New Roots Television Adaptation Airs to Critical Acclaim

When Alex Haley’s Roots was first turned into a television series in 1977 it was a phenomenon, the series finale still rates as the second highest rated episode for any US television drama. And so, is there any need for a remake?

Well, clearly somebody thought so and right now on BBC4, and available on the iPlayer is a brand new adaptation of the Alex Haley family saga and it’s receiving as much acclaim as the original series!

It all started with Roots: The Saga of an American Family by Alex Haley, published in August 1976. First listed as nonfiction, the book launched to much acclaim, but later the book has been rebranded as a historical novel. That doesn’t take away any of the punch, it’s a fantastic read.

A year later, a hugely popular television series launched and the book spent 22 weeks on the top of the bestsellers’ list. There was concern the show wouldn’t be well received by American audiences but this was proven unfounded as it smashed all the records for viewing figures.

Fast forward to the present day and recently we’ve seen several movies that embrace the same history, from the fantastical Django Unchained, to the struggle we see in 12 Years a Slave, and now the Roots Reboot follows.

Roots US
Roots UK

The Roots (2016 Miniseries) is a remake of the original series, and based on the 1976 novel. Produced on a budget of £50 million the show aired in the US last year to good reviews. Premiering on Memorial Day the remake featured stars such as Forest Whitaker, Anna Paquin, Malachi Kirby and Laurence Fishburne.

If you missed it, there’s a chance it may be available now to stream, but if you’re in the UK then we have some great news for you as it’s currently showing on BBC 4, and you can catch up on the iPlayer on the episodes already shown. If you haven’t already read the novel, you may want to do that first!