Amazon's Latest Series 'Them' is Being Slammed Over Intense Racial Violence

The new Amazon original series Them is getting slammed on social media for its depictions of [...]

By Michael Hein

The new Amazon original series Them is getting slammed on social media for its depictions of violence — particularly against Black Americans. The series intends to shine a light on the horrors of racism and the unspoken truth of racist violence in the U.S. However, in the context the show presents, many viewers complain that the series is more likely to fuel violent fantasies for some, and reassure others that only heinous acts constitute real racism.

Them is a series by screenwriter, actor and producer Lena Waithe, which is set in the 1950s. It stars the Emory family, who move from North Carolina to Compton, California to escape Jim Crow laws. However, even in a liberal state they find themselves facing violent racism — with a supernatural twist. The series hit Amazon Prime Video on Friday, and it was the subject of debate and displeasure on social media throughout the day on Saturday.

Many of the show's outspoken critics were already not fans of Waithe, who has been criticized for heavy-handed writing and insensitive portrayals of Black Americans. She is best known as a star producer on Dear White People, a writer and co-producer on Queen & Slim and for playing Aech in Ready Player One. She also appeared in Master of None, Transparent, Westworld, The Chi and Big Mouth.

Them premiered on Amazon Prime on Friday, April 9 with all ten episodes dropping at once. The series is still streaming now, though critics are making a strong case to skip it altogether. Scroll down for a look at what they are saying.

Target Audience

Some users speculated that Waithe's work would appeal more to racists than to people who share her own political beliefs. They thought that Them missed the mark it was aiming for.

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Non-Violent

Many critics complained that they would rather see Black stars cast in sci-fi and fantasy productions where racist violence was not the centerpiece of the story. They thought that Waithe's writing style would be better-served on these kinds of projects, too.

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Summary

Some users were surprised to see Waithe being criticized so harshly on Saturday, saying they hadn't heard complaints about her before. Her critics responded by summarizing all of her controversial moments of the past.

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'Us'

Critics could not help but compare Them to Us, even joking that the titles seemed to go together. However, they thought that Waithe the new show had failed to live up to Jordan Peele's lauded horror film.

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Contrived

Some joked that the social justice angle in Waithe's work feels forced and disingenuous.

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Concerned

Others said that they were genuinely concerned about Waithe, believing that her work hinted at some real mental health issues which needed addressing.

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Others

Finally, some critics of Them said that too much of the outrage was falling on Waithe personally, and that more should go to series creator Little Marvin, and others involved in the series.

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