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Miniseries – Roots

Play trailer Poster for Miniseries – Roots 2016 Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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96% Tomatometer 47 Reviews 75% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
The classic story of "Roots" is retold in this miniseries based on Alex Haley's 1976 novel. The show paints a portrait of American slavery through the journey of a family that has a will to survive through many hardships. Malachi Kirby stars as Kunta Kinte, a proud and educated young man who uses those traits to empower himself when he is captured and sold into slavery. While he is enslaved, he challenges his fellow slaves to fight for their freedom as he continues working toward achieving his dream of escaping and returning to his homeland of The Gambia. The miniseries also stars Emmy winner Laurence Fishburne as Haley; Grammy nominee Anika Noni Rose as Kunta's daughter, Kizzy, who is bought by Tom Lea (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), who rapes and impregnates her; and Oscar winner Forest Whitaker as slave musician Fiddler, who mentors Kunta.
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Roots — Miniseries

Roots — Miniseries

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Critics Consensus

A powerfully impressive -- and still relevant -- update on a television classic, Roots boasts remarkable performances, deep emotion, and occasionally jarring beauty.

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Critics Reviews

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Eric Deggans NPR Good as this new Roots is, for those who saw the original, it probably won't have the same impact. May 4, 2021 Full Review Soraya Nadia McDonald Andscape It is unlikely that the four-night event will capture audiences the same way the original series did when it premiered in 1977, thanks to the advent of the DVR. Jun 27, 2018 Full Review Kay Gardella New York Daily News Wisely, Haley bought the rights back and decided the story needed the canvas that only TV can offer. It makes for fuller presentation and a larger audience. He made a wise choice, and so did ABC in showing it on consecutive nights. Jan 18, 2018 Full Review Ed Bark Uncle Barky The History network, in on-air partnership with Lifetime and A&E, has brought forth a Roots that stands tall on its own, but without surpassing the production that once gripped a nation and should still be seen by viewers of all ages. Rated: B+ Jun 12, 2018 Full Review David Nice The Arts Desk For the viewers, and how much more so for the actors involved, the knowledge of that past only heightens the involvement in this nuanced and poetic telling of America's (and Britain's) most shameful history. Rated: 4/5 Apr 4, 2017 Full Review Jeff Beck The Blu Spot This new adaptation of Roots may have a fair amount of downtime throughout its six and a half hours, but it rises on the strengths of its emotionally powerful narrative and outstanding cast, making this a version that does justice to its source material. Rated: 3.5/5 Aug 22, 2016 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Audience Member a superb production and I believe this to stand equal to the original Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/09/23 Full Review jeff b http://www.thebluspot.com/single-post/2016/08/22/Roots-2016-A-New-Telling-for-a-New-Generation-Blu-ray Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member great movie , loved every minute of it Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/09/23 Full Review Audience Member I have not yet seen the original roots but this remake was undeniably a masterpiece well done. Great and perfect casting, faithful to the original source material and evocatively true to its core. One of the best mini-series you will ever see. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/09/23 Full Review Audience Member The moment it came on TV I was hooked. Absolutely amazing! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/09/23 Full Review Audience Member One of the most powerful and disturbing mini-series I have watched recently, Roots is based on Alex Haley's book of the same name about his family's disturbing past through four generations of slavery. There were times — and so many of them — throughout the series that made me gasp and hold the table firmly to be able to see the violence and inhumanity being displayed in front of me. There were moments from the show that re-occurred in my dream and I woke up feeling miserable coming to terms with the terrible things man is capable of. The series also holds a mirror to America's violent past and so many of these undercurrents are still seen in today's society and American politics. Slavery is still not abolished completely from the world but the suffering of slaves and all the people associated with those times finds a resonance with this brilliantly made show. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/09/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Roots — Miniseries

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Cast & Crew

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Laurence Fishburne

Alex Haley

Malachi Kirby

Kunta Kinte

Forest Whitaker

Fiddler

Regé-Jean Page

Chicken George

Anna Paquin

Nancy Holt

Jonathan Rhys-Meyers

Tom Lea

Episodes

Episode 1 Aired May 30, 2016 Part 1 In the river region of The Gambia in 1750, Omoro Kinte and his wife, Binta, give birth to a son, Kunta; Kunta is kidnapped in 1767 and sold to British slave traders; after arriving in Maryland, Virginia planter John Waller purchases Kunta. Details Episode 2 Aired May 31, 2016 Part 2 Redcoats attempt to persuade slaves to run away and join the English army; Kunta escapes but slave catchers apprehend him and amputate half of his foot to ensure he never runs off again; John Waller sells Kunta to his younger brother, William. Details Episode 3 Aired Jun 1, 2016 Part 3 George becomes an accomplished trainer of gamecocks and earns the nickname of Chicken George; George marries Matilda, a preacher's daughter, and fathers many children; Tom Lea loses a wager with an Englishman and sells George to save his farm. Details Episode 4 Aired Jun 2, 2016 Part 4 Chicken George returns to the Lea farm after 20 years; George's son, Tom, nurses a grudge against his father; George and Cyrus join the Memphis Colored Battery; Tom returns home after the war to embark on a new life with his family. Details

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Roots — Miniseries

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Season Info

Executive Producer
Will Packer, Marc Toberoff, Mark Wolper, Lawrence Konner, Mark Rosenthal, Barry Jossen
Network
History
Rating
TV-14 (S|L|V)
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date
May 30, 2016