Abstract
This chapter explores the relevance of Immanuel Kant's categorical imperative to critique the unintended, subliminal evil representations in Shonda Rhimes's work. Kant's moral theory is used to re-think evil in the way that Rhimes portrays Annalise Keating (Viola Davis) in How to Get Away with Murder (2014-) as an influential defense attorney and law professor who goes to extreme lengths to get what she wants, even if her behavior is considered bad or evil. This chapter argues that Rhimes's work challenges the systemic racism and stereotypical portrayals of Black women in television, as she not only focuses on the bad or evil doings of her Black characters but also on what makes them powerful, good and emblematic of #BlackGirlMagic.
TopBackground
According to Zimbardo (2004, p. 3), evil is intentionally behaving – or causing others to act – in ways that demean, dehumanize, harm, destroy, or kill innocent people. The titles of the television shows Scandal and How to Get Away with Murder imply and carry evil undertones; thus, one would expect the lead characters, Olivia Pope and Annalise Keating, to be evil women. The so-called “evil” that these characters exude are somehow “normalized” in other television shows, however, Black powerful women have never been represented in the way that Olivia Pope and Annalise Keating have. Since Black women have for centuries been associated with violence, rape and racial segregation, and thus their reactions to their present circumstances can only be explained by the social ills they have experienced.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Viola Davis: An African American actress.
Moral: Concerned with the intentions, decisions, and actions of right and wrong behavior.
Black Girl Magic: A movement created to celebrate the accomplishments and general amazingness of black women.
Shonda Rhimes: An African American television producer, television and film writer, and author.
HTGAWM: A Twitter Hashtag and abbreviation for How to Get Away with Murder .
Black Woman: A woman of African and Afro-diasporic descent.
Immanuel Kant: An ethicist and philosopher.
Representation: Portrayal of someone or something in a particular way.