He also stars as a struggling college dropout begging his cousin to let him manage his career as a rapper.ĭONALD GLOVER: (As Earn) I don't want a handout. Glover's an alum of the NBC comedy "Community," and on Atlanta, he's the creator, writer, executive producer, director and music supervisor. That's something that "Queen Sugar" has in common with another wonderful show that debuts tonight, Donald Glover's comedy "Atlanta" on FX. It's also a sign of the magic that can happen when you let black writers, producers, directors and performers tell stories about black people.
This is a family drama with soap-opera-style storylines for people who hate soap operas like me. That may be why so many scenes feel fresh and surprising. In a pioneering move, DuVernay has hired female directors for every single episode. And we certainly don't pay our respects with American Express.ĭEGGANS: It's a rare moment of fireworks in a complex drama that plays like a slow burn. We serve comfort food to those who need comfort, and we do it with our own hands. RUTINA WESLEY: (As Nova Bordelon) We don't honor our father by having strangers serve those grieving. She clashes with Charley, her wealthy sister who dares to hire a caterer for the family's funeral repast and gets an earful from Nova. DuVernay takes her time with the story and humanizes characters that might be empty stereotypes elsewhere.Īctress Rutina Wesley plays Nova, a pro-black activist with a secret white lover. "Queen Sugar" is about a black family in New Orleans struggling with the death of the family patriarch.
Queen sugar story movie#
Winfrey is an executive producer on "Queen Sugar," and she's teamed up with Ava DuVernay, who directed the mogul actress in the civil rights movie "Selma."įor this project, they're bringing a novel to the small screen. Oprah Winfrey's channel's built recent success with the melodrama of reality TV shows and nighttime soap operas aimed at a black audience. Dreams never die, take flight as the world turns.ĭEGGANS: "Queen Sugar" is a more grounded, realistic departure for OWN. MESHELL NDEGEOCELLO: (Singing) Dreams never die, take flight as the world turns. It's a sign that even moments of passion get a different kind of treatment in this world. The first scene shows star Rutina Wesley in the bedroom with her lover, but it's a sexy moment in which he's helping her to get dressed to start her day.
One is a comedy on FX called "Atlanta." The other is a family drama called "Queen Sugar." It's on OWN, Oprah Winfrey's network.ĮRIC DEGGANS, BYLINE: From the opening moments of "Queen Sugar," the sultry score by neo-soul star Meshell Ndegeocello hints that we're about to see an unconventional story.
Queen sugar story series#
Two new series that start on cable tonight depict black culture and modern life, and our TV critic Eric Deggans says they're worth watching.
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