The Lovecraft Country Series Premiere is one of the wildest television experiences this reviewer has had in the near 11 years of writing about television for this site … or any maybe any series in my 20 year career.
Yes, there have been plenty of that have immediately grabbed my (and the television audience’s) attention with thrilling, ambitious and compelling premieres. Yet, few premieres have done so much in one episode as the premiere of Lovecraft Country does (maybe with the exception of Watchmen). The premiere seamlessly tackles issues of systemic racism, sexism, the traumas of war and strained familial relationships while also telling a frightening story of things that go bump in the night and secret societies. Cover that in gallons of horror-movie viscera and throw in a couple of car chases and shoot-outs, and you’ve pretty much got one of the busiest and most engaging start-to-finish premiere I can remember.
“I Love Pulp Stories”
These words are uttered by our hero, Atticus “Ticc” Freeman (Jonathan Majors, Da 5 Bloods), at the beginning of the episode — after what is an absolutely stunning, wild and completely unexpected opening to the episode. No spoilers, it’s just too good and unbelievable to describe.
And in so many ways Lovecraft Country is a pulp story. It’s about things that go bump in the night. It’s about heroes venturing into dangerous territory (both from humans and monsters), to save a family member (Ticc’s estranged father played by a yet-to-be-seen Michael Kenneth Williams of The Wire fame). There’s also so much viscera-drenched monster-driven thrills in the third act that screams 1950s drive-in horror, but it’s done in such a fantastical and compelling way that you never once find yourself rolling your eyes and guffawing.
In short, the monsters and mayhem are the hook for the show — but it’s the message and the characters that not only amplify the narrative, but raise it to an absolutely masterful level.
Ticc also makes reference to the Edgar Rice Burroughs book John Carter, a novel (then comic then movie) about a Confederate former soldier who becomes the Warlord of Mars, one has to wonder if Ticc will go on a similar journey to that of Carter.
My name’s not “girl.” It’s Letitia fucking Lewis
Jonathan Majors is wonderful as the traumatized but determined former soldier in search of his father. Courtney B. Vance (American Crime Story: The People vs. O.J. Simpson) is delightful as Ticc’s uncle, the editor of a Green Book-esque guide for Black Americans, who wears the scars of his journeys both physically and emotionally.
Yet, it’s Jurnee Smollet-Bell (Underground), who is the undeniable star of the show. Many of us have seen Bell perform for decades — from her start on the latter days of Full House to her role as Black Canary in Bird of Prey — but this performance right here is the kick-the-door-in performance. This is the role and performance that is everyone’s wake up call that she is a bona fide star and will be for a long time to come.
Throughout the premiere Smollet-Bell’s character Letita “Leti” Lewis is someone constantly being stifled — by her family or by Ticc and his uncle. Her free-spirit is frowned upon, her emotions are denied and her place, especially on the adventure, is that of a passenger.
That is until she comes in and takes charge — saving the day on multiple accounts. The line “My name’s not “girl.” It’s Letitia fucking Lewis” isn’t just something for memes and GIFS, it’s an intentional, declarative statement made by showrunner Misha Green and the writing team. And the series is better for it. Leti is a dynamic and charismatic character, the antithesis of her male counterparts. She’s a woman of action and decision and Smollet-Bell takes the role and runs with it. It will be awesome to see how her character evolves from here.
There Is One Major Concern
Sorry, not a line from the show, I couldn’t come up with a solid transition. If there’s any concern with Lovecraft Country, it’s this — how do they maintain this level of excellence? This premiere, as stated before, is one of the most thrilling and jaw-dropping television premiere experiences I’ve ever had. It had everything in it. I’ve not even talked about the rest of the supporting cast or the music or the production design — all of which are just so good. Yet, my major concern is this — can this excellence be sustained? We’ve seen this with HBO before (cough The Outsider cough) where a premiere is very strong but the rest of the season fails to live up to that bar the premiere set. I have no doubt the team behind this series will deliver a memorable show, but can it remain as amazing, audacious and awesome as the premiere?
If I’m a betting man, and given what I’ve seen recently on HBO with Watchmen and how wildly creative that got, I have a strong feeling it will. Lovecraft Country is the first series of 2020 that has me excited for Sundays. It has me ready to dive headfirst into the making of videos and podcasts as well as the theories fans will have. This is exciting television and we’ll all better for it.
Lovecraft Country airs Sunday nights on HBO at 9 p.m. The Lovecraft Country Series Premiere is now streaming on HBO MAX.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvamPJp17Ds
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