User Reviews

I really enjoy this show. It shows a different perspective that should've been included in the narrative ages ago.

Because it's honest, I could see why it would make some people uncomfortable...but that's the point.

Watch and learn, please.

It is difficult to write this review without mentioning that I am a white American, and as such, Dear White People offers a look into a world and set of experiences very different from my own- which is exactly what Dear White People does well.

Dear White People is by no means a show about painting all African Americans as upright, moral individuals who can do no wrong and all white people as evil racists. In fact, Dear White People carefully walks the tightrope of depicting compelling characters (both black and white) as people with personal flaws struggling to navigate the realities of our societies' underlying racial tensions.

Much of Dear White People's narrative strength comes from having each episode devoted to a different character (with the exception of the final episode in which the different narratives converge). Personally, my favorite episodes focused on Lionel who deals with the difficulty of coming to terms with his identity as a gay black man and the way in which his identify effects his work as a journalist. Having different episodes focused on different characters also allows the show to subvert our expectations with regards to particular characters and their particular experience- this is particularly true of the first episode focused on Coco and the one episode focused on Gabe.

Ultimately, Dear White People gives us (people who don't have to deal with racism on a daily basis) a peek behind the current, a chance to begin to understand the complexity of race in the US, as well as, showing us the way in which racism is often born out of ignorance or a refusal to understand the experiences of others.

Outside of the more serious themes of Dear White People, the show also manages to be quite sharp and witty. Giancarlo Esposito, for example, is hilarious as the narrator and the jibe about Tarantino casting Samuel Jackson just so people can call him a n-word for two hours can't help but elicit a chuckle.

I did have some, albeit minor, problems with Dear White People. For one, I thought the plot line regarding Sam and Gabe made use of an overused plot contrivance to manufacture drama(I won't mention exactly what the plot device was, so as not to spoil it). Second, I was mildly annoyed that a show that does such a good job presenting the complexity of race relations largely reduces Feminism to a joke. There are two times when Feminism is brought up, and both times it's used for a laugh. One of these times is particularly lazy since it relies on the 'obnoxious college liberal' stereotype. I would hope that the show can move beyond these types of characterizations in the future.

However, I would ultimately recommend Dear White People if you are interested in witty social commentary that's not too preachy with some really great characters. Just try to keep an open mind.

This is a fantastic show if you are looking for something to binge watch. It commands your attention and does so in a way that each episode you come away feeling something different about this collection of characters. I laughed, I cried, and I can honestly say I enjoyed every episode. Now as for the people giving this show 1* I can personally guarantee not one of them has watched this programme through entirely if at all, they probably just saw the title and thought 'oh I don't like that because I'm white, I'll give it 1*'. Well I can tell you now I'm white and I utterly loved this show and would recommend it highly!

This show is intelligent and funny, with awesome dialogue. As a white person this definitely made me uncomfortable at certain points - it should make you uncomfortable and it should make you more thoughtful and considerate of the issues that black people face and how we possibly all contribute to them (or at least don't do anything about them). If it's touching a nerve with you it's because there's truth in what they are saying. It's not really 'racist propaganda', it's pointing out real issues that black people go through everyday - issues that you wouldn't be able to argue they don't go through because you are not a black person and have no experience of their day-to-day life. Subject matter aside, the show is smart and funny - one of the best things on Netflix.

Going into this I thought it was just gonna be some cringy show about how annoying white people are, with no depth or comedy. To my surprise it's actually the opposite. The show makes fun of white people and black people. Makes fun of white liberals, white conservative, black liberals, black conservatives, literally EVERYONE. It pokes fun at itself and doesn't take itself too serious and it's actually fun to watch.

The people "boycotting" this or trolling the ratings to this are either trolls, crybabies who think that this is somehow racist to white people, or just people that haven't watched it. Anyone who's offended over this is ridiculous. It's a show that makes fun of race and how stupid both white AND black people can be. Stop whining and watch it for yourself instead of hopping on a hate bandwagon from whiny white men who can't stand to see themselves being made fun of. Everyone gets made fun of, white people are no exception. Lighten the hell up and stop taking everything so seriously. Laugh at yourselves, life's too short not to.

Everyone's different but I really enjoyed it. Maybe people giving it one star reviews didn't watch it, didn't like the title or are mad because the show is from a perspective they're not used to seeing. I'm not sure of the reason but this show is definitely worth more than one star. The acting is fantastic, the writing is witty and smart and keeps you hooked episode to episode. There's something there for everyone. I personally connected most with Lionel because being a nerdy black person has always been challenging because society tells black people they have to fit into a certain box and unfortunately a lot of black people buy into that so if you're not in the box you're on the outside. I also connected with Coco (feeling less than even though you're boss) and Troy (the pressure of living up to your parents expectations).

