One to Watch: ‘When They See Us’ Netflix’s Heart-Wrenching Story of the Central Park Five

In our new feature series, ‘One to Watch,’ we’ll be recommending a variety of movies and TV series, both old and new, that we’ve recently enjoyed. The latest addition to that list is the powerful drama When They See Us.

Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana, and Korey Wise are the five teenagers from Harlem who were wrongly arrested, convicted, and imprisoned for the 1989 rape of a female jogger. Known widely as the Central Park Five, When They See Us tells the powerful story of each boy’s turmoil.

Despite all initial evidence suggesting a single attacker dragged her off the path into the undergrowth. When Linda Fairstein, head of the DA’s sex crimes unit, hears that “a bunch of kids” have been arrested elsewhere in the park, a new narrative takes shape. Their evening is reorchestrated as “a rampage,” and the boys are labeled as “animals” moving as “a pack,” intent on causing havoc.

Although Fairstein and her team, played by Felicity Huffman, are not explicitly labeled as racist, their prejudice is evident in every assumption. There is a tacit agreement among all the white adults that the boys are the obvious suspects and that they “must” have committed the crime.

Elizabeth Lederer (played by Vera Farmiga), the prosecuting attorney, begins to harbor doubts. Despite DNA evidence from the crime scene failing to link the boys to the incident, she continues forward and proposes a plea bargain. Refusing to plead to a crime they didn’t commit, the boys go to trial, with Korey being tried as an adult.

The performances, both from young actors and seasoned veterans, are uniformly remarkable. The central five—Asante Blackk, Caleel Harris, Ethan Herisse, Marquis Rodriguez, and Jharrel Jerome—deliver especially powerful portrayals. Most of them were only slightly older than the characters they play, capturing the innocence of childhood and the profound impact of its loss. Watching their performances feels like a true privilege.

The limited series spans only 4 episodes, yet it manages to feel remarkably rich and well-developed. Each boy’s story is told in intricate detail, and Episode 4, which centers on Korey Wise, is particularly heart-wrenching.

When They See Us vividly portrays the trauma experienced by the boys and their families after being unjustly thrown into the criminal justice system. It’s a tough watch but a story that demands to be told. Watching it will make you sad and angry and will leave a lasting impression on you.

You can watch all four episodes of When They See Us on Netflix.

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Facebook Instagram Twitter(X) YouTube TikTok