Watching a fictionalized story from another time can be so romantic. But where are all the BIPOC characters? History is diverse and we think more period pieces should be too. As we look at movies and tv shows set in other time periods, we long for BIPOC characters who aren’t relegated to stereotypes or bit parts. To help us look at period pieces to find ones we love and explore what we wish they could be, we enlisted insightful help from Sangeeta Singh-Kurtz, senior writer for The Cut at New York Magazine. Together we examine what fundamental elements make a period piece completely immersive, why we wish there were more period piece characters like the BIPOC characters we *did* find, and when Brad Pitt will stop being peak Brad Pitt. We think you will find Sangeeta's take on this episode just as charming and impressive as her writing for The Cut.  

Expanding our hearts to another time this week: Achilles (Brad Pitt) of Troy, Billy Rocks (Lee Byung-Hun) and Red Harvest (Martin Sensmeier) of The Magnificent Seven from 2016, and Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) and Red (Morgan Freeman) of The Shawshank Redemption.

This week’s small business shout-out: Semicolon Books (Chicago)

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Crush Fictionally is produced by Peter Byrnes. Original music by Edith Mudge. Artwork by Rose Feduk.

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