Themis an Americanhorrorseries, created by Little Marvin and executive produced byLena Waithe.The series stars an ensemble cast, which consists ofDeborah Ayorinde,Ashley Thomas,Alison Pill,andRyan Kwantenin the first season, andPam Grier,Luke James,Joshua J. Williams andJeremy Bobbin the second season, with Ayorinde returning in a new lead role.
| Them | |
|---|---|
 Official poster | |
| Genre | |
| Created by | Little Marvin |
| Starring | |
| Composer | Mark Korven |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No.of seasons | 2 |
| No.of episodes | 18 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Producers |
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| Cinematography |
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| Editors |
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| Camera setup | Single-camera |
| Running time | 33–55 minutes |
| Production companies |
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| Original release | |
| Network | Amazon Prime Video |
| Release | April 9, 2021– present |
The first season, titledThem: Covenant,had premiered onAmazon Prime Videoon April 9, 2021, and the second season, titledThem: The Scare,premiered on April 25, 2024.[1]The first series drew a polarized response from critics and audience; while criticism was primarily for the handling of the series' subject matter, which was criticized as "exploitative" and "unnecessarily graphic", however, the screenplay, production values, and the performances of the cast (particularly Ayorinde, Thomas, and Wright Joseph) received widespread acclaim.
Plot
editSet in 1953,THEM: Covenantfollows a black family who move fromNorth Carolinato an all-white neighborhood inEast Comptonduring theSecond Great Migration.The family's idyllic home slowly transforms into an epicenter of evil forces, next-door and otherworldly, that threaten to haunt, ravage and destroy them.[2]
Set in 1991,THEM: The Scarecenters on LAPD Detective Dawn Reeve, who is assigned to a new case: a gruesome murder that has left the most hardened detectives shaken. As Dawn draws closer to the truth, something malevolent grips her and her family.[3]
Cast and characters
editCovenant(2021)
editMain
edit- Deborah Ayorindeas Livia "Lucky" Emory
- Ashley Thomasas Henry Emory
- Alison Pillas Elizabeth "Betty" Wendell
- Shahadi Wright Josephas Ruby Lee Emory
- Melody Hurdas Gracie Emory
- Ryan Kwantenas George Bell
Guest
edit- Dale Dickeyas The Woman
- Liam McIntyreas Clarke Wendell
- Lindsey Kraftas Midge Pruitt
- Pat Healyas Marty Dixon
- Brooke Smithas Helen Koistra
- Malcolm Maysas Calvin
- John Patrick Jordan as Earl[a]
- Dirk Rogers as Miss Vera
- Abbie Cobbas Nat Dixon
- Max Barsness as Dale Pruitt
- Kim Shawas Carol Lynn Denton
- Bailey Nobleas Marlene
- Derek Phillipsas Sergeant Bull Wheatley
- P. J. Byrneas Stuart Berks
- Sophie Guest as Doris
- Tim Russas The Custodian
- Ryan Kennedyas Gary
- Christopher Heyerdahlas The Black Hat Man
- Jeremiah Birkett as Da Tap Dance Man
- Paula Jai Parkeras Hazel Emory
- Sheria Irving as Cynthia
- J. Mallory McCreeas Junius Emory
- Anika Noni Roseas Ella Mae
- Roland Johnson as Moe Irvin
- Lisa Banesas Esther Haber (Banes' final television role before her death on June 14, 2021)
- Michael Harneyas Otto Haber
- Peter Mackenzieas Mr. Stoal
- Shaw Jonesas City Planner
- Van Epperson as Banker
- Barry Livingstonas Real Estate Commissioner
- David Boweas Mitch
- Christopher Murrayas Murray
- Daniel Robbins as Man In Car
- Scott Alan Smithas Fuller
- Latarsha Roseas Arnette Beaumont
- Samantha Sherman as Marjorie Wallinger
