How the Smart Asian Stereotype in "Manifest" Can Be Eliminated

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In my previous post, I discussed how Manifest's Saanvi Bahl embodies the smart Asian stereotype. Manifest was recently picked up by Netflix to release a final season. With a new production team, there are opportunities for the stereotypes in the show to be removed, including Saanvi's characterization. Saanvi contributes a lot to the plot of show. However, her contributions all stem from her being a doctor while Ben Stone’s, a white character, contributions are seen as more crucial yet do not stem from his field of work and are more just analyses of his visions.

The network should give Saanvi more opportunities in which she can contribute in more ways than just scientific discoveries and in which she can truly express who she is as a person rather than just a doctor. For instance, it is implied in the show that Saanvi is bisexual, if not lesbian, so the production team could zoom in on that part of her life a bit more in order to add depth to her character and add LGBTQ+ representation. 


Because Saanvi is a woman of color in the medical field and a member of the LGBTQ+ community, the new production team has many opportunities to delve more into the background of her character and her struggles rather than simply focusing on her career. Saanvi's character has been through many hardships, and those hardships would have been emphasized had it been Michaela or Ben Stone that had experienced them. This new production team has the opportunity to delve deeper into Saanvi's relationships, upbringing, and overall background, and, therefore, add more depth to her as a character and as a member of the flight 828 group.

Comments

  1. UnknownSeptember 27, 2021 at 10:09 AM

    I completely agree with this solution. I think that making Saanvi more fleshed out and giving more dimension to her would show the audience her value beyond her scientific contributions. This will show multiple sides to Saanvi, and eliminate the smart Asian stereotype. Perhaps the show could also show her interests outside of science and how this contributes to the group? - Irene

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownDecember 5, 2021 at 11:49 PM

    Giving Saanvi more character development is definitely a good argument for how to subvert the positive stereotype problem found in Manifest. If this is the essay of your choosing for revisions, I also suggest that Saanvi could have also been fleshed out with her relationship with others, and additionally, show that she has her own ambitions and works hard so her intelligence isn't solely talent based and adheres to the smart asian stereotype. - Safira

    ReplyDelete

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