Donald Glover is the purest definition of a “multi-hyphenate” in Hollywood. He’s a musical powerhouse, a beloved actor, a funny, underappreciated comedian, and one of the most interesting writers working in film and TV today. So, in that sense, if he has a guess about why there is so much “boring stuff” in film and TV today, maybe he’s onto something? We should at least listen to what he has to say.
On Twitter, Glover hypothesized what he believes is leading to the boring nature of recent film and TV projects. He tweeted (grammar, spelling, and syntax credited to Glover), “saw people on here havin a discussion about how tired they were of reviewing boring stuff (tv & film). we’re getting boring stuff and not even experimental mistakes(?) because people are afraid of getting cancelled. so they feel like they can only experiment w/ aesthetic. (also because some of em know theyre not that good)”
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Obviously, Glover is probably best known for his work on the Emmy-winning FX series, “Atlanta.” And if you take that show, it’s clear the actor-writer-producer-creator is telling stories that are thought-provoking and surprising. He’s tackling issues that aren’t easily solved, and he’s doing so in a way that feels incredibly honest and real, even if he’s doing it in sometimes outlandish ways. So, it’s not like Glover is trashing recent film and TV projects because he’s jealous or anything. He’s trying to show how to be creative and experimental. Glover’s comments also make you wonder what the hell he’s cooking up with “Atlanta” Seasons 3 and 4, which are in production now?
Then again, there’s also another side to this discussion, which is to say that Glover is actually only partially correct. Sure, there are shows and films that play it safe and don’t try to offend or push the boundaries. But then again, those have always existed. It’s just that when we’re surrounded by more and more content each and every year, the things that tend to rise to the top are the ones that have four-quadrant, crossover appeal to the largest portion of the audience. Those TV series and films that experiment with form and story are likely lost in the shuffle.
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So, is Glover right about people worried about getting “cancelled?” That might just be an easy explanation for a situation that is a lot more complicated than it appears on the surface. And for those looking for stuff that doesn’t play it safe, it’s out there, you just have to look a bit harder.