TV Review - When They See Us

Ava DuVernay is the Oscar-nominated filmmaker who has co-written and directed this miniseries. Before her recognition at the 89th Academy Awards, she won the U.S. Directing Award: Dramatic for her film Middle of Nowhere (2012). DuVernay became the first African-American woman to win that prize at the Sundance Film Festival. Middle of Nowhere was about a black woman dealing with the aftermath of her husband going to prison for many years. Four years later, DuVernay would make the documentary 13th (2016), which would directly address the criminal justice system and how it unfairly incarcerates people of color, particularly Black and Latino men who are put into prison disproportionately and sometimes wrongly. That documentary is what got her an Oscar-nomination, and both those projects seem like the perfect preparation for her to tell this story, the story of the Central Park Five.

On April 19, 1989, a white female jogger was assaulted and raped in the northern part of Central Park in New York City. That same night a bunch of other assaults occurred or were reported. Five teenagers were arrested. Four of them were African-American. One was Latino. The five boys were coerced into giving false confessions, confessions that were recorded to video tape. During the trial, DNA evidence didn't match any of the boys. Yet, they were all convicted in two separate trials. The media referred to them as the "Central Park Five." They were sentenced to between 5 and 15 years in prison. In 2002, Matias Reyes, a serial rapist and murderer, confessed to being the lone attacker of the female jogger. DNA confirmed his guilt and his confession included details only the true attacker would have known. That same year, all five men had their convictions vacated.

Knowing all this doesn't change the power and the emotional impact of this series. There are some that perhaps don't know about the case or would be surprised by the turn of events. The series though doesn't play like a mystery in that regard. It's pretty clear from the opening sequence in which the fateful night is depicted that the five boys are innocent. The rest of the first episode is also clear that these boys are getting railroaded by an overzealous prosecutor who is perhaps operating with a tinge of racial bias. This series isn't a question of guilt or innocence. It's not about the ending, even though the ending here is magnificently done. It might sound cliché, but this series truly is about the journey, the life-altering journey these boys were unfairly put through.

If I have any criticism of what DuVernay has done here, it's that the whole thing is too short. It's not that more was needed because I think DuVernay balances the amount of time spent on the various aspects in the appropriate, if not perfect amount. Selfishly, what she was giving us was so powerful that I simply wanted more. I dare say that there wasn't a single misstep. The horror and tragedy here are handled with such care, compassion and ultimately beauty that I could have reveled in it for a hour or two more. However, I am a unique case that I don't mind hard-hitting and emotional drama that makes me cry.

There have been some TV series that have pulled at my heartstrings. The current NBC series This Is Us is one such example. However, that show goes for sentimentality that's almost manipulative. It's not to say that This Is Us is any better or worse. It's simply working on a heightened and more-knowing level. It never feels fully contrived but does approach that line. DuVernay's series, however, never approaches that line. It feels always in the moment, always with urgency and compelling from beginning to end. It's near impossible to take one's eyes off it.

At times, it reminded me of The People v. O. J. Simpson (2016), but that felt more like one-long, casting stunt that was more about celebrity both on-screen and behind-the-scenes. It was more about caricature and never really about getting in the head of its titular subject, although an adequate sketch was drawn in that series. That Emmy-winner was also more about the lawyers, both defending and prosecuting. With the exception of the second episode, this series is a legal drama that doesn't really dwell on the lawyers or even the case. DuVernay never loses sight of the boys who were caught in this maelstrom. It's also why her title for this series is so vital and important.

DuVernay's series is also reminiscent of HBO's The Night Of (2016). That series did a good job of balancing a mystery and the legal drama, meaning actual courtroom scenes, with giving us the perspective of a young man of color being put into prison for something he didn't do and how perceptions of his race, ethnicity or culture contributed to his incarceration. In that show's case, it was Islamophobia or bigotry toward Muslim or Arab people. It was a kind of xenophobia. Here, DuVernay is never too blunt with her cultural criticisms. The only real attack is a scene where Aunjanue Ellis (Quantico and The Book of Negroes) who plays the mother of one of the Central Park Five spouts some words against Donald Trump who at the time had paid for a newspaper ad against the boys. Other than that, DuVernay stays focused on the boys and their families.

The series is comprised of four episodes. Those episodes could be divided in half. The first, two episodes center on the boys before their conviction. The last, two episodes center on the boys when they're older, as men, dealing with the aftermath. With the exception of one, each of the convicted are played by two different actors. Nine actors were employed to play five characters. All of them do a tremendous job, but of course there are some standouts that have to be noted.

