Is Troy: Fall of a City woke?
Troy: Fall of a City (2018)
TV Show
Released: January 1, 2018
Wokeness Score
8/10
Strongly Ideological
Woke messaging is very prominent and often feels forced or shoehorned in. Characters and plot are primarily shaped to serve the ideology. Many viewers feel the agenda overshadows the entertainment.
Key Summary Points
- Colorblind casting places black actors as Achilles, Zeus, and Patroclus, prioritizing modern diversity over traditional depictions.
- Explicit bisexual relationship between Achilles and Patroclus updates ancient myths with contemporary sexual fluidity themes.
- Empowered female characters like Helen emphasize agency and critique patriarchal norms in line with progressive gender narratives.
Wokeness Analysis
Troy: Fall of a City employs colorblind casting as a deliberate production choice, placing black actors in key roles including Achilles (David Gyasi), Zeus (Hakeem Kae-Kazim), Patroclus (Lemogang Tsipa), and others such as Aeneas and Athena. This decision sparked immediate backlash for deviating from traditional depictions of Greek mythological figures as Mediterranean or European in appearance, with critics labeling it blackwashing and an imposition of modern diversity standards on ancient myths. The creators defended the choices as merit-based and colorblind, aiming for a post-racial world where race is irrelevant, yet the approach prioritizes contemporary inclusivity over historical or textual fidelity. Additional elements include explicit bisexual portrayals of Achilles and Patroclus, graphic sexual content, and gender dynamics that emphasize female agency, such as a more empowered Helen who actively chooses her path amid patriarchal structures. These adaptations align with progressive messaging around representation, fluidity in sexuality, and critiques of traditional power structures, often feeling shoehorned to serve ideological goals rather than organic storytelling. Viewer reactions highlight how the agenda overshadows entertainment, turning a classic epic into a vehicle for 21st-century social commentary on race and gender. While the core Trojan War narrative remains, the casting and thematic tweaks make ideology prominent and divisive.
Plot
The eight-episode miniseries retells the Trojan War from the perspective of the Trojan royal family, centering on Paris, a Trojan prince raised as a herdsman, who falls in love with Helen, the wife of Spartan king Menelaus. Their elopement to Troy sparks a decade-long siege by Greek forces. The story incorporates gods like Zeus intervening in human affairs, political intrigue, battles, and betrayals, culminating in the fall of Troy via the Trojan Horse. It draws from Greek myths but offers an original take, focusing on themes of love, fate, and war rather than strictly following Homer's Iliad.