This very funny series has Ed Helms as a likable but brittle museum operator and Jana Schmieding as his long-time friend who find themselves embroiled in an argument over an attempt to move a historic statue.
While some people are rolling their eyes at the series' "wokeness," this series offers a sharp, smart portrayal of a complex issue. Helm's Nathan really is a nice guy, a genuine history lover who puts a lot of effort into boosting Schmieding's Reagan. At the same time he's clueless to the way the world works differently for non-white non-men, offering Reagan the sort of "just ask for things and people will give them to you" advice of someone who lives in a bubble. And when his world view is threatened challenged he pretty much melts down.
It's putting a face to white fragility and the nature of privilege in a way that doesn't turn Nathan into a "bad guy." And it's a series that portrays Native Americans as a mixed lot; Reagan is wonderful but she's got some awful co-workers at her casino/museum, and her boss is a fascinating Machiavellian character.
Of course if you're offended by the whole concept of "white privilege" than that complexity and subtlety will mean nothing to you, in the same way that the complexity's of "Dear White People" mean nothing to the people who felt the title itself was some sort of personal attack.
So if you're one of those fragile, easily offended people, you're bound to be offended. But if you're at all reasonable you'll appreciate how smartly this series addresses these issues, and how it humanizes all sides.
Also it's really, really funny.
Great show. *Highly* recommended.
