... The lessons the new “Roots” teaches over the course of its eight hours, which air on four consecutive nights, are worth revisiting, and a number of outstanding performances enliven this retelling of the story of Kunta Kinte and his descendants. …
... Fortunately, this new Roots is very good, indeed. With only a small letdown in its fourth night, each part of Roots builds to its own sometimes rousing, sometimes infuriating, sometimes emotional climax …
... It makes a case for its own existence, thanks to its striking cinematography. ...
… The remake doesn't gloss over important moments, like the way Fiddler (Forest Whitaker), born into slavery, learns to respect and even envy Kunta for refusing to stop fighting and trying to escape, but it moves confidently and briskly throughout, and each night is cleverly structured as its own movie, telling one small piece of the family's larger story: Kunta's abduction and forced assimilation in night one, Kunta passing on Mandinka traditions to daughter Kizzy (played by E’Myri Lee Crutchfield as a teen, and Anika Noni Rose as an adult) in night two, Kizzy enduring the ownership and serial rape of Tom Lea (Jonathan Rhys Meyer) and his growing influence on their son George in night three, and an adult George trying to secure freedom for himself and his family in night four.
... more than just a worthy venture; it’s an enthralling one. …
9 p.m. Monday-Thursday. History. A&E. Lifetime.
Premiering or feturning tonight:
Mistresses (ABC)
Roots (A&E LMN Lifetime History)
Scream (MTV)
So You Think You Can Dance (Fox)
Mondays, May 2-23, 2016
(Adults 18-49; repeats in gray; older weeks in parentheses)
2.5 (3.7) (2.6) (2.3) NBA Basketball
2.0 (---) (---) (---) Bachelorette
2.0 (2.1) (2.1) (2.1) The Voice
1.9 (1.7) (1.7) (1.8) Dancing/Stars
1.4 (1.5) (0.8) (1.4) Love & Hip-Hop
1.3 (1.3) (1.3) (1.3) Blindspot
1.3 (---) (---) (---) Price Is Right
1.3 (0.3) (---) (---) SportsCenter
1.2 (1.3) (1.2) (1.2) Gotham
1.2 (1.1) (1.2) (1.2) WWE Entertainment
1.1 (1.1) (1.1) (1.2) Black Ink Crew
1.1 (1.0) (0.8) (0.9) Street Outlaws
1.0 (1.3) (1.3) (1.3) The Odd Couple
0.9 (0.9) (1.0) (---) Person of Interest
0.8 (0.8) (---) (0.9) Teen Mom
0.6 (0.5) (0.5) (0.5) Fat N Furious
0.6 (0.7) (0.6) (0.7) Houdini & Doyle
0.6 (0.7) (0.5) (0.7) NHL Hockey
0.5 (0.5) (0.5) (0.5) American Dad
0.4 (0.3) (0.4) (0.4) The Detour
0.4 (0.4) (0.4) (0.4) Southern Charm
0.4 (---) (---) (---) Whose Line
0.3 (0.3) (0.3) (0.3) The Daily Show
0.3 (---) (---) (---) Diners, Drive-Ins
0.3 (0.3) (0.4) (0.3) House Hunters
0.3 (0.3) (0.4) (0.3) House Hunters Intl
0.3 (0.4) (0.3) (0.3) Real Hwives Dallas
0.3 (0.3) (0.2) (0.3) Reign
0.3 (0.3) (0.4) (0.3) Tiny House/Living
