Written by Avani Goswami
Hulu’s new show Woke is a comedic take on an important and serious topic that is worth watching, though it begs the question of who the intended audience is meant to be.
Starring New Girl’s Lamorne Morris, the story follows comic artist Keef Knight’s journey of realizing what it means to be a Black man in America. From showrunners Marshall Todd and Keith Knight, on whom the story is inspired by, it kicks off by introducing us to Keef’s comic “Toast ‘N’ Butter.” His drawings are loved by many in San Francisco, and he’s a rising star in his field. But he doesn’t think about race much and instead likes to “keep it light,” something he tells reporter and fan Ayana (Sasheer Zamata, Saturday Night Live) when she approaches him. That is until he gets ambushed by the police, who hold Keef to the ground with guns pointed at his head.
This experience changes him, and, as one of his friends and roommates Clovis (T. Murph, Chicago Fire) points out, makes him “woke.” He finally realizes the differences in the ways people treat him based on his race, and he can’t stop thinking about it. After his encounter with the SFPD, he starts thinking he’s going crazy since he begins hearing inanimate objects speak to him. The animation of these objects, such as liquor bottles and trash cans, and the jokes they crack contribute greatly to the humor of the show. These objects, voiced by a variety of actors like Eddie Griffin (Undercover Brother) or Tony Hale (Veep), urge Keef to create something meaningful with his skill and voice.
The first three episodes of Woke seem to set up a lot of what will happen later in the season: Keef falling into a romance with partygoer Adrienne (Rose McIver, iZombie) and finding his comedic voice and the type of art he wants to create, as Ayana helps him learn more as time passes.
The show is successful in a few different aspects. Morris’ performance is easy to enjoy, and there is a lightness to the show, even when such serious topics are being discussed. Woke also has a strong base and concept, as it aims to entertain and educate. Not only that, but it shows Keef learning and progressing at a realistic pace. Keef, in the first episode, has no grasp on police brutality or the disparity between the experiences of a white man and a Black man. Though I’m not certain this is very realistic in today’s world, Keef does learn just how little he noticed before his run-in with the police and this sparks a significant discussion amongst viewers.
Still, there are shortcomings. Though Keef’s friends, Clovis and Gunther (Blake Anderson, Workaholics), shine in their individual moments, I wish the relationships of the show as a whole felt more connected. I also found myself forgetting that Keef could communicate with the inanimate objects, and I think this is because they didn’t fully focus on this aspect of the show enough. This is a shame because these bits have the potential to make the show stand out. The largest question is who this show is intended for, because I’m still trying to figure out exactly which audience they were aiming for.
Overall, I think Woke is worth a watch. They don’t hit every point (and some bits feel overdone whereas others feel oddly timed), but it’s funny and compelling. The show addresses the theme of race in a more lighthearted way that still talks about the experiences of Black people in America. If little else, the show sheds light on an extremely relevant topic and ignites a conversation we all need to have.
