If you take a look at the TV schedule for Monday, you see new programming with Latinos in front and behind the camera on almost every network and ranging through cable–good news for Latino Hollywood, hidden just below the surface.
It’s true–and sad–that Latinos are not (yet) in the lead on many shows, but their presence as supporting characters, directors, producers, and creators continues to grow. And Monday is a good example:
Raymond Cruz as Det. Julio Sanchez and Jonathan del Arco as Dr. Morales on TNT’s Major Crimes. Each new episode seems to be better than the previous one. And Latino guest actors are in and out. At 10P.
Christina Aguilera is at the forefront of the most popular music competition on the tube right now, filling many profitable hours of NBC’s otherwise staggering schedule with The Voice. There’s another hour on at 8P tonight. And Christina Milian is present as well, as Social Media Correspondent.
Meanwhile, the CW checks in with the season premiere of 90210, with Tristan Wilds and Michael Steger as on of the few Latinos you’ll find on the network…
…while ABC Family–which has a much better track record–offers up a new episode of Switched at Birth, with Constance Marie playing a strong-willed and admirable Latina mother.
At 8:30, Tracy Vilar may or may not be part of CBS’s already fading sitcom Partners–a show on the fast track to cancellation, given its lousy reviews and worse ratings.
Meanwhile, at 10P, you’ll find Roberto Orci’s reboot of Hawaii 5-O continuing to do just fine on CBS while NBC’s Revolution now includes JD Pardo–who may or may not be a good guy–and Daniella Alonso as a heroic young Latina fighting oppression, and Jon Huertas and the rest of the team on Castle round out the night at 10P on ABC.
All in all, not a bad representation: a musical superstar with a hit show, one of the top writer/creator on TV or movies, and Latinos–often playing Latino characters–on four different network and cable. And that’s just one night of the week.
There’s a long way to go, but clearly: we’re on our way.
