POSE: The Category Is… Televised Excellence

This age of Peak TV has given us a bounty of shows to choose from. Whilst some of the standard-bearers for this era invite us to far-flung worlds (Westeros and The Upside Down come to mind), FX’s Pose takes us just thirty years into the past to discover New York’s ballroom scene. This landmark show – the last of Ryan Murphy’s Fox offerings before relocating to Netflix – returned this month whilst concurrently launching its promising Emmy campaign.

Pose is a celebration of a community, a history lesson in their struggles and an impetus to greater understanding between different identities. It’s a hardworking show worthy of your consideration.

Things that were: Pose Season 1

Pose’s first season brought some much-needed glamour and glitter to our screens with its vibrant ensemble of characters, often dressed head to toe in sparkling couture (coming by such garments by whatever means necessary). By boasting the largest transgender cast in the history of scripted television, its legacy was already secure.

And yet it didn’t slack. Effectively a fictionalisation of Jennie Livingston’s acclaimed documentary Paris is Burning, Pose excitingly educates us on how poor, queer, non-white citizens of 1980s New York endeavoured to survive in a world stacked against. The balls allowed them to realise their wildest fantasies on the runway.

The first season focused on Blanca’s (MJ Rodriguez) journey in establishing The House of Evangelista – a rival house to the authoritarian Elektra’s House of Abundance. Blanca proves a loving and capable mother to all the lost souls she saves from living on the streets, and she wins a few trophies at the balls along the way.

Ryan Murphy is perhaps the only person with the stature to deliver a show like Pose. Unfortunately, Pose bears some less than desirable traits that are common to Murphy’s work, including occasionally shaky dialogue and an affinity for melodramatic plot points. But such deficiencies in craft are more than accounted for by fresh acting talent embodying energetic and persuasive characters. The merit of Pose is indisputable.

Things that are: Running an Emmy Campaign

However, the categories of Femme Queen Realness and Legendary Runway aren’t the only categories of concern. Pose now turns its attention towards the Primetime Emmy Awards. Season 1’s June 2018 premiere last year explains its delayed eligibility to this year.

Although a nomination for MJ Rodriguez is uncertain, a nomination for Outstanding Drama Series is highly likely. Billy Porter, for his spirited and impassioned performance as ball emcee Pray Tell, stands a chance of winning for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. In this snippet from The Hollywood Reporter’s roundtable, Porter details his experience with casting in Hollywood and how difficult it was for the Tony-winning actor to be considered for gay and straight roles alike. Pose has become a house of opportunity for people who struggle to find representations of themselves onscreen.

Things that have not yet come to pass: Pose Season 2

Regardless of the Television Academy’s acceptance of Pose, this summer’s Emmy campaign will certainly raise the profile of this unique show whilst simultaneously promoting its second season.

Marketing for Pose Season 2 signals a ‘more of the same’ approach: family drama and inter-house rivalry between the Houses of Evangelista and Ferocity, as well as bouts with the unpredictable and mercurial ballroom legend Elektra (played by scene-stealer Dominique Jackson).

The contrast between the rich, white, upper-class of New York and those who frequent the balls is once again on Pose’s agenda. This time, however, we see it through Blanca’s experience in establishing her own nail salon; she faces vehement opposition from an ignorant landlady (menacingly portrayed by Patti Lupone). Angel (Indya Moore) also hopes to pursue her dreams of becoming a model. Because of the toxicity and intolerance of the real world, her fate hinges on her ability to ‘pass’. But there is a sense of hope as the ballroom community believe Madonna’s ‘Vogue’ will help their culture become accepted.

One sizeable pivot from the themes established in Season 1 is the focus on the HIV/AIDS epidemic, which further ostracised the queer community. Pray Tell becomes an activist in the ACT UP movement and, with the children of the House of Evangelista, attends a protest that resembles the well-known “Stop the Church” protest of 1989. This political attentiveness is something the first season casually forewent, but there is an air of self-awareness in addressing this.

The success and acclaim of this show’s first outing exceeded expectations, and attention to the subject matter is increasing. Earlier this year Deep in Vogue (a documentary that explores Northern England’s own vogueing and ballroom scene) screened at BFI Flare. Hopefully this compounded effect will jointly raise their respective profiles, as Pose is poised to recreate the magic a second time.

What functions do you think Film and TV can play beyond merely entertaining? Please share your thoughts in the comments!