Drama
The Tattooist of Auschwitz
The Tattooist of Auschwitz is a little like its titular character. It’s painful. It gets under your skin. And it just might leave a mark.
Black-ish’s Rainbow “Bow” Johnson , née Jackson, didn’t have a normal childhood. She grew up in a “hippie, judgment-free utopia where loved ruled all.” There was no racism or sexism, and everyone was truly equal. They held hands and danced in circles. They prayed together and ate together … and they were also arrested together when the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives classified their commune as “a radicalized cult in violation of over 47 ATF regulations.”
That was 1985. Bow was 12 years old. And in the wake of that arrest, her life changed forever.
Although her parents didn’t face any serious charges, they had to leave their beloved commune home behind and start their lives over. Gone were the days of using “talking sticks” during family discussions and growing their own food in a garden. “I can’t wait six months to eat,” Bow’s mom (Alicia) tells her dad (Paul). But gone also were the days of not teaching their kids about the differences between races.
Thrust into a world of b-boys and material girls, Bow and her siblings (Johan and Santamonica) realize for the first time in their lives that being “mixed” isn’t normal. Their mother is black, their father white. As Bow points out, interracial marriages weren’t legal until 1967, making the Jackson siblings likely the first mixed-race children in their suburban neighborhood.
The show puts a heavy emphasis on family and supporting each other through the hard times. Alicia and Paul, after realizing how hard the real world was going to be for their kids, commit to preparing Bow and her siblings for success without giving up their values: love, sharing and pescatarianism among them. They adapt to their new environment and reassure their children that no matter what, they will all get through this together.
The Jacksons receive some help along the way from Harrison Jackson III (Paul’s conservative whisky-drinking, gun-toting father) and Denise (Alicia’s outspoken, peak ‘80s-culture sister). These two can be a little overwhelming for the Jackson parents at times (Harrison has a certain propensity for making off-hand racial comments and putting down his son, and Denise clearly wants her nieces and nephew to embrace the ‘80s as she has), but they ultimately have the Jackson family’s best interests at heart.
As a prequel spin-off to ABC’s black-ish, mixed-ish documents how the Johnson family matriarch went from being raised in a cult to becoming a skilled anesthesiologist. It mildly deals with some adult themes, such as drug use, and Harrison’s racial comments can be jarring and offensive. but mostly, it shows that underneath all the problems, Bow’s wildly diverse family was made up of flawed but deeply loving people. And it shows Bow growing up and trying to find her place in a world where nobody was like her, not even her parents.
Rainbow, Johan and Santamonica try to discover who they are in a world where being “mixed” makes them “weirdos.” Alicia and Paul struggle to maintain their ideals while still putting food on the table.
ATF agents chase down and tackle several cult members. It is indicated that one of the cult leaders had three wives. A black-and-white newsreel depicts a man being roughly handled by police at a protest.
Bow’s grandfather makes several crass racial statements, mocks his son and daughter-in-law’s former hippie lifestyle, screams at someone on the telephone before slamming down the receiver, drinks whiskey, and preaches his own values to his grandchildren—values that conflict with his son’s. He also admits to using cocaine.
Bow’s parents kiss. A daughter asks if her mom is wearing a bra. A woman wears very tight Lycra clothing. Alicia’s sister semi-apologizes to Paul for trying to set Alicia up with another man at their wedding. She also says letting the kids wear their clothes from the commune is “child abuse.”
Paul teaches his children that only “facists” interrupt and only “capitalists” conform. Berkeley is described as a school “for commies.” A son calls his father a “playboy.” Bow describes her neighbors as “rotund.” “Shut up” and “idiot” are both used several times and God’s name is misused once.
Emily studied film and writing when she was in college. And when she isn’t being way too competitive while playing board games, she enjoys food, sleep, and geeking out with her husband indulging in their “nerdoms,” which is the collective fan cultures of everything they love, such as Star Wars, Star Trek, Stargate and Lord of the Rings.
The Tattooist of Auschwitz is a little like its titular character. It’s painful. It gets under your skin. And it just might leave a mark.
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