She Mad

She Mad is a comprehensive collection that delves into Martine Syms’ groundbreaking episodic project, examining how mass media shapes and frames identities, particularly Black identity and gender. Drawing from early cinema, television, the internet, social media, and surveillance footage, Syms critiques the ways in which these platforms shape the public imagination.

The book compiles materials and documentation from each episode of She Mad, a series that uses various narrative formats, including sitcoms, TikTok videos, and filmed footage, to explore the protagonist Martine—a stoner graphic designer in Hollywood who aspires to be a significant artist.

Episodes like Pilot for a Show about Nowhere (2015) blend semi-autobiographical storytelling with a critical examination of commercial television, while Laughing Gas (2016) pays homage to early cinema and the representation of Black actresses. Intro to Threat Modeling (2017) uses email exchanges and avatars to explore the effects of surveillance on identity, and Bitch Zone (2020) reflects on empowerment for teenage girls through Tyra Banks’ program.