FX's Kindred | Only on Hulu
Question the ties that bind through time.
Adapted from the celebrated novel Kindred, by Hugo Award-winner Octavia E. Butler, the FX series centers on “Dana James” (Mallori Johnson), a young Black woman and aspiring writer who has uprooted her life of familial obligation and relocated to Los Angeles, ready to claim a future that, for once, feels all her own. But, before she can settle into her new home, she finds herself being violently pulled back and forth in time. She emerges at a nineteenth-century plantation, a place remarkably and intimately linked with Dana and her family. An interracial romance threads through Dana’s past and present, and the clock is ticking as she struggles to confront secrets she never knew ran through her blood, in this genre-breaking exploration of the ties that bind.
Kindred stars Mallori Johnson as “Dana James,” Micah Stock as “Kevin Franklin,” Ryan Kwanten as “Thomas Weylin,” Gayle Rankin as “Margaret Weylin,” Austin Smith as “Luke,” David Alexander Kaplan as “Rufus Weylin,” Sophina Brown as “Sarah” and Sheria Irving as “Olivia.”
Kindred, Octavia E. Butler’s celebrated and critically acclaimed novel, has been adapted for television by writer and showrunner Branden Jacobs-Jenkins who executive produces the series with Joe Weisberg, Joel Fields, Darren Aronofsky and Ari Handel of Protozoa Pictures, Courtney Lee-Mitchell and Jules Jackson. Janicza Bravo directed and served as an executive producer on the pilot. The eight-episode season is produced by FX Productions.
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LA transplant Dana has come to town expecting a warm welcome from family, but she’s met with quite the opposite. Some comfort arrives in the form of a new friend - but there’s also the matter of Dana’s terrifying and recurring dreams, which may not be dreams at all. (Written for television by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins; Directed by Janicza Bravo)
A nosy neighbor puts the wrong kind of spotlight on our heroes before a nasty fall triggers a trip back to the past. Kevin gains firsthand experience of Dana's troubles as the pair are forced to play uncomfortable roles in order to stay out of harm's way. (Written for television by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins; Directed by Amanda Marsalis)
Dana and Olivia search for the answer to what keeps bringing Dana back to the past. Meanwhile, Kevin acts the gracious partygoer at the behest of his hosts. (Written for television by Joy Kecken; Directed by Amanda Marsalis)
Back in Los Angeles, Dana and Kevin prepare to return to the past but have to deal with the familial fallout of their travels. (Written for television by Bobak Esfarjani; Directed by Ayoka Chenzira)
Dana and Kevin find themselves back on the farm. A confrontation with Olivia makes Dana reevaluate her purpose here. Meanwhile, Kevin must find a way to explain his mysterious return to the Weylin family. (Written for television by Zenzele Price; Directed by Ayoka Chenzira)
The enslaved population faces unforeseen consequences from Dana’s well-meaning actions. Meanwhile, Margaret’s search for Rufus’s future wife finds Kevin drawn deeper into the family drama. (Written for television by Joy Kecken & Noah Rubenstein; Directed by Destiny Ekaragha)
Tom takes Kevin and Rufus on a trip to town. Without Kevin’s protection on the plantation, Dana struggles with a vengeful Margaret. (Written for television by Matthew Shire; Directed by Destiny Ekaragha)
Dana finds herself in a dire situation. Kevin chases a runaway slave. And Tom seeks to restate order on his plantation. (Written for television by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins & Noah Rubenstein; Directed by Alonso Alvarez-Barreda)
BONUS CONTENT
A tale that transcends generations.
Video Extra
4:54Inside Look: Mallori Johnson and Branden Jacob-Jenkins on Power and Privilege
Times change, but power is power. Star Mallori Johnson and the team behind Kindred unpack the questions of hierarchy and survival at the heart of Octavia Butler’s classic novel.
Video Extra
2:52Inside Look: Georgia On My Mind
When you need real, you need Georgia. Hear from the cast and crew of Kindred as they break down why this location was the top choice for production.
Shot on location in Atlanta. www.exploregeorgia.org/film