Summary11-year-old George Washington "Wash" Black (Ernest Kingsley, Jr.) escapes Barbados with his master's brother, "Titch" Wilde (Tom Ellis) and finds a mentor in Medwin Harris (Sterling K. Brown) while in Canada in the adaptation of Esi Edugyan's novel of the same name. [Premieres in the US on Hulu and on Disney+ internationally]
Washington Black
Season 1 Premiere:
Jul 23, 2025
Metascore
Generally Favorable
69
User score
Mixed or Average
4.6
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Metascore
Generally Favorable
70% Positive
14 Reviews
14 Reviews
30% Mixed
6 Reviews
6 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Jul 21, 2025
89
Perhaps because we know that Wash survives to adulthood, it’s those older years that are more interesting (even if his youth is spent evading capture in a rudimentary Hindenburg or befriending pirates).
Jul 21, 2025
80
Washington Black occasionally takes on the dutiful feel of an educational video. Still, for a fictionalized history lesson, it’s fun one, full of surprising twists and charming turns.
Jul 22, 2025
75
“Washington Black” is a thoughtful and well-acted adaptation that carries the weight of its historical setting without ever feeling inert or overburdened. It’s shaping up to be one of the most ambitious and affecting limited series of the year.
Jul 22, 2025
70
Far more fun is to be had with the kid version of Washington Black, thanks largely to the performance by the young Eddie Karanja, who hits precisely the right notes as he’s confronted by hostile elements, intimidating men and an unpromising future.
Jul 24, 2025
63
More pressing, for me, was the question of who Wash is, in terms of his personality. As written and performed, we don’t get much sense of what his own particular internal monologue might be, and this becomes underscored in any scene he shares with Brown’s Medwin, who is such a clearly defined presence by comparison. Brown’s an actor working on a different level than most, and he’s very effective in his few appearances.
Jul 23, 2025
60
Washington Black underestimates younger viewers. Its hero is too heroic when the story demands it (he is stoical, a genius and even a dab hand with watercolours) and then suddenly too fallible when it doesn’t.
Jul 23, 2025
50
The visual and melodramatic pleasures of “Washington Black” are too often clouded by the haze of feel-good affirmation; the show’s ending, in particular, is a master class in betraying the spirit of your material. Wash takes to the air, but the show remains earthbound.
User score
Mixed or Average
38% Positive
6 Ratings
6 Ratings
19% Mixed
3 Ratings
3 Ratings
44% Negative
7 Ratings
7 Ratings
Aug 2, 2025
5
The character’s full name is George Washington "Wash" Black and this series follows his journey that starts as 11-year-old on a Barbados sugar plantation and continues thru adventures, including encounters with pirate on the seas and explorers in the Artic. It feels like a cross between Jules Verne (for the cool inventions and brave explorations) to Charles **** (the parade of interesting and evil characters who complicate his life) and finally “Roots” (where he embraces his heritage). As the character at different ages, Ernest Kingsley Junior and Eddie Karanja do a commendable job of creating someone with a variety of complex reactions and emotions. Sterling K. Brown, who’s also Executive Producer, adds his acting skills to the excellent cast. One of the issues with the series is that it jumps around seemingly random in time, which is sometimes confusing. The series is full of gorgeous visuals and stirring moments, but it’s seemingly haphazard structure also hinders the narrative flow. This adventure of self-discovery and affirmation is sometimes charming and exciting, while also being melodramatic and forced.
Jul 28, 2025
1
Esta serie es una telenovela y la mayoría de sus personajes son sacados de una caricatura.
Production Company:
- Indian Meadows Productions
- 20th Century Fox Television
- 20th Television
- Anthony Hemingway Productions
- Gotham Group
- Truenorth Productions
Initial Release Date:Jul 23, 2025
Number of seasons:1 Season
Rating:TV-MA
Awards
Image Awards (NAACP)
• 2 Nominations
Movie Music UK Awards
• 2 Nominations
Film Independent Spirit Awards
• 1 Nomination





























