D I C K I N S O N

-


"Dickinson" might be the most underrated show right now. With shows like BMF dominating STARZ, INSECURE ruling HBO, SQUID GAME taking Netflix by storm, and Wu-Tang: An American Saga thriving on HULU, we must not overlook Dickinson on Apple TV+. Hailee Steinfeld is phenomenal as Emily Dickinson, bringing the poet and her poetry to life in a way we've never seen before. Given that we only have a few paintings of Dickinson, Steinfeld and the production team provide a vivid depiction of who she was, much like how we imagine dinosaurs from their bones. Dickinson's poems are her bones, providing the pieces to reconstruct her life.

Steinfeld's on-screen chemistry with every character, especially with Wiz Khalifa, who plays "Death," is outstanding. Their interactions during the carriage ride scenes are captivating. The way they connect is so authentic that if someone told me they were a real-life couple, I'd believe it. The dynamics of their conversations are top-tier.

The writers have skillfully woven historical accuracy into the show's setting, addressing racism, classism, extreme gender roles, and societal expectations. While historians have often depicted Dickinson's life as bland and lonesome, the show offers a fair and modernized perspective. It shows Dickinson as a lesbian navigating a time when homosexuality was severely frowned upon and resisting the idea of being just a "domestic" woman. The show explores her connection to nature, her internal conflict with her brother Austin (played by Adrian Enscoe), and her love for his wife Susan (played by Ella Hunt) before they married.

Rather than portraying Dickinson as a dull, lonely poet, the show presents her as a rebellious, free-thinking, and open-minded hero. Despite the world's attempts to box her in, she managed to express herself and her talents, even if she had to hide them due to her father's beliefs about women's publications. The show impressively modernizes Dickinson's life while remaining culturally accurate.

If you told my high school self that I’d one day watch and enjoy a show about Emily Dickinson, I would’ve laughed. As a big Black male in the 21st century, the idea of watching a show about a white girl from Massachusetts who wrote poetry in the 1800s seemed impossible. However, "Dickinson" is a reminder that, despite different backgrounds, social classes, financial situations, and eras, we can still relate to one another. We are all human, with emotions and the gift of creation.

Honorable mention to Anna Baryshnikov, who plays Lavinia Dickinson, Emily’s sister. She is a crucial part of the show, a hopeless romantic with a loving heart and the unrecognized glue of the Dickinson family. She may not get the credit she deserves, but I see it. Also, in episode 1 of season 3, Austin Dickinson wears a purple and green suit reminiscent of Heath Ledger’s Joker. This might be a subtle Easter egg, as Austin is painted as the family villain due to his alcoholism, infidelity, and conflicts.

I give this show a 9/10. I highly recommend it. If you don’t have Apple TV+, get it. Thank me later!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

City of God: The Fight Rages On

-
Image
I’ve waited 22 years for something to happen that I never knew was possible! A television spinoff of the greatest international movie ever, CITY OF GOD! I do understand that they made a City of Men tv show in Brazil and there was a 10-year anniversary of The City of God but The Fight Rages on is direct and special. I’m writing this review in full excitement although it’s a bummer that the first season is only six episodes. I’m not completely shocked because that seems to be the way the TV industry is headed as streaming becomes bigger and bigger. I’ve noticed a lot of shows only have 6 to 10 episodes per season, which sucks to see because a lot of of us grew up on sitcoms and television shows from the 70s, 80s, 90s and early 2000s and these shows would have 24-to-28-episode seasons, the TV Studios were pushing out episodes for dang near half a year at times. HBO/MAX did a really good job with the scenarios in the script for season one the way they were able to recast a lot of the origi...
Read more

Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage

-
Image
At the time of writing this critique, only the first two episodes of this show have been released. I’m reviewing it this early because I don’t see it lasting much longer. It’s very rare to see a spinoff of a spinoff, and Georgie and Mandy’s first wedding shows us why that’s so rare. I’m not sure if this show looked good on paper or whose idea it was to bring a grandchild of  The Big Bang Theory  into existence, but it’s simply not working. The reason I call it the “grandchild” of  The Big Bang Theory  rather than the “child” of  Young Sheldon  is because this show is filmed in front of a live studio audience, much like  The Big Bang Theory , while  Young Sheldon  is a traditional sitcom without an audience. Simply put, this show just isn’t funny. Before I dive deeper, I have to say—and I’m probably not the only one who thought this—that Mandy’s mom looks noticeably different on  Young Sheldon  compared to this show. I’m not sure if ...
Read more

Inside Out 2

-
Image
So I went to see *Inside Out 2* with the family this past weekend, and I must say, it was subpar at best. This movie adds fuel to the burning fire that says, “Sequels are never as good as the original film.” Some movies don’t need sequels, and *Inside Out 2* is one of those movies. The movie was predictable from the jump. I feel like whoever wrote the film only wrote it because they needed a check. Instead of writing this film as if they needed a check, I wish they would’ve written this film as if RENT WAS DUE (If you know, you know). I would like to point out that June Squibb playing Nostalgia was GREAT casting; her lines in the movie were few, but she subtly stole the show. It’s cool that Riley is growing up and we get to see her next chapter in life as she’s sharpening her hockey skills, prepping for high school, and experiencing a wider range of emotions as she gets older. Her puberty experience was written as if she were Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde with a twist of Robert Frost’s “Th...
Read more