Watch Dear White People

Dear White People is a Netflix series that premiered in 2017 and ran for four seasons until 2021. The show was based on the 2014 movie of the same name and followed the lives of several black students at a predominantly white Ivy League university, Winchester University. The show explored themes of race, identity, sexuality, and privilege in a satirical and provocative manner.

The main characters of the show were Samantha White (Logan Browning), Lionel Higgins (DeRon Horton), and Troy Fairbanks (Brandon P. Bell), who were all black students at Winchester. Samantha was a biracial film student who hosted a radio show titled "Dear White People," in which she discussed issues of racism on campus. Lionel was a black gay student who worked as a writer for the university newspaper and struggled to find his place in the black and white communities. Troy was the son of the dean of students at Winchester, and he was constantly torn between his desire to fit in with the white students and his obligation to the black community.

Throughout the series, the characters navigated the complexities of their identities and challenged the stereotypes and prejudices that existed on campus. The show tackled issues such as cultural appropriation, police brutality, interracial dating, and microaggressions, among others.

One of the unique aspects of Dear White People was its structure. Each episode was told from the perspective of a different character, providing a multi-faceted perspective on the issues presented in the show. The storytelling was non-linear, and the timeline jumped back and forth, providing a complex and layered narrative that added to the show's satirical tone.

The show was not without controversy, as some viewers found the subject matter too challenging and uncomfortable. However, the show's creators, led by Justin Simien, defended the show's message and its treatment of the issues at hand. Simien, a black filmmaker, drew on his own experiences as a student at a predominantly white university to create the show's characters and storylines.

The show was critically acclaimed, receiving praise for its writing, acting, and direction. The performances of Browning, Horton, and Bell were particularly singled out for their depth and nuance. The show was also lauded for its bold and unapologetic approach to discussing issues of race and identity.

Overall, Dear White People was a powerful and thought-provoking series that challenged viewers to confront their own biases and prejudices. The show's exploration of race and identity was timely and relevant, and it presented a nuanced and complex view of the struggles faced by black students on predominantly white college campuses.

Dear White People is a series that is currently running and has 4 seasons (40 episodes). The series first aired on April 28, 2017.