Four seasons. That’s the perfect run-time, in my opinion, for onscreen stories – not including limited series – to be told in a satisfying way.
All too often, shows led by Black women are cancelled prematurely, sometimes as early as the first season, and not given the space needed to conclude cathartically. Yet shows like Game Of Thrones and The Vampire Diaries were gifted eight seasons to limp on to their mediocre endings.
Cancellations of shows with Black leads are nothing new, but 2022 has devastated Batwoman, First Kill, The Wilds and Paper Girls fans. The latter particularly stings. Despite receiving glowing reviews for its feminist approach to the science fiction genre, it didn’t receive the same support as Stranger Things.
Both have many things in common from their 80s nostalgia to their sci-fi escapades. However, the four protagonists are all girls - one Black, one Asian, one white and one queer and white.