History Main / MonochromeCasting

Now, some shows are set in [[BlackVikings environments where it might even seem forced to have any sort of ethnic diversity]]; this trope doesn't apply to these programs so much. For instance, the rarified world of the superwealthy that often dominates in {{Soap Opera}}s really doesn't have many Black people or Latin Americans (except as servants, and that might be a little ''too'' real); likewise, the Chicago public-housing projects displayed in ''Series/GoodTimes'' were pretty much all-Black by the time the show aired in the 70s. Similarly, Europe was almost all-white until the past two or so centuries (and many parts still are, especially in the East), and there are small towns in rural America that just don't have much in terms of diversity. In some countries, such as Japan or South Korea, ethnic homogeneity is practically state policy. It's when a show exists in an environment like New York or London, [[note]]which started becoming really racially diverse since the 1960s[[/note]] where diversity would be almost mandatory, that they can be guilty of monochrome casting.

* ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'' turns this trope completely upside down. The core cast is mostly European, but there are a number of exceptions. The show's universe draws heavily from World War II Europe, heavily mixed with a conflict-ridden counterpart to the Middle East. Because of this, true-to-life racial and cultural tensions are depicted on a very frequent basis. As for specific cast, Paninya and Jerso are both Black, and a number of characters of varying degrees of importance come from the fictional nations of Ishbal and Xing, which are [[FantasyCounterpartCulture stand-ins]] for the Middle East and China respectively. In the first anime, the Xing region did not send many representatives. Furthermore, all Asians in this Japanese show can be assumed to be "Chinese," meaning that the first anime is the ''polar opposite'' of this trope.

* The live-action ''Film/FullmetalAlchemist'' is a strange example, with an entirely Japanese cast to play European characters; presumably because it would be hard to find an entire-cast of European actors who are fluent in Japanese. The whole Ishbal story arc, which is the main source of racial tension in the story, is also absent from the film, as well as the characters from the [[FantasyCounterpartCulture China stand-in]] Xing and any dark-skinned characters.

* ''{{Film/Scream}}'' has no non-white characters in the entire film (except a reporter in one brief scene played by Lisa Canning), but this was sort of addressed in [[Film/Scream2 the sequel]], with Creator/JadaPinkett and Creator/OmarEpps's characters as [[spoiler:the opening victims]], and Pinkett's character discussing how horror films typically ignore African American points of view. The film also features Hallie, Sydney's TokenBlackFriend, [[spoiler:who also bites it]], and Joel, Gale's new camera assistant, [[spoiler:who lives]]. ''Film/Scream3'''s only Black character was Tyson, while ''Film/Scream4'' goes back to an exclusively white cast with the exception of a [[BadCopIncompetentCop bumbling cop]] played by Creator/AnthonyAnderson. The fifth film however combats this by focusing on two Latina sisters, and having twins who are the biracial children of a character from the third.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Bluey}}'' has a FunnyAnimal example, since every character in the show is a dog of some kind, with with no other type of anthropomorphic animal in sight (aside from a ShowWithinAShow). With that said, there’s actually a wide variety of dog ''breeds'' present, with the titular character and her family being Heelers, a niche dog breed.

* Not even cartoons are exempt! The biggest offender was probably ''WesternAnimation/TheJetsons''. It takes place in the far off future (2062),[[note]]Which was exactly 100 years after the show first aired (1962)[[/note]] but there's not a single minority to be seen in the original 60s run. [[note]] To be fair, this makes sense for the time period in which the show was made, since racial issues were quite controversial in the 60s, thus, having a black character in the show might be considered offensive. [[/note]]

* Not even cartoons are exempt! The biggest offender was probably ''WesternAnimation/TheJetsons''. It takes place in the far off future (2062),[[note]]Which was exactly 100 years after the show first aired (1962)[[/note]] but there's not a single minority to be seen in the original 60s run.

* For a long time, the Bash Street Kids in ''Comicbook/TheBeano'' (and, indeed, the ''Beano'' in general once they got rid of all the racist stereotype characters but didn't replace them with anything). In the 21st century, they've tried to add more strips with BAME characters, and in the 2020s, several of these characters were added to the Kids ([[AffirmativeActionGirl mostly girls]] since the strip had also been subject to TheSmurfettePrinciple).

** Rival ''Series/{{MADTV}}'' made fun of this fact by having guest star and former SNL regular Creator/MartinShort think he was on his was on his old show as a joke and mistake all the Black cast members, including the woman, for Creator/TimMeadows.

