Larry begins the pod by resharing a lovely discussion he had with his daughter, Lauren, from an episode in 2020 where they dissect the lyrical intricacies of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and examine how the song has evolved over time. He’s then joined by award-winning playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins to discuss his new television show, Kindred, streaming at FX on Hulu. They begin their conversation by talking about how the show came together, why Branden chose to adapt Kindred from author Octavia Butler’s impressive catalog, and the similarities between his show and the ’70s TV miniseries Roots (17:48). Next, Branden touches on the challenges of interpreting the chronological, thematic, and sci-fi elements of Butler’s novel to the screen (28:11). After the break they explore the psychological layers of some of the show’s main characters and shine a light on actor Mallori Johnson’s portrayal of the protagonist Dana (49:08). They end the pod by debating the role of Kindred in the current cultural climate and speculate on the future of the show (56:33).
Host: Larry Wilmore
Guests: Lauren Wilmore and Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
Associate Producer: Chris Sutton
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