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Arts

Critic’s Notebook

Struggling with the diversity challenge on TV

A few shows succeed beyond tokenism

Some critics of the new HBO series “Girls” are disappointed that not only are the four main characters white in this series set in Brooklyn, but faces of color even in the background are few and far between and, at least at first, belonged to marginalized characters. In this moment where discussions of the representations of race on TV and racial flare-ups in the real world seem to be bubbling up all over, Sarah Rodman highlights shows that deftly handle the challenge of diversity, making “visibility” invisible.

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