“When They See Us” The Best Shows of 2019:
Around three decades ago, the Police arrested five African American Teenagers and charged them with raping and beating a Caucasian Female jogger in Central Park. Thanks to the media and the prosecutors, they were proven guilty without any proof or trial, just on the basis of their skin color they were paraded as monsters to the world.
“When They See Us” is a very emotional show created by the super talented Ava DuVernay for Netflix, and it captures the spirit of the incident very well and depicts to the audience, the horror which many African American have gone through the course of their lives in America, be it Police brutality or racial abuse.
There have been many depictions of the story of the Central Park Five over the years, but When They See Us is the best rendition of that story. There is no doubt about it. It only has four episodes, but it carries more weight in those four episodes than many other tv shows having dozens of episodes.
The first episode introduces us to the ‘Central Park Five’ – Raymond Santana, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Antron, McCray, and Korey Wise. It is important for you to know these names, as these are the people who had their lives destroyed by the hands of the corrupt racist system prevalent in the United States of America. The actors who portray these characters play their part beautifully as you can feel the pain in their performances.
When they see us perfectly reflects the tension and drama of young people’s constant struggle to justify their existence. The real reason this series connects with the audience on an emotional level is due to the acting performances in the series.
The Cinematography adds a lot of weight to the tense environment. Truthfully speaking, this show is very difficult to watch, but it very necessary that you watch this. We have all faced Injustice in our lives at one or another so we can relate to this, but none of us might have gone through such an incident and we sincerely hope none of us do in the future.
When they see us is a fast-paced series that not only shows us the effects of racism but also tackles all the other social issues which are present everywhere in society. It acts as an eye-opener for the society which is much needed in the current society in which we live.
The Political undertone can upset some viewers who do not agree with the representation. Like it is mentioned before, it is not a light watch, you do not want to watch this show if you are not willing to give it all your attention as it might take a toll on your emotions.
Talking about the creator of the show, Ava DuVernay is a renowned American filmmaker. She became the first African American woman to win the award for Directing in the U.S. dramatic competition at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival for the Movie Middle of Nowhere. She also became the first Black woman to be nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Director. She knows what she is doing and after watching When They See Us you will definitely believe that as well.
Some people have given this show a bad rating because the creator and the show talks against Donald Trump and that did not go down well with his supporters. Leaving aside this political issue, this show sends out a very strong message about a very controversial and sensitive topic.
The scariest aspect of this show is that the things which have happened to those 5 boys could just as easily happen to anyone of us today. People are vilified on social media and are branded as the criminal even before the person has a chance to prove his innocence.
If you have not watched this show yet, then please go and watch it right now as you will learn something and gain a new perspective and the final reason to watch the show – It’s very good.
