Big news: According to Deadline, The History Channel is planning a remake of the classic miniseries Roots, which first captivated the nation in 1977 when it aired on ABC for eight consecutive nights. From the announcement:
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The original series ran on ABC-TV between January 23 and January 30, 1977, and had a massive effect on popular culture. It broke ratings records when it aired, pulling in 100 million viewers at one point during the conclusion—in other words, nearly half the country. As a result, it garnered 37 Emmy nominations and nine wins, and pretty much launched the career of LeVar Burton, who portrayed Kunta Kinte.
Deadline also points out the timing of this announcement is key, because America's terrible history with slavery "is very much on people’s minds" because of 2012's Django Unchained, and this year's Oscar-favorite, 12 Years a Slave—Lee Daniels' The Butler also touched upon it. Whether they're capitalizing on a Hollywood trend or just joining the conversation, it seems like opportune timing.
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There's no word when the new miniseries will premiere on History, or whether or not they'll be airing it the same way the original series was—that is, consecutively, a few nights in a row. We'll have more information on this project as it becomes available.
[via Deadline]