* ''Series/MadTv1995'':

* You could reasonably argue that ''Series/MidsomerMurders'' is a justified example, being set in a well-off part of rural England, which is inhabited by mainly white English people. However, when the producer of the show stated with astonishing bluntness in an interview with the ''Magazine/RadioTimes'' that the lack of diversity of the show was due to it his view of it being a "bastion of Englishness", and that his view stemmed from being "politically incorrect", he was temporarily forced to step down from his position by the producing company. He eventually chose to voluntarily resign, and the very next series put a British Asian actor in a main role.

* ''Series/ILoveLucy'' is an interesting case since, during this time, Desi Arnaz and the actors playing his friends and relatives from Cuba were not seen as non-whites, like they would be today, but more along the lines of a FunnyForeigner troupe (most Cubans are of Spanish descent, with minorities like Afro-Cubans rare on US shows).

* Every character in ''ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes'' is white. While not as noticeable as some examples due to the strips being mostly black and white, the color strips don't show any non-Caucasian skin tones amongst the main cast. Based on the tree shown behind Calvin's house (mostly broadleafs) along with it having hot summers and cold, snowy winters, it appears that he lives in a suburb in the Midwest. And since the cast is just his parents, the girl next door to him, and some kids and adults at his elementary school, it's not completely unrealistic.

Now, some shows are set in [[BlackVikings environments where it might even seem forced to have any sort of ethnic diversity]]; this trope doesn't apply to these programs so much. For instance, the rarified world of the superwealthy that often dominates in {{Soap Opera}}s really doesn't have many Black people or Latin Americans (except as servants, and that might be a little ''too'' real); likewise, the Chicago public-housing projects displayed in ''Series/GoodTimes'' were pretty much all-Black by the time the show aired in the 70s. Similarly, Europe was almost all-white until the past two or so centuries (and many parts still are, especially in the East), and there are small towns in rural America that just don't have much in terms of diversity. In some countries, such as Japan or South Korea, ethnic homogeneity is practically state policy. It's when a show exists in an environment like New York or London [[note]]which started becoming really racially diverse since the 1960s[[/note]], where diversity would be almost mandatory, that they can be guilty of monochrome casting.

* ''Series/{{Neighbours}}'' is frequently guilty of this, and [[http://perfectblend.net/comment/racism.htm its attempts at rectifying the situation have rarely made things better]].
** They eventually added the Kapoors, but only as a result of active campaigning from British fans who desired more diversity. Unfortunately the entire Kapoor family were PutOnABus after only a year on Ramsay Street. Sachin Joab (Ajay) [[http://www.digitalspy.com.au/soaps/s14/neighbours/interviews/a505631/neighbours-sachin-joab-on-low-key-exit-diversity-on-screen-more.html has called the producers out on the lack of multiculturalism in the show]].

** Something weird happened with ''Series/PowerRangersNinjaSteel''. The characters are of different races, and not all of the actors are New Zealanders, but they all have roughly the same complexion. A last-minute actor replacement is partially responsible - Calvin was originally to be played by [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/powerrangers/images/7/74/NSt-Chantz.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20160919064608 Chantz Simpson]].

* This trope was one of the many criticisms that this [[https://amp.slate.com/arts/2017/12/hallmarks-21-movie-christmas-countdown-reviewed.html]] levied at the Hallmark Channel's annual Christmas movie marathon.
* ''Series/{{Defiance}}'': The show was an absolutely ''egregious'' example of this trope for numerous reasons and only got worse with it as time went on. First, it's not only set [[TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture forty years from now]] where one would expect a more diverse human population, it's set in ''St. Louis'', a majority-Black city ([[CaliforniaDoubling yet filmed in Canada]]) yet one could count the number of Black humans appearing on one hand during its entire run and that's including extras. Second, it's [[AnImmigrantsTale immigration allegory]] with RubberForeheadAliens whose FantasticSlur for humans is "pink skins", suggesting humanity's gotten ''whiter'' over the years despite every species of alien put together there still having less variety among themselves as the Native American being called that snarks back by showing his wrist and saying, "this look pink to you?" Third, main character [[NominalHero Joshua]] [[VanillaProtagonist Nolan]] being a textbook WhiteMaleLead and [[WhiteMansBurden White Savior]] from his FantasticRacism down to a HeroicSacrifice for an alien race, and he's [[TheFace marketed so prominently]] you'd be remiss to think there were ''any'' cast members of color. Fourth, everything culturally human/"Old World" being depicted as monolithically white compared to the aliens being a mish-mash of {{fantasy counterpart culture}}s, so even the Native American family are more like old money W.A.S.Ps having a CultureClash with ethnic foreigners, such as daughter Christie (who's in an InterspeciesRomance with one) being stupid enough to put on the alien equivalent of ''Blackface'' without any self-awareness. By the third season, [[spoiler: ''all'' of the original humans of color]] are dead, with the most prominent Black character, [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter Tommy]] (and only Black character to appear for more than two episodes), being either ignored/sidelined by the show itself or [[ButtMonkey shit on]] by [[JerkAss Nolan]] for two seasons until [[spoiler: he was killed off near the end of season two]], meaning that besides the minority actors playing aliens, the show ended whiter than it ''started.''

