Saturday, July 22, 2017

List #65: "S" Is for ... Socially Aware Sitcoms?

These three shows seem to be flying under the critical radar, but they deserve some attention and kudos for their matter-of-fact approaches to being socially progressive.


Schitt's Creek
  • Solid on: Sexuality. One of the main characters is pansexual -- this is not treated as a big deal, but he also gets to have sex without anyone being tragically killed off.
  • Bonus points for: Having a mayor named Roland Schitt, but still not making all of the townspeople idiots.
  • Notable scene: David explains his ... wine preferences.
  • Where to stream: Seasons 1 and 2 are on both Amazon and Netflix.

Speechless
  • Solid on: Disability rights
  • Bonus points for: The younger sister is a supercompetitive jock, but there are no tomboy jokes.
  • Notable scene: Explaining inspiration porn.
  • Where to stream: Season 1 is on ABC.com and Hulu.

Superstore
  • Solid on: Blue collar workers, immigration issues, unionization
  • Bonus points for: Having a truly diverse ensemble cast that's not led by a white dude.
  • Notable scene: The employees strike for workers' rights.
  • Where to stream: Season 2 is on NBC.com and Hulu.