Is there DEI in Departure?

The biggest factors in our score are Woke representation / casting, Identity-driven story themes, Creator track record context. Follow the mystery of Flight 716 - a passenger plane that vanishes over the Atlantic Ocean. Following the mysterious crash, recently widowed, brilliant aviation investigator Kendra Malley is called in to investigate by her former boss and mentor Howard Lawson.

TV Show review

Departure

Q: Is Departure woke?

Departure has a woke score of 30/100, which means it is not especially woke compared with higher-scoring titles. Departure is a Canadian thriller series about aviation investigator Kendra Malley and her team solving the mystery of a vanished passenger plane and later disasters like a high-speed train crash and a ferry sinking. The story follows their investigations into conspiracies and cover-ups across three seasons of six episodes each. The lead investigator role is played by South Asian British actress Archie Panjabi as a competent expert. Season two includes brief references to her background and prejudice.

Review basis: 3 seasons, 18 episodes · through November 10, 2022

July 10, 2019 · 45 min · TV-14 · Ended

Woke Score

30/ 100

Lower is better

6.8 / 10IMDb↗32%Audience↗

DramaCrime

Review

Summary

Departure is a Canadian thriller series about aviation investigator Kendra Malley and her team solving the mystery of a vanished passenger plane and later disasters like a high-speed train crash and a ferry sinking. The story follows their investigations into conspiracies and cover-ups across three seasons of six episodes each. The lead investigator role is played by South Asian British actress Archie Panjabi as a competent expert. Season two includes brief references to her background and prejudice.

Breakdown

Factors & Ratings

These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for Departure.

Woke representation / casting

Lead investigator Kendra Malley played by South Asian British actress Archie Panjabi as a top expert. Supporting cast includes some diverse performers. Season two briefly addresses the character's background and prejudice.

30 / 100

Woke political dialogue

Incidental plot device in season one uses pilot's same-sex marriage as a red herring. Season two includes brief xenophobia labels and an anti-technology politician.

15 / 100

Identity-driven story themes

Minor elements include references to female competence in a male field and prejudice against the lead. Same-sex backstory appears as plot device. Core story remains disaster investigations and conspiracies.

20 / 100

Western institutional / cultural critique

Powerful corporations, oligarchs, and tech figures shown hiding truths for self-interest. Some framing of American attitudes in season two. Standard thriller elements rather than activist ideology.

18 / 100

Production

Production companies: Shaftesbury Films, Starlings Entertainment, Greenpoint Productions, Red Arrow Studios International
Networks: Sky Witness, Peacock, Universal TV, SBS On Demand

Main Cast

Archie Panjabias Kendra O'Malley
Mark Rendallas Theo Barker
Kristen Holden-Riedas Dom Hayes
David Hewlettas Bill Ratch
Dion Johnstoneas Jordan Cole
Patrick Sabonguias Shakir Urgessa
Kelly McCormackas Charlotte
Christopher Plummeras Howard Lawson

Director & Crew

D. Matt GellerProducer18 episodes credited for this role (TMDB aggregate — higher usually means a recurring or lead creative role).
T.J. ScottDirector7 episodes credited for this role (TMDB aggregate — higher usually means a recurring or lead creative role).
Deirdre BowenCasting Director6 episodes credited for this role (TMDB aggregate — higher usually means a recurring or lead creative role).
Suzy CatliffCasting Director6 episodes credited for this role (TMDB aggregate — higher usually means a recurring or lead creative role).
Carlo DusiProducer6 episodes credited for this role (TMDB aggregate — higher usually means a recurring or lead creative role).
Chris Phillip (II)Producer6 episodes credited for this role (TMDB aggregate — higher usually means a recurring or lead creative role).

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