Some of the early reviews for Them are pretty brutal since they focus heavily on calling the series a Jordan Peele knock-off, citing the movies Get Out and Us since the truth is that the title and even parts of the trailer do make it look like scenes from Us, but comparing it to Get Out is odd since the animosity being shown to the family that’s just moved in doesn’t really have much to do with Get Out at all. On top of that, the supernatural lean veers away from both movies, but the single-word title and the similarities that are there to be seen are getting a few people hot and definitely bothered, which to be honest is kind of funny rather than tragic since through all the virtue signaling and all the talks of how racism is being practiced all over the country and POC’s aren’t getting enough representation, this series actually tackles those issues in a big way since the family members are the stars, and the issue of racism is looking like it will be a very prominent part of the series. But how the supernatural aspect factors into it is kind of hard to figure out at the moment, even though it’s there and obviously going to be a big part of the show. But one has to wonder if the dark secrets in the house are going to harm the family or if they’re going to be unleashed and decimate the neighborhood.
It’s kind of funny really how certain shows and movies are being lauded for their ‘wokeness’ while others are being ignored or called out for such a thing as being directed by a POC or a Caucasian. That was another issue that people apparently have with this series, that while there is an episode that will be directed by a man of color, the others will be directed by white men. Heaven forbid experienced and knowledgable directors be brought in to take control of a series, at least for an episode or so since that would be just terrible beyond belief. The sarcasm is being laid pretty heavy on this one since the whole idea of not liking a series or a movie based on what skin color the director has is beyond silly, and thinking that someone of a different color couldn’t possibly direct people of color is another bit of proof that Hollywood is not in its right mind at the moment, and neither are the audience members that are watching. The best we can do right now is go by what we like, what makes sense, and what appeals to those that want to watch something new and engaging. So far the trailer for Them looks pretty creepy and as though it’s meant to pull at every sensibility or kick it until there’s a response, and that’s great in one aspect since it will likely make people feel something.
But calling it a knock-off of something that Jordan Peele did is a little petulant, not to mention ridiculous since while there are plenty of similarities, there are quite a few differences as well. As of right now I know one reason why we’ll be watching this show, and it’s just as petty as any reason that people might have for downplaying it, but watching it to nettle those that are set so firmly against it would be a guilty pleasure. Beyond that, it does look interesting since it’s now intriguing to know just who the supernatural entity or entities are within that house and what will happen once they start showing up. The racist attitudes of the Caucasian folks in the trailer are something that’s been seen for quite some time in movies and TV and in various ways that are even worse than what the trailer shows. But while it’s horrible and definitely meant to get people a little riled up, those that are speaking out against it might need to remember that TV and cinema can act as a mirror for the iniquities that this country has experienced and pushed on others in past decades and centuries, and some people simply don’t like the reflection. The time period in which this story is taking place does make sense, but the over-the-top reaction to the family’s presence feels like something that isn’t unreal but is still ramped up in a way that would likely reflect that something is terribly wrong with their house.
So to be honest, there are a couple of reasons that we’ll be watching this series, and the first is that it does look like something that would be able to catch our interest since the supernatural quality of it is definitely a big draw. The other is kind of a side effect of people’s inability to make up their minds about what’s okay and what’s not in society these days.
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