The Vanishing: How Black Shows Are Disappearing From the TV Landscape

The Vanishing: How Black Shows Are Disappearing From the TV Landscape

By Maurice Woodson

A Promised Revolution

In the wake of the 2020 racial justice protests, the entertainment industry—particularly television—faced a long-overdue reckoning. Studio executives issued statements of solidarity, publicly acknowledging the historic underrepresentation and misrepresentation of Black voices on screen. It was more than a corporate apology; it was a promise. The industry pledged to champion diversity, amplify marginalized voices, and dismantle the systemic racism embedded in its foundations.

Green lights were given to Black-led dramas, comedies, and ensemble series. Writers’ rooms and casting calls began to look more inclusive. It was a cultural shift that felt both inevitable and revolutionary—a new era that, for once, seemed determined to center Black humanity in all its richness and complexity.

But just a few years later, that revolution has stalled. Worse—it’s quietly being undone.

Backlash in the Shadows

The backlash was swift and insidious. As more Black-led shows entered the mainstream, so too did the pushback from conservative circles. Terms like “woke” and “DEI” (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) were rebranded by right-wing pundits and politicians as threats to traditional American values. Inclusion was no longer viewed as progress—it was labeled as an attack on whiteness.

Suddenly, shows without white male leads were being targeted. Online trolls began to “review bomb” series with low ratings on platforms like IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes. Coordinated campaigns emerged to boycott shows that dared to center Black lives or challenge the status quo.

The effects were chilling. Despite solid ratings, critical acclaim, and loyal fan bases, Black-led series began disappearing from lineups. Among the casualties: The Equalizer, Harlem, How to Die Alone, Unprisoned, Bel-Air, A Black Lady Sketch Show, Grown-ish, Sway, Power Book II: Ghost, Found—and the list keeps growing. Some were canceled mid-season; others were quietly shelved or stripped from streaming platforms altogether.

This wasn’t just about TV. It was about power.

The Trump Effect and the DEI Rollback

The pressure wasn’t coming from audiences alone. Political actors, including Donald Trump and members of the far-right in Congress, called explicitly for the dismantling of DEI programs across public and private sectors—including Hollywood. Studio DEI departments, once established to ensure equity in hiring, storytelling, and production, have been gutted or eliminated altogether.

What had begun as a racial reckoning turned into a rollback—a systematic erasure of Black representation under the guise of “restoring balance.”

The Power Gap: Who Really Runs the Industry?

One of the most glaring obstacles to lasting change is ownership—or the lack thereof. Despite the visibility of Black culture in media, there are no major Black-owned television networks with the power to greenlight and sustain programming. BET, often cited as a home for Black content, is not Black-owned. Without control of the platforms, Black creators remain at the mercy of executives who may be more concerned with avoiding controversy than upholding commitments to inclusion.

It’s not just about creating content; it’s about controlling it. As long as Black artists are dependent on institutions that can be swayed by racist backlash, their stories will always be vulnerable to erasure.

Where Do We Go From Here?

The question now is urgent: how do we keep our stories alive? How do we ensure that Black-led and Black-ensemble shows not only get made, but stay on the air?

The answer begins with ownership—of platforms, studios, and narratives. It also means building alternative spaces that aren’t beholden to the same forces that canceled so many shows under pressure. And just as critically, it means support. When Black shows are greenlit, audiences must show up—not just in views, but in dollars, tweets, and real-time engagement.

What we’re facing is not just a cultural fight—it’s a political one. And the only way to win it is with strategy, solidarity, and unapologetic storytelling.

Because visibility isn’t enough. We need control.