Millie Black

Meet Millie Black" is a standout series that sets a new benchmark for filmmaking in Jamaica. From the opening scene, it's clear that this is a love letter to the island, showcasing its raw beauty and cultural complexity with unparalleled authenticity. The writing is refreshingly natural, capturing the rhythms of Jamaican life and language without artifice or cliché. Each dialogue feels organic, pulling the viewer deeper into Millie's world.

The acting is equally stellar, with performances that resonate on both emotional and intellectual levels. The titular character, Millie Black, is brought to life with nuance and depth, her struggles and triumphs portrayed in a way that feels deeply relatable. Supporting characters shine just as brightly, creating a rich tapestry of personalities that reflect Jamaica's vibrant spirit.

What truly elevates Meet Millie Black is the visual storytelling. The cinematography captures Jamaica in a way rarely seen on screen, highlighting its beauty, grittiness, and the unique interplay between modernity and tradition. This level of attention to detail and craftsmanship has been sorely missed in Jamaican cinema, and it's a joy to see it executed so masterfully here.

This series is a game-changer, not just for Jamaican storytelling, but for global audiences hungry for fresh, authentic voices. Meet Millie Black has set a high standard, and I can't wait to see more projects of this caliber emerge. It's a must-watch.

I thought this was a really good series and couldn't believe the low 6.5 rating in IMDb. I am a fan of police/crime/thriller/mystery dramas, however so many are mundane, formulaic, and predictable. So I welcomed this series which was a refreshing break from the formulaic stuff being churned out nowadays. I thought it fast-paced and believable with clever and moving interwoven plotlines.

I did have a problem understanding the Jamaican dialect which I'm not accustomed to and wished subtitles had been provided (not available with my edition). Yet one still cares about the main protagonists and what will happen to them. I did lose a sense of plot twists occasionally but that didn't affect my overall enjoyment of the series. I'm already on the lookout for Season 2.

Does anyone know the definition of a sleeper anymore?! Because this is it...a bona fide diamond in the rough! I just started watching this show on a whim and was whisked away into a mind-blowing crime-drama adventure! I was delighted to see the subtitles to preserve the authentic and beautiful dialect of patois, and equally shocked and taken in by the plight of the LGBTQIA+ community in a culture that is criminally hostile to them. To be honest, I was surprised this marginalized segment of people got the proper story they deserve, so that others can witness how they have to live and die at the hands of so-called humans who act as judge, jury, and executioner over them for simply living and loving as they see fit. The show is a beautifully crafted and rendered in film as it is etched on the heart. Breath-taking! The Black-led cast of Tamara Lawrence, Chyna McQueen, and Gershwin Eustache, Jr. Are magnificent! The idea of telingl each episode from the perspective of a different character is not new, but makes for fabulous story-telling! I'm hooked and will be here for the full ride!

This was heading for a solid eight or nine stars until episode four. I just couldn't believe what was being left behind and the callous way it was done. It was completely out of character and incongruous with the whole thrust of the return to Jamaica. I also had difficulty believing the substitution in the episode on the plane.

Apart from this there were action aplenty, plot twists, loads of murders, intrigue. All of them melded into a coherent narrative that came together in the final episode.

Running through the storyline was a theme of how gay men are treated in Jamaica and the homophobia they suffer. We saw two ways that gay guys dealt with this - one way was to be completely overt and camp like Millie's trans sister. The other was to remain deeply in the closet like Millie's colleague Curtis. Neither way is satisfactory. One leads to brutal beatings and murder, the other leads to exposure and ostracism. Jamaican society is savagely anti-gay, partly a legacy of colonial laws and partly a result of the American evangelical churches that have poisoned discourse on the island. This theme is an interesting human interest strand in the overall crime story.

I really liked this. I just didn't like parts of episode four. I recommend it strongly nonetheless.

Millie-Jean Black grew up in The UK, but was originally born in Kingston, Jamaica, until she clashes with her mother and was sent to London. After a tough time in The Met, Millie returns to Jamaica, where she's investigating murder, abduction and trying to help her sister.

I loved that this felt different, unlike any other procedural cop show I've seen in ages, it's well paced, intriguing, has several actions scenes, it just manages to keep you interested.

I really did enjoy the look at West Indian, Jamaican culture, very interesting and refreshing, and whilst it did spend a lot of time criticising British culture, it's just worth pondering attitudes on being gay in both countries, one is hugely accepting, one isn't. I don't think the writer ignored that, to his credit.

Tamara Lawrence did an excellent job, I really hope we get to see more Millie Black.

8/10.