Kindred

Wow! In glancing through the reviews, it looks like those that read the book, aren't happy. But i was on the edge of my seat watching each episode of season one. The acting is super. The story is intriguing, though sad and hard to watch at times. The characters are great (though there are a few i want to smack and/or kick in the nuts, at a minimum). The end of season one leaves me wanting more so i hope season two is in the works. (i googled, it looks like it's planned but not started as of december 2022.)

this is the story of a modern day girl who is dragged into the 1800s, and then dropped back into today. Each time she leaves, she is gone longer, though very little time passes in today's time. She has no idea how she is pulled back in time, or what sends her back to today. She does start to learn as the episodes proceed.

Once i started this 8-episode story, i didn't want to stop. I was about to get the book, but it's not highly reviewed, and if it deviates a lot from this series. I'll wait till the rest of the story (hopefully) plays out on tv.

This is one of the most original and shows from the recent past. Additionally, the topics it touches upon are super current and it addresses social issues like racism, privilege, misogyny, illiteracy... It shows so well how cruel people and a society at large can be but also complicates everything by allowing the audience to understand the matter of fact mindset of people who behave terribly towards other humans.

The acting is solid. (The protagonist's looks and behavior resemble somewhat Viola Davis. It's like a younger version of her. Would be cool to see them both in the same movie as siblings, mother and daughter or same person at different ages!) The plot makes sense and is super tense and interesting... Word in the press is the makers are shopping the show to other streaming services and I really hope someone picks it up and the shops continues. In the meantime I am going to read the book. First session is supposedly only the first third of the book and I must find our hours it continues.

I give this film an A. Expertly developed storyline!

The plot thinckens! I didn't realize there would be a season 2. Hope it's not cancelled, as I must see what happens next! I was vested in this series from the first minute of the initial episode. This film delivers, like I never imagined.

The lead plays her character brilliantly! I was a little iffy on Tom, but he grew on me, and I just love his character. The aunt and uncle add to the suspense. The "massa" character is a little slow, yet just when you think he's fooled he catches on, and leaves you on pins and needles. This is must see TV!

Let me start by saying that i haven't read the book, but after watching this mini-series, i plan to. Kindred is heartbreaking, stomach turning and sadly, a look back at our violent past. As much as some have tried to erase our ugly past, it's still there and always will be. And if we don't stop and try to learn from it, we're doomed to repeat it. For me the most horrific moment was the sadistic, cold venom that came from a child, no doubt learned from everyday practices.

Kindred isn't an easy watch, but it should be a necessary one, especially with the recent waves of antisemitic hatred on the rise. I hope we learn the important lessons before it's too late.

Unfortunately, the show falls far short of the book. It isn't that it made changes. It's that the voice feels far removed from that of OEB. The themes it tries to explores feel, at times, heavy handed, and other times, not fully disected. It's so sad that the first adaption of OEB's work, and likely her most prolific, should feel so middle of the road.

I don't quite understand why the story was so heavily changed. Little of the dialogue feels taken from the book, and it sadly is not for the better. Tge result is a story that fails to fully grasp what made the book so exceptional even as we approach it's 50th anniversary.