Why one of the best tvshows in the entire last decade needs to comeback fast and be properly wrapped up

It is unfortunate and sad that despite the 16 Emmy nominations and several awards that Misha Green’s Lovecraft Country has won, this deeply spiritual and impactful series doesn’t get the accolades and buzz that it rightly deserves. I consider the work to be one of the best tv shows to grace our screens in the entire last decade and feel that it is a disservice to fans that until now, no other tv station or streaming service has indicated interest to pick up the story and expand it to at least two more seasons.

The 2020 supernatural, Sci-Fi, horror and historical TV drama was developed for television from Matt Ruff’s novel, which was originally written to satirize the popular racist narratives common in the author, H.P Lovecraft’s mythologies, hence, the title of the book. It is this “protest novel” that the incredibly talented writer and director, Misha Green reimagines into this spiritual, educative work of high entertainment art value. 

source: HBO. 

Set in mid-50’s Chicago, the show follows Tic, a retired US military veteran as he journeys through the rural Midwest heartlands in the company of his uncle George, a Greenbook “safety guides for black travelers’’ author, together with former high school friend Leticia Lewis, in search of his kidnapped father, Montrose.  On their way to Massachusetts their destination, where they last heard from Montrose through a fake letter, they battle Lovecraftian monsters, armed racist men as they struggle to navigate through sundown towns unharmed. They eventually arrive at a big castle run by an elite white family, where life threatening secrets revolving around powerful bloodlines and magic, are revealed and the historical parallels between all the action and horror begin to make sense.

Because the entire series strips racism to its truest, naked form, making it a terribly uncomfortable experience for the super enfranchised, a lot of misconceptions abound regarding the quality of its writing and the direction in which the story is told and filmed. 

source: HBO. 

It’s not made to vilify white people or white culture.

It is popular knowledge that the founding fathers of modern-day America built most of the wealth of the country through questionable principles that involved pillory, brute force, colonialism, and slavery. Fortunately, this show isn’t necessarily about white people. It’s about events that occurred during Jim crow’s America, and it does not shy away from the vileness and extremities that occurred during that era at all. Although, the entire show is a big ball of clear metaphors and an entire lesson in American history in general, contrary to popular opinion amongst mostly white circles, the white characters depicted in this show are not stereotypical nor are they entirely pure evil caricatures. Characters from Sir. Braithwaite the head wizard of the sons of Adam, a KKK like cult that mirrors modern day white supremacist thought leaders, to the sympathetic villain, Christina whose character has been linked by a few circles, as a metaphor for the white feminist movement. The psyche of these characters was highly scrutinized, and their motivations clearly expounded on. 

source: HBO.

No fictional tv show has covered extensively the compelling history of African Americans in such an interesting way like the show has.

Before seeing this series, I had no knowledge of who Emmet Till was or how his unfortunate death and the events surrounding it were pivotal turnaround points in the civil rights movement. This show despite being fictional, expertly infuses this character into its world and depicts the entire torture/murder process without veering into the territory where it becomes torture porn by making a female white character through magical realism, cast a spell on herself to reenact the incident so she and her target white audience can view it through new eyes and empathize.

The existence of sundown towns, cities where it was illegal for black people to be in before dusk, where the result of them being seen could result in their death, books written to inform black people of these towns and how to navigate and avoid them and how they were called The Negro Motorist Green Book.

Scenes in episodes where some of the white policemen were seen replacing some of their body parts with black bodies and the depiction of the ghostly bodies in the “Holy ghost” episode reminds viewers of the Tuskegee experiments, the CIA drug trade. And the infusion of the anti-slavery children’s book by Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tom’s cabin and how black characters from the beautiful prose pieces were turned into horrifying stereotypes for the amusement of white audiences.

The hub of black commerce, Tulsa was also one of the locations explored in the show and the story about its thriving, and what led to its eventual destruction and how certain black structures and communities taken over were renovated and painted over were also touched on. Many other topics were peppered throughout that it might take multiple viewings to be able to exhaust them all, such as the reason behind the color of the white house.

source: HBO. 

It consists of an array of complex and compelling characters and explores the cultural impacts of different cultures in American history.

