Black people, aliens, witchcraft, racism, and…. ahhh real monsters?!
Just when you thought your HBO subscription had reached its limit after Insecure’s Season Finale, HBO is back with yet another hit series that focuses on the multi-dimensional Black American experience. Best of all, the creator’s of this new show have set out to both entertain and educate viewers on what it truly means to be Black in America. The series premiere of Lovecraft Country aired just last night on HBO and let me be the first to share: this is a show you want to watch!
As described on the series Official Website via HBO:
Lovecraft Country follows Atticus Freeman as he meets up with his friend, Letitia and his Uncle George on a quest to find his missing father on the dangerous roads of Jim Crow America, circa 1950s.
https://www.hbo.com/lovecraft-country
The show itself is actually based on Matt Ruff’s dark sci-fi fantasy novel, Lovecraft Country, originally published in 2016. The show itself is unlike anything I’ve ever seen in mainstream media and most importantly— it’s for us, about us, portrayed by us, and perfectly illustrates the many dimensions of us!
The First Episode
I had no idea what to expect. The opening scene includes an alien invasion where black soldiers are fighting on a battlefield, with a white man’s voiceover calling the black soldier a “Black Boy.” Implying that although the soldiers are in uniform and fighting for our country, they are still black boy’s in the eyes of their oppressor. The season opener moved kind of slow (to me) at first, but then things sped up real quick once the trio began to travel the dangerous roads of Jim Crow America. We were introduced to various, racist traditions practiced during these times such as blatantly segregated restaurants and sundown towns.
Oh but the plot twist? These viscous MONSTERS come out of nowhere and end up presenting the perfect opportunity for Tic, Leti, and Unlce George to flee from nearly being killed by local police because of racism!!!
The timing of this show couldn’t have been any better. This year has been eye-opening and has forced everyone to finally live in their truth. We are in a spiritual war zone and this show illustrates exactly what’s at stake, and why black people will prevail in the end. From the nationwide celebration of Juneteenth, to the global protests surrounding Black Lives Matter, I think it’s safe to say TIME IS UP for the unlawful, unjust, mistreatment of people with melanin worldwide.
Suggested Reading
As stated earlier, this show is here to both educate AND entertain. HBO shared a stellar list of books to add to your reading list in case the show sparks your imagination to dig a little deeper.
- Kara Walker: My Complement, My Enemy, My Oppressor, My Love
- “The Call of the Cthulhu” by H.P. Lovecraft
- Paradise by Toni Morrison
- “You Want a Confederate Monument? My Body is a Confederate Monument” by Carolyn Randall Williams
Overall, this show is going to give us SOOO MUCH to discuss online and I’m excited to add my perspective to the conversation. Also, can we just revel in the fact that this show is slick a POWERFUL Black American history lesson for us all?
Viewer Reactions to the Series Premiere via Twitter:
So if you deleted your HBO app, it’s safe to say this content is WORTHY of a re-subscribe!
All new episodes of Lovecraft Country air Sundays at 9pm EST on HBO.
Will you be watching Lovecraft Country on HBO?
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Giselle Avenue 