One serial example focusing on ethnic inquiry is presented by the episode “Seeing Red” of the mystery detective series The Mentalist. The series was created by British writer and producer Bruno Heller and it first aired in 2008. It tells the story of Patrick Jane. Having worked as a clairvoyant in his past, he attracted the attention of the serial killer Red John. After this killer murdered Jane’s family, he starts to work as a consultant for the California Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in order to find Red John and to perform his revenge. In the course of his work for this agency, he helps the team solve various other crimes until he finally finds Red John. Even though this episode might at first sight be simply overlooked as another prime time crime series, a critical analysis of the production reveals its complex structure. This structure consists of interwoven social and ethnic relations that are delineated in various ways. Especially, great emphasis is put on Asianness, Irishness, and Whiteness and the way these ethnic groups socially interact with each other. Thus, this paper aims at exploring the filmic deployment of Whiteness and Otherness in specific contexts. The central hypothesis discussed in this paper is that although at first glance, the conception of “Seeing Red” seems to propagate multicultural postracial ideals of contemporary US American TV-series, it secretly serves to perpetuate the legacy of the superiority of the WASP.
In order to serve this purpose, the paper will first take a closer look at the way ethnicity is depicted in “Seeing Red”. In the center of attention are Irishness, Asianness, and Whiteness and how they are portrayed in this episode of The Mentalist. The second part of the paper will then demonstrate to what extent the employment of stereotypes in “Seeing Red” serves to perpetuate and reproduce WASP-related structures. To encode the underlying racial notions that advocate white supremacist standards, the chore cast of this episode is analyzed from a critical point of view. Lastly, the paper concludes by summarizing the main findings and giving a brief outlook on points of inquiry for future research projects in this specific context.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 The Depiction of Ethnicity in "Seeing Red": Whiteness and Otherness
2.1 The Delineation of Otherness: Racial Stereotyping in "Seeing Red"
2.2 Irish Americanness
2.3 Asian Americanness
3 The Persistence of Whiteness in "Seeing Red"
3.1 The CBI’s Headquarters in Sacramento: A Cultureless Vacuum?
3.2 Whiteness vs. Asianness: Of Recreational Ethnicity and Biracial Buddy Cop-Teams
3.3 Mentalist vs. Spiritual Advisor: Manipulation for the Benefit of the WASP
4 Conclusion
Research Objective and Core Themes
This study investigates the representation of ethnicity and the construction of "Otherness" within the American crime series The Mentalist, specifically focusing on the episode "Seeing Red." The research aims to demonstrate how, despite a superficial portrayal of multiculturalism, the series reinforces the legacy of white supremacist structures and the superiority of the WASP (White Anglo-Saxon Protestant).
- The role of stereotypes in delineating ethnic identities like Irishness and Asianness.
- The critical analysis of the CBI headquarters as a "cultureless" space that masks white dominance.
- The function of the "biracial buddy cop" dynamic in maintaining traditional racial hierarchies.
- The contrast between "mentalist" rationality and "supernatural" Otherness as a tool for deconstructing minority beliefs.
- The creation of a "white family myth" to evoke audience sympathy and normalize ideological standards.
Excerpt from the Book
2.2 Irish Americanness
The most dominant ethnic group being constructed through stereotyping in “Seeing Red” are the Irish. Adhering to the common practice of making “the policemen Irish”, the majority of agents in the CBI-team are depicted as people of Irish descent (Holte 104). According to Heinz, Irishness is a popular ethnicity used amongst filmmakers “to enrich whiteness with notions of innocence, community, and origins” (91). In “Seeing Red”, the CBI-team works together and each member supports the others as well as he/she can. Containing a strong Irish influence, the CBI-team could consequently be identified as a strong community. Moreover, the fact that this team is working in public safety service and solves crimes, puts emphasis on Heinz’ notion of innocence. This innocence is expressed through an exemplary law enforcement and the maintenance of social order. Walter (38) explains that the depiction of Irish-Americans as members of the law enforcement have a long tradition in the film industry. Furthermore, he says that Irish-Americans are usually playing “active and heroic roles” (Walter 38). The notion of heroism once more corresponds to the aspect of innocence as sacrificing oneself for the sake of the community’s protection as it is the case in detective stories, can be interpreted as an act of honorableness.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: This chapter establishes the theoretical framework regarding ethnic stereotyping in media and introduces the central hypothesis that The Mentalist implicitly propagates WASP superiority.
