It’s always exciting to see Black characters in genres that don’t normally include us. It’s an added bonus when those characters are real historical figures. If heroic and fascinating tales about real life Black heroes are your jam, then the new Paramount+ western Lawmen: Bass Reeves is the show you’ve been waiting for.
Suggested Reading
Premiering Nov. 5, the drama stars David Oyelwo as the famed US Marshal who became a legend of the old west. The series follows Bass as he escapes slavery, starts a family and finds his calling as a Marshal. Creator/writer Chad Feehan and director Damian Marcano spoke to The Root about showcasing Black representation and balancing the series with the real history.
Feehan assembled a diverse team of writers, experts and historians so the series could strike the right balance between presenting a compelling drama and a historically accurate chronicle of Reeves’ life.
“It was finding these seminal moments that we know about Bass’ life and using those as the foundation of the story,” Feehan told The Root. “The real fun part was imagining the fictional moments that filled in the in between. The excitement of being creative and trying to figure out something that connects those moments but also informs the narrative and legacy of Bass Reeves.”
Oyelowo, who also executive produces the series, gives a captivating performance as a man who never lets the audience forget that he’s smarter than he lets on. Unlike the white men he works with, Bass does not see the world as black and white. His experiences have shown him that it exists in shades of gray, an idea he uses in his investigations.
In addition to Oyelowo, the drama also stars Lauren E. Banks, Grantham Coleman and Demi Singleton. Despite its classic western setting, the Black characters are all presented as dignified, layered people with plans and dreams. Representation only matters when it’s quality representation and not just studios and producers trying to check off a box. This definitely wasn’t the case for Marcano. The director has a lot of pride in who he is and where he comes from. He wanted the project to give viewers who look like him a similar feeling.
“If you don’t have enough representation, you can feel left out,” Marcano said. “A lot of the purpose in my career has been how do I get some stories to the groups of my people worldwide that don’t feel as proud to be who they are as I feel. I wanted to give people something that they could be proud of. I just want to help rebuild that pride. I hope that this is some private rebuilding that I can give to the audience.”
The first three episodes of the show delivered a fresh take on a well worn genre. It has the vibe of an old school western, while simultaneously feeling fresh and unique. Though it’s part of the popular Yellowstone universe, it’s definitely its own entity that stands out from the rest of the franchise.
Lawmen: Bass Reeves premieres Nov. 5 on Paramount+, with new episodes debuting every Sunday.
Straight From 
Sign up for our free daily newsletter.