If you're a person trying to live up to the expectations of their parents, a person that doesn't feel pretty enough, someone who's always overlooked because of a friend, someone finding themselves for the first time, a nerd that doesn't fit in, someone who wants someone who doesn't want them back, someone who loves someone who makes you question what love is then this show is for you! There's so many stories it has to tell and it's not as simple as black and white.

Yes there are conversations about race and it's a conversation that unfortunately still needs to be had (look at the one star reviews) but it's not preachy.

Check it out for yourself! Give it at least 3 eps.

I went in this series with an open mind. Friends told me that it's bad but I've seen a few recommendations on Netflix and this one kept being pushed so I thought Why Not?

Oh boy... Each episode gets worse and worse trying to push the constant narrative that white people are evil.

I am African American and this show is insulting and racist towards people.

This series seems to get a lot of hate.

I give it 10/10 because I have learned a lot from it and was also very entertained, so I am very grateful to the people that made it.

It really makes an effort to portray experiences of people of colour and sometimes also white people and pack it up in a funny and fun series with some episodes that had me crying my eyes out. I've watched all episodes three times because there are so many intelligent subplots in it that there was always something new to discover.

When i first searched this show on IMDb it was rated at 5 yet rotten tomatoes rated it 100%. Intrigued, i decided to watch it and detirmine the reasons for such a discrepancy. Low and behold the basic difference... racism. I guarantee that the people leaving bad reviews are white and while not necessarily racist (although i am sure several are) certainly misguided. The show itself is excellently cast and the acting is brilliant. The show is stylistically captivating and it manages to delve into explorations of several themes important to black culture and racism in today's society. It focuses on developing characters and themes and in my opinion is 100% better than the film it is based on. However... I did find it a little disappointing at times. The opening narration tries to be clever but comes across as sarcastic and patronizing. The style of the series as ultra hip tended to alienate me at times. Every dorm room looks like the perfect IKEA ad and the series only seems to include rich folk, which tends me to think of black rich people problems. Overall however it developed its characters well, it was engaging and explore important ideas without being preachy.

Granted- not all people find the same thing funny- but this whole "perpetuation of racism" and "puts white ppl in a bad light" is ridiculous. Some of it is a bit out there- but that's what makes it funny. And they are making fun of white stereotypes and black stereotypes... it's equal opportunity offensive if you want to look at it that way. Me- I just find the funny in it... and the funny in the reviews.

Since the first trailer for Dear White People was released it was subjected to loads of hate despite no one actually knowing what the show was. So why am I surprised to see the show receive the same hate from casual viewers as it did when the first trailer was released? I guess I expected more from reviewers. I expected them to actually watch the show rather just get upset over the title. Dear White People is not racist, it is an extremely intelligent and relevant commentary on the country that we live in today. The show follows the story of a "black-face" party being thrown on a college campus and how a number of main characters react to such an atrocious event taking place. One African American civil rights activist uses the event as fuel for her own campus radio show titled "Dear White People," going over the problems that her and many others see with how white people in particular interact with other races. This is the main story ark and it is a very interesting one at that, with each episode adding something to the story. This shows story is acceptable because the way these characters react is very believable and natural. If a "black face" party was actually thrown on a college campus, such an outcry would be expected by the populous. A name like "Dear White People" is meant to be controversial, it's meant to get peoples attention. They literally touch ion the title of the show in the very first episode of the show. The way people reacted to the title of this show in the real world only adds too the realism of the show. I know this title would grab peoples attention, because I witnessed it happen. No this show is not perfect, it definitely has its slumps. At times episodes seem to drag and become more a slow burn than preferred but most of my complaints are minor. All of the performances are amazing for the most part, but every once in awhile sub par writing can break the immersion. No spoilers in this review, do yourself a favor and watch the show for yourself. Do not listen to all of the 1 star reviews written by people who haven't even watched the show. Do not listen to the "This show is racist" reviews where the reviewer gives you no substance as to why they feel that way about the show. Watch the show for yourself. Its a good show, and I'd be willing to bet that you find some enjoyment in "Dear White People."

This is just rediculous. Watch the show and open up for, to you, new perspectives on issues that exist in todays society. Yes the show deals with existing stereotypes of both white people and POC. That does not make the issues unreal.

