Unprisoned Explained: The comedy “UnPrisoned,” which airs on Hulu and stars Delroy Lindo and Kerry Washington, is inspired by Tracy McMillan‘s personal experience as a woman who then deals with old traumas after her father is freed from jail after serving 17 years.
Although the premise may not be particularly hilarious, “UnPrisoned” is a real comedy that also addresses the daily injustices experienced by Black people.
The seriousness with which “UnPrisoned” treats its protagonists’ issues sets it apart from other comedies. Also, in contrast to other programs about how the Black community engages with the prison industrial complex, this one is willing to demonstrate how oppression does not encompass all aspects of a person’s life.
Many individuals demand an explanation of the season. So there you have it—everything you need to know to understand Unprisoned’s first season.
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Unprisoned Explained
Unprisoned, a television series based on the life of Tracy McMillan, follows the tense relationship between her wisecracking father Edwin, who has just been released from a 17-year prison term, and Paige Alexander, a high-strung therapist played by Kerry Washington, who also serves as executive producer.
Also, UnPrisoned on Hulu starts off by getting to know its characters where they are, which initially seems to be in an odd-couple comedy. Her father, Edwin (Delroy Lindo), is a naturally charming man who recently served a 17-year jail sentence.
Paige (Kerry Washington) is a therapist whose Instagram-friendly polish conceals a complicated personal life.
It doesn’t take a relationship specialist to predict the conflicts that would arise between Paige and her adolescent son Finn over long-standing resentments or new boundaries; in fact, the majority of these conflicts occur throughout the season’s eight episodes. UnPrisoned, however, has no interest in staying on the surface, just like a good shrink.
All the way to the kinds of profound childhood traumas that take a lifetime to heal, it wants to delve deeper and deeper. The journey isn’t always enjoyable because of the contrast between the series’ effervescent exterior and its crumbly interior, which occasionally has an overtly bitter tang.
As Paige picks up Edwin from his prison in one of the opening scenes, there is scarcely any obvious tension between the two as they endearingly make fun of one another.
But, as they begin spending an unusual amount of time together, we notice the relationship’s unresolved problems.
The main focus is undoubtedly Paige’s childhood trauma caused by her father’s incarceration. Her character’s agitation and her line of work remind us of Carrie Bradshaw.
She confidently gives her Instagram Live followers advice and opens up about her father-related situation in every session. She excels at expressing opinions, but she finds it difficult to take her own advice to heart.
It’s enlightening to see a psychotherapist portrayed in such a chaotic, inward-looking way, especially when it’s a Black woman.
If you’ve watched more than three shows in the previous ten years, you’re aware that we frequently play shrinks on television, mostly in the form of omniscient assistants to white patients.
It makes complete sense for Paige to be concerned about Edwin’s casual lying and raunchiness, especially when it comes to her teenage son Finn.
But there’s something about Edwin that deceives you into occasionally finding her criticisms annoying. If you were watching a play with a large Black audience and it featured a Black man who had once been behind bars, you would hopefully find his character to be inherently sympathetic.
Considering how society views prisoners as anything but friendly and welcoming, McMillan also gives Edwin a remarkable sense of warmth and friendliness. This is only strengthened by Lindo’s charismatic stage presence.
Despite the evident chemistry between Washington and Lindo, the relationship between Paige and Edwin is sadly where the show falls flat in terms of keeping you interested.
UnPrisoned successfully achieves its goal of becoming a lighthearted sitcom, mostly due to Lindo and Brenda Strong, who portray his lover Nadine. It struggles to strike a balance between its jokes and the serious themes that are seething underneath.
The conflict between Paige and Edwin might occasionally seem aimless. The father and daughter’s disputes are typically settled by the end of each episode.
Also, it seems like the trauma Paige is battling with merits a more rigorous, thorough treatment. Particularly, there are times when it seems like a younger version of herself is giving her motivational speeches.
Despite this, UnPrisoned has an odd feeling throughout. With the exception of a lot of earth tones, the series lacks the kind of sophisticated, deliberate aesthetic that one could anticipate from a streaming series in 2023.
Distracting musical cues is another issue. In addition, the show’s lighthearted tone makes jokes and suggestive speech seem a little out of place.
