The TV Characters We Can Relate To

There are so many great shows on TV this year, featuring some amazing black women in lead roles, or supporting lead roles, but their characters resonate with women of all colors and ages. Some people think these TV characters are poisonous to the image of black women, because they promote promiscuity, adultery, and a host of other negative connotations the viewer can draw from them. But, these complex characters represent someone, somewhere, deep inside of all women..

Let’s take Ms. Pope, for instance. Olivia’s gladiators go to bat for her every time and they always come out on top, as we saw in last Thursdays episode where Steven comes to save the day after Abby got in touch with him. But it’s not just Olivia’s faithful gladiators, nor her 2 billion dollar vagina that resonates with us all. For some, it’s the “daddy’s little girl” story line that some women had growing up, and others wish they had. It’s the feeling of nostalgia they get when Poppa Pope and Olivia have dinner, and we hear him go on and on about how he raised her and put her in the best schools, etc. Or maybe it’s her messy love life. We witness Olivia’s woes and transcend them into our lives where we pick apart our own relationships. Suddenly, we are trapped in a web of Scandal every Thursday watching Olivia get through her maze of political PR and love triangles.

Right after we are done hyperventilating because of Scandal, we grab our oxygen tanks and prep for more juicy secrets from Annalise Keating, a bomb a** attorney and law professor to a group of students and staff. Annalise as a character is very similar to Olivia, the both went to law school, both are very good at what they do, and both like a little cream in their coffee, but Annalise is different. Although she has a seemingly great life, she is just as cold and heartless as some women can be. After finding out her husband not only cheated, but impregnated his student lover, we witness Annalise switch masks for her students, colleagues, and herself at times. Women know that hiding secrets is difficult, yet necessary, and that is something Annalise allows us to feel ok with, our secrets.

Now, Cookie Lyon is a whole other ball game. Not only did Empire give us an interesting story line for its 1st season, they gave us a funny and charismatic women to play a boss chick (Taraji P. Henson) and show us what a “ride or die life” is really about. Few women can attest to going to jail for 17 years and being left by their man, and even fewer can attest to coming home to an entire musical empire built from what they started. Cookie’s characters oozes confidence, from the walk to the talk, from the furs and animal prints to the sexy lingerie and creative vision for her artists, we all have a little Cookie in us. That little fiery side, a little flame that when lit can be almost impossible to put out, and almost every women knows a “boo boo kitty” they want to slap the hell out of just for being a hater, but Cookie is our outlet. She is a true rider, and Lucious knows it…that’s why he took a bite last Wednesday!

And then we have Rainbow, or “Bow”, the fun and fancy free spirit, channeling Claire Huxtable, the 2015 version. Bow is the modern day woman who juggles life as a working mom, a wife, and an optimist on life. She is funny, and quirky, and rationale…all attributes some women relate to more than others. She isn’t rowdy, she won’t curse you out, and you probably won’t catch her snapping her neck or rolling her eyes (except when Dre is being well, Dre). But, you can catch her giving life lessons to her teenage daughter, or her twins who are way beyond advanced for their age. Bow is the balance of black women on TV, the women deep inside some of us strive to be. While some may think she is boring, her character is classic down to earth mom dealing with “black-ish” on a regular basis. Bow is what happens when black people live the American dream, you get the husband, the house in the burbs, the car, the career, and you get to give your kids a life you only dreamed of.

So, who are you most like? A little bit Cookie? or a lot of Olivia?