The satire that is going to be analyzed and discussed is from the TV show The Boys. In the universe of The Boys, superheroes indeed exist, but they behave more like celebrities than classic heroes. They do this more for their influence and financial gain than for their ability to save lives and advance society. They are closely watched, just like celebrities, and their identities are meticulously managed. This clip takes place after the superhero Maeve is revealed to be dating her on-and-off girlfriend, Elena, by a vengeful coworker. The organization that supports and markets Maeve’s image, Vought, seizes the chance to rebrand her for diversity and financial gain. Thus, the plot of the satire involves the coworkers persuading Maeve and her girlfriend to make their relationships public. Besides that, they insist that Elena should demonstrate a manlike image. Elena gets annoyed by that because she does not want to appear in that look. However, the managers only pursued making money and fame.
The satire is trying to make fun of the modern show and business industries. Today, as many might notice, many companies emphasize the values of inclusiveness. They support LGBT communities as well as other minority groups. However, some of them do not really share such values but instead seek to win the affection of potential consumers. Moreover, by trying to fake this image of a company that fights against discrimination and supports diversity, some companies look non-convincing. In reality, they might not care about the minority groups at all. As in the satire, one of the managers said, “Americans are more accepting of gays when they are in a clear-cut gender role” (Kripke et al., 2019). This word shows that he is only interested in the clients’ opinions and not Elena’s feelings.
The satire is commenting on the two-faced nature of the show-business representatives. It is trying to convey the idea that it is not enough to create an image of inclusiveness, but it is more important to value diversity in reality. The scene is trying to promote the sincerity of the actions and urge companies to be more honest. The larger idea of that is that minority groups are still discriminated against despite the ongoing trend of supporting them. The reality is that some businesses are just making a profit on the minority groups’ representatives. Such behavior is destructive to society and may lead to stronger discrimination. For instance, when Elen said that she did not feel comfortable with making their relationships public, one of the managers said, “Well, you will be compensated”(Kripke et al., 2019). That shows the careless attitude of the marketing agencies and their selfish intentions.
This satire could be trying to mock some popular companies of today that seem to support inclusiveness. For example, one of the most popular companies that make TV shows and films is Netflix. Over recent years Netflix has been producing films and series that seem to support inclusiveness. In their cast, they usually have people of all races; their plot very often includes gays and lesbians. In the famous show, Bridgerton, Netflix represented the quine of Britain as a black woman. That is a controversial matter because, according to history, she was white. The question is, does Netflix really is a strong supporter of diversity, or is it trying to benefit from promoting it? This issue aligns with the main message of the satire, which tries to mock modern show business.
Reference
Kripke, E., Rogen, S., Goldberg, E., Weaver, J., Moritz, N., Shetty., P., Marmur, O., Trachtenberg, D., Levin, K., Netter, J., Rosenberg, C., Sgriccia, P., Sonnenshine, R., Grellong, P., Reed, D., Glynn, M., Ennis, G., Robertson, D. & Starr, M. (Executive Producers). (2019). The Boys. Kripke Enterprises; Point Grey Pictures; Original Film; Kickstart Entertainment; KFL Nightsky Productions; Amazon Studios; Sony Pictures Television.