Stereotype Assumptions

Tessa Perkins
A stereotype of illegal immigrants is that they have little skills and will always be doing to simple jobs for the smallest wage. In Hotel Babylon, all of the immigrants are either shown to be working in the kitchen or cleaning. This slightly counteracts the stereotype as some of the immigrants are working in the kitchen which you have to have some skills for. But, the majority of immigrants are not white and are from a different background. This establishes that it is the minority groups that are being stereotyped. It also implies that they are less powerful. But, the stereotype is overcome and made positive at one point. This is when one of the immigrants has fallen ill and another person saves them. This is because he was once a doctor and is highly skilled, but most people assume that they all have little skills. This helps to position the audience to feel differently and have sympathy for the immigrants. Tessa's theory said that it can not be held about one's own group which is represented in Hotel Babylon as the illegal immigrants are all from different parts of the world.


Leon Festinger
He can be used to explain the popularity of similar TV dramas like Hotel Babylon. These shows were popular because they used the general stereotypes that were around and they were what everyone agreed with and believed. Festiger's theory was that people resist to adjust their attitudes unless faced with overwhelming evidence against it. In Hotel Babylon it confirms those views because they show the stereotype of illegal immigrants and ethnicity. It also identifies that the police who are taking away the immigrants are the antagonists when they should actually be the protagonists because they are 'heroes' in society.