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Racial Minefields Explode in ‘Little Fires Everywhere’
5 things the Emmy-nominated Hulu miniseries gets right about Black v. White.
The Hulu miniseries Little Fires Everywhere immediately pulled me in when it debuted in March of this year, but I didn’t feel its full impact until the weeks after I watched the April finale. The eight episodes negotiate a series of social land mines — racial divides, White privilege, interracial relationships, class consciousness, liberal guilt, Black pride — that would make for uncomfortable talking points during the best of times. However, in a world rubbed raw by a global pandemic and the murder of George Floyd, their explosive potential has multiplied exponentially.
Starring Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington as rival mothers Elena Richardson and Mia Warren, the TV adaptation of Celeste Ng’s 2017 novel sometimes seems to be bending over sideways to stuff too many loaded topics into eight weeks: racism, motherhood, lesbianism, homophobia, sibling rivalry, infidelity, abortion, adoption, surrogacy, teenage pregnancy, and, of course, arson. Ultimately, though, the crowded agenda helps the miniseries live up to its title, both figuratively and literally.
I’m glad it wasn’t forgotten when the Emmy nominations were announced on July 28 and scored major nods for Outstanding…
