Raising “Cane”(’s Ratings) Might Pave The Way For More Shows About Murderous Brown Families In Nice Clothes

CBS drama, and the most important show since “Que Pasa USA,” “Cane” is under a lot of pressure. One of the few shows on network TV to focus exclusively on the ideals, hopes, dreams and cold-blooded murders conducted by a Hispanic family, many are looking at it as a harbinger of things to come, in terms of “ethnic programming:”

The importance of the show did not escape veteran performer Rita Moreno.

“Because as a Latina, it’s so important for me to remind you of why this is important to many of us and particularly to the two older members of the cast,” Moreno says during an interview in July. “It’s the first time, as far as I know, that you will ever see a successful, educated, beautifully dressed, articulate Latino family who don’t necessarily talk like this all the time [speaking in a thick Latino accent].

Too bad no one’s watching it. Latinos aren’t as much fun when they’re well-dressed. Or when they’re dressed. Cuban-American actor Nestor Carbonell isn’t feeling the pressure, though:

“I come from Cuban-American parents, but I’m an actor first,” says Nestor Carbonell, who plays Frank Duque. “When I got into this business, it was to act and to play different kinds of roles.

“This happens to be a role where I’m of Cuban heritage. But I don’t feel a burden necessarily to portray a certain image. If anything, I’m playing a Machiavellian role, and I want to play that as well as I can. But in terms of like trying to portray a family in a certain way, I don’t feel that burden.”

That’s right. The vengeful murders, double-crossings and illicit sexual romps should speak for themselves, like they did at our primita Usnavy’s seventh birthday party.

Fate of ‘Cane’ has implications for other ethnic shows [Fresno Bee]