** Averted in some specific instances. The Salamanders are all Black[[note]]but not racially; their skin is literally jet back due to weirdness between their homeworld's natural radiation and their geneseed[[/note]], Literature/CiaphasCain and ComicBook/DamnationCrusade feature minor Black characters, some Space Marine chapters have ethnic inspiration for their designs or names such as the Raven Guard (Indigenous American), Crimson Fists (Latino), White Scars (Mongolian), Thousand Sons (Persian/Egyptian).

* In a literal example, every human in ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'' is drawn with literally white skin. Not quite an example - WordOfGod [[https://mspandrew.tumblr.com/post/15937434515/predictably dictates that by intent]], {{Mukokuseki}} is in full effect and no-one save his AuthorAvatar (Caucasian, coloured orange) has any defined race, or for that matter other physical characteristics beyond the basics, and that one reference to Bro being white was an error that he put in before he'd clearly established the character.

* Not even cartoons are exempt! The biggest offender was probably ''WesternAnimation/TheJetsons''. It takes place in the far off future (2062)[[note]]Which was exactly 100 years after the show first aired (1962).[[/note]], but there's not a single minority to be seen in the original 60s run.

* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' was originally ''meant'' to be this way, being set in rural Colorado where [[MagicalNegro Chef]] as the TokenMinority. Eventually they had a TokenMinority student ''[[LampshadeHanging named]]'' [[TheGenericGuy Token]] as well, [[spoiler:though the episode The Big Fix retcons it to having always been Tolkien]]. Nowadays the town seems to be more diverse, with the City Wok guy[[spoiler: actually a white guy with multiple personalities]], a Japanese restaurateur, the Asian-looking "6th Grader Leader" and several others. Minor character Kevin was identified as Asian American in one of the earlier seasons, though this is rarely brought up. This is actually somewhat TruthInTelevision - Colorado's population ''has'' changed over the time the show has been running. Mr. Garrison after he became elected as President had his homeroom teacher position replaced by an Asian woman.

* Invoked in ''WesternAnimation/MoralOrel'' as the series is a {{Deconstruction}} of white fundamentalist Protestant Christianity. The only minorities seen are the AmbiguouslyBrown Figurelli family (in which one episode has the town decide to discriminate against them, only for it to backfire because the 'discrimination' only ''benefitted'' the Figurellis), and a brief appearance by a black neighborhood, in which the Puppington family treated driving through it as a roller coaster, while the two people on the street looked at them like they were nuts.

** Likewise, ''Film/ShangChiAndTheLegendOfTheTenRings'' is the MCU's first movie to revolve around a Chinese/Asian lead (ComicBook/ShangChi) and features a [[https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/marvel-studios-shang-chi-legend-ten-rings-98-percent-asian-cast-kevin-feige/ 98 percent Chinese/Asian cast]]. One benefit to this trope is that [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools it helps to mitigate]] the YellowPeril implications of the BigBad, the Mandarin (who has traditionally been depicted as the ArchEnemy of ComicBook/IronMan, whose own adventures largely feature a white supporting cast, [[TokenBlackFriend except for]] ComicBook/WarMachine). The only non-East-Asian actors of note in the cast are ''Film/CreedII'''s Creator/FlorianMunteanu (Razorfist) and [[spoiler:Creator/BenKingsley (reprising his role as the former fake Mandarin from ''Film/IronMan3'')]].

* UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfHollywood was fairly monochrome for its time, but one weird inversion is the all-Black film. As a result of segregation, African-Americans could not be truly protagonists in a film with other white characters, so this niche genre was rarely invested in partly to broadcast talented African-American singers and musicians.

* All of ''Film/JasonsLyric''s casts are black, including the background figures.

* All of ''Jason's Lyric'''s casts are Black, including the background figures.

* ''Literature/HarryPotter'' has only a few characters of color and all of them are minor, including Cho and Dean, who Harry and Ginny briefly date, only to break up with them and end up together.

