When They See Us

When They See Us invokes Williams Law. No matter how small his role, if you include Michael Kenneth Williams in your cast, success seems guaranteed in advance. He is a kind of Clarence Seedorf who always managed to choose the club that was at the end of the ride with the cup with the big ears. The Wire, Boardwalk Empire, The Night Of, The Spoils Before Dying, there is actually no series with Williams that is not worth watching. Series with Williams are not only good, they are often a bit grim and When They See Us is no exception in that respect. Halfway through the first episode my frustration level was already full in the dark red. How full the world is full of bastard, unscrupulous bastards who - over the backs of the vulnerable - try to polish their own ego. In that respect When They See Us is actually a replica of The Caliph Browder Story, but cast in the mold of American Crime Story. A story about injustice, inequality and a blatantly failing legal system. You don't watch this latest Netflix Original to relax, but to realize that there is still a lot of work to be done. You watch it to see that the deaths of Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice, Willie McCoy and DeAndre Ballard are not incidents, but a structural failure of the police force. You watch it to understand why dark guys are much more likely to be put aside in an expensive car and why that's not okay. It is a class of social studies that everyone should take.

From minute 1 of this series I was angry, frustrated and even more angry. The fourth episode is the most intense, just watching a lump in my throat. You also see that Wise is most drawn when you see the people in real life. This one will be in my head for a long time.