There’s all kinds of stories you could have about french Belgian and British colonialism also?
North Africa is also full of famous historic figures like the Egyptians or Hannibal from Carthage in Tunisia there must be plenty of historical content in other African countries also.
El stovey said:
There could easily be series about more recently famous Africans like Biko, Mandela or Idi Amin or Gaddafi etc
Historic series about the Zulu tribes or Madagascar queen Ranavalona would also be interesting I think.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranavalona_I
There’s all kinds of stories you could have about french Belgian and British colonialism also?
North Africa is also full of famous historic figures like the Egyptians or Hannibal from Carthage in Tunisia there must be plenty of historical content in other African countries also.
Queen of Sheba would be pretty epic tooHistoric series about the Zulu tribes or Madagascar queen Ranavalona would also be interesting I think.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranavalona_I
There’s all kinds of stories you could have about french Belgian and British colonialism also?
North Africa is also full of famous historic figures like the Egyptians or Hannibal from Carthage in Tunisia there must be plenty of historical content in other African countries also.
I’ve watched a fair amount of african tv, it’s woeful. Nollywood is about as good as it gets.
I think any historical piece that would gain Western interest would have to include slavery, apartheid, or western backed war. Bit too close to home for a big budget series I reckon.
I think the following would work though:
- the LRA following Kony’s rise, reign of terror and fall. Largely fought by local entities so no foreign savior (other than US money)
- Charles Taylor’s 3 civil wars
- history of the belgian Congo and subsequent atrocities, which more people in the world really should know about tbh.
- ebola hospital drama. Like a Red Cross version of ER with extra politics thrown in
I think any historical piece that would gain Western interest would have to include slavery, apartheid, or western backed war. Bit too close to home for a big budget series I reckon.
I think the following would work though:
- the LRA following Kony’s rise, reign of terror and fall. Largely fought by local entities so no foreign savior (other than US money)
- Charles Taylor’s 3 civil wars
- history of the belgian Congo and subsequent atrocities, which more people in the world really should know about tbh.
- ebola hospital drama. Like a Red Cross version of ER with extra politics thrown in
shirt said:
I think any historical piece that would gain Western interest would have to include slavery, apartheid, or western backed war. Bit too close to home for a big budget series I reckon.
I think the following would work though:
- the LRA following Kony’s rise, reign of terror and fall. Largely fought by local entities so no foreign savior (other than US money)
- Charles Taylor’s 3 civil wars
- history of the belgian Congo and subsequent atrocities, which more people in the world really should know about tbh.
- ebola hospital drama. Like a Red Cross version of ER with extra politics thrown in
this is why I mentioned myth/legend and singled out Arthur (and I hoped by that the pre-middle ages). I suspect that slavery era African history would be massively distorted one way or another and end up as not satisfying anyone I think the following would work though:
- the LRA following Kony’s rise, reign of terror and fall. Largely fought by local entities so no foreign savior (other than US money)
- Charles Taylor’s 3 civil wars
- history of the belgian Congo and subsequent atrocities, which more people in the world really should know about tbh.
- ebola hospital drama. Like a Red Cross version of ER with extra politics thrown in
I'm of the opinion that 'shoehorning' in ethnic minority characters smacks of tokenism and does us all a miss-service. Weirdly(?) I'm I'd have no issues with Merlin or Lancelot being BAME (for instance). By the same token I'd be quite upset to see the Queen of Sheba portrayed by Charlize Theron or (semi)mythic figures from East Asia portrayed by Brad Pitt (John Wayne as Ghengis Khan anyone? WTF, the ONLY thing you can say, IMO, is that it was of its time and, thankfully, that wouldn't happen today).El stovey said:
What about a modern day pirates series about Somali pirates?
All about the warlords and capturing tankers and dodging the navy and our hero working his way up from roger the galley boy to pirate warlord driving around Mogadishu in a big pimped up Mercedes.
Somali pirates don't say Arrr enough to be taken seriously. All about the warlords and capturing tankers and dodging the navy and our hero working his way up from roger the galley boy to pirate warlord driving around Mogadishu in a big pimped up Mercedes.
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