Mitigating Colorblind Racism in the Postnetwork Era: Class-Inflected Masculinities in The Shield, Sons of Anarchy, and Justified

This analysis explores the relation between class-stratified White masculinities and moral ambiguity in FX crime drama. Conflicts between morally ambiguous White men in The Shield (2002-2008), Sons of Anarchy (2008-present), and Justified (2010-present) support colorblind racial ideology by positioning a central antiheroic protagonist in opposition to overtly racist characters who embody stereotypes associated with the White underclass. In comparison with traditional crime dramas, these juxtapositions provide realistic depictions of contemporary America by acknowledging the existence of racial prejudice while the antihero's ultimate victory stands as a rejection of anachronistic racial sensibilities drawing attention away from issues related to systemic inequality.