by Mike Hilty, Contributing Writer
Watching a novel I read in high school or college be adapted to the screen is something I enjoy. I like watching to see if the performers who were cast look similar to what I envisioned in my head. As an English major, I’ve been burned a lot when it comes to my vision of how a novel is translated to the screen. I know, it’s not an easy task, and maybe a part of it is my expectations getting in the way.
Octavia E. Butler’s masterpiece, Kindred, is the latest page-to-screen adaption that is being tested now.
Kindred is a tricky show to review. It deals with a lot of heavy themes involving racism, slavery, gender, and the power dynamics that wrap all of those together, many of which I’ve never experienced as a Caucasian male living in suburbia in the U.S. However, I appreciate watching a series like this because it helps expose a lot of hard truths about American society that more people need to be enlightened about. That’s what makes Kindred not only an important series to watch, but a great one as well.
The main story revolves around a talented writer named Dana (Mallori Johnson), who moves to Los Angeles from New York to be closer to her last remaining family. There, she meets Kevin (Micah Stock) at a local restaurant. One night after Kevin drives her home, Dana is suddenly thrust into the Southern United States during the era of slavery. What she experiences there is unimaginable, as the mystery of what she’s meant to do slowly comes into focus.
One thing I give Kindred credit for is that it’s not interested in explaining how this all works. Let’s just call it what it is: Dana is traveling through time somehow. It’s not a matter of her consciousness traveling back in time, or a variant; it’s physically her traveling in time to this plantation. A lot of other series or movies will try to explain how time travel works and establish rules, but Kindred is squarely focused on why Dana is at the plantation. There’s a reason, which is the big mystery for the season.
Kindred tells a fascinating story about Dana in a lot of different ways. Dana’s life in L.A. is somewhat explored, and there are consequences when she travels back in time. That’s something I enjoyed about the time travel: the real-life implications of Dana disappearing for extended periods. When Dana figures out why she is transported back to the plantation, the tension is ratcheted up because there’s no explanation as to when she will be sent back to the modern day, and what her presence there will do at an estate that has many slaves.
The only thing for which I will give the plantation setting credit is the set design and the costumes. They’re both wonderfully done. However, the time spent on the plantation is difficult to get through at times. This is a good time to bring up any trigger warnings for anyone uneasy about violence and sexual assault. Kindred is not shy about what happens to the people on the plantation, and it’s graphic. If this is something that makes you uncomfortable, think hard about if, how, and when you want to watch Kindred.
Kindred’s greatest asset is the way issues of race and gender are explored in the Antebellum south. White men have all the power in the southern United States during this time, and the way they treat their slaves, particularly the women, is atrocious. Black women are at even greater risk in Kindred because there is also an increased risk of sexual assault, in addition to the violence. This is what puts Dana in such a dire situation when she is at the plantation. She is punished for being from modern times due to her knowing how to read and not being afraid to speak her mind. This gets her in trouble quite a bit with a lot of people on the plantation, but it also affects the other slaves.
Johnson is a strong performer who does a fantastic job as Dana. She has tremendous conviction in the role, and manages to convey how hard of a situation she is in. The reason why she is there is deeply personal for her, and it exposes a lot of unfortunate scenarios about the past that she’s not ready to deal with. Regardless, Johnson does a phenomenal job. Also, her chemistry with Stock makes for a dynamic duo that complements each other well.
Kindred is an incredible series that has a great story, wonderful performances, and important and timely themes that it isn’t afraid to explore. I struggled to watch it multiple times, but that doesn’t change the fact that it is one of Hulu’s stronger original shows in a long time. The only real knock I have on Kindred is that if it is indeed a miniseries, it leaves a lot on the table to be explored. It feels like Season Two is necessary to complete the entire novel. It’s not a straight retelling of Butler’s work, and the changes that are made open the door for a slightly different story. In the end, Kindred is an engaging show with a lot to offer its viewers.
Score: 8/10
Kindred is currently streaming on Hulu
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