Best TV Couple #11: Shana Elmsford and Anthony Julian

Anthony-- the keeper of Shana's heart-- was also a good friend to her and the band.

Truly, truly outrageous Jem and the Holograms was way ahead of its time. Most cartoons (DuckTales, Thundercats, Talespin, Rescue Rangers, Darkwing Duck) starred talking animals and others (Transformers, G.I. Joe, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Spiderman, X-Men) featured mainly white human characters. For a cartoon to have supporting black roles that were not ambiguous or tokens was pretty revolutionary. To include a black love story between a black woman and a black man was unheard of.  

Shana and Anthony's first meeting.

Fresh on the pop circuit, Jem and the Holograms needed a director for their first music video. They were introduced to tall, dark, and handsome Anthony Julian at a swanky yacht soiree. Immediately, he fell for Shana Elmsford, the band's gorgeous, purple-haired original drummer/fashion designer, taking her under his wing to discuss ideas together in season one, episode two's "Disaster." They became closer and closer-- him holding her close after the "Twilight In Paris" music video incident.

Shana and Anthony kiss.

Anthony became the second major boyfriend on the hit series. Steady and loyal with a caressing brown hand on Shana's pink blushed cheek, he always called her "beautiful-" a great adjective to describe a woman often doubting her strengths and talent. It seemed like a fourth wall breaking, a deliberate reaching out to every brown girl watching the pop culture phenomenon, letting them know that like Shana, they too were "beautiful" in a society that rarely told them so.

Anthony and Shana kept professional on everything. On the set of the Starbright film, villainous Eric Raymond took over the production and Anthony-- who was directing the feature-- quit.  Devastated Shana and the girls soon followed suit, leaving Eric to finish his bad work with The Misfits. Eventually, the creative team headed by Anthony decided to start a lower budget film (with many declining pay)-- which landed Jem a Best Leading Actress Oscar nomination. However, in "Culture Clash," everyone including Shana, weren't sold on Anthony's eclectic idea of having their latest music video integrated with odd performance artist, Fitzgerald Beck. Shana-- along with the others-- let Anthony know that they weren't sold on the new direction.

When Shana believes her friends have deserted her, Anthony lends sweet consolation.

In "The Talent Search," a two parter, at a recording session, Shana is dissatisfied with playing drums until Anthony comes in, springing great news. He suggested her as a designer for a star actress. Anthony obviously holds ample clout in the industry. On word of mouth (and likely her huge double win at the Fashion Show), his campaigning and praise of his girlfriend gets her a rare opportunity to shine. Although reserved and doubtful, Shana temporarily leaves the band to pursue her fashion career dreams. Anthony gives Shana emotional support, believing in her abilities, respecting whichever decision she chooses to make.

Unfortunately, the actress is a real diva-- screaming at Shana to redo outfits already designed and put together, ripping up Shana's sketches in a monstrous matter, and begging Shana to sabotage her worth so that other actresses wearing her clothes wouldn't outshine her. It took Shana ample time to stand up and tell the woman to take a hike.

At the end of Shana's decision, Anthony is there to offer advice and a hug. Shana returns to the band and is excited to play her guitar as new member Raya takes up drums.

In season two, episode 19's "Mardi Gras," the band is treated to one of the biggest events in New Orleans. While a pirate is fixated on Shana, she has a special locket....

Revealing.....

Anthony inside. So while Jem and the Holograms travel far and wide, Shana is devoted to her man.

Awful, disastrous film reboot aside, Shana and Anthony were invested in achieving their respective dreams whilst committed to each other. Compared to the complicated Jerrica/Rio/Jem/Riot quadruple and boy juggling Kimber, Shana's long running relationship was a quality depiction of love on the animated series, especially pleasing to a little black girl unused to seeing black women thriving in career and romance-- on a cartoon no less!

A big props to the animators that drew them-- Shana with her lively brown eyes, warm brown skin, and purple afro and Anthony with his low cut 'fro (perhaps a nod to Afro Sheen), trimmed mustache, and darker brown hued skin (which showed that brown came in shades). This was so important.

Actors T. K. Carter and Cindy McGee gave these characters their incredible voices. Carter's smooth resonance could become sympathetic, sincere, and romantic while McGee shared Shana's vulnerability, passion, determination, and strength. They pushed them to full blackness (meaning you knew by listening that these characters were not only black on exterior but they sounded black) and that still means the world today.