Is #FreeRayshawn Any Good? Worth your Time?

Every country loves its soldiers. They are the reason every person can sleep comfortably in their beds at night, knowing that their loved ones are protected.

They are heroes. But what happens when a war veteran, unknowingly, gets entangled in a drug racket?

What happens when an African American war veteran, unknowingly, gets entangled in a drug racket?

1. Quick Review 

A show that represents the perpetual racial biases in the United States of America, with a closer focus on the violent consequences of having racially discriminatory law enforcement officers.

FREE RAY SHAWN Trailer (2020) Stephan James, Laurence Fishburne Drama Series

Coincidentally, #FreeRayshawn was released when the Black Lives Matter movement was in full swing in America providing a great context to the events of the show.

2. Info Card

3. Is It Worth Watching?

#FreeRayshawn deals with police violence and discriminatory behaviour by law enforcement officers which is a relevant issue in a lot of places around the world presently. 

I. Plot

Iraqi war veteran Rayshawn Morris gets caught up in a drug deal and is on the run from the police. He is seen driving away in a car as police chase him.

The chase becomes rash and Rayshawn nearly hits a few cars, which makes the police accuse him of trying to murder a cop.

As he comes to his apartment to collect his wife and five-year-old son, neighbourhood first responding officer Steven Poincy is sent out to gauge the problem.

Knowing how black people are treated in police custody, Rayshawn is terrified of getting caught. He barricades himself with wife and son, in their apartment. 

Soon after, the SWAT team of New Orleans arrives and surrounds his building. Desperate to clear his name and get out of the mayhem, Rayshawn uses social media to explain how he landed in the situation.

As he tries to broadcast how the cops have surrounded his building from his window, the police open fire on him. 

As the show progresses, the situation becomes increasingly hopeless for Rayshawn. The violent situation has suddenly thrust his family in harm’s way and the possibility of not surviving creates a tense moment between Rayshawn and his wife.

The stress gets to both of them and she demands an explanation from her husband for putting them in such mortal danger. 

Rayshawn asks for Poincy, the only man he can trust. Poincy, being a black man himself, is thus put into a negotiator position, which he reluctantly accepts.

This lays the foundation of trust for Rayshawn and Poincy as the former tries to spell out his position to the only person willing to listen to what he has to say.

However, the situation turns grave again when the police walk in on them, guns raised, forcing Rayshawn to take Poincy hostage. Seeing such a violent reaction from his father, Rayshawn’s son becomes scared of his father. This is a moral blow to Rayshawn.

Outside the building, news and media agencies arrive amidst a throng of community members and protestors who have come to know of Rayshawn’s plight from his social media posts.

Rayshawn watches as the media agencies broadcast the impasse and affirm the story put out by the police- that he was a cop murderer.

Rayshawn also gets to know that the police officer he ran over while driving away from the police had, in fact, succumbed to the injuries he sustained from the accident.

Rayshawn realises that his position was rapidly sinking and he has to devise a plan to ensure that his family does not take the fall for something he has done.

#FreeRayshawn is a fast-paced crime drama- it begins with a fast pace and never lets go of that speed throughout the show.

Every episode adds a new element to the standoff, not only to the relationship between the police and the main accused but also within Rayshawn’s own family. The drama escalates equally the Morris’ apartment as well as inside it. 

That social media plays such an important role in the buildup of the story also gives the show a sense of reality. The role of social media is important in situations like this, it is capable of making and breaking a movement. 

II. Characters

Stephan James

Stephan James is no stranger to playing a black man who is unjustly accused. As Rayshawn Morris, he does a good job.

The audience can sense his desperation and terror which makes him take decisions that will not work in his favour. 

Steven Poincy

However, the stellar performance is delivered by Laurence Fishburne as Steven Poincy, the first responding officer.

His moral dilemma between choosing to be a black man first or a black cop is palpable.

4. Grade

5. Final Thoughts

Just like the Black Lives Matter movement has its supporters and detractors, the show will have those who relate to it and those who believe the story has been exaggerated to show discord between the two majority races of America.

Overall, #FreeRayshawn is a great crime drama about racial discrimination and corruption in law enforcement.