Washington Black (TV series)

Last updated

Washington Black
Washington Black logo.png
Created by Selwyn Seyfu Hinds
Based on Washington Black by Esi Edugyan
ShowrunnerSelwyn Seyfu Hinds
Starring
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes8
Production
Executive producers
Producers
  • Judd Rea
  • Abby Victor
  • Danielle Reardon
Production companies
Original release
Network Hulu
ReleaseJuly 23, 2025 (2025-07-23)

Washington Black is a drama miniseries created by Selwyn Seyfu Hinds for the streaming service Hulu. It stars Ernest Kinglsey Jr., Eddie Karanja, Rupert Graves, Iola Evans, Edward Bluemel, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, Tom Ellis, and Sterling K. Brown. [1] Adapted from the book of the same name by Esi Edugyan, the series is set in the 19th century and follows the story of a young Black inventor who travels across the world, discovering more about himself and his passion for invention. [2]

Contents

Washington Black was released on Hulu on July 23, 2025. [3] It received generally positive reviews from critics. [4] [5]

Premise

The setting is Barbados and Nova Scotia in the early 1800s. An eleven-year-old boy (Kingsley) is forced to flee his home on a sugar plantation in Barbados after a shocking death. He comes under the wing of Medwin Harris (Brown), who himself had a traumatic childhood as a Black refugee in Nova Scotia. [6]

Cast

Main

Recurring

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date
1"The Flying Man & the Musician" Wanuri Kahiu Selwyn Seyfu Hinds July 23, 2025 (2025-07-23)
2"Movements of Jah People"Wanuri Kahiu & Rob SeidenglanzSelwyn Seyfu HindsJuly 23, 2025 (2025-07-23)
3"Of Love & Caribbean Rum"Rob SeidenglanzFrankie BenadriguezJuly 23, 2025 (2025-07-23)
4"The Souls & Science of Black Folk" Mo Marable Jennifer Johnson July 23, 2025 (2025-07-23)
5"St. George and the Dragon"Mo MarableMichael Cobian & Blaize Ali-WatkinsJuly 23, 2025 (2025-07-23)
6"Selamiut"Mo Marable Marco Ramirez July 23, 2025 (2025-07-23)
7"J'ouvert Morning"Mo Marable & Rob SeidenglanzShernold Edwards & Ann CherkisJuly 23, 2025 (2025-07-23)
8"If You See My Mama, Whisper Her This..."Wanuri KahiuSelwyn Seyfu HindsJuly 23, 2025 (2025-07-23)

Production

In March 2019, the rights for the novel were bought by 20th Television in association with Indian Meadows Productions, Anthony Hemingway Productions and The Gotham Group in a competitive situation. [7] In September 2019, it was reported that an adaptation of the novel was in development at Hulu with Sterling K. Brown attached as producer. [8] In October 2021, it was announced that Hulu had given the production a series order to a limited television adaptation of the novel consisting of nine episodes. The project will be produced by 20th Television with Sterling K. Brown and Selwyn Seyfu Hinds as executive producers. [9] Hinds is adapting the novel and showrunner for the series alongside series writer Jennifer Johnson. The directors are Wanuri Kahiu and Mo Marable. [10]

Casting

in November 2021, Ernest Kingsley Jr. was cast as title character George Washington ‘Wash’ Black, alongside Sterling K. Brown as Medwin Harris, with Iola Evans also cast as Tanna Goff. [11]

In February 2022, Tom Ellis was cast as Christopher ‘Titch’ Wilde. [12] That month, Rupert Graves was cast as a series regular and Shaunette Renée Wilson in a recurring role. [13] Charles Dance was also cast as Titch's father, James Wilde. [14] In May 2022, Billy Boyd, Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, and Julian Rhind-Tutt were cast in recurring roles. [15]

Filming

Filming began on 28 March 2022 in Nova Scotia. [16] Filming locations included Lunenburg, The Ovens, Mount Uniacke, the Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site, and Halifax. [17] Principal photography concluded in Mexico City, Mexico on 18 September 2024. [18]

Release

Washington Black premiered on Hulu in the United States on July 23, 2025. [19] The eight-episode miniseries was made available in full at launch. [20] Internationally, the series was made available for streaming on Disney+. [21]

Reception

Viewership

Streaming analytics firm FlixPatrol, which monitors daily updated VOD charts and streaming ratings across the globe, announced that Washington Black ranked as the seventh most-streamed series on Hulu the day following its premiere. [22] TVision, which tracks viewer attention, program reach, and engagement across more than 1,000 CTV apps, calculated that it was the ninth most-streamed series between July 21–27. [23] The following week, from July 28 to August 3, Washington Black ranked as the thirteenth most-streamed series. [24]

Critical response

The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported an 87% approval rating based on 23 critic reviews. The website's critics consensus reads, "An adventure yarn bolstered by weighty themes, Washington Black brings Esi Edugyan's acclaimed novel to life with a terrific ensemble and striking production design." [25] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, gave a score of 69 out of 100 based on 18 critics, indicating "generally favorable." [26]