- Kate McNeilas Dr. Frances Moynihan
- Dominic Burgessas Roger
- Nona Parker Johnson
- Cranston Johnson
- Melinda Page Hamiltonas Elder Sara
- Gene Silvers as Elder Luther
- J. Paul Boehmeras Elder James
- Summera Howell as Elder Cora
- Kai Richard as Miles
The Scare(2024)
editMain
edit- Deborah Ayorindeas Detective Dawn Reeve
- Pam Grieras Athena Reeve
- Luke Jamesas Edmund Gaines
- Joshua J. Williams as Kelvin "Kel" Reeve
- Jeremy Bobbas Detective Ronald McKinney
Episodes
edit| Season | Title | Episodes | Originally released | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Covenant | 10 | April 9, 2021 | ||
| 2 | The Scare | 8 | April 25, 2024 | ||
Season 1:Covenant(2021)
edit| No. overall | No.in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "DAY 1" | Nelson Cragg | Little Marvin | April 9, 2021 |
| 2 | 2 | "DAY 3" | Nelson Cragg | David Matthews& Little Marvin | April 9, 2021 |
| 3 | 3 | "DAY 4" | Daniel Stamm | Francine Volpe | April 9, 2021 |
| 4 | 4 | "DAY 6" | Nelson Cragg | Seth Zvi Rosenfeld | April 9, 2021 |
| 5 | 5 | "COVENANT I." | Janicza Bravo | Little Marvin & Dominic Orlando | April 9, 2021 |
| 6 | 6 | "DAY 7: MORNING" | Craig William Macneill | Christina Ham | April 9, 2021 |
| 7 | 7 | "DAY 7: NIGHT" | Ti West | David Matthews | April 9, 2021 |
| 8 | 8 | "DAY 9" | Nelson Cragg | Story by : Francine Volpe Teleplay by : Francine Volpe and Dominic Orlando | April 9, 2021 |
| 9 | 9 | "COVENANT II." | Craig William Macneill | Dominic Orlando | April 9, 2021 |
| 10 | 10 | "DAY 10" | Ti West | Little Marvin | April 9, 2021 |
Season 2:The Scare(2024)
edit| No. overall | No.in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 1 | "Are You Scared?" | Craig William Macneill | Little Marvin | April 25, 2024 |
| 12 | 2 | "The Devil Himself Visited This Place" | Craig William Macneill | Tony Saltzman &Malcolm M. Mays | April 25, 2024 |
| 13 | 3 | "The Man With the Red Hair" | Axelle Carolyn | Scott Kosar& Sarah Cho | April 25, 2024 |
| 14 | 4 | "Happy Birthday, Sweet Boy" | Axelle Carolyn | Beverly Okhio | April 25, 2024 |
| 15 | 5 | "Luke 8:17" | Guillermo Navarro | Tony Saltzman | April 25, 2024 |
| 16 | 6 | "Would You Like to Play a Game?" | Guillermo Navarro | Malcolm M. Mays & Matt Almquist | April 25, 2024 |
| 17 | 7 | "One of Us Is Gonna Die Tonight" | Little Marvin | Scott Kosar | April 25, 2024 |
| 18 | 8 | "The Box" | Ti West | Little Marvin & Tony Saltzman | April 25, 2024 |
Production
editDevelopment
editOn July 28, 2018,Amazongave the project a two-season order.[4]The series was created by Little Marvin, who also wrote the script for the first season and was set to executive produce the show alongsideLena Waitheunder their overall deals withAmazon Studios.[5][6]Roy Lee,Miri Yoon, and Michael Connolly ofVertigo Entertainmentwere also announced as executive producers, with Vertigo co-producing the series under the company's deal withSony Pictures Television.The first season is subtitledThem: Covenant,and the series will follow a similar limited semi-anthological structure toAmerican Horror Story,with each season following a different story with different characters. Alongside the series order announcement, Waithe said:
Little Marvin's script stayed with me for weeks after I read it. He's written something that's provocative and terrifying. The first season will speak to how frightening it was to be black in 1953. It will also remind us that being black in 2018 is just as horrifying. This anthology series will examine the cultural divides among all of us and explore us vs them in a way we've never seen before.
