'Lovecraft Country' Review
TV-MA
Runtime: 60 Minutes per episode. (10 episodes total/1 per week)
Production Companies: Warner Bros. Television, Monkeypaw Productions, Bad Robot
Network: HBO
Distributor: HBO
Created by: Misha Green
Cast: Jurnee Smollett, Jonathan Majors, Aunjanue Ellis, Abbey Lee, Jada Harris, Wunmi Mosaku, Michael Kenneth Willams
Release Date: August 18, 2020
Throughout her career, writer Misha Green has worked on a number of projects that showcased her range as a storyteller. She has written episodes of Sons of Anarchy, Heroes, Helix, and Spartacus. She also created the hit WGN series Underground. The aforementioned shows fall into a variety of genres, ranging from action to drama to history and, of course, horror. With her highly-anticipated series Lovecraft Country, Green blends those genres into one profound, terrifyingly fun, and riveting character-driven horror series that will have that racist bastard H.P. Lovecraft spinning in his grave while continuing HBO’s unstoppable streak of new and incredible Black series. Seriously, HBO is killing it this year with excellent Black content, from Betty to I May Destroy You and now Lovecraft Country. I don’t know what else to do but stan.
The series, set in 1950s Jim Crow America, follows Korean War veteran Atticus Black (Jonathan Majors) as he returns home to Chicago. Once he reunites with his Uncle George (B. Vance) and his childhood friend Letitia Lewis (Smollett), they embark on a mission across the country to find Atticus’ missing father, Montrose Freeman (Kenneth Williams). Of course, because of the time period, they run into the most frightening monsters known to Black people: White people. Watching them navigate the systemic racism in the country, even racing against the clock as they try to pass through sundown towns, solidifies how intense and terrifying the journey is for our central protagonist. Just when all hope seems lost, the supernatural comes knocking as ferocious, bloodthirsty creatures — ones you’d expect to see in H.P. Lovecraft’s universe — begin to appear. Shocked and confused, Atticus learns that he is an important piece to a society of wizards (no, not those wizards) and is destined for greater things.
I’ve seen the first five episodes of this show and, let me tell you, everything after episode three boldly changes the entire trajectory and it becomes a supernatural slice-of-life focusing on character-driven stories more so than the plot lines. That’s not to say the plot lines aren’t compelling, but Green really focuses on the nature of her leads and the trials and tribulations they face while navigating through Jim Crow America and the supernatural forces out to get them.
That said, Misha Green’s inspiration and love for the horror genre mixed with the accurate depiction of the time period is executed well in both writing and direction. Each episode — aside from the first two, which can be interpreted as a two-hour pilot split in half — feels like a mini movie that takes inspiration from Lovecraft and several notable horror movies, but it lets Black people be the triumphant heroes of their own stories.
Episode directors include Yann Demange (White Boy Rick), Daniel Sackheim (Servant, True Detective), Victoria Mahoney (You, I Am the Night), and Cheryl Dunye (David Makes Man, All Rise), to name a few. All of them take advantage of Green’s scripts and deliver some of the best horror stories I’ve seen in years. Heck, I keep calling it “supernatural horror,” but that’s just the start. Each episode covers a variety of horror, ranging from Lovecraftian to body horror, while interjecting amazing character-driven stories. This is an expensive ass show with a buttload of CG effects. It’s also choreographed well –– almost in a classic Spielberg-esque way — so the action sequences only add to the fun. As expected, Lovecraft Country delivers an abundant amount of brutal gore and it’s never at the expense of Black lives (thankfully). Those who get killed — and amazingly so, I might add — are the White forces of oppression. If you know me, or any forward-thinking Black person, nothing says “fun” quite like watching White racists getting their asses handed to them. There were times where I was like:
And then:
Followed by:
The central leads — Atticus, Leti, and Montrose — are enticing multi-dimensional characters with thorough arcs (for the most part). Jonathan Majors is a friggin’ threat. He can carry both a film and a series, even while working amongst other major players, and shines all on his own. Also, what can you say about Michael Kenneth Williams that hasn’t been said already? He commands each scene with such bravado and screen presence.
However, the brightest goddamn star is Jurnee Smollett. She just DOMINATES. She can sing and she exudes nothing but charisma and power. Her character, Leti, is the headstrong badass of the bunch and Smollett brings her to life with an admirable liveliness. She has some of the best dialogue and her dynamic with Majors is so emotionally gripping that it’s steamy at times. What a fucking roll Jurnee Smollett has been on this year. Between Lovecraft Country and her performance as Black Canary in Birds of Prey, she has proven to be an amazing versatile performer and a badass action star.
The performances in this show are rich and the more central Black leads are introduced, the more they share the spotlight. They are given incredible arcs that display their dimensional value and exhibit amazing acts of heroism. Most of the episodes delve into themes of Blackness centering around self love, independence, and legacy through original takes while integrating vocal, and sometimes subtle, commentary on how little America has changed since the ‘50s.
I’m not well-versed in Lovecraftian horror, but there are episodes of Lovecraft Country that give me the same vibes as other notable horror storytellers that I admire, such as del Toro, Cronenberg, and even Neil Gaiman. However, it’s rooted in something more related to Black culture — something I can relate to — and stories that are very well done, making this 100% my shit.
I have had a specific, personal pet peeve with certain shows and movies since 2012 when I watched Django Unchained for the first time. This involves non-diegetic contemporary tracks being played in stories that take place in a completely different century. When the show applies music and poems, taking a few years — or even a few decades — ahead of its time to complement the mood of the scene, it works. But applying music from the late 2010s to this show that takes place in the ‘50s really takes me out of the scene. It’s such a huge pill to swallow. The only movie/show that does a good job with this is Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby because 1) some of the music was original, 2) Luhrmann is great at inserting music into scenes, and 3) it perfectly complemented the mood. Lovecraft Country isn’t so lucky in that regard, and it isn’t even clever with its song choices.
There are a few personal complaints that I will air out on my Twitter (@rendy_jones) as more episodes air because I can’t provide detailed criticisms without giving away major plot points. That being said, some of the tonal shifts are wobbly, for some story elements get a bit too silly for their own good. Albeit being entertaining, the show sacrifices some of its integrity to deliver one too many familiar elements, especially regarding unexpected themes that come into play later on in the series.
Lovecraft Country is a thoroughly enjoyable horror series that provides incredible performances from its ensemble, great character-driven episodes with rich and original storytelling, well-crafted horror pieces to keep fans of the genre on their toes, and great social commentary about how little race relations have changed in the country — even though so much has changed as well.
