{"id":208389,"date":"2021-03-23T00:07:18","date_gmt":"2021-03-22T21:07:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/new-amazon-series-them-labeled-a-jordan-peele-ripoff\/"},"modified":"2021-03-23T00:07:18","modified_gmt":"2021-03-22T21:07:18","slug":"new-amazon-series-them-labeled-a-jordan-peele-ripoff","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/new-amazon-series-them-labeled-a-jordan-peele-ripoff\/","title":{"rendered":"#New Amazon series ‘Them’ labeled a Jordan Peele ripoff"},"content":{"rendered":"

“#New Amazon series<\/a> ‘Them’ labeled a Jordan Peele ripoff<\/strong>”<\/p>\n

\n

Well, get out.<\/p>\n

\u201cThem,\u201d a new Amazon Prime TV series executive produced by Lena Waithe, has been roasted by fans comparing it to Jordan Peele films, specifically the horror movies \u201cGet Out\u201d (2017) and 2019\u2019s \u201cUs\u201d \u2014 which broke box office records for the horror genre<\/a>.<\/p>\n

A trailer that debuted Monday \u2014 ironically, exactly two years to the date when \u201cUs\u201d hit theaters \u2014 shows a black family moving into a home in what seems to be a predominately white neighborhood in 1950s America. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s bigger than it looked in the pictures,\u201d comments the family matriarch, portrayed by Deborah Ayorinde.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou couldn\u2019t imagine a nicer place to live,\u201d says a voiceover ominously. Things take a haunting turn when white neighbors begin to spew out racist vitriol at the young family.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is how it begins. With one family,\u201d comments a blonde housewife, played by Alison Pill, who promises to make things \u201cworse\u201d for them.<\/p>\n

But these folks are much more sadistic, as they deface the family\u2019s home and front lawn with\u00a0effigy hangings reminiscent of a Jim Crow-era\u00a0lynching. The family is then forced to defend themselves against the extreme hatred and cruelty which threatens their existence \u2014 and even some otherworldly monsters that haunt them.<\/p>\n

The show, which is also executive produced by Little Marvin, has fans labeling it a \u201cknockoff\u201d<\/a> and \u201ccopycat\u201d<\/a> of Peele\u2019s past work while another pointed out it\u2019s \u201cboth Jordan Peele movies combined.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

\"A
A scene in Jordan Peele\u2019s \u201cUs\u201d (left) and Amazon Prime\u2019s \u201cThem.\u201d<\/figcaption>
Universal Pictures; Amazon Prime<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cThis feels like someone whos never seen a Jordan Peele movie describing what a Jordan Peele movie is like,\u201d one commenter wrote<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cJordan Peele has given us two black horror movies and now they\u2019re copying him already,\u201d added another<\/a>.<\/p>\n

One Twitter<\/a> user even poked fun at the series\u2019 title<\/a>, \u201cthey even ripped off the \u2018Us\u2019 title and called it \u2018THEM.\u2019 \u201c<\/p>\n

\""Them"
\u201cThem\u201d on Amazon Prime has drawn early criticism. <\/figcaption>
Courtesy of Amazon Prime Video<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One fan was angry that the show is directed by a \u201cwhite man.\u201d<\/a> And while the 10 episodes have one black director, Janicza Bravo, IMDB lists the remaining nine episodes<\/a> as directed by white men.<\/p>\n

Others who app<\/a>reciate Peele\u2019s work suggested that there\u2019s plenty of topics to explore with black actors as leads within the horror genre without bringing up racism.<\/p>\n

\"Amazon
Amazon Prime\u2019s \u201cThem\u201d vs. Jordan Peele\u2019s \u201cUs.\u201d<\/figcaption>
Amazon Prime; Everett<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cI appreciate Jordan Peele for getting black folks into the horror genre but black horror does not have to center around white folks all the time like damn,\u201d said one critic<\/a>. \u201cThese directors, writers and producers love shopping around black trauma for reactions and sales. Just one light hearted movie would do but no we\u2019re expected to sit through this,\u201d added another<\/a>.<\/p>\n

However, some who have already seen the show say otherwise, such as journalist Jeandra LeBeauf who gave it a great review<\/a>: \u201cThis is going to be THE series to watch. I was fortunate to screen during #sxsw and it is \ud83d\ude31 Amazing writing, storytelling and can we get into this talented and beautiful starring cast?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThem\u201d drops on Amazon Prime Video on April 9.<\/p>\n

\"Lupita
Lupita Nyong\u2019o, Evan Alex, Shahadi Wright Joseph and Winston Duke in \u201cUs.\u201d<\/figcaption>
\u00a9Universal\/courtesy Everett<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n