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<\/p>\n\u2018When We Rise\u2019 Is This Week\u2019s Must-See TV<\/b><\/p>\n
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Let\u2019s be clear: When We Rise<\/em>, the four-part miniseries premiering tonight on ABC, should be required viewing. Tracing the LGBT movement from post-Stonewall through marriage equality, the sprawling series manages to depict\u00a0decades of struggles throughout its eight-hour runtime.<\/p>\n Mostly written by Dustin Lance Black (Milk<\/em>), When We Rise<\/em> is an ambitious piece of television. Addressing Harvey Milk, the AIDS crisis, marriage equality and more is a tall order, even across the duration of four feature-length films. Considering the breadth of material, When We Rise<\/em> manages to pack in a slew of milestones that build toward a more comprehensive (if not completely successful) portrait of the LGBT rights movement.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n When We Rise<\/em> wisely grounds all the historical context in three core characters. The first is activist Cleve Jones, portrayed in the early installments by Austin P. McKenzie. Arriving from Arizona to escape his conservative father (David Hyde Pierce), Jones\u2019 story is the crux of the narrative. (The series is informed by Jones\u2019 memoir\u00a0of the same name.)<\/p>\n Unlike Hollywood\u2019s last stab at queer history<\/a>, When We Rise<\/em> seems a bit more conscious of intersectionality, splitting its time between the interweaving stories of Cleve Jones, Ken Jones (a Vietnam vet turned activist who fights back against homophobia, racism, HIV-stigma and addiction) and women<\/a>\u2019s rights leader Roma Guy (brought to the screen in a memorable TV debut from Fun Home<\/em>\u2019s Emily Skeggs).<\/p>\n Trans activist Cecilia Chung is also a prominent figure, played here by Ivory Aquino. It certainly doesn\u2019t mean every experience is reflected, but the series doesn\u2019t shy away from the kinds of tough questions and challenges facing any diverse movement, whether that be acknowledging the pervasive racism in the gay<\/a> community, the homophobia in the women<\/a>\u2019s rights movement or lesbian<\/a> separatists wary of gay<\/a> men<\/a>\u2019s involvement.<\/p>\n The second half of the series ages the characters significantly, requiring older actors Guy Pearce (Cleve Jones), Michael K. Williams (Ken Jones) and Mary-Louise Parker (Roma Guy) to step in. It\u2019s a jarring transition at first. Then again, When We Rise<\/em> doesn\u2019t exactly deal in subtlety. Often, the breakneck pace reduces some important touchstones \u2014 Matthew Shepard\u2019s murder, Obergefell v. Hodges, for example \u2014 to footnotes. No wonder there\u2019s little time to smooth out the characters\u2019 individual journeys.<\/p>\n And yet, despite its blunt delivery, the film doesn\u2019t fail to deliver some emotional wallops. At a time when LGBT people are still facing enormous adversity and mounting institutionalized discrimination from the radical right-wing, When We Rise<\/em>\u2019s message feels particularly urgent. As many of us are feeling a renewed sense of inspiration, learning from these bold early organizers puts the power of passion into perspective.<\/p>\n When We Rise begins tonight at 9 p.m. Eastern on ABC. It continues Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.<\/em><\/p>\n The post \u2018When We Rise\u2019 Is This Week\u2019s Must-See TV<\/a> appeared first on Towleroad<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"'When](\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/www.towleroad.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/143488_1407-copy.jpg?resize=480%2C320\")
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