LIFE & CULTURE

‘Them’ Is The Chilling Series Shining A Light On Racism At The Hands Of Eerie 1950s Housewives

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Moving to a new and unfamiliar neighbourhood is terrifying enough, but when you’re a person of colour heading into an area dominated by racists, it’s surely a horror inducing experience.

Which is why fans of Lovecraft Country or Jordan Peele’s Us are in for a treat, thanks to Amazon Prime’s latest offering, THEM.

Created by Lena Waithe (Master Of None) and Little Marvin, the series is set in the 1950s during a period called The Great Migration, and follows a Black family as they move from North Carolina to an incredibly eerie all-white neighbourhood in Los Angeles.

Filled with picture-perfect white women à la The Stepford Wives sporting sinister smiles, creepy children and spine-tingling comments, the series is a lesson in Black trauma that not only ran rampant in the ’50s, but continues to do so today, as the world witnessed with the Black Lives Matter movement.

Curious on what happens to the EmorysKeep reading for everything you need to know about the film—from the plot and cast members to when you can watch it in Australia.

What Is The Plot Of THEM?

Set over a 10-day period in the 1950s, THEM is an anthology-style series—à la American Horror Story—that follows the Emory family during their move from North Carolina to an all-white neighbourhood in Los Angeles.

Moving into a seemingly beautiful family home, things quickly turn sour when the family become subject to horrific racial abuse by their neighbours, later finding out that their dream abode is holding a secret that’s far from dreamy. 

The Emory family then must fight a war on two fronts, against their house that’s haunted by mysterious supernatural forces and a neighbourhood who wants them out.

But don’t take our word for it, check out the trailer below to see for yourself.

WATCH BELOW: THEM Trailer

Who Is Cast In THEM?

As per every streaming service must-watch, Them boasts an impressive line up of famous faces. Leading the cast is Deborah Ayorinde (Marvel’s Luke Cage) and Ashley Thomas (Top Boy) as Lucky and Henry Emory, the parents of the family.

Joining the pair are Shahadi Wright Joseph (Jordan Peele’s Us) and Melody Hurd (Jurassic World) as daughters Ruby and Melody Emory, as well as Alison Pill (Midnight In Paris) as one of the show’s main villains, cruel neighbour Betty Wendell, while Liam McIntyre (The Flash) stars as her husband, Clarke.

Rounding out the main cast are Australian Ryan Kwanten (True Blood) as George Bell, Christopher Heyerdahl (Tin Star), as Hiram Epps, Jeremiah Birkett (Lucifer) as Da Tap Dance Man and Abbie Cobb (Suburgatory) as Nat Dixon.

When Can We Watch THEM In Australia?

Intrigued? You can check out the first season of THEM on Amazon Prime from April 9.

And if you find yourself lost post-binge-watch, THEM has already been renewed for a second season, focusing on an entirely different story with new characters.

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