Good god people get a grip..

If it was not for black stereotypes this show would have no material. It got very old very fast. Couldn't get is out of my Netflix lisr fast enough.

This show nailed it even better than the movie. I think partially because it had more time to really develop each character with more backstory and depth. Not only was it a well told story, it had heart, it was smart and it made me laugh out loud many times. Without giving anything away, from Sam to Troy to Reggie to Coco to Lionel to the Dean, each character arc was wonderfully scripted, directed and performed.

Well done.

I was so shocked that the ratings for this show was so low, but then I read the comments and realized it's just more proof that racism is not over and that privileged white people, like myself, need to actually listen to what is being said and take a look at how we have contributed to the problem. I'm not perfect. I've made my mistakes when I was younger, but I'm learning and trying to be a better person. If you hated this TV show because you think it's "Race Baiting" you are completely missing the point and reacting from a place of insecurity and delusion.

I swear I loved this show. The 2 first seasons were amazing, I was laughing to death on some scene.

Then came season 3. Enjoyable but it was not at the same level at the two first. Season 3 just seemed pointless, until now I can't understand what this season was about.

And then season 4, I wasted my time with this final season. They ruined the show with a musical and they RUINED LIONEL'S CHARACTER I'M SO MAD ABOUT WHAT HE BECAME.

Conclusion: This show is amazing but those two last seasons ruined it. Thank God it was the last season.

I can't help but wonder how many POC were actually consulted on the development of this mess, which over simplifies what's going on in society and has very obvious woke agenda in the messaging. The show also also does a lot to perpetuate stereotypes and reinforces the dangerous idea of group identity over individualism.

I am not sure how many people here watched this show but from what I read seems most people reviewing this show made their mind before finishing the first episode.

Is this show about white people? No and Yes. Is this show about black people? Yes and No. But is this show about millennials dealing with the reality that exist out there no matter how we want to perceive it? YES.

In America I am not black and I am not white. By the book I am technically white but in reality I am part of the "nobody knows what I am" group. This is hard at times because it made it a challenge for me to find my identity but it also gave me the advantage of having a broader viewing field. I can see where people coming from.

This show is polished and painted very pretty. And yeah it tries hard at times but it also taps into everything I seen and experienced in my college years. We partied and we had fun but also tons of social issues and drama and there were some of us that cared and stressed more about it.

Have in mind this show portrays a fictional ivy league school and I just attended a normal one and still experienced this. I was part of a majority white fraternity and we had black and Asian brothers. Yes they loved them and they cherished them as much as they could but some brothers also had code words for them and talked much crap (stereotypes) behind those guys. Girls went through the same problems.

Remember college is where our minds are made. It was in college where I learned to love and respect others opinions and not to go out of my way to provoke them.

This show tries to portray the society at college scale. In actual society things are way more dim and harsh. Black people are actually discriminated against and go through a harder environment growing up. It is like we all have the same goal but minorities have to work 10 times harder to reach it because the country's mood, ideology, and culture is usually set by the majority and they tend to be oblivious to the reality minorities face. It has been proved time and time and there are plenty studies proving how skin color, gender, and even height changes perception specially in US.

Do minorities need to work on plenty stuff too? YES. You have to try harder and you have to open dialog. The whole social justice warrior thing not gonna work. If you ban people from speaking and always yell and scream nobody will listen to you. Keep your calm and open up a dialogue without losing your cool all the time. Its understandable that you are angry but do not accept people to understand your pain and anger if they have never experienced it. This show does exactly that. It tries to open up dialogue with a hint of comedy and drama.

I give this show a solid 9 out of 10 for trying. There are enough detective and ER shows out there. I even take a bad show trying to tap into social problems over a good HBO show as at least it tries to start a conversation.

When i come to IMDb for reviews I expect them to cover the content of the show. Its writing, acting etc. I've been sad to find that with this show the reviews I have seen have had nothing to do with that. It has simply been used as an excuse to vent about politics and use racial slurs. I would bet money on the fact that non of my fellow "reviewers" have seen a single frame of the show beyond the trailer. If you choose to be open minded and give it a chance you will find this show to be a fascinating one. No it is not about "hating white people" it is a black writer trying to hold a mirror to the black community.Trying to explore the homophobia and occasional hypersensitivity that is perpetuated and experienced among black people in a traditionally white environment as well as the day to day stigma that they experience as a black person surrounded by people that aren't used to them.

