#roots (2016)

It's not as good as the OG IMO, as it's made for smartphone attention spans.

HOWEVER... The big revelation is Regé Jean Page's performance as Chicken George. He plays him from a young man until old age. It was his BREAKTHROUGH ROLE pre-Bridgerton and IMO his best work to this day. So, if you are a fan and haven't seen this you may want to check it out: https://tubitv.com/tv-shows/200036014/s01-e03-part-3 is his showcase part.

man crush monday

regé-jean page

full name: regé-jean page

date of birth: april 27, 1988

place of birth: london, england

age: 37

sign: taurus

regé-jean is best known for: The Netflix period drama Bridgerton, the series Waterloo Road on BBC; Roots (2016); For the People; The Gray Man (2022); Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023); and Black Bag (2025).

An anon recently asked me about my favorite Black couples in period films/series. I have a few! Some of which come along with trigger warnings and a bit of a heads up on not so happy endings. Some of these couples have happy endings, some have endings that leave you wondering, and some have beautiful relationships that ended tragically.

Happy Endings (To me anyway.)

Jackie Robinson (Chadwick Boseman) & Rachel Robinson (Nicole Beharie) in 42 (2013).

Katherine G. Johnson (Taraji P. Henson) & Colonel Jim Johnson (Mahershala Ali) in Hidden Figures (2016). 

Chicken George (Regé-Jean Page) & Matilda (Erica Tazel) in Roots (2016).

Marie Ste. Marie (Nicole Lyn) & Richard Lermontant (Jason Olive) in The Feast of All Saints (2001).  

The characters in this miniseries go through a lot. TW for SA.

Not So Happy Endings (SPOILER-ISH!!)

Rosalee (Jurnee Smollett) &  Noah (Aldis Hodge)  in Underground (2016-2017). 

Canceled on a cliffhanger.

Tish Rivers (KiKi Layne) &  Alonzo 'Fonny' Hunt (Stephan James) in If Beale Street Could Talk (2018).

The ending isn’t definite. I choose to think positively about their story.

Cora William (Thuso Mbedu) & Royal (William Jackson Harper)  in The Underground Railroad (2021). 

This story ends tragically. 

Roots: The Next Generations (1979) has generations of a few sweet relationships that I enjoy watching.

Forest Whitaker as Henry / Fiddler (Roots)

“Death on the Nile” (1978)

“Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” (2000)

“Memoirs of a Geisha” (2005)

“Little Dorrit” (2008)

“Downton Abbey” (2010-2015)

“Roots” (2016)