Caroline Siede of The Daily Beast said that Washington Black transforms a historical setting into a Jules Verne-style adventure with a primarily Black cast. She praised the series for balancing historical truths with whimsical, adventurous storytelling and highlighted its nuanced depiction of slavery, abolitionist hypocrisies, and Black community resilience. Siede also complimented the performances of Sterling K. Brown, Eddie Karanja, and Iola Evans, as well as the costuming, location filming, and steampunk aesthetic, noting how the show combines romance, scientific curiosity, and coming-of-age themes into an engaging and visually engaging series. [27] Hannah Davies of The Guardian gave Washington Black three out of five stars, noting its visually stunning setting and strong performances, particularly from Sterling K. Brown and Eddie Karanja. She described the series as easy to watch, highlighting the scenic Nova Scotia locations, Regency-inspired costumes, and moments of emotional nuance. While she praised the concept of blending science and adventure into a historical story, Davies criticized the adaptation's sanitized treatment of slavery, clichéd dialogue, and over-the-top romantic lines, which she felt diminished the series' impact and left it lacking the bite and gravitas of its source material. [28]

References

  1. ↑ Darwish, Meaghan (23 June 2025). "'Washington Black' Trailer Teases a Tale of Triumph". TV Insider . Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  2. ↑ Harris, Raquel 'Rocky' (24 July 2025). "'Washington Black' Cast and Character Guide | Photos". TheWrap . Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  3. ↑ Petski, Denise (20 May 2025). "Sterling K. Brown's 'Washington Black' Limited Series Gets Premiere Date At Hulu". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved 20 May 2025.
  4. ↑ Coman, Monica (23 July 2025). "Tom Ellis' Long-Awaited Drama Limited Series Debuts With a Perfect Score on Rotten Tomatoes". Comic Book Resources . Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  5. ↑ Shaw, Angel (23 July 2025). "Hulu's New Historical Drama Debuts With Rare Rotten Tomatoes Score". Screen Rant . Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  6. ↑ Porter, Rick (25 February 2022). "'Game of Thrones' Alum Charles Dance Boards 'Washington Black' at Hulu (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  7. ↑ Thorne, Will (20 March 2019). "20th Century Fox TV to Adapt Esi Edugyan Novel 'Washington Black' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  8. ↑ Thorne, Will (11 September 2019). "Sterling K. Brown-Produced 'Washington Black' Series in Development at Hulu (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  9. ↑ White, Peter (4 October 2021). "Sterling K. Brown & Selwyn Seyfu Hinds Adaptation Of 'Washington Black' Lands Series Order At Hulu". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  10. ↑ Owens, Kelvin (2 February 2022). "Tom Ellis Joins Sterling K. Brown in 'Washington Black' Limited Series". Collider. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  11. ↑ Petski, Denise (23 November 2021). "'Washington Black': Ernest Kingsley Jr. Cast In Title Role, Iola Evans Also Stars In Hulu Limited Series". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  12. ↑ Petski, Denise (2 February 2022). "'Lucifer' Alum Tom Ellis Joins Sterling K. Brown In Hulu's 'Washington Black'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 2 February 2022. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  13. ↑ Grobar, Matt; Wiseman, Andreas (10 February 2022). "Hulu Drama 'Washington Black' Adds Rupert Graves As Series Regular, Shaunette Renée Wilson As Recurring". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 10 February 2022.
  14. ↑ Hailu, Selome (25 February 2022). "'Game of Thrones' Alum Charles Dance Cast in 'Washington Black' at Hulu". Variety.
  15. ↑ Otterson, Joe (17 May 2022). "'Washington Black' Hulu Series Casts Billy Boyd, Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, Julian Rhind-Tutt (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  16. ↑ Mullin, Morgan (23 March 2022). "Washington Black begins filming in Nova Scotia on 28 March". thecoast.ca. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  17. ↑ Murphy, Rose (18 June 2022). "Washington Black events aim to connect production crew with Black Nova Scotian communities". cbc.ca. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  18. ↑ @juddrea; (18 September 2024). "I think I can report with a fair amount of certainty that Washington Black has long last completed principal photography. It's been a long road but grateful for the lasting friendships I've developed over these years. Look out for Washington on Hulu next year!" . Retrieved 28 September 2024– via Instagram.
  19. ↑ Bloom, Mike (22 July 2025). "Sterling K. Brown Continues Run on Hulu With New Series 'Washington Black'". Parade . Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  20. ↑ Harris, Raquel 'Rocky' (26 July 2025). "'Washington Black' Release Schedule: Are More Episodes on the Way?". TheWrap . Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  21. ↑ Palmer, Roger (20 May 2025). ""Washington Black" Coming Soon To Hulu & Disney+". WhatsOnDisneyPlus.com. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  22. ↑ Dodge, John (24 July 2025). "After 1 Single Day, Tom Ellis' New Adventure Show With 93% on RT Is Already Dominating the Streaming Charts". Comic Book Resources . Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  23. ↑ "The TVision Power Score - Week of July 21-27, 2025". TVision Insights. 1 August 2025. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  24. ↑ TVision (7 August 2025). "The TVision Power Score - Week of July 28 to August 3, 2025". TVision Insights. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  25. ↑ "Washington Black: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved 24 July 2025.
  26. ↑ "Washington Black: Season 1". Metacritic . Retrieved 24 July 2025.
  27. ↑ "There's Never Been an Adventure Series Quite Like This". The Daily Beast . 22 July 2025. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  28. ↑ Davies, Hannah J. (23 July 2025). "Washington Black review – the romantic bits could have been stolen from a bad pop song". The Guardian . ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 12 August 2025.
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