ext_61994 ([identity profile] moirariordan.livejournal.com) wrote in [personal profile] falulatonks 2010-10-19 06:02 pm (UTC)

To be fair, Outsourced is actually very conscientious of the racial issues involved. It's just as hard on white Anglo culture - I would say harder, since they make us all look like unintelligent rednecks (the company in it sells novelty products, like boob lamps and singing fish). Not to mention that since it takes place in India, Americans are othered - not just through the customers on the phones that are like caricatures of Stupid Americans - but through the main guy (he's kind of a dink, he meets this guy Manmeet and immediately makes an off-color joke) and Diedrich Bader's character Charlie, who represents the foil to the main character Todd. Charlie is all about eating American food, by himself, not touching any of that gross Indian crap or letting himself be in the culture at all with this subtle overtone of racism and ethnocentrism, whereas Todd decides to approach his team, try the food, have an open mind, etc. The show makes a pretty obvious moral statement right there, in the pilot episode. Plus I'm all for television with this awesomely adorable and hot lady in it.

That being said, the main character is still a white guy, so. There's also a lot of stereotypes, characterization-wise, but that's true of any show in its beginning stages.

But I still want Parks and Rec too. :(

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