X
- 2020
- TV-MA
- SHOWTIME
- 2020
- TV-MA
- SHOWTIME
Summary A young slave named Onion (Joshua Johnson-Lionel) becomes a part of John Brown's (Ethan Hawke) family, interacting with other abolitionists like Frederick Douglass (Daveed Diggs) and eventually the 1859 raid of the Army depot at Harpers Ferry in this limited series adaptation of James McBride's novel of the same name.
- 2020
- TV-MA
- SHOWTIME
- 2020
- TV-MA
- SHOWTIME
The Good Lord Bird
Season 1 Premiere: Oct 4, 2020
6.8
Where to Watch
Summary A young slave named Onion (Joshua Johnson-Lionel) becomes a part of John Brown's (Ethan Hawke) family, interacting with other abolitionists like Frederick Douglass (Daveed Diggs) and eventually the 1859 raid of the Army depot at Harpers Ferry in this limited series adaptation of James McBride's novel of the same name.
Where to Watch
All Seasons
Top Cast
Metascore
Universal Acclaim
Based on 25 Critic Reviews
84
100% Positive
25 Reviews
25 Reviews
0% Mixed
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Universal Acclaim
Based on 25 Critic Reviews
84
100% Positive
25 Reviews
25 Reviews
0% Mixed
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
The Good Lord Bird is an unusual thing: a smart, starry treatment of serious historical events that manages to retain a sense of humour without losing heart or gravitas.
Hawke mesmerizes as Brown — excellent casting for a wild-eyed character — and Johnson brings a mix of a child’s innocence and a young man’s recognition of the craziness of the world around him to his sometimes heartbreaking performance as Onion.
A boldly entertaining and ultimately moving seven-part limited series, producer and star Ethan Hawke does justice to the legend, and to history. [28 Sep - 11 Oct 2020, p.9]
What matters most is that the series takes a brutish time in history frequently presented dryly out of respect, and dares successfully to capture the uproarious insanity of a righteous, outgunned rebel. Brown's image may not be wholly transformed by this rendition of "The Good Lord Bird," but surely Hawke's work here should elevate our estimation of his skills and how far he's willing to do to resurrect our estimation of figures moldering and, if not forgotten, at least somewhat misconstrued.
It’s startling how many laughs Hawke generates — and, for that matter, how funny The Good Lord Bird is as a whole, given its subject matter. Hawke, Richard, and their other collaborators (among the directors: Albert Hughes, Kevin Hooks, and Haifaa Al-Mansour) have managed to retain the satirical spirit of McBride’s book.
The performances, the production’s gritty authenticity and the high stakes struggle mixed with droll observations about the committed but flawed people engaged in it makes “The Good Lord Bird” the TV event of the fall, and one of the best limited series of the year.
“The Good Lord Bird” shouldn’t work, but somehow the evocatively shot series leaps from the pages of history. And though it might lose its way, in the same meandering fashion as one of Brown’s prayers, writers never forget that the goal is seeing Black people fighting for their freedom.
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 63 User Ratings
6.8
73% Positive
46 Ratings
46 Ratings
6% Mixed
4 Ratings
4 Ratings
21% Negative
13 Ratings
13 Ratings
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 63 User Ratings
6.8
73% Positive
46 Ratings
46 Ratings
6% Mixed
4 Ratings
4 Ratings
21% Negative
13 Ratings
13 Ratings
There are no user reviews yet. Be the first to add a review.
Production Company:
- Blumhouse Television
- Under the Influence Productions
Initial Release Date: Oct 4, 2020
Number of seasons: 1 Season
Rating: TV-MA
Awards
Golden Globes, USA
• 1 Nomination
Satellite Awards
• 3 Wins & 4 Nominations
International Online Cinema Awards (INOCA)
• 1 Win & 3 Nominations
