Stephen Laurent

I would first of all like to applaud the BBC for the fine quality of their period drama "Les Miserables" which I enjoyed tremendously alongside of my family who also all enjoyed it too. Initially, my only complaint was that it was far too short and, as there were so many gaps in the story that were unaccounted for,. the series could have been much longer. However as time went by I realised that there seemed to be a pattern developing in the way that the different characters were portrayed. There seems to be a theme throughout this series of placing black characters in roles where they would end up dead. or be villainous scoundrels when this would have been highly unlikely in Victor Hugo's original novel just as it would be highly unlikely in modern day France. The role of Inspector Javert was cast as a black man and seemed to me to be out of place for the time-frame. and at first I applauded the brave casting but then ultimately Javert would end up taking his life The role of Thenardier , the worst character of all was also cast as a black man . The elder daughter of Thenardier was seen as a some sort of prostitute mixed race child and was played by a mixed race person. She also wound up dead. There was a little boy who also ended up dead. played by a mixed race boy Meanwhile the "good" characters were all white. Is that pure chance or is this part of an ongoing predisposition to place black actors in positions where they are "dispensable" as no-one will shed a tear when they are gone. I noticed that the same thing occurred in the series "Taboo" as well. Is it is time for the BBC and film makers to face up to the fact that blacks are being cast in positions where they will always end up dead?