** Likewise, ''Film/ShangChiAndTheLegendOfTheTenRings'' is the MCU's first movie to revolve around a Chinese/Asian lead (ComicBook/ShangChi) and features a [[https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/marvel-studios-shang-chi-legend-ten-rings-98-percent-asian-cast-kevin-feige/ 98 percent Chinese/Asian cast]]. One benefit to this trope is that [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools it helps to mitigate]] the YellowPeril implications of the BigBad, the Mandarin (who has traditionally been depicted as the ArchEnemy of ComicBook/IronMan, whose own adventures largely feature a white supporting cast, [[TokenBlackFriend except for]] ComicBook/WarMachine). The only non-East-Asian actors of note in the cast are ''Film/CreedII''[='s=] Florian Munteanu (Razor Fist) and [[spoiler:Creator/BenKingsley (reprising his role as the former fake Mandarin from ''Film/IronMan3'')]].

* ''Series/CrashAndBernstein'''s lead human cast (Cole Jensen, Landry Bender, Oana Gregory, and Aaron Landon) is entirely white, as is its extended cast (Mary Birdsong, McKenna Grace, and Danny Woodburn). And while Crash himself is a puppet, his puppeteer Tim Lagasse is white as well. This is understandable, because all but two of them are members of a family.
* ''Series/TheThundermans'': Other than Barb, every major character on the show is at least partially white. And of the kids, only Billy is played by a non-white actor.

* ''Literature/PercyJacksonAndTheOlympians'' has very few important characters of color. There are only three named campers who are non-white (Charles Beckendorf, Chris Rodriguez, and Ethan Nakamura), and two of them die in the final book. Percy's teams throughout the series incorporate zero people of color, either. The film adaptation had to RaceLift Grover because the film would otherwise be dominated by whites. Creator/RickRiordan eventually noticed this though; the Seven of ''Literature/TheHeroesOfOlympus'' consist of two white boys, one white girl, a Latino boy, a Native American girl, an Asian boy, and a black girl, and the cast in general is much more varied.

** Likewise, ''Film/ShangChiAndTheLegendOfTheTenRings'' is the MCU's first movie to revolve around a Chinese/Asian lead (ComicBook/ShangChi) and features a [[https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/marvel-studios-shang-chi-legend-ten-rings-98-percent-asian-cast-kevin-feige/ 98 percent Chinese/Asian cast]]. One benefit to this trope is that [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools it helps to mitigate]] the YellowPeril implications of the BigBad, the Mandarin (who has traditionally been depicted as the ArchEnemy of ComicBook/IronMan, whose own adventures largely feature a white supporting cast, [[TokenBlackFriend except for]] ComicBook/WarMachine). The only white actors of note in the cast are ''Film/CreedII''[='s=] Florian Munteanu (Razor Fist) and [[spoiler:Creator/BenKingsley (reprising his role as the former fake Mandarin from ''Film/IronMan3'')]].

** A frequent complaint, even from many fans of the MCU, is the abundance of {{White Male Lead}}s. It's an issue carried from the comics, as most main Marvel characters ''are'' white in the source material and the MCU only [[RaceLift race-lifted]] minor characters. Marvel released 17 films before they had one with a non-white or female lead.
** The first ''Film/TheAvengers2012'' team, despite being gathered by Nick Fury to save the entire world, is all white. The closest thing to a non-white superhero was Hulk turning green. With War Machine and The Falcon joining at the end of ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron'', along with other members leaving, the team is noticeably more diverse in the group shot at the end of the film.

** Likewise, ''Film/ShangChiAndTheLegendOfTheTenRings'' is the MCU's first movie to revolve around a Chinese/Asian lead (ComicBook/ShangChi) and features a [[https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/marvel-studios-shang-chi-legend-ten-rings-98-percent-asian-cast-kevin-feige/ 98 percent Chinese/Asian cast]]. One benefit to this trope is that [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools it helps to mitigate]] the YellowPeril implications of the BigBad, the Mandarin (who has traditionally been depicted as the ArchEnemy of ComicBook/IronMan, whose own adventures largely feature a white supporting cast, [[TokenBlackFriend except for]] ComicBook/WarMachine). The only white actor of note in the cast is ''Film/CreedII'''s Florian Munteanu (Razor Fist).

* ''Series/SanfordAndSon'' is a show with an almost entirely Black cast, with the only non-Black characters being a [[TokenMinority Asian character]] [[PunnyName named Ah Chew]], [[ButtMonkey who is constantly being mocked, belittled, and insulted]] by Fred, specifically because of his race and a Puerto Rican next-door neighbor, who is also strongly disliked by Fred solely for being Hispanic.

* ''Series/SanfordAndSon'' is a show with an almost entirely Black cast, with the only non-Black characters being a [[FunnyForeigner funny foreigner]] [[NationalStereotypes stereotypical]] [[TokenMinority Asian character]] [[PunnyName named Ah Chew]], [[ButtMonkey who is constantly being mocked, belittled, and insulted]] by Fred, specifically because of his race and a Puerto Rican next-door neighbor, who is also strongly disliked by Fred solely for being Hispanic.