Ava DuVernay's critically acclaimed drama returns to focus on the fallout of a controversial memoir from one of the Bordelon siblings.
Welcome to Trailer Watch, a
regular feature that helps put the spotlight on series that may fly under the
radar in the crowded Peak TV landscape. Each installment will explain what the
show is and why it looks interesting. This week it's Oprah Winfrey and Ava
DuVernay's searing Southern-set family drama, Queen Sugar.
Based on Natalie Baszile's book of
the same name, Queen Sugarhas been breaking ground
since it debuted on OWN in 2016. Created by DuVernay, the series has over its
three seasons showcased a slate of all-female directors, a feat that has rarely
(if ever) been achieved in television. It's a trend that DuVernay is continuing
as the show returns for a fourth season with established and upcoming talent
such as Cheryl Dunye (Dear White People), Numa Perrier (Jezebel, SMILF), Bola Ogun (The Dark
Knight Rises) and Heidi Saman directing episodes in the newest
season.
The family drama centers on the
children of the Bordelon family after their father suffers a stroke. For Nova
(Rutina Wesley), a passionate activist and writer, and her sister Charley
(Dawn-Lyen Gardner), a working mother, the unexpected illness changes
everything when the pair are drawn back to their home in Louisiana. Kofi
Siriboe rounds off the family as their brother Ralph, a struggling single
parent. Queen Sugar focuses on the three estranged
siblings coming together in the wake of their father's death and the impact
that it has on all of their lives.
Over three seasons the show has
established a unique visual tone and an expectation among audiences of having
challenging conversations that don't happen on most television shows. Whether
exploring class disparity, gender or police brutality, Queen Sugar doesn't shy away from the realities of
American life, crafting an engaging family drama that doesn't focus solely on
trauma and gives its characters the space to love, live and make mistakes.
Entering
the fourth season, the stakes are high as the trailer teases that Nova has
released a shocking book based on the family and their fractious relationships.
As her siblings read the manuscript, it becomes clear that many of the secrets
that've been revealed throughout the show are about to be aired publicly and
Nova's family clearly isn't happy about it.
The
show has yet to break through at the Emmys or Golden Globes, but it has
received NAACP Image Awards for outstanding drama series and writing for a
dramatic series.
Queen Sugar airs
at 9 p.m. Wednesdays on OWN.
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