Streaming service Netflix has removed an episode of the fan favorite comedy show Community. The episode in question was pulled due to a controversial joke regarding a character blackening their skin.
Netflix removed the Season 2 episode "Advanced Dungeons and Dragons." Within the episode, a character is shown in what can seen as black face during certain scenes. Further reports indicate that Hulu, another popular streaming service, has also removed the episode in question. This news comes two months after the majority of the Community cast reunited for a live virtual table read.
The premise of the episode is the group getting together to play a session of Dungeons and Dragons to help a fellow student. The blackface scene starts soon after the introduction as character Ben Chang, played by Ken Jeong, is painted entirely black with a white wig. Chang is supposed to be a dark elf within the context of the fantasy game as other members of the group comment on the striking resemblance to blackface. Character Shirley Bennett, portrayed by Yvette Nicole Brown, even refers to Chang's makeup as a "hate crime."
Chang's involvement within the episode is short with the character dying within the DnD session. The character is gone before the halfway mark and only has a few scenes. Fans are unsure if the episode will be reuploaded with cuts while some question if recutting the episode is even possible.
The removal has been met with a mixed reception from the fanbase. Some have praised the decision due to the offensive nature of the blackface joke, despite the show's acknowledgment of it. Others have been torn over its removal. "Advance Dungeons and Dragons" is considered one of the show's best episodes with many citing it as some of the best writing within all six seasons.
Netflix's removal of this Community episode follows a recent trend of networks and streaming services pulling episodes with questionable content. In a similar vein, The Office had an episode removed due to blackface. This is not an entirely new phenomenon although it has recently seen an uptick due to spurred conversations regarding race and representation. Issues of problematic depictions of blackface in modern television go back the 1990s with the Pokemon anime and beyond.
No word has been given as to when the episode will be reuploaded or even if it will be.
Community is available for streaming now on Netflix and Hulu.
Source: Deadline