The new television drama, Shots Fired, aims to put an explosive focus on our criminal justice system, as it highlights the controversial aftershock of two racially charged shootings in a small North Carolina town called, Gate Station.
In the season premiere, the show jumps right into the heat of the crime scene as we find the black police officer in question, Deputy Joshua Beck, (played by Tristan "Mack" Wilds) calling for backup after shooting an unarmed white male in a black neighborhood.
In order to avoid the perception of not moving swiftly, the drama finds the Department of Justice intentionally selecting two black officials, Preston Terry and Ashe Akino, to intervene (played by Stephan James and Sanaa Lathan, respectively).
As the show ensues, special prosecutor Terry and investigator Akino are provided with positive reinforcement from actors Helen Hunt and Will Patton, who portray the state governor and sheriff of the local town. On the other hand, local activist and pastor Janae James (played by Aisha Hinds, known for her roles in Underground & Beyond the Lights), challenges the two black detectives to dig deeper into the racial climate of the town and police department by bringing awareness to the suspicious, less-covered murder of an unarmed black teen two weeks prior.
After seeing news coverage about the black officer in question, James brings attention to the power of the media stating, “That’s what the media is about — they can make the guilty innocent and the innocent guilty. Perception is reality. You’ve got to change perception.”
Photo: FOX
Additionally, prosecutor Terry delivers a motivational speech during a press conference declaring, “We are creating a generation of Americans coming quickly disillusioned with a post-racial America that we like to taunt.” He concludes, “No one will like the America we end up with if we don’t start working very hard at this.”
Initially, we are fed positive signs that the show will uphold its responsibility to deliver an informative and enlightening message surrounding the demand for police reform and improved race relations. However, the show reveals glaring elements that I believe may prove to be its downfall towards the road to diminishing racial injustice.
The drama introduces scandalous dilemmas the lead actors go through, such as Akino being constantly reminded of anger issues highlighted through her incessant child custody battle with her ex-partner. Also, Terry finds himself struggling with a sibling rivalry formed due to his brother’s NFL stardom and sports fanatic father. Through the show’s first two episodes, we find both Akino and Terry engaging in sexually promiscuous relationships with contributing characters that only add fire to the pot. Although these plot elements may make both of these characters seem more "real" and "human," it's interesting to see those elements play out in front of the backdrop of a show like this.
Echoing the goal of the Black Lives Matter movement in response to the deaths of Tamir Rice, Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Alton Sterling, Philando Castile and countless others, the show possesses a sincere desire to spark a conversation and implement change regarding racial injustice. But is this vision slighted by the dramatic actions faced by its characters? I think this may draw too much attention from the most important matter at hand.
Photo: FOX
Similar to ABC’s socially conscious TV shows American Crime and Blackish, Shots Fired strives to bring current societal issues to the forefront. However, are the overdramatized and unnecessary elements stripping the show of the authenticity, emotion, and impact that its “woke” contenders hit the nail on? In the series’ second episode, we see the racy challenges presented in the premiere further elaborated upon, which I think may lower the significance of the show’s purpose even more.
Despite the series still having several episodes left, the first impression it has made on me justifies my belief that it will not meet its full potential. Near the end of the first episode, the police sheriff encourages Wilds’ character, Deputy Beck, to never deviate from the language, “In the moment of engagement, I feared for my life.” After Beck complies, the sheriff concludes, “Good – the truth is easier to remember.”
With that being said, the show does have quite a few episodes left in its season and could prove to tell a completely different story as opposed to its current trajectory. Police brutality is as real of an issue in our society right now than probably anything else. Shots Fired seems to capture this in moments when we see the raw emotion of DeWanda Wise's character of Shameeka Campbell, or when we watch the toll that it takes on Lathan and James' characters as a black man and woman investigating these cases. This is what needs to be amplified.
Whether or not Shots Fired fulfills the message we need it to, tune into FOX on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. to see how the tale turns out.
Are you pleased with Shots Fired so far? What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.
