Roots

Last night I started watching Roots, the 1977 miniseries I haven't seen since Jimmy Carter was president.

Yes, I know it's not true or historically accurate, as author Alex Haley claimed.  That he claimed it was is indeed a blot, but that lie was probably what caused the show to be such a success in the first place.  It's still a compelling story, though.

Roots comes from a time when movies and TV specials had an "all star cast".  LeVar Burton, of Star Trek and Reading Rainbow fame, is the star--in his first acting role.  One would expect Cicely Tyson in such a show from that time, but did anyone back then know who Maya Angelou was?  I laughed when Kunta Kinte (Burton) was running from OJ Simpson, all I could think was "he's not going to outrun a man who hurdles seats in an airport".  And if I give you the character names Fiddler and Chicken George, do you automatically remember who played them?  So many stars, and future stars, in that series.

I won't watch it as it aired, one episode each on consecutive nights, but will probably watch a couple episodes each Saturday until it's done.  Quality story-telling.