I'm in the middle of re-reading one of my favourite "this should be a series on a prestige cable network" series, the Benjamin January mysteries by Barbara Hambly.
They're the story of a free man of colour who returns to his home of New Orleans in 1835, following the death of his wife in Paris. As he reconnects with his family -- his wealthy and judgemental mother, Livia; his full-sister, Olympe, a voodooienne; and his much-younger half-sister, Dominique, who is placée to a wealthy white planter -- he finds himself caught up in a murder investigation.
It would be especially zeitgeisty now, with Beyoncé highlighting her Creole heritage in her new album, and shows like Underground proving that there's a market for historical dramas about African Americans. In fact, I used to picture Beyoncé as Dominique, but she's too old, now, so I guess we'd need to find an ingenue. Angela Basset could be Livia, and Uzo Aduba would be perfect for Olympe, right down to the gap in her teeth.)
(The other problem is that I have no idea who would play January himself. Okieriete Onaodowan of Hamilton has exactly the right look, but he's about 10 years too young.)
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They're the story of a free man of colour who returns to his home of New Orleans in 1835, following the death of his wife in Paris. As he reconnects with his family -- his wealthy and judgemental mother, Livia; his full-sister, Olympe, a voodooienne; and his much-younger half-sister, Dominique, who is placée to a wealthy white planter -- he finds himself caught up in a murder investigation.
It would be especially zeitgeisty now, with Beyoncé highlighting her Creole heritage in her new album, and shows like Underground proving that there's a market for historical dramas about African Americans. In fact, I used to picture Beyoncé as Dominique, but she's too old, now, so I guess we'd need to find an ingenue. Angela Basset could be Livia, and Uzo Aduba would be perfect for Olympe, right down to the gap in her teeth.)
(The other problem is that I have no idea who would play January himself. Okieriete Onaodowan of Hamilton has exactly the right look, but he's about 10 years too young.)