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Furthermore, critics argue that if the goal was to showcase Black talent, casting Raven in the lead from the start would have been the most straightforward route—yet she was brought in as a sidekick and later promoted to lead because of her talent, not race. The notion that industry insiders were uncomfortable with a Black woman leading a show contradicts the televised landscape of the early 2000s, which had multiple successful Black-led sitcoms and dramas.