“Roots” is a 1977 television series that turned Alex Haley’s family history into the biggest event on American television. Based on his 1976 novel Roots: The Saga of an American Family, the series ran over eight nights on ABC, tracing the lives of Haley’s ancestors from West Africa to post-Civil War America. It won nine Emmys, a Golden Globe, and a Peabody, and remains the most watched miniseries in U.S. history.
The show follows the story of Kunta Kinte, a Gambian man captured in the mid-1700s and sold into slavery in Maryland. The narrative moves through generations, ending with the birth of Alex Haley’s father in the late 1800s. The series is a docu-drama, blending historical fact with fictionalized personal detail.
Trailer, via Warner Bros. Entertainment.
Eight Nights, One Story
The series premiered on January 23, 1977, and aired nightly through January 30. Each episode covers a chapter of the saga, from Kunta Kinte’s capture to the birth of Haley’s father.
| Episode | Date |
|---|---|
| 1 | Jan 23 |
| 2 | Jan 24 |
| 3 | Jan 25 |
| 4 | Jan 26 |
| 5 | Jan 27 |
| 6 | Jan 28 |
| 7 | Jan 29 |
| 8 | Jan 30 |
The episodic structure works because each night builds on the last. Viewers stay with the story, following characters across decades of American history.
Kunta Kinte’s Capture
The series opens with Kunta Kinte as a young man in Gambia. He is captured while gathering wood, tied to a slave ship, and transported to Maryland. The brutality of the Middle Passage is shown in full detail, with slaves packed into the hold and thrown overboard if they die.
John Amos plays the older Kunta Kinte, and LeVar Burton plays the younger version. The casting decision allows the series to show Kunta’s journey from free man to enslaved person.
The episode that captures Kunta is particularly powerful. The scene of his sale at auction is staged with a quiet dignity that makes the violence feel more brutal. The series does not soften the horror of slavery; it shows it plainly.
The Legacy of Slavery
The show does not stop at Kunta Kinte’s death. It follows his descendants through the Civil War and Reconstruction. Kizzy Reynolds, played by Leslie Uggams, becomes a central character, passing on her skills to her son Chicken George Moore, played by Ben Vereen.
The final episode centers on the birth of Alex Haley’s father. The series ends with the promise of a new generation, one that will eventually produce the author himself.
The Cast and Its Range
The ensemble is large, with many actors appearing in only one or two episodes. That range gives the series a sense of continuity across centuries. Some of the names are familiar from other roles:
- Ed Asner as Capt. Davies
- Lloyd Bridges as Evan Brent
- Olivia Cole as Matilda
- Cicely Tyson as Binta
- Leslie Uggams as Kizzy Reynolds
- Ben Vereen as Chicken George Moore
- Louis Gossett Jr. as Fiddler
The casting choices were notable for the time. The series featured black actors in leading roles, something uncommon on network television in the mid-1970s.
The Historical Weight
“Roots” is careful about its history. It draws on Haley’s research into his own ancestry, blending documented events with fictionalized characters. The series presents itself as a true story, even though some details are invented.
The show’s depiction of slavery is unflinching. It shows whippings, separations of families, and the arbitrary cruelty of slave owners. The series does not romanticize the past; it shows it as a brutal institution.
The series also deals with the legacy of slavery. The descendants of Kunta Kinte live through the Civil War and the Reconstruction era, facing poverty and discrimination. The show suggests that the effects of slavery lasted long after the war ended.
The Sequels and the Remake
“Roots” spawned two sequels. “Roots: The Next Generations” aired in 1979, continuing the story of the descendants of Kunta Kinte. “Roots: The Gift,” a Christmas television film, starred LeVar Burton and Louis Gossett Jr. and aired in 1988.
A related film, “Alex Haley’s Queen,” tells the story of Queen Jackson Haley, who was Alex Haley’s paternal grandmother.
In 2016, a remake of the original miniseries was commissioned by the History Channel. The remake, also titled “Roots,” aired on Memorial Day.
The Critical Response
“Roots” was a critical and commercial success. It received 37 Primetime Emmy Award nominations and won nine. It also won a Golden Globe and a Peabody Award.
The finale holds the record as the third-highest-rated episode for any type of television series, and the third-most-watched overall series finale in American television history.
The series was praised for its ambitious scope and its willingness to show the harsh realities of slavery. Critics noted that the show balanced the drama with historical accuracy.
Our Verdict
“Roots” succeeds because it commits fully to its story. The series does not soften its subject matter, and it trusts viewers to sit with the difficult history it presents. The performances are strong across the board, and the production values are high for the time.
The show has its flaws. The pacing can drag, and some viewers may find the middle episodes less compelling than the opening chapters. But the cumulative effect is powerful. Watching “Roots” over eight nights is a commitment, but it is a rewarding one.
“Roots” is a landmark of American television. It changed what audiences expected from the medium, showing that a serious historical drama could attract a massive audience.
The series also changed the industry. The success of “Roots” proved that networks could invest in expensive, multi-night productions. The show’s success encouraged producers to take risks with long-form storytelling.
The series has its flaws. The pacing can drag, and some viewers may find the middle episodes less compelling than the opening chapters. But the cumulative effect is powerful. Watching “Roots” over eight nights is a commitment, but it is a rewarding one.
The show is a reminder of what television can do when it takes risks. It is a show that changed television, and it remains a compelling watch.
| Aspect | Strength | Weakness |
|---|---|---|
| Storytelling | Ambitious scope, strong historical foundation | Some historical liberties taken |
| Acting | Strong ensemble, memorable performances | Limited screen time for some characters |
| Production | High quality for the time | Dated techniques in some scenes |
| Impact | Landmark of American television | Slow pacing in middle episodes |
“Roots” is a show that asks viewers to sit with uncomfortable truths. It does not offer easy answers, and it does not soften its subject matter. That honesty is its greatest strength.
The series is a reminder of what television can do when it takes risks. It is a show that changed television, and it remains a compelling watch.
Get the Notebook.
The day's best stories and every fresh verdict, in plain English, in your inbox by seven. One email a day, no more.
