*Beware of Spoilers*
Episode 2 of Jordan Peele’s Lovecraft County airs on HBO shortly. In anticipation, I watched episode 1 last night with my family twice, back to back! We hadn’t seen it together and were taking the time to find various Easter Eggs, point out shots or scenes we’d like the best, and overanalyzed how the truck got flipped during the chase.
The show is absolutely fantastic. The casting, music, costume design, and lighting are so well done. There’s a wonderful balance of light-hearted comedy with chilling suspense. It unapologetically omits the whitewashed pandering and trivialization (seen in many other stories) used to diminish the harsh reality of being Black in America — to it make palatable for white audiences. Bouncing between overt and subtle story beats, the show displays the segregation, mockery, dehumanization, and danger Black Americans endured.
The most telling scene in Lovecraft County comes in the last 10 or so minutes of the show and reflects the insidiousness of how little some things have changed for Black Americans.
After narrowly escaping from the county lines of a “Sundown” County, it’s revealed that Atticus, Leti, and Uncle George have been set up by the Sheriff. They are led into the woods where they’re pressured to confess to a crime they didn’t commit. As the tension rises, drawing alarming signs that at any moment one of the deputies may shoot them, they are essentially rescued as creatures descend and attack the deputies. The trio is able to escape and seek shelter in an abandoned cabin after being chased by what they surmise are Vampires.
The Sheriff who led them to this predicament was also able to follow them into the cabin with one of his deputies but has wounded by one of the creatures. The Sheriff later begins to show signs that he may be turning into one of the creatures and as this becomes more evident, they urge his deputy to shoot him. But he doesn’t. He keeps his gun trained and the Black men in the room that have shown they mean him no harm The sheriff then fully transforms and mauls his deputy, all the while the man would still not see him as a threat even when it was too late.
This short scene speaks volumes to the ever-present climate of America for Black people. Even when whiteness is the most apparent and immediate threat white people still feel most threatened by the mere existence Blackness.
I would love to hear what you think? Am I reaching? Is it spot on? What did you notice about the show and how excited are you for episode 2!?
Check out this book and learn about Sundown Towns and for another authentic Black experience, see my post about Gaming while Black.
<3
Luvusagi