Proswatch Community Viewing: Klansmen
I don't really know what to say about this one. I can't imagine why they banned it - The Klan/racist theme has been around in American television forever and I didn't see anything that was too terribly ban-worthy. In fact, it seemed like a terribly sophisticated treatment of the theme, compared to the usual American TV show of, say, the early 80s. More like what we were getting in the serious movie of the week, not the latest episode of The Greatest American Hero. I suppose the interracial marriage might have been a bit ahead of it's time in the US... I really didn't start seeing that in US shows until the 90s (and then it was all a bit shocking.) Obviously, things were very different in the UK than here at that time - I don't really have a clue as to what was acceptable on television, or what was going on in the culture, and I don't have any memory of reading what their reasons for pulling it were.
Regarding Bodie's behavior: Well, you kind of have to take what the writers give you as canon and it really doesn't matter what *you* think but really, it all seemed a bit much and contrived... Even if I could feel comfortable with Bodie having some cultural racist leanings (which doesn't seem terribly unreasonable) they reeeeaaaallly laid it on thick - Way over the top. So I'll admit, I'm fairly dismissive of the characterization of Bodie we get this episode. And honestly, the thing that *most* offended me about Bodie's attitude wasn't the racism or the things he said, rather, the fact that his big, humanizing turn-around ended in him getting a piece of ass. Pig.
One of the many things that strikes me as wrong about Bodie's extreme racism is the background he has... I would think he'd be less inclined than the average person to have such strong leanings, even if he was raised in such an environment... I mean, you'd think with military and mercenary and shipboard experience like he has, he'd be exposed to a lot of cultural diversity (in situations where you really had to trust the guys you were with.) But prejudice is a funny thing - Even Louisa May Alcott, outspoken abolitionist and feminist advocate, frequently expressed her racist views of the Irish in her works (often to illustrate how exemplary Negros were.) Go figure.
So, who's to say if this Bodie is out of character or not? Whatever. The episode is really a good one - and in spite of it's serious nature, it has it's squee'able moments...
I love Cowley - His sword-swinging outrage at prejudice, his grab-it-by-the-throat-and-choke-it-to-death approach to the case, his sense of responsibility to take on prejudice and do what he has the power to do to change things, etc. He's awesome.
And everything else aside, the hurt/comfort aspects of the episode are hard to deny.
Since I rarely watch this one, I've totally missed the "...you half-Irish son of a bitch..." comment - Hurumph. You'd think Bodie'd be more careful about throwing stones then.
And I really liked Doyle all throughout the episode - He, at least, seemed to come across as a solid character and it fit in with the ongoing character-arc.