When They See Us
By Sophia Fineza
When They See Us is the single most powerful series I’ve watched. Full disclosure, I watched this under the desire and need to learn more about the current situation taking place in our country today. I probably would not have watched it otherwise. It is not an easy watch because it is very intense, and it’s a departure from most of the content we review. But it’s a very important piece of content and I’m thankful my parents encouraged me to watch it with them.
The stories of these five boys - Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana Jr., and Korey Wise, aka the Central Park 5 - who were shoved through a flawed system in the name of “justice” were horrifying and heartbreaking. Ava DuVernay did an amazing job with directing, especially Part 4, with Korey in solitary confinement, having visions of his loved ones. The show makes you feel a deep sense of dread, but at the same time makes you want to yell at the blatant racism occurring on the screen. The utter disgust I felt watching the criminal system wrong these boys, again and again, were only amplified by DuVernay’s skills. They were nothing but children, but they were treated like they were already criminals due to the color of their skin. Though the series took place in the 80s, When They See Us has people in power that are still impacting our society hugely today, namely our own president who, at the time, took out $85,000 in ads in order to deem these children worthy of the death penalty. Neither him nor the former head of the sex crimes unit, Linda Fairstein, have said anything about their actions, and Netflix and Ava DuVernay have even been sued for defamation - though thankfully Fairstein didn’t win.
The acting in this show is phenomenal. The performances, especially Jharrel Jerome as Korey Wise, were amazing. To follow these boys from beginning to end was saddening but inspiring at the same time. When They See Us is a must watch for everyone because the message is so important, especially in today’s society, as these problems have not yet been fixed. This series sends the message that we need to band together, never give up hope, and believe that justice will be served.
logline: Five teens in Harlem become trapped in a nightmare when they’re falsely accused of a brutal attack in Central Park. Based on the true story.
Source: IMDb
My Favorite Character:
Jharrel Jerome as Korey Wise - his episode (part 4) was my personal favorite. He remained strong throughout his entire experience in prison, and the way he never gave in and admitted to doing the crime was really inspirational, not just for the Black Lives Matter movement, but it’s a great example of perseverance.
This show is rated TV-MA. Here’s why:
Frightening and Intense Scenes
Violence and Gore
Language
Important facts: The Central Park Five were all exonerated of their alleged crimes, but still served between 6 and 14 years in prison. They were also thankfully awarded a $41 million settlement from the City of New York. The five were featured in a New York Times article and more information on the case can be found here.
Where to Watch: Netlfix
Number of Seasons: 4-part limited series
Image Source: Netflix via IMDb