Gladiators in Suits: Race, Gender, and the Politics of Representation in Scandal

Scandal is a Shondaland production company that portrays a fictional Washington, DC, and features a diverse group of characters, including Olivia Pope, a powerful crisis manager who has an extramarital affair with the president of the United States. This volume analyzes the communication, politics, stereotypes, and genre techniques featured in the series while raising key questions about the intersections of race, gender, sexuality, and viewing audiences.

Format: Hardback
Length: 400 pages
Publication date: 30 July 2019
Publisher: Syracuse University Press

Scandal, a Shondaland production, is a political drama that aired on ABC from 2012 to 2018. The show's immense popularity and marketing prowess led to critical acclaim, with LA Times critic Mary McNamara praising it as the show that Twitter built and Time magazine recognizing its protagonist, Olivia Pope, as one of the most influential fictional characters of 2013. Set in fictional Washington, DC, the series features a diverse ensemble of characters, including Olivia's team of crisis managers, who navigate the complex world of politics and drama.

For seven seasons, audiences were captivated by Olivia's journey and the intricate web of relationships within her world. This volume, titled "Scandal: The Team and the Fans," delves into the communication, politics, stereotypes, and genre techniques employed in the television series while addressing critical questions about the intersections of race, gender, sexuality, and viewing audiences. The essays in this collection span a range of topics, from critical examinations of individual cast members to in-depth analyses of the show's central themes and audience reception studies conducted through interviews and social media analysis.

Furthermore, the volume contributes to research on femininity, masculinity, and representations of black womanhood on television. Ultimately, this collection provides fresh and timely perspectives on Scandal, one of America's most scandalous prime-time network television series.

Weight: 734g
Dimension: 158 x 236 x 29 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780815636229