Roots
The Saga of an American Family.
Created by Alex Haley
On ABC
An unflinching historical epic that traces one family's journey through slavery and its aftermath, grounded in genealogical fact and structured as a direct confrontation with American racial trauma.
The epic tale of celebrated Pulitzer-prize winning author Alex Haley's ancestors as portrayed in the acclaimed twelve hour mini-series Roots, was first told in his 1976 bestseller Roots: The Saga of an American Family. The docu-drama covers a period of history that begins in mid-1700s Gambia, West Africa and concludes during post-Civil War United States, over 100 years later. This 1977 miniseries eventually won 9 Emmy awards, a Golden Globe award, and a Peabody award, and still stands as the most watched miniseries in U.S. history.
Clusters
Genres
Where to watch
Questions people ask
Is Roots sad? Yes, very. More sad than 99% of series.
Is Roots violent? Yes, very. More violent than 98% of series.
Is Roots easy watching? No. Less comforting than 94% of series.
Is Roots one of a kind? Yes, very. More singular than 90% of series.
Does Roots leave you hopeful? Not especially. Less hopeful than 73% of series.
Is Roots scary? Somewhat. More frightening than 59% of series.
These describe how the series comes across across its whole run, compared with other well-known series. They are not a content list — nothing here was counted or checked episode by episode, so for age-suitability or specific content use a classification board or a dedicated content-warning service.
Written about
- The Shows That Know They EndFinding
Cinnamon Score
How much this series gives you that nothing else will, and whether it delivers.
Familiar shape, done well.
How unlike any other series this one feels
How much more it delivers than it promises
How much audiences actually like it
Ensemble
Everything like Roots, and what each one shares →
Like Roots
Nearest across the full emotional profile.
Same Mood as Roots
Nearest on what's most distinctive about this one.
Like Roots, But Darker
Similar, pushed toward heavier and more intense.
Like Roots, But Lighter
Similar, pushed toward warmer and easier.
Like Roots, But Less Popular
Same territory, far fewer people have seen it.