2 The Depiction of Ethnicity in "Seeing Red": Whiteness and Otherness: This section explores how Irishness and Asianness are constructed through specific stereotypes to define "Otherness" against the dominant white norm.
2.1 The Delineation of Otherness: Racial Stereotyping in "Seeing Red": The chapter examines the CBI team's visual and behavioral markers, arguing that the group's perceived diversity is a veneer created by calculated stereotyping.
2.2 Irish Americanness: This chapter details how Irish identity is linked to concepts of heroism, innocence, and law enforcement, utilizing specific visual and cultural tropes.
2.3 Asian Americanness: The author analyzes the portrayal of Kimball Cho, focusing on how Asian American characters are relegated to "nerdy" or "invisible" roles, reinforcing white supremacy.
3 The Persistence of Whiteness in "Seeing Red": This chapter shifts the focus to the environmental and systemic factors in the series that uphold white ideological standards.
3.1 The CBI’s Headquarters in Sacramento: A Cultureless Vacuum?: The analysis concludes that the sterile office environment is not a multicultural space, but a "cultureless" void that facilitates the normalization of Whiteness.
3.2 Whiteness vs. Asianness: Of Recreational Ethnicity and Biracial Buddy Cop-Teams: This section explores the "biracial buddy cop" dynamic, highlighting how the non-white partner is marginalized compared to their white counterpart.
3.3 Mentalist vs. Spiritual Advisor: Manipulation for the Benefit of the WASP: The final analytical chapter investigates how the contrast between the rational "mentalist" and the "supernatural" advisor is used to deconstruct minority beliefs.
4 Conclusion: The summary confirms that the episode serves to perpetuate WASP-related social codes while masquerading as a modern, post-racial production.
Keywords
Whiteness, Otherness, The Mentalist, Racial Stereotyping, WASP, Irish Americanness, Asian Americanness, Ethnicity, Media Studies, Cultural Representation, Biracial Buddy-Cop, Ideology, Television Criticism, Social Hierarchy, Racial Grammar.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this publication?
This work critically analyzes the episode "Seeing Red" from the TV series The Mentalist to uncover how ethnic relations and racial identities are portrayed in modern American television.
What are the primary themes discussed?
The core themes include the persistence of white supremacy (WASP) structures, the use of ethnic stereotypes, and the contrast between rationalism and the "Othered" supernatural beliefs.
What is the central research hypothesis?
The author argues that while the series appears to promote multicultural and post-racial ideals, it actually serves to reinforce and perpetuate the superiority of white social standards.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The study uses a critical media analysis, incorporating filmic analysis and social science theories regarding ethnic stereotypes and "coded racial grammar."
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main body examines the specific construction of Irish and Asian identities, the "cultureless" workspace of the CBI, and the power dynamics within the "biracial buddy cop" structure and the interactions between the main character and a spiritual advisor.
Which keywords best describe this study?
The most relevant keywords are Whiteness, Otherness, Racial Stereotyping, WASP, Irish Americanness, Asian Americanness, and Television Criticism.
How does the author define the "white family myth" in the episode?
The author describes it as a narrative device that portrays the white victim's family as a "collective victim," which creates strong emotional identification and helps preserve positive associations with white hegemony.
Why is the "biracial buddy cop" dynamic considered problematic by the author?
The author posits that this dynamic maintains a hierarchy where the white partner retains dominant, authoritative status while the character of Asian descent is cast in a subordinate or "nerdy" role.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Ann-Kathrin Stahl (Autor:in), 2017, Racial Screening in "Seeing Red". The Depiction of Whiteness and Otherness in the American Crime Series "The Mentalist", München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/382568
