User Reviews

ROOTS: THE NEXT GENERATIONS isn't as revered as the original but remains just as good, powered by another fine cast, including the return of Georg Stanford Brown and Lynne Moody in the roles of Tom Harvey and his wife Irene. Kicking off in April 1882 in Henning, Tennessee, where blacksmith and staunch Republican Tom Harvey is now involved in politics, under the watchful eye of Democrat Colonel Frederick Warner (Henry Fonda). The Colonel has two sons, wastrel Andrew (Marc Singer), who eventually opposes his own father for the nomination, and college graduate Jim (Richard Thomas), whose dedication to classic poetry is matched by schoolteacher Carrie Barden (Fay Hauser), his fondness for her growing into love, despite harsh criticism due to her being black. Another subplot deals with Tom's eldest daughter Elizabeth (Debbi Morgan), who asks for her father's permission to be courted, only to be devastated by his adamant refusal. The role of Chicken George is here rendered by the capable Avon Long, sharing his tales of fighting chickens with his grandchildren before the time comes for him to join his late wife Matilda. The next chapter switches focus to Tom's youngest daughter Cynthia, the future grandmother of author Alex Haley.

Roots The Next Generations is hardly known for anything other than following the famous Roots, but the latter is far better and, most important, actually true. Georg Standford. Brown is tough and dedicated and even unfair and plays it brilliantly while the villains, including Paul Koslo and Marc Singer, the latter whose brother Richard Thomas marries an African American lady, are formidable and the entire first part is probably the best, making this stand out from all the other Roots.