When They See Us

TV-MA

4 episodes1 season

US Release

~ What if all boys were created equal? ~

Overview:

Five teens from Harlem become trapped in a nightmare when they're falsely accused of a brutal attack in Central Park.

Created by:

Ava DuVernay

Status:

Ended

Language:

English

First air date:

5/31/2019

Last air date:

5/31/2019

Key words:

new york city
rape
based on true story
miniseries
racism
miscarriage of justice
1980s
race relations
african american

Seasons

Limited Series

4 Episodes

Cast

Asante Blackk

~ as ~

Young Kevin Richardson

Jharrel Jerome

~ as ~

Korey Wise

Ethan Herisse

~ as ~

Young Yusef Salaam

Marquis Rodriguez

~ as ~

Young Raymond Santana Jr.

Caleel Harris

~ as ~

Young Antron McCray

Marsha Stephanie Blake

~ as ~

Linda McCray

Michael Kenneth Williams

~ as ~

Bobby McCray

John Leguizamo

~ as ~

Raymond Santana Sr.

Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor

~ as ~

Sharonne Salaam

Niecy Nash-Betts

~ as ~

Deloris Wise

View full cast & crew

Reviews (1)

Peter McGinn
Written 4 year(s) ago
9
I was reluctant to watch this miniseries, because I had read a lot about it and I thought, gee, I know how it turns out, so why watch a grim, depressing reconstruction of it? But I realized eventually that I had to give it a chance. So many people loved it so much, and most of the very few who didn’t hated it so much, I figured it must be good and accurate for that kind of response. And so it was.

The acting, to me, seemed superb. (I don’t pretend to be an expert film reviewer; I only know what I like and what seems like quality.) There were some gruesome scenes, as the plot demands, but not as many as I anticipated, and they were balanced by small acts of grace for the five boys.

They did something odd with the plotting, not just telling the story in chronological order, or for each suspect separately, but a combination or those methods. Telling some of the story for the group and branching out to divide the story later on. It is hard to explain, but effective.

I am not going to get lost in the politics of racism and unequal justice that underpins this story. There are good people and not so good people depicted here. Some of the good ones make mistakes, and a few of the less good ones redeem themselves a little. Others don’t. Mostly the movie says to me that it is easier to hope when you have love, and easier to love when you have hope.