Jharrel Jerome (Moonlight and First Match) stars as Korey Wise, a 16-year-old who lives in Harlem. He's in the eleventh grade. He likes basketball. He likes going to Coney Island. He likes hanging out with his friends. He even has a girlfriend who he takes out to eat at the local chicken shack. He has a single mother and one sibling. He's with his girlfriend when his friends pressure him to go with them into Central Park at night. When chaos ensues and police arrive, Korey runs and is able to escape. The next day, Korey accompanies his friend who is picked up by police. Korey ends up becoming a target of the police as well. Unlike the others, he's convicted as an adult and sent to Rikers Island, whereas the others are sent to juvenile facilities that aren't as horrible.

It can't be underscored that if this series receives awards recognition and its actors are nominated, Jerome for sure should be at the top. His performance is beyond amazing. The whole thing is certainly an ensemble piece where there's no one protagonist. It truly is about all five of the boys, but if there had to be a lead actor or one to be considered as such here, it should probably be Jerome. It's not fair to compare the trauma that each of the boys' experienced, but it just seems as if Korey went through the worst of it. Portraying it feels like Jerome was put through the same torture. It was so raw and moving that not nominating Jerome would be another injustice against the real-life man being portrayed.

Asante Blackk makes his screen debut playing Kevin Richardson, an aspiring musician. He carries around a trumpet, hoping to get first chair in his school's orchestra. Unlike Korey, Kevin is arrested the night of the rape. He is and looks the youngest of all five. Yet, the police question him without a parent present. Kevin has a family. Like with a lot of families though, they had to work. The boys were held in the police station for hours and some family members couldn't be there. Kevin's sister, Angie, played by Kylie Bunbury (Pitch and Under the Dome), showed up, but, when she does, Kevin had already been aggressively interrogated for hours and his desire to go home comes out of him like a guttural scream that is painful to watch because one can feel the terror in both Kevin and Angie's souls.

Caleel Harris (Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween and Castle Rock) plays Antron McCray. He's a typical, New York kid, a Yankees fan. Like Korey, Antron is picked up the next day. However, he has his father with him. Antron is interrogated for hours as well. He's a little bit stronger and keeps affirming his innocence, but things change when his father starts to get weary.

Michael Kenneth Williams (Boardwalk Empire and The Wire) also co-stars as Bobby McCray, the aforementioned father to Antron. He doesn't believe that his son did anything wrong, but he's an early example of how a black man caught up in the criminal justice system can feel trapped or disenfranchised. He's an example of how a black man can feel powerless and see that the system can be weaponized to victimize even more people of color. His role also reminded me of the first season of ABC's American Crime when black and brown people of lower economic status who aren't fully educated of their legal rights or legal consequences can make mistakes that make things worse, despite their intentions being good. Watching what Bobby goes through as a result of his own good intentions is heartbreaking and Williams deserves what could be his third Emmy nomination for acting.

Ethan Herisse plays Yusef Salaam. He's a young Muslim. He doesn't seem to be a practicing Muslim before his incarceration. He's the son of one. His mother is Sharon, played by the aforementioned Aunjanue Ellis. Herisse is less seen than Ellis. Sharon is more prominent in the first, two episodes. Speaking of American Crime, Ellis is reminiscent of the character Regina King played in the first season of that ABC series. It's funny because Ellis and King recently worked together in If Beale Street Could Talk (2018). Unfortunately though, in the last, two episodes, Yusef's story is less prominent than the others.

Freddy Miyares in his first major role plays Raymond Santana. He's the one Latino of the Central Park Five. He's caught up like the others. Yet, his story is probably the most significant of the boys after their incarceration. In the third episode, when Raymond is released from prison, he has to live with his father, Raymond Sr., played by John Leguizamo (Waco and Bloodline). Raymond's father has remarried and has a lot of children, making for a very crowded and tense living situation. Meanwhile, Raymond has to try to find a job, which proves very difficult, given his conviction and what his conviction is. Also, maintaining a girlfriend with all those conditions is very problematic too. Miyares is new to the acting scene but he's terrific as this frustrated boy now thrust with adult responsibilities with so many chips against him, possibly pushing him toward criminal activity.

There are other small performances, probably too many to mention, but one that has to be noted is Isis King who plays Marci Wise, the sister to Korey. She's a transgendered actress who is incredible in a very surprising aspect of the series. The fact that DuVernay would make space for her story shows the depth of this miniseries overall and the kind of nuance and compassion she has as a storyteller. The breath and beauty here are something to behold. It's enriching, enlightening and empathetic unlike anything I've seen in years. It is by far one of the best series of the year.

Rated TV-MA.
Running Time: 1 hr. / 4 eps.

Available on Netflix.