The Hair Tales

Last updated
The Hair Tales
Created by Michaela Angela Davis
Tracee Ellis Ross
Based onThe Hair Tales (2016)
Presented byTracee Ellis Ross
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes6
Production
Executive producers
Production companies
  • Joy Mill Entertainment
  • Culture House
  • Tetravision
  • Harpo Films
Original release
Network Oprah Winfrey Network, Hulu
ReleaseOctober 22, 2022 (2022-10-22) –
present (present)

The Hair Tales is an American docuseries aired on Hulu and the Oprah Winfrey Network. It was co-created by Tracee Ellis Ross, who also hosts the series, and Michaela Angela Davis. It explores the significance and history of Black hair. [1] It premiered on October 22, 2022.

Contents

Production

The idea was developed by journalist Michaela Angela Davis, who co-created the series with host Tracee Ellis Ross. [1] In 2016, Davis released a series of videos titled "Hair Tales" which featured interviews with Black women celebrities and leaders like Regina King and Patrisse Cullors. The video series drew the attention of Tara Duncan and Carri Twigg, head of development at Culture House, which produced the series. They pitched the series to several people, including Ross and Oprah Winfrey who joined the project. [2]

The series was officially greenlit in 2020. [3] The series was produced by Joy Mill Entertainment, Culture House, Tetravision, and Harpo Films. It was the first partnership between Hulu and the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN). [4] Davis, Ross, Winfrey, Twigg, Duncan and Raeshem Nihjon served as executive producers. [5] When developing the series, the show's creators developed themes and questions to ask interviewees, and then allowed the show to develop "naturally" from what they got. [6]

Synopsis

The series examines the historical importance of African-American hair through the lives of six Black women: Issa Rae, Ayanna Pressley, CHIKA, Marsai Martin, Chloe Bailey and Oprah Winfrey. Interviews with experts and academics discuss the historical and social context of Black hair care.

Release

The series premiered on October 22, 2022 on both Hulu and OWN. One episode aired weekly on OWN, while two episodes aired weekly on Hulu. [7]

Reception

The series was mostly well received by critics. Decider gave the series' premiere episode a positive review, and praised Ross' hosting. [8] Stephanie Snyder of Common Sense Media gave the series 5 out of 5 stars, praising its educational value and its empowering message. [9]

Angela Han of The Hollywood Reporter gave the series a mixed review, writing that it "emphasizes commiseration over debate, personal anecdotes over history lessons and broadly uplifting statements over more nuanced analysis." Han praised its premise and centering of Black women, but criticized the series' focus on celebrities rather than including other women like athletes and low-income people, as well as the exclusion of transgender women. [10]

Cassandra Pinto of Vogue described the series as "a love letter to Black women". [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tracee Ellis Ross</span> American actress

Tracee Joy Silberstein, known professionally as Tracee Ellis Ross, is an American actress. She is known for her lead roles in the television series Girlfriends (2000–2008) and Black-ish (2014–2022) receiving nominations for five Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for the latter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harpo Productions</span> American multimedia production company

Harpo Productions is an American multimedia production company founded by Oprah Winfrey and based in West Hollywood, California. The name "Harpo" is "Oprah" spelled backwards and it was also the name of her on-screen husband in the film The Color Purple (1985).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jill Marie Jones</span> American actress

Jill Marie Jones is an American actress and former professional dancer and cheerleader. Jones is best known for her role as Antoinette "Toni" Childs-Garrett on the UPN comedy series, Girlfriends (2000–2006). Jones has appeared in a number of films, and had the recurring role as Cynthia Irving on the Fox supernatural series, Sleepy Hollow (2013–15). From 2015 to 2016, she starred as Amanda Fisher in the Starz horror-comedy series, Ash vs Evil Dead.

Hey Monie! is an American animated sitcom produced by Soup2Nuts. It features heavily improvised dialogue by the Second City cast, similarly to Soup2Nuts animated sitcom Home Movies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stanley Nelson Jr.</span> American documentary filmmaker

Stanley Earl Nelson Jr. is an American documentary filmmaker and a MacArthur Fellow known as a director, writer and producer of documentaries examining African-American history and experiences. He is a recipient of the 2013 National Humanities Medal from President Obama. He has won three Primetime Emmy Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brian Volk-Weiss</span> American film producer and director

Brian Volk-Weiss is an American film and television producer and director. He is the founder and current chief executive officer (CEO) of The Nacelle Company and its subsidiary company, Comedy Dynamics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oprah Winfrey Network</span> American pay television network

Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) is an American multinational basic cable television network which launched on January 1, 2011, effectively replacing the Discovery Health Channel. The OWN is a joint venture between Warner Bros. Discovery and Harpo Studios, conceptualized largely by popular talkshow host, Oprah Winfrey—the name of Harpo Studios is Winfrey’s first name, spelled backwards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michaela Angela Davis</span> American writer

Michaela Angela Davis is a writer on African-American style, race, gender and hip-hop culture in the United States. She is also a fashion expert and an "image activist."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oprah Winfrey</span> American talk show host, actress, producer, and author (born 1954)

Oprah Gail Winfrey, also known mononymously as Oprah, is an American talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and media proprietor. She is best known for her talk show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, broadcast from Chicago, which ran in national syndication for 25 years, from 1986 to 2011. Dubbed the "Queen of All Media", she was the richest African-American of the 20th century and was once the world's only black billionaire. By 2007, she was often ranked as the most influential woman in the world.

