Common Sense Media Review
By Marty Brown
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Solid dramatic account of 1990s wrongful conviction trial.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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When They See Us
What's the Story?
WHEN THEY SEE US begins on a spring night as a large group of kids from Harlem go walking through Central Park. Some are just hanging out, while others are harassing bicyclists and getting into fights until the police come and make a handful of forceful arrests. The next morning, the police discover that the violent rape of a 28-year-old woman has also taken place in Central Park, and suspect the teens. They zero in on five kids, using illegal and manipulative tactics to force confessions from them. This is a dramatic account of the aftermath of this real-life New York City crime that shook the country. Prosecutor Linda Fairstein (Felicity Huffman) states her case against the Five during courtroom proceedings, while the teens' parents are portrayed by actors including Niecy Nash and John Leguizamo.
Is It Any Good?
This ambitious miniseries addresses an important subject and problematic piece of recent American history, but often depicts institutional racism in generalities and broad strokes. When They See Us makes the point that, despite being 30 years old, the Exonerated Five case is still relevant because it showcases the entrenched racism in the American legal system, and also because of Donald Trump's continued engagement with the closed case. (He called for the execution of the "Central Park Five" even after they were completely exonerated.) When They See Us also portrays the NYPD as uniformly corrupt and racist, while the Exonerated Five all have nearly identical story arcs. In all cases, these narrative decisions are dramatic but lack the nuance that would elevate DuVernay's series into something more durable than yet another straight-to-streaming limited series.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how the justice system is depicted in When They See Us. When a crime is committed, how do the police in the series respond? How does this compare with your interactions with the police? How does it compare with other depictions of police on television and movies?
Why do you think the boys were targeted? Is that fair? Why, or why not?
Which of the characters convey integrity? Perseverance? Compassion? How are these character strengths communicated to the viewer?
What would you do if you know someone has been wrongfully accused of something they didn't do?
For more resources and lessons based on the series, check out the official learning guide.
TV Details
- Premiere date : May 31, 2019
- Cast : Felicity Huffman , John Leguizamo , Michael Kenneth Williams
- Network : Netflix
- Genre : Drama
- Character Strengths : Compassion , Integrity , Perseverance
- TV rating :
- Awards : BAFTA - BAFTA Winner , Emmy - Emmy Award Winner , NAACP Image Award - NAACP Image Award Nominee
- Last updated : July 31, 2025
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