Blackness in the Post-2011 Mediascape

Abstract

This chapter expands on the structural analyses of earlier chapters by emphasizing the interrelatedness of developments occurring within the post-2011 mediascape and a broader theme: blackness in two contemporary Brazilian serial comedies: Mister Brau (Mr. Brown) and O Grande Gonzalez (The Great Gonzalez). The analysis of the two series’ distinct portrayals of blackness embodies an argument in favor of studies of representation that include fictional works of television outside of or in addition to TV Globo’s telenovelas. More specifically, it is a call for scholars to consider the varied matters of representation within the context of the structural shifts occurring during the post-2011 mediascape, accounting for how such shifts have played (or perhaps not) a central role in expanding production beyond the hegemonic confines of TV Globo’s vertical production model, resulting in the emergence of new voices and the possibility for more critical contemplations of race and other pressing social issues.