Dear White People is an American comedy-dramatelevision series on Netflix that follows several black college students at an Ivy League institution, touching on issues surrounding modern American race relations. It is based on the 2014 film of the same name. The film's writer and director, Justin Simien, returned to write and direct episodes of the series. This series stars Logan Browning, Brandon P. Bell, DeRon Horton and Antoinette Robertson. Each episode focuses on a particular character, except for the finale. Netflix ordered ten 30-minute episodes and the first season was released on April 28, 2017. On June 30, 2017, Netflix renewed the series for a second season which premiered on May 4, 2018. On June 21, 2018, the series was renewed for a third season which was released on August 2, 2019. On October 2, 2019, the series was renewed for its fourth and final season, set to premiere in 2020.
Cast and characters
Main
Logan Browning as Samantha White, a college student trying to wake people up to the social issues still at play at Winchester.
Brandon P. Bell as Troy Fairbanks. Bell reprises his role from the film.
DeRon Horton as Lionel Higgins. A highly intelligent school reporter, with some emotional issues.
Antoinette Robertson as Colandrea "Coco" Conners, an ambitious black woman who antagonizes Samantha.
The first two seasons of the series have been released to critical acclaim. On Rotten Tomatoes, season one has a "Certified Fresh" 98% approval rating based on 55 reviews from critics, with an average rating of 8.69/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Timely, provocative, and sharply written, Dear White People is an entertaining blend of social commentary and incisive humor." On Metacritic, the season has a weighted average score of 85 out of 100, based on 21 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". On Rotten Tomatoes, season two holds an approval rating of 100% based on 32 reviews from critics, with an average rating of 9.35/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Dear White Peoples endearing excellence returns, but with an added layer of emotional maturity that enhances the show's powerful, relevant meditations on race relationsin America." On Metacritic, the second season has a score of 89 out of 100, based on 7 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". The third season has a 90% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 20 reviews, with an average rating of 7.25/10. On Metacritic, the third season has a score of 78 out of 100, based on 8 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Peter Debruge, writing for Variety, praised the show's writing, directing, social commentary, and cast. The New York Times praised the show's examination of concerns such as appropriation, assimilation, and conflict.
Controversy
The initial trailer for the TV show attracted some angry responses, with the series being accused by some Twitter users of being racist towards white people; they called for a boycott of Netflix. The YouTube trailer for the series received more dislikes than likes, with RT observing a 10:1 ratio of dislikes-to-likes as of February 11, 2017. Series creator Justin Simien responded positively to the backlash, saying it reiterated the point of the series, and brought more attention to it as well. Lead actress Logan Browning noted that many of the critics who have given the show rave reviews are white.
