First, I love this show, It premiered when I was 12 and I nearly crapped a brick when I saw it here on hulu, but I hate to admit that it is very racist. I suppose I was too young to see it back in the day; the racial stereotypes and bigotry. The kind of "black" power ideal, another reviewer called it, "blaxploitation", like some of those old 70's movies, and by definition of the supposed blaxploitation genre this is definitely that. "Because he's young and black", "Us black males", "white boy"...and a dozen other racial terms halfway through the first half of the first episode. Using these terms regardless if they're derogatory toward a specific race, IS still racist.As for Tom and Chia:
Tom says: "THE MAYOR WAS BLACK!!! how's that rascist?"
Now what does the mayor's race have to do with anything?? ya, what you said, that's racism. Chia says: "Wondering how this is racist? All the African American actors."
"Also, do you not see how it shows the 'intelligent' African American's fighting against the stupid people both African American and White? I always thought of this shows empowering."What does the race of the actors have to do with anything? That's racist.
"intelligent African American"?? What are you saying, that most aren't or aren't portrayed to be?? Once again, what does race have to do with anything?
Empowering for whom exactly? You're not saying that a show should intentionally empower a specific race are you??What Bob Chase was mentioning was the script which is FULL of racial labels and socially acceptable racial slurs. That's not to say I won't watch the whole series and enjoy every minute. It'll take me back to a time when I was innocent and the racial propaganda didn't stick out to me like a sore thumb. Racial agenda aside it's still a great show, and what MANY others are saying is true; if they would've toned down the racial overtones just a little, it could have seen the test of time and possibly still be on today...with a special FX boost of course.Great cast; Carl Lumbly before his much longer role in "Alias", and of course the Queen of scifi Gina Torres...who also guest starred on "Alias".
Effects were GREAT for the time. And while all the other superheros were punching and kicking, MANTIS had non violent tech...like James Bond without killing all the bad guys, lol.Thank HULU for the blast from the past.

Wondering how this is racist? All the African American actors. And it's portraying the hip-hop culture of the time. African-American and yes, white boys who wanted to be 'cool' talked that way. I lived through this era as a young 20 something and trust me I wanted to smack more than a few of my friends for talking like this. Also, do you not see how it shows the 'intelligent' African American's fighting against the stupid people both African American and White? I always thought of this shows empowering.

HEY, BOB CHASE, THE MAYOR WAS BLACK!!! how's that rascist? besides even star wars used racial stereotypes for the aliens. Mantis is a comic book superhero tv show. get over yourself... all older comics were slightly to more extremely rascist. does that mean we boycott superman because his name is similar to the nazi term ubermensch? no.as for the "poor pathetic fool who started the show"... have you ever even heard of Sam Raimi? He created the Evil Dead series, did the most recent Spiderman trilogy of movies, and in the mid to late nineties worked on the Hercules and Xena series. he's not poor, pathetic, or a fool... just a kind of b-movie writer. he's just out to make entertainment not expose some world view to the masses in hopes that he will show unbelievers the truth about racial supremecy.you took a fictional script and assumed he had some rascist agenda... your an idiot that does not know one iota of information on the subject you just commented on.