Unprisoned

"Unprisoned" (S01, 8 eps, 30-min, Hulu) stars cute Kerry Washington as an instagramming therapist raising her 16yo boy in Minneapolis when her father (played by cool cat Delroy Lindo) comes to see her after being released after serving a 17yr prison sentence for crime(s) unknown, maybe that'll be a season two reveal. The show is a dramedy and though it's a racially diverse cast, the writers don't beat you up with divisive social messaging. At its core it's really about a broken family and how prison release isn't as freeing as it would seem. There's an interesting plot device they use when Kerry's character talks to her inner child and that features young Jordyn McIntosh who's a firecracker and actually uses hard-swears in her dialogue which I thought was a Hollywood no-no. In any case, it's a really good show that we were disappointed in its short 8-ep run, having to wait another year for a second season if it even happens. These streamers' 8-10 ep seasons are plain $@#% at this point. We need solid 22-ep commitments that made tv entertainment great.

This is a gem of a series. Great cast, great storyline, super charming, emotionally intelligent, witty and did I mention charming. Kerry Washington and Delroy Lindo are superb, this had me hooked from the first episode, by the time I looked away from the screen I was on episode 8 and it had gone dark outside. I love how this series approached important and relevant subject matters but still managed to keep it light. Not an easy thing to do but achieved through super smart writing, perfect timing and seamless delivery from this talented cast. I really hope we get a season 2, I need to know where the story goes. 10/10.

So far, I'm a few episodes in and I'm falling in love hard with Unprisoned.

There's quite a bit of one liners and a bit of comedic situational set up, however ther is a strong drama through line, especially if you've experienced a distanced/estranged relationship with a parent. The comedy is there to lighten it, which is paced well and fitting in a cultural aspect.

Kerri Washington & Delroy Lindo do a fantastic job at making this father-daughter dynamic feel believable and there is a suspense on how it will resolve for all characters. I know these characters, these personalities are people I've known in my life, so the writing is on point. A special shout out to Jordyn McIntosh as Little Paige, the inner child whose monologues are an insight to Paige's issues in her dynamic with her father, delivered with such sass and comedic timing...I can't wait to see more of her!

Based off of the life of Terry McMillan. I do see work and vulnerability to put this out there. The realness of struggles piking on all at once, microagressions, the love and humor to get you through. This is no laugh track Chuck Lorre, and I for one am glad for the reprieve. It feels like a modern mix of The Cosby Show and Everybody Hates Chris: smart, silly, heartfelt, and most of all real.

9* because I'm in the middle of the season.

Finally, a show with black folks that's not just stupid comedy and gag jokes, or living a hard life growing up in the ghetto in poverty, or people suffering inhuman treatment in slavery, or drug gangsters. A show that shows the beauty in blackness. I love it. I am so tired of the stereotypical portrayals of black folks, because all black folks are not poor, all black folks are not gangsters, all black folks are not into drugs. Kerry Washington is a bright light and Delroy Lindo is a treasure. No formulaic gag jokes here. Kudos to the creatives on this project. Love and family is always messy and this shows we should never give up on either.

We don't often get shows like this.

I'd say the casting department did their job well.

Kerry Washington has a good relationship and legacy with ABC, and it's nice that she gets a starring vehicle that lets her feature her comedy skills. I don't know if this will be limited to the 1 series of 8 half hour episodes, but hopefully we'll get more.

The show is Delroy Lindo's show. He's been a working actor for years who is respected in the industry. He's been in several films that are part of culture. Washington is the lead, but this is Lindo's show.

He's playing a man I see on a daily basis in the community I'm in, but not on screen. The character is complex, and you know Lindo has worked him out for us from how he is on screen. A complex character that is approachable.

This show is based on heavy topics. Daddy issues, release from prison, being black in Minnesota, revisiting relationships, the housing market in America, and how technology changes culture.

The overall tone of the show is lite, and at times cartoonish. It IS a sitcom, in 8 half hour segments that goes into those topics. How it is able to do that is the cast. The last few episodes get a bit heavier, but retain most of the positive tone about life.

We know it is based on a true story. Sometimes trauma includes laughs. It is how we live. The supporting cast, is there for the leads. In many ways they provide the drama to the show, and it is a nice mix.

By the supporting cast providing the drama, we get to enjoy watching how the two leads work through their flaws, with humor.

The shortcomings with the show are in someways related to the sitcom nature. Story lines just end. That is how life is sometimes. Problems just resolve themselves because there isn't anything else you can do with it.

I like the show. It will be nice to see more shows like this in production, and I hope the numbers support that decision for Hulu.