Ji-ah played by Jamie Chung is a seemingly innocent and shy Korean nurse living in Daegu, Korea. She lives with her overbearing single mom and is troubled by an evil spirit that demands the lives of a hundred men before it releases her. We see her struggle with accepting her fate as an unwitting accessory to murder and a healer during a devastating highly political period of unrest in her country. Through her character we explore the Asian mythical creature, the Kumiho, a nine tailed fox spirit and how it literally consumes the souls and memories of the people it encounters intimately. The barbaric and horrific effects of the Korean war is juxtaposed with how the character consumes its victims and nothing is left to be imagined by the viewer as the full gory effects is displayed onscreen. 

source: HBO. 

Montrose, played by the now late Micheal K Williams is the father of Atticus and the one character whom the premise of the plot kicks from. This character is deeply troubled by his segregationist society and struggles greatly with his sexuality. This engenders his hard-headed behavior which he uses as a mask to hide his inadequacies which results in him having a strained relationship with his son. Through his character, we explore what it means to be a black man during Jim crows’ America, from how they are supposed to present to survive, to how black men are viewed till this day. The themes of love, PTSD, vulnerability, masculinity, forgiveness, and legacy are viewed through this character and that of his son, Attticus Freeman played by Jonathan Majors.  

source: HBO. 

Ruby Baptiste, played by the British Nigerian actor Wunmi Mosaku, is the half-sister of Letitia Lewis. Her character is a well-educated black woman who works mainly as a travelling singer and bar performer. This woman seeks more for herself and her people as individuals currently disadvantaged and during her quest for this elevation, her ambitions lead her to acquiring a superpower that enables her to shapeshift into a white woman. Through this character the topic of morality, purpose, queerness, body dysphoria engendered by the traumatic effects of racism and segregationist ideals, colorism among black women and the American society at large, through body horror, is explored. Her character’s ambiguous ending is also something that can be further explored. 

source: HBO. 

Yahima, played by Monique Candelaria shines a light on the original owners and dwellers of America. They are a native American character that brings the knowledge of the existence of the two-spirit to many uninitiated viewers. Unfortunately, this character isn’t done justice to, and a second season can put this into consideration through magical realism and flashback and make room for amends.

The amount of sheer talent we are introduced to deserve a comeback

From the use of the poetry of James Baldwin, to the closing soundtrack by Nina Simone. The show exploited both old and new talents. Bringing the forgotten and unpopular to the limelight. The actress who plays Diana Freeman shines. The comic book artist Afua Richardson’s work seen in the beautifully sketched Orinthia Blue comics in the show is breathtaking. The entire makeup department and VFX team that brought the nine tailed fox and Shoggots to life did spectacular, so much that it will be unfortunate if they aren't allowed to bless the viewers again with wonderful visuals such as the ones experienced in the first season again. This show also gave massive visibility to its actors. Jonathan Majors and Wunmi Mosaku who have gone on to star in major big budget marvel productions.

source:HBO. 

Subplots have enough artistic license to be expanded upon.

Apart from characters’ above I’ve hinted at who deserve better from how their storylines were handled in the first season, certain subplots also need to be revisited as well. Especially those involving the multiverse machine and the adventures of Orinthia blue. Even though late, some parts of Atticus’s visions need proper exposition as well. Dee and her protective Shoggoth, The book of names, Letitia’s motherhood, her son and the effects of her spell. 

in conclusion, away from the infamous twitter post Misha shared on her twitter page regarding her plans for a second season, it has been rumored that she plans on writing a 7-part series on Stephen King’s IT, an unoriginal story with several franchises and remakes almost already done to death. Not doubting her abilities to elevate the story and do something fresh with it especially regarding the Derry stories, Maturin and Mike’s entire family but let Lovecraft Country get the befitting expansion and ending it deserves first. Whatever entertainment service that might decide to pick this new Stephen King show up should pls give Lovecraft a chance. Starz and Netflix, I’m looking at you. 

For readers who are yet to see this show, trust me when I say that this post doesn't cover the half of it. Do see the show for yourself and comeback and tell me what you think. 

                                                                                                    written by God'sownM