On April 1, 2019, David Matthews joined the series asshowrunnerunder his newly announced overall deal at Sony Pictures Television.[7]
A year and a half after premiering, the cast of the second season, titledThe Scare,was announced.[8]
Casting
editOn July 27, 2019,Deborah AyorindeandAshley Thomaswere cast in the lead roles.[9]Shahadi Wright Joseph,Alison Pill,Ryan Kwanten,Melody Hurd,Javier Botet,andPercy Hynes Whitewere added to the main cast on October 3, 2019, alongsideDerek Phillipswho was cast in a recurring capacity.[10]On December 2, 2019,Brooke Smith,Anika Noni RoseP.J. Byrne,Malcolm Mays,Jeremiah Birkett, and Sophie Guest joined the recurring cast.[11]
For the second season, Deborah Ayorinde returns with the new additions of Pam Grier, Luke James, Joshua J. Williams and Jeremy Bobb as regulars, and Wayne Knight, Carlito Olivero, Charles Brice and Iman Shumpert will recur.[12]
Filming
editThe series began production on July 8, 2019, with filming taking place betweenAtlantaand Los Angeles.[13]
The set for the neighborhood was built on a lot inPomona, California.[14]
Release
editThe series had its world premiere on March 18, 2021, at theSXSW Film Festivalas part of the Episodic Premieres section.[15]The series premiered onAmazon Prime Videoon April 9, 2021.[2]The second season premiered on April 25, 2024.[16]
Reception
editCritical response
editSeason 1
editOn review aggregatorRotten Tomatoes,the first season of the series has a 58% fresh rating from 50 critic reviews with an average score of 6.5/10. The site's critical consensus reads "Deborah Ayorinde and Ashley Thomas' gripping performances helpThemsustain a sufficient sense of terror, but its blunt and bloody approach undermines any social commentary in favor of more superficial horrors. "[17]OnMetacritic,the first season of the series received a mixed rating of 57/100 based on 20 critic reviews.[18]
The Guardian'sLucy Mangangave the show 4/5 stars, writing that "What marks out this portrayal of 50s prejudice (not unworked ground) is that, thanks to magnificent performances from Thomas and Ayorinde, you get a great sense of the cost to victims: the sheer amount of mental energy it takes to navigate a relentlessly hostile world, the consequent exhaustion, the constant abrading of the soul."[19]
In a mostly negative review, Lovia Gyarkye ofThe Hollywood Reportersaid that "Themsuffers from an overcrowded narrative and too many themes, making for an uneven, dizzying, at times overly dense viewing experience. From the violent neighbors and the history of black homeownership to the traumas that plague each member of the Emory family, the show takes on more than it can responsibly unpack. "[20]
Variety's chief TV critic Daniel D'Addario wrote that "In visual style and in the performances of the actors playing the Emorys, it captures a recognizable 1950s of the mind. A striking early sequence sees the family in integrated settings, being assisted by white employees at an appliance store and a soda fountain. The point is made, elegantly, that the Emorys have left behind the explicit bigotry of the American South for a place where the horrors are more insidious", but described the series as "surprisingly unimaginative".[21]
Some critics took issue with scenes of graphic racial violence, particularly a scene in which a black couple is blinded with hot pokers and burned alive, callingThem"black trauma porn".[22]
Season 2
editOn review aggregatorRotten Tomatoes,the second season of the series has a 100% fresh rating from 10 critic reviews with an average score of 7.1/10. The site's critical consensus reads "A marked improvement with a new story, effective frights and a keen commentary on generational scars,The Scareis a scream. "[23]
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | SXSW Film FestivalAudience Awards | Episodic Premieres | Them | Won | [24] |
| The ReFrame StampAwards | Top 200 Most Popular TV Titles | Them | Won | ||
| Camerimage | Golden Frog - TV Series Competition | Them | Nominated | ||
| Satellite Awards | Best Genre Series | Them | Nominated | ||
| Independent Spirit Awards | Best Male Performance in a New Scripted Series | Ashley Thomas | Nominated | ||
| Best Female Performance in a New Scripted Series | Deborah Ayorinde | Nominated | |||
| Writers Guild of America Awards | Television: Long Form – Original | Them | Nominated |
Notes
edit- ^Credited as Earl Denton in episode 8
See also
edit- Get Out- Oscar-winningJordan Peelefilm similar in content
- Suburbicon-George Clooneyfilm also similar in content
- United States in the 1950s
References
edit- ^Webb Mitovich, Matt (March 11, 2024)."THEM: Release Date Set for Horror A Season 2 Starring Deborah Ayorinde (in New Role) and Pam Grier".TVLine.RetrievedMarch 24,2024.
- ^ab"Terror Anthology Series" Them "from Executive Producers Little Marvin and Lena Waithe to Premiere April 9 on Amazon Prime Video".Amazon Studios(Press release). March 9, 2021.Archivedfrom the original on March 9, 2021.RetrievedMarch 9,2021– viaThe Futon Critic.
- ^Webb Mitovich, Matt (March 11, 2024)."THEM: Release Date Set for Horror Anthology Season 2 Starring Deborah Ayorinde (in New Role) and Pam Grier".TVLine.RetrievedMarch 24,2024.
