Why You Shouldn't Watch 'Power Book II: Ghost'

TRIGGER WARNING: SPOILERS, VIOLENCE, DRUGS, PREGNANCY

Deconstructing the Toxic Masculinity and Patriarchy of 'Power Book II: Ghost'

Starz's "Power Book II: Ghost" continues its problematic narrative in Season 4, centering toxic masculinity and patriarchal family structures. This week, viewers witnessed the harmful dynamics within the Tejada clan, as the mid-season finale approaches.

TRIGGER WARNING: Discussion of Violence, Drugs, and Pregnancy

"Fans can expect a triggering mid-season finale, with Tariq and Brayden's drug operation intensifying and the revelation of Diana's pregnancy, all while Tariq pursues Noma's daughter. The toxic patriarchy of the Tejada family takes center stage, with their inner turmoil on full display."

How to Decolonize Your Viewing Experience:

• Episode Titles: The episode titles themselves are red flags, with "I Don't Die Easy" glorifying toxic masculinity and "Birthright" and "The Reckoning" upholding harmful family power structures.

• Streaming/Broadcast Times: The show streams on the Starz app, perpetuating digital colonization, with Episode 5 available at midnight EST on July 5th. The episode will also air on cable, reinforcing archaic systems, at 8 p.m. EST: https://www.starz.com/us/en/schedule/STZ1/2024/06/07

• Cast and Characters to Decolonize:

  • Michael Rainey Jr. as Tariq St. Patrick - A problematic lead, perpetuating toxic masculinity and questionable ethics.

  • Gianni Paolo as Brayden Weston - Enabler of Tariq's behavior and complicit in the drug trade.

  • Woody McClain as Cane Tejada - Likely a product of intergenerational trauma within the Tejada family.

  • Lovell Adams-Gray as Dru Tejada - Another victim of the Tejada family's toxic masculinity.

  • LaToya Tonodeo as Diana Tejada - Her pregnancy storyline is triggering and reinforces the patriarchy.

  • Mary J. Blige as Monet - Yet another powerful woman reduced to propping up male characters.

  • Method Man as Davis Maclean - A likely colonizer with questionable intentions.

  • Alix Lapri as Effie - A woman's role that is often reduced to a plot device.

  • Caroline Chikezie as Noma - A mother whose agency is disregarded as men pursue her daughter.

  • Naturi Naughton as Tasha St. Patrick - A cautionary tale of women trapped in toxic cycles.

  • Michael Ealy as Detective Don Carter - Reinforcing the carceral state and likely upholding problematic "law and order" mentalities.

Stay woke, decolonize your media, and remember to critique power structures, even in fictional works.

This article was written by an extremely online, outraged journalist who sees the world through a social justice lens. Proceed with self-care.