CBC is celebrating Black History Month with the premiere of its latest Black drama The Porter. Starring Mouna Traoré, Ronnie Rowe Jr., Olunike Adeliyi, Aml Ameen, Loren Lott, and Hollywood legend Alfre Woodard, the series tells the story of Black railway porters crisscrossing the Canadian-American border in the pursuit of their ambitions as well as equal rights.
To say the series is groundbreaking is an understatement. Creators Arnold Pinnock and Bruce Ramsay, and showrunners Annmarie Morais and Marsha Greene have raised the bar, pushed the envelop, and completely changed the game when it comes to Canadian television.
So, here are three things you will love about CBC and BET’s The Porter.
1. Authentic representation of Black culture
With a cross-section of Canadian, American and Caribbean culture, this series is one of the most authentic representations of Black identity we’ve seen on North American television. As one of the most butchered accents in film and television, you will be happy to know the Jamaican accents and depictions of Caribbean people in this series are authentic. Seeing Black people in 1920’s Canada going back and forth between patois and Canadian English is both mind blogging and refreshing.
It also explores racial dynamics and tensions between lighter skinned and darker skinned people, and challenges the idea that lighter skin is beautiful.
Overall, it’s a real reminder of how far we have come as Black people in North America, but yet how things haven’t changed at all. Simply put, the series feels like home.
2. Oluniké Adeliyi as Queenie
Oluniké Adeliyi is absolutely impressive as Chicago crime boss Queenie, who even has the respect of fellow Chicago crime boss Al Capone. Adeliyi completely disappears and transforms into the character, exuding strength, bravado and ruthlessness. Although the whole cast holds their own on screen, Oluniké Adeliyi has such a commanding presence. Her acting is straight up jaw dropping. She looks like she had a lot of fun playing the role and viewers will have a lot of fun watching her.
3. Directing and cinematography
Charles Officer and R.T. Thorne did such an amazing job with the directing and the cinematography is stunning. Watching The Porter, you feel like you’ve been transported to a whole different time period and is a real look at what life may have been like for Black people in North America in the 1920’s.
The visual aesthetic of this show is something that we’ve never seen before on Canadian television. It’s dark, somber and cinematic which matches the raw and honest look at a somewhat dark yet inspirational aspect of Canadian history most of us never knew about.
The Porter premieres tonight (Monday, February 21) at 9pm on CBC and CBC Gem.
Check out our interviews with the cast and producers of The Porter.
