If you’re like me and born in the ’90s and live in Australia then the Central Park Jogger Case might be something you’ve never heard of. Before hearing about this mini-series I’d never had heard of the case or what happened. This is a case that is so important, not just then but also today, it’s a case that everyone should hear about and understand what happened. It’s a case and story that people can now learn about through this well-made mini-series from the Netflix, biggest entertainment platform right now, which allows their story to be finally heard correctly worldwide.
When They See Us follows the story of the five boys who were convicted in the Central Park Jogger Case in New York back in 1989. Five boys were coerced by police into saying they beat and raped Trisha Ellen Meili in Central Park while they were all there with their friends. All of the boys except one were under 16 at the time and ended up going through an ordeal that would change their lives forever.
The mini-series, which is directed brilliantly by Ava DuVernay, is what I regard as must-watch television. It’s rare that a series this good comes around for all to watch. The way the series speaks about the events that occurred but also how it remains relevant to today is astonishing. Shot and written with excellent style the series is four episodes which go through the days of the crime and questioning and all the way up to their lives now.
A mention has to be given to the cast of this series. It is some of the best acting I’ve seen from a series in quite some time and everyone pulls their own weight and brings more to the table then required. The five young actors who play the central park five should be applauded for showing some raw and excellent emotions in what are some of their first major roles.
Originally I had thought that the series didn’t pay enough attention to the actual court hearing itself. I thought that the small amount of screen time given to the court case was a wrong move. The small amount of time rid me of learning facts that weren’t mentioned earlier in the series. What I’ve come to realise now is that the show does a fantastic job at portraying how society was so quick to judge and punish the five boys. The facts of the cases didn’t matter, as they weren’t real facts, and the limited amount of time showcases how one’s life can be turned upside down so quickly.
This series is so relevant to today because of its frequent elements. The five boys are examples of how society is treating people wrongfully, these were five boys who were blamed and punished because of where they came from and who they are. These are five boys who even after prison couldn’t get their lives back. These two things and many more in the series are so crucial to think about today. The series uses its large cast of characters to show every angle of each life being destroyed and all of those being affected.
You may already know the story, or you may be new to the story, but the only thing that I know is that this is a story that can help change the future. A lot of the time TV is just for the sake of entertainment and storytelling, rarely does anything come along that will greatly change how you live your life but this series can have that affect in the world. With the series being easily accessible to all who can access Netflix, its a great step towards making the world understand how our society currently is and how it needs to change. The series will make you angry, confused and sad whilst it teaches you what it’s like to be Black in today’s cruel and unjust society.