The mistake many detractors have made here is by assuming this show is about them. About white people. But the hard truth is that this just isn't about you its about the black community made for black people to relate to and learn from. That being said if as a white person you choose to give it a chance what you will witness is an insight into a culture you may not have had much experience around. Not to mention the top notch writing and subject matter. If you watch this series and hate it then I wont hold that against you, just please do watch the show before you review it.

Awful show & not at all representative of black American people. Many have claimed it to be woke, it is not. It's regressive, pretentious & offensive. None of these qualities are woke.

I watched the pilot for Dear White People and loved it. It evokes the spirit of its source material (2014 film of the same name) while fleshing out its characters more thoroughly. It's clever, thoughtful and funny, and while it doesn't go out of its way to orient its narrative around its white characters, there are sympathetic, nuanced portrayals of white students (protagonist Sam's boyfriend Gabe). I'd go as far as to say the show treats its white characters more thoughtfully than many Hollywood productions treat their characters of color.

Imagine my surprise, then, when I got on this site only to find the show sporting a 3.9 rating (for reference, CBS's Kevin James vehicle "Kevin Can Wait" has a 6.0 rating). For a show with a 100% positive critical consensus on Rotten Tomatoes, this seems low. Why would IMDb users tank the show's rating? I can't imagine the reason. Probably doesn't have anything to do with the reactive #boycottNetflix twitter campaign that sparked after the show was announced. Or with the way sexist trolls flooded the site to tank the rating for last year's Ghostbusters reboot before the film's wide release. Nope, it must have be the quality of the show itself, which, again, has been hailed by critics. Huh.

Before I talk about the ridiculous backlash to this show (which I can't resist addressing), I just want to spend a moment praising it, because it's really, really good.

Dear White People is an often funny series following a group of black college students. Many of these students are focused on addressing issues of racism but being college students, the struggle is often interrupted by the needs for sex, friendship, status, and petty drama.

While its sharp writing, witty lines, and engaging characters are enough reason to watch, the series is notable for its appreciation of complexity. Whether it's a fiery radical who's keeps her white boyfriend on the down-low or a charming budding politician suffocating in the role his father gave him, this is a show that acknowledges it's characters flaws, such as hypocrisy and self-righteousness, and their confusion in defining their place in the world, even though it is ultimately on their side.

Now about the critics ... There are a lot of very harsh reviews here, but many represent reflexive anger, the same cause of the insanely high number of people who downvoted DWP's cute, amusing and barely edgy trailer.

I'm not saying everyone who hates this show is being racist - I hate a lot of series for reasons having nothing to do with race - but if you read the reviews you can see a lot of white people see this not as a TV comedy but an act of aggression, seemingly just because they find the title somehow offensive (apparently it is monstrous for black people to call white people white people?). There are reviews here saying that the show is pushing the races further apart by highlighting the racial divide, as though centuries of slavery and Jim Crow that are echoed today in police shootings and demands for the first black president's birth certificate are somehow the result of black people saying too many harsh things to white people. It's a classic case of fauxpression, where people try to portray themselves as victims using the language of the historically oppressed.

The portrayal of white people isn't really even that harsh. They are shown as generally clueless and entitled, but even then, it's basically just a portrayal of ivy league frat boys. I'm white, but I can't see any reason I should personally be upset by a movie mocking dumb, entitled frat boys; a lot of movies by white people have done the same thing.

In spite of the title, this isn't really a series about white people. Whites are seen here only slightly more often than they are in Oprah Network series like Queen Sugar and Greenleaf. This is a series about the black experience (well, the black, ivy league college experience).

Maybe that's what the anger is really about. White people's voices are being ignored in a TV series that has "white people" in the title. But it's okay, angry white people; I think you'll still be able to find one or two TV series that give the white people perspective on things.

And if you're really, really angered by this series, please google "white fragility."

Update as of the end of Season 3: The review above is of the first season, which I gave 10 stars. I've lowered that now a bit in light of what followed (because unlike the people who gave this series 1 star without actually watching it, I respect the rating system). Season 2 was still very good, although not as funny as the first season. Season 3 was ... it was just weird, a strange mishmash. There were interesting concepts, like that the students had, like young people do, realigned their goals, but so much of it was weird and little of it was funny. There were two really good episodes in the second half, but the rest was a mix and the season ending was, well, not an ending, neither resolving the season nor creating a compelling reason to watch season 4. Season 4 was a discombobulated mess that I gave up on after 3 episodes. By then, almost everything good about the series had been whittled away. It's sad.

But still, watching season 1.