Queen Sugar: First Things First
September 17, 2016 3:34 PM - Season 1, Episode 1 - Subscribe
The premiere of the series about estranged siblings who come together to save their family's ailing sugarcane farm in Louisiana. (Adapted for television by Ava DuVernay from the novel by Natalie Baszile)
Vulture interview: Ava DuVernay on Directing Queen Sugar, Properly Lighting Actors of Color, and Why She Used to Be More Brave
Vulture episode 1 recap
AV Club - Ava DuVernay’s gorgeous OWN drama Queen Sugar is a thing unto itself (general S1 review based on screening episodes 1-3)
Indiewire: ‘Queen Sugar’: Director Neema Barnette is Ava Duvernay’s Secret Weapon In Shattering the Glass Ceiling
Vulture interview: Ava DuVernay on Directing Queen Sugar, Properly Lighting Actors of Color, and Why She Used to Be More Brave
Vulture episode 1 recap
AV Club - Ava DuVernay’s gorgeous OWN drama Queen Sugar is a thing unto itself (general S1 review based on screening episodes 1-3)
Indiewire: ‘Queen Sugar’: Director Neema Barnette is Ava Duvernay’s Secret Weapon In Shattering the Glass Ceiling
I don't know, poffin boffin, OWN is just part of my cable package. There's an app for the channel though (iTunes link), maybe it's watchable through that?
posted by oh yeah! at 7:01 PM on September 17, 2016
posted by oh yeah! at 7:01 PM on September 17, 2016
Yes, really enjoying his series so far.
The pilot did a good job of doling out information slowly and piling up the complications. The scene at the basketball game was incredibly well done. And the reveal of the nature of Nova's relationship was amazing and heartbreaking.
posted by jimw at 8:57 PM on September 17, 2016
The pilot did a good job of doling out information slowly and piling up the complications. The scene at the basketball game was incredibly well done. And the reveal of the nature of Nova's relationship was amazing and heartbreaking.
posted by jimw at 8:57 PM on September 17, 2016
Yes, really enjoying his series so far.
Cool - I'll watch and post for episodes 2 & 3 today.
The scenes that really got me in episode 1 were Nova's introduction, the hospital scene with Ernest, Ralph Angel, and Blue, and one of the shots on the farm. For Nova's scene, I can't think of any other time I've seen the act of getting dressed depicted so sensually - it was like a reverse love scene, so tender and lovely. The hospital scene was heart-wrenching - aside from the obvious tear-jerk nature of any near-death-bed scene, it's such a rare thing to see that kind of tenderness between fathers & sons on-screen. And the farm scene, I forget now which one it was, I just remember thinking how beautiful it looked, the rows of the plants stretching out to the horizon, like I wanted to see an IMAX version of the scene.
I hadn't really known much about this show before I watched it. Never read the book (guess I should add show-only spoiler conditions, but I get the feeling this isn't the kind of show where book spoilers are going to be a big deal?). I'd first heard of it back when the god-awfulness that was the Sleepy Hollow S3 finale happened, and someone on Tumblr posted a list of upcoming shows with black women leads that people rage-quitting Sleepy Hollow over Fox's treatment of Nicole Beharie might want to support, so I added a wishlist in my Tivo for 'Rutina Wesley'+new and kinda forgot about it until the show popped into the 'to be recorded' schedule this month. Knowing now that the series is being run by Ava DuVerney, the fact that it's got such a cinematic look makes sense. (I should admit, I don't think I'v seen any of her movies yet, so I wasn't actually familiar with her style, just knew there had to be a reason this show looked so distinctive.)
posted by oh yeah! at 8:07 AM on September 18, 2016
Cool - I'll watch and post for episodes 2 & 3 today.
The scenes that really got me in episode 1 were Nova's introduction, the hospital scene with Ernest, Ralph Angel, and Blue, and one of the shots on the farm. For Nova's scene, I can't think of any other time I've seen the act of getting dressed depicted so sensually - it was like a reverse love scene, so tender and lovely. The hospital scene was heart-wrenching - aside from the obvious tear-jerk nature of any near-death-bed scene, it's such a rare thing to see that kind of tenderness between fathers & sons on-screen. And the farm scene, I forget now which one it was, I just remember thinking how beautiful it looked, the rows of the plants stretching out to the horizon, like I wanted to see an IMAX version of the scene.
I hadn't really known much about this show before I watched it. Never read the book (guess I should add show-only spoiler conditions, but I get the feeling this isn't the kind of show where book spoilers are going to be a big deal?). I'd first heard of it back when the god-awfulness that was the Sleepy Hollow S3 finale happened, and someone on Tumblr posted a list of upcoming shows with black women leads that people rage-quitting Sleepy Hollow over Fox's treatment of Nicole Beharie might want to support, so I added a wishlist in my Tivo for 'Rutina Wesley'+new and kinda forgot about it until the show popped into the 'to be recorded' schedule this month. Knowing now that the series is being run by Ava DuVerney, the fact that it's got such a cinematic look makes sense. (I should admit, I don't think I'v seen any of her movies yet, so I wasn't actually familiar with her style, just knew there had to be a reason this show looked so distinctive.)
posted by oh yeah! at 8:07 AM on September 18, 2016
For those joining late, it's on HULU now.
I just watched four episodes and it's like a novel, not a TV show. It's delightful to hear black people talking to each other. The sexy tenderness of Vi and Hollywood's relationship, and the fragility of Micah's teenage love interests (and vulnerability to Tumblr hate as well as parental pushiness), and more.
posted by Jesse the K at 3:50 PM on April 27, 2017
I just watched four episodes and it's like a novel, not a TV show. It's delightful to hear black people talking to each other. The sexy tenderness of Vi and Hollywood's relationship, and the fragility of Micah's teenage love interests (and vulnerability to Tumblr hate as well as parental pushiness), and more.
posted by Jesse the K at 3:50 PM on April 27, 2017
Would it be worth adding a full-season thread now for Hulu viewers? I stopped posting episode threads because they weren't generating a lot of activity (and I think I fell behind on watching the shows on premiere night and instead would keep letting them stack up on the tivo and then watch a bunch in one go on the weekend), but I did watch them all and am looking forward to S2.
posted by oh yeah! at 6:43 PM on April 27, 2017
posted by oh yeah! at 6:43 PM on April 27, 2017
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posted by oh yeah! at 3:55 PM on September 17, 2016