- ^Andreeva, Nellie; Petski, Denise (July 28, 2018)."Amazon Gives 2-Season Order To Horror Event Series 'Them' From Lena Waithe, Little Marvin, Vertigo & Sony TV – TCA".Deadline Hollywood.Archivedfrom the original on July 28, 2018.RetrievedMarch 9,2021.
- ^Petski, Denise (October 8, 2019)."'Them: Covenant' Creator Little Marvin Inks Overall Deal With Amazon Studios ".Deadline Hollywood.Archivedfrom the original on October 8, 2019.RetrievedMarch 9,2021.
- ^Andreeva, Nellie (July 27, 2019)."Lena Waithe Inks Overall Deal With Amazon Studios – TCA".Deadline Hollywood.Archivedfrom the original on February 25, 2021.RetrievedMarch 9,2021.
- ^Andreeva, Nellie (April 1, 2019)."David Matthews Inks Sony Pictures TV Overall Deal, Joins 'Them: Covenant' As Showrunner".Deadline Hollywood.Archivedfrom the original on January 17, 2021.RetrievedMarch 9,2021.
- ^Porter, Rick (September 27, 2022)."Pam Grier, Deborah Ayorinde, Luke James to Topline Amazon's 'Them' Season 2 (Exclusive)".The Hollywood Reporter.RetrievedMarch 24,2024.
- ^Andreeva, Nellie (July 27, 2019)."'Them': Deborah Ayorinde & Ashley Thomas To Star In Amazon Anthology Series From Lena Waithe ".Deadline Hollywood.Archivedfrom the original on February 25, 2021.RetrievedMarch 9,2021.
- ^Otterson, Joe (October 3, 2019)."Shahadi Wright Joseph, Ryan Kwanten, Alison Pill Among Seven Cast in 'Them: Covenant' at Amazon (EXCLUSIVE)".Variety.Archivedfrom the original on May 26, 2020.RetrievedMarch 9,2021.
- ^Petski, Denise (December 2, 2019)."'Them': Brooke Smith, Anika Noni Rose, P.J. Byrne, Malcolm Mays, Jeremiah Birkett & Sophie Guest To Recur on Amazon Anthology Series ".Deadline Hollywood.Archivedfrom the original on February 24, 2021.RetrievedMarch 9,2021.
- ^Porter, Rick (September 27, 2022)."Pam Grier, Deborah Ayorinde, Luke James to Topline Amazon's 'Them' Season 2 (Exclusive)".The Hollywood Reporter.RetrievedMarch 24,2024.
- ^"Them: Covenant".Production List.June 16, 2019.Archivedfrom the original on March 9, 2021.RetrievedMarch 9,2021.
- ^Considine, Austin (April 9, 2021)."Get out again: a suburban Black family is haunted by monsters in 'Them'".Houston Chronicle.RetrievedJune 2,2022.
- ^"Them".SXSWOnline.Archivedfrom the original on March 11, 2021.RetrievedMarch 11,2021.
- ^Norman, Dalton (March 14, 2024)."Them Season 2: Release Date, Cast, Story & Everything We Know".Screen Rant.RetrievedMarch 24,2024.
- ^"Them: Limited Series".Rotten Tomatoes.RetrievedJune 15,2021.
- ^"Them (2021)".Metacritic.RetrievedApril 10,2021.
- ^Mangan, Lucy (April 9, 2021)."Them review – racist horrors lurk behind white picket fences".The Guardian.Archivedfrom the original on April 9, 2021.RetrievedApril 9,2021.
- ^Gyarkye, Lovia (April 8, 2021)."'Them': TV Review ".The Hollywood Reporter.Archivedfrom the original on April 9, 2021.RetrievedApril 9,2021.
- ^D'Addario, Daniel (April 8, 2021)."'Them' Is an Unconvincing Examination of American Horror: TV Review ".Variety.Archivedfrom the original on April 8, 2021.RetrievedApril 9,2021.
- ^Braxton, Greg (April 19, 2021)."Media images of Black death come at a cost, experts say. And many viewers are fed up".Los Angeles Times.Archivedfrom the original on April 19, 2021.RetrievedApril 19,2021.
- ^"Them: The Scare".Rotten Tomatoes.RetrievedApril 29,2024.
- ^Roberts, Jordan (March 23, 2021)."Audience Awards Winners for the 2021 SXSW Film Festival Announced".SXSW.Archivedfrom the original on April 15, 2021.RetrievedApril 20,2021.