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Black Bird

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 29 Critic Reviews

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80

USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 41 Ratings

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7.7

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7.7	Your Score
7.7	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 41 Ratings

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Black Bird

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Black Bird

Series Details & Credits

Apple TV+ | Release Date: July 8, 2022

Summary: Jimmy Keene (Taron Egerton) was sentenced to 10 years in a minimum security prison with no possibility of parole but is given a choice of a shorter sentence if he enters a maximum-security prison for the criminally insane and can elicit a confession from serial killer Larry Hall (Paul Walter Hauser) in the Dennis Lehane adaptation of JamesJimmy Keene (Taron Egerton) was sentenced to 10 years in a minimum security prison with no possibility of parole but is given a choice of a shorter sentence if he enters a maximum-security prison for the criminally insane and can elicit a confession from serial killer Larry Hall (Paul Walter Hauser) in the Dennis Lehane adaptation of James Keene and Hillel Levin's memoir "In With The Devil: A Fallen Hero, A Serial Killer, and A Dangerous Bargain for Redemption."… Expand

Genre(s): Drama, Movie/Mini-Series, Suspense

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Recent Episodes

tbd
S1:E6. You Promised
Air Date: August 5, 2022
tbd
S1:E5. The Place I Lie
Air Date: July 29, 2022
tbd
S1:E4. Whatshername
Air Date: July 22, 2022

See all Seasons and Episodes

Metascore

80

Positive:

26

Mixed:

3

Negative:

0

Critic Reviews

100

Newsday

Robert Levin

Jul 8, 2022

"Black Bird" effectively conveys the complicated reality of undercover work and what it has to say about the human condition. This is a must-see and not just for fans of the prison genre. Read full review

100

The Playlist Valerie Ettenhofer

Jun 30, 2022

“Black Bird” is the type of expertly built, thoughtfully crafted drama that makes its seams invisible, so that it’s nearly impossible to point to any one section of the six-hour story and declare it the reason the show is so good. It feels singular moment to moment, yes, but it also has an impressively strong overall impact. ... “Black Bird” tells a great story, and tells it well. Read full review

90

Boston Globe

Matthew Gilbert

Jul 6, 2022

One of the few recent series that doesn’t distend into unnecessary episodes; it’s fleshed out but compact, brooding but not slow and indulgent, and crystal clear on its themes of redemption and the nature of criminality without being repetitive. ... Egerton and Hauser deliver on all of the script’s promise, both in what they do and don’t say. Read full review

80

The Hollywood Reporter

Daniel Fienberg

Jul 7, 2022

Despite its true-crime trappings, the Apple TV+ adaptation is never especially authentic or convincing on any factual level. It is, however, thoroughly unsettling and anchored by exceptional performances by Paul Walter Hauser, Taron Egerton and Ray Liotta, who collectively more than compensate for myriad flaws of structure and focus. Read full review

80

The Independent Amanda Whiting

Jul 8, 2022

Keene’s book has been deftly adapted for television by first-time showrunner Dennis Lehane. Read full review

75

The Detroit News

Tom Long

Jul 7, 2022

Hauser doesn’t set out to overwhelm. In fact, his monster is all the more scary because he’s so low key and obviously demented. But he has so much there that all else seems commonplace. Read full review

50

Vanity Fair

Richard Lawson

Jul 7, 2022

While Lehane and director Michaël R. Roskam conjure up an effective mood of unease and horror, Black Bird’s wallow in depravity, wading in deeper and deeper as it goes, proves less enlightening, less thought-provoking than its creators no doubt hoped. Read full review

SEE ALL 29 REVIEWS

Write a Review

7.7

User Reviews

10

madgo

Jul 11, 2022

wow!! I really liked the series! The acting, the plot, the music are all very good. Hope for an extension

3 of 3 users found this helpful30

10

satansclawps3

Feb 28, 2023

This show gave me the same felling i got watching The Vice UK with Ken Stott. Great acting and the subject matter is harrowing to say the least.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

10

anaalice1

Jul 19, 2022

This is a series that intrigues you from beginning to end with amazing performances. A great choice for those who like true crime.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

9

metacritiqueur

Aug 18, 2022

Good show, the actors are impeccable and well invested in their characters. The second good series from Apple+ with Severance.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

9

JimmyMcGill

Sep 24, 2022

Fantastic, fantastic show, if you're into crime drama. There seems to be some nods to True Detective here. If you liked Seasons 1 and 3 of True Detective, this will be your jam.

The two main draws of the show are the premise, and the cast. Larry was SPECTACULAR. He deserves an award, butFantastic, fantastic show, if you're into crime drama. There seems to be some nods to True Detective here. If you liked Seasons 1 and 3 of True Detective, this will be your jam.

The two main draws of the show are the premise, and the cast.

Larry was SPECTACULAR. He deserves an award, but he'll never get it.

Jimmy could have been casted better, because the main actor lacks some of his charm and bravado.

But overall fantastic from start to finish. Pacing, music, acting, setting, details, all spectacular.

Must watch!… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

9

Jimbarn

Aug 18, 2022

Really great mini series. Highly recommended to those who like this genre.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

6

LongLostPolenta

Jul 13, 2022

As another user alludes to, there's a certain cheesiness that pervades this so far -- the needless voice-over, the terrible musical montages, the bludgeoningly repeated flashbacks, the wall-to-wall score, some iffy casting choices -- but by the end of episode 2 it seems to sort of be gettingAs another user alludes to, there's a certain cheesiness that pervades this so far -- the needless voice-over, the terrible musical montages, the bludgeoningly repeated flashbacks, the wall-to-wall score, some iffy casting choices -- but by the end of episode 2 it seems to sort of be getting out of its own way and (maybe? hopefully?) settling into something more grounded & strange. Paul Walter Hauser & Ray Liotta are wonderful. The movie The Drop (starring Tom Hardy & James Gandolfini) was a true unheralded gem, and was also written by Dennis Lehane & also directed by Michaël R. Roskam -- and I think that movie (which was very disciplined & grounded) shows the benefits of a medium where a *director with good cinematic instincts* has final say, and Black Bird shows the drawbacks of a medium where a *novelist-screenwriter with terrible cinematic instincts* has final say. Lehane, the writer & showrunner on Black Bird, should have given Roskam the scripts and said, "here, execute this beginning to end -- casting to shooting to editing -- as you see fit so it feels consistent, you're better at this than I am, I trust you."… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

SEE ALL 12 REVIEWS

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Seasons & Episodes

80

Series Overview
Season 1

80
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: July 8, 2022
- tbd
  S1:E6. You Promised
  Air Date: August 5, 2022
- tbd
  S1:E5. The Place I Lie
  Air Date: July 29, 2022
- tbd
  S1:E4. Whatshername
  Air Date: July 22, 2022
- tbd
  S1:E3. Hand to Mouth
  Air Date: July 15, 2022
- tbd
  S1:E2. We Are Coming, Father Abraham
  Air Date: July 8, 2022
- tbd
  S1:E1. Pilot
  Air Date: July 8, 2022