<i>Good Hair</i> 2009 American comedy documentary film by Jeff Stilson

Good Hair is a 2009 American documentary film directed by Jeff Stilson and produced by Chris Rock Productions and HBO Films, starring and narrated by comedian Chris Rock. Premiering at the Sundance Film Festival on January 18, 2009, Good Hair had a limited release to theaters in the United States by Roadside Attractions on October 9, 2009, and opened across the country on October 23.

<i>Oprahs Lifeclass</i> American TV series or program

Oprah's Lifeclass is an American primetime television show hosted and produced by Oprah Winfrey, which aired on OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network. The series premiered on October 10, 2011.

<i>Oprah Prime</i> American TV series or program

Oprah Prime is an American prime-time television series hosted and produced by Oprah Winfrey, airing on Oprah Winfrey Network. The series premiered on January 1, 2012, with a two-part episode featuring Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler. The third season brought a new series title, Oprah Prime, and premiered on March 9, 2014.

Lindsay is an American docuseries that documents actress Lindsay Lohan's rehabilitation recovery and work following a public period of struggles in her personal life and career. The series premiered on March 9, 2014, on the Oprah Winfrey Network, and concluded on April 20, 2014. Premiere ratings were described as "modest" and then dropped, while critical reception was mixed.

The 47th Image Awards, was presented by the NAACP, commemorating roles, talents, and achievements of people of color in film, television, music and literature during the 2015 calendar year. This ceremony was hosted for the third time by Anthony Anderson on the TV One network.

<i>The Color Purple</i> (2023 film) Film by Blitz Bazawule

The Color Purple is a 2023 American coming-of-age musical period drama film directed by Blitz Bazawule. Marcus Gardley's screenplay is based on the stage musical of the same name, which in turn is based on the 1982 novel of the same name by Alice Walker. It is the second film adaptation of the novel, following the 1985 film directed by Steven Spielberg and produced by Spielberg and Quincy Jones. Spielberg and Jones return as producers for the 2023 film, along with its Broadway producers Scott Sanders and Oprah Winfrey, the latter of whom also starred in the 1985 film.

The Premise is an American anthology series created by B. J. Novak. It premiered on FX on Hulu on September 16, 2021. In February 2023, the series was cancelled after one season. The series was removed from Hulu on May 26, 2023.

Grace Nkenge Edwards is a Guyanese-American writer, producer, and actress. She has written for Loosely Exactly Nicole, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and Insecure. Edwards is the creator of the upcoming Daria spinoff film Jodie.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Onyx Collective</span> American content brand

Onyx Collective is a content brand owned and operated by Disney Entertainment, which primarily consists of projects from creators of color and other underrepresented groups. The brand was first launched on May 17, 2021, with several projects under development for Hulu, Disney+, and Star+.

<i>The 1619 Project</i> (TV series) American TV documentary series (2023)

The 1619 Project is an American streaming television documentary miniseries created for Hulu. It is adapted from The 1619 Project, a New York Times Magazine journalism project focusing on slavery in the United States, which was later turned into the anthology The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story. Hosted by project creator Nikole Hannah-Jones, the executive producer of the docuseries is Oprah Winfrey. The series is a six-episode program produced by Lionsgate Television and was released on Hulu on January 26, 2023. It received generally positive reviews from critics.

References

  1. 1 2 "Oprah and Tracee Ellis Ross's Docuseries About Black Hair Is Finally Here". Oprah Daily. 2022-10-25. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
  2. ↑ Richardson, Kalia (2022-10-27). "'The Hair Tales': Stories of Black Women's Hair and Self-Acceptance". The New York Times. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
  3. ↑ Brown, Evan Nicole (2022-11-10). "Hulu's Tracee Ellis Ross-Hosted 'Hair Tales' Is Storytelling by and for Black Women". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
  4. ↑ Pedersen, Erik (2021-06-24). "'The Hair Tales': OWN & Hulu Team For Docuseries With Tracee Ellis Ross Among EPs". Deadline.
  5. ↑ Zorrilla, Mónica Marie (2021-06-24). "New Docuseries 'The Hair Tales' From Tracee Ellis Ross and Michaela Angela Davis to Debut Simultaneously on OWN and Hulu". Variety.
  6. ↑ "'The Hair Tales' Examines the Stories Behind Black Womanhood". Harper's Bazaar. 2022-10-24.
  7. ↑ "How to Watch 'The Hair Tales' Online". Entertainment Tonight. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
  8. ↑ "'Hair Tales' Hulu Review: Stream It or Skip It?".
  9. ↑ "The Hair Tales TV Review". Common Sense Media.
  10. ↑ Han, Angie (2022-10-21). "'The Hair Tales' Review: A Warm and Earnest Hulu/OWN Docuseries About Black omen and Beauty". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
  11. ↑ Pinto, Cassandra (2022-10-21). "The Hair Tales a New Docu-Series is a Love Letter to Black Women". Vogue. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.