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Season 1 – When They See Us

Play trailer 2:39 Poster for Season 1 – When They See Us May 2019 Drama Crime Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
96% Tomatometer 85 Reviews 89% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
In 1989 a jogger was assaulted and raped in New York's Central Park, and five young people were subsequently charged with the crime. The quintet, labeled the Central Park Five, maintained its innocence and spent years fighting the convictions, hoping to be exonerated. This limited series spans a quarter of a century, from when the teens are first questioned about the incident in the spring of 1989, going through their exoneration in 2002 and ultimately the settlement reached with the city of New York in 2014. The cast is full of Emmy nominees and winners, including Michael K. Williams, John Leguizamo, Felicity Huffman, and Blair Underwood. Oscar nominee and Emmy winner Ava DuVernay co-wrote and directed the four episodes.
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When They See Us — Season 1

When They See Us — Season 1

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Ava DuVernay pulls no punches in When They See Us, laying out the harrowing events endured by the Central Park Five while adding a necessary layer of humanity to their story that challenges viewers to reconsider what it means to find justice in America.

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Critics Reviews

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Matthew Gilbert Boston Globe Dec 3, 2019
[Ava] DuVernay skips around, sacrificing some of the legal particulars and chronologies in order to maintain the intimacy and focus of her storytelling. Go to Full Review Perri Nemiroff Perri Nemiroff (YouTube) Jul 2, 2019
4.5/5
There's no changing what happened in the past, but programming like this, that tell these stories from these perspectives...they can make a difference on so many levels. Go to Full Review Wenlei Ma News.com.au Jun 21, 2019
When They See Us gives voice back to those who aren't always allow to speak. Go to Full Review Eddie Harrison film-authority.com Apr 13, 2021
4/5
'...a glossy and compelling drama...' Go to Full Review Victor Pineyro Seventh Art Studio Aug 20, 2020
9/10
It transcends by reflecting the biggest of injustices, from a personal and emotional level. Unmissable. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review Nabila Hatimy The Star (Kenya) Jul 20, 2020
The acting and directing are nothing short of outstanding. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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D X @RT91440284 Sep 19, 2026 breathtaking performances from every single one of the actors. heartbreaking. my heart felt heavy every episode. in all 7 years, i have never forgotten this and the emotions i felt watching. the most emotions i have ever felt watching anything in decades. i recommend for everyone to give this a watch. it will have your full attention See more stevko O @EldoradoAvocado Jun 13, 2026 GROSS misrepresentation of truth. Netflix got sued by the actual prosecutors in the case, and they lost. See more Yash S. @brownvista Feb 8, 2026 Absolutely amazing and emotional reiteration of the wrongful conviction of these boys. Having their story portrayed in such an amazing way is so incredible. Loved it! See more Jeffrey S @RT09223496 Oct 26, 2025 A gut-wrenching and beautifully acted retelling of the Central Park jogger case. The show is shocking and emotional, but it doesn’t leave much room for nuance. From the start, it’s obvious who the bad guys are and where the audience’s sympathy should be. I wish it had dug deeper into the motives and the bigger forces at play. That kind of complexity would have made the story stick more, instead of just giving us the obvious message that “this is wrong.” See more Stephen C @bob25009 Oct 9, 2025 4 successful episodes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! See more Em B @RT87287969 Dec 29, 2024 This has to be one of the best TV shows I have ever seen. Ava Duvernay gave a MASTERCLASS on directing and the art of storytelling. There was not one single weak link in this TV show, the writing flowed so nicely and told such an honest and heartfelt story. I saw this when it came out almost five years ago and this show has stayed with me ever since. I would love to work with Ava one day. See more Read all reviews
When They See Us — Season 1

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Ava DuVernay

Creator

Ava DuVernay

Director

Michael Kenneth Williams

Bobby McCray

Vera Farmiga

Elizabeth Lederer

Felicity Huffman

Linda Fairstein

Niecy Nash

Delores Wise

Episodes

Episode 1 Aired May 31, 2019 Part One In the spring of 1989, five boys of color are arrested, interrogated and coerced into confessing to the attack on a woman in Central Park. Details Episode 2 Aired May 31, 2019 Part Two As the jogger case stirs tensions nationwide, the boys' families and their lawyers prepare for a bitter legal battle against the city of New York. Details Episode 3 Aired May 31, 2019 Part Three The boys struggle with the difficult reality of life behind bars; years later, Raymond, Anton, Yusef and Kevin return home as men in a world that has changed. Details Episode 4 Aired May 31, 2019 Part Four At age 16, Korey starts a brutal journey through the adult prison system; a shocking turn of events reveals the truth of the crime, long ignored. Details

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When They See Us — Season 1

When They See Us: Limited Series Teaser - The Story of The Central Park 5 Continues When They See Us: Limited Series Teaser - The Story of The Central Park 5 Continues 1:08 Now Playing When They See Us: Limited Series Trailer When They See Us: Limited Series Trailer 2:39 Now Playing When They See Us: Limited Series Teaser When They See Us: Limited Series Teaser 1:00 Now Playing View more videos
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When They See Us — Season 1

When They See Us When They See Us When They See Us View more photos

Season Info

Director
Ava DuVernay
Creator
Ava DuVernay
Executive Producer
Ava DuVernay, Jeff Skoll, Jonathan King, Oprah Winfrey, Jane Rosenthal, Berry Welsh, Robert De Niro
Screenwriter
Ava DuVernay
Network
Netflix
Rating
TV-MA
Genre
Drama, Crime
Original Language
English
Release Date
May 31, 2019
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