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When We Rise

{{Short description|2017 docudrama miniseries about the history of LGBT rights in the US}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2017}}

{{Infobox television

| image = When We Rise ABC Logo.jpg

| caption =

| genre = Docudrama

| creator = Dustin Lance Black

| based_on =

| writer = Dustin Lance Black

| director = {{Plainlist}}

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| starring = {{Plainlist}}

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| narrated = (see sources)

| theme_music_composer = {{plainlist|

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| country = United States

| language = English

| executive_producer = {{Plainlist}}

{{Endplainlist}}

| producer =

| cinematography =

| editor =

| runtime = 341 minutes

| num_episodes = 8

| company = {{Plainlist}}

{{Endplainlist}}

| network = ABC

| first_aired = {{start date|2017|2|27}}

| last_aired = {{end date|2017|3|3}}

| image_size =

| image_alt =

| screenplay =

| story =

| budget =

}}

When We Rise is an eight-part American docudrama miniseries about the history of LGBT rights advocacy in the United States from the 1970s to the 2010s. It was created by Dustin Lance Black and stars Guy Pearce, Rachel Griffiths, Mary-Louise Parker, Michael Kenneth Williams, Austin P. McKenzie, Emily Skeggs, Jonathan Majors, Fiona Dourif, and Sam Jaeger among 30 others. The miniseries premiered on ABC on February 27, 2017, with the rest of its episodes airing March 1 to 3.{{cite web |url=http://abc.go.com/shows/when-we-rise/episode-guide |title=When We Rise Episode Guide {{!}} Season 1 Full Episode List - ABC.com |website=abc.go.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170214003700/http://abc.go.com/shows/when-we-rise/episode-guide |archive-date=2017-02-14}}

Plot

Based on the memoirs of LGBT activist Cleve Jones, When We Rise chronicles the personal and political struggles, set-backs, and triumphs of a diverse group of LGBTQ+ individuals who helped pioneer a portion of the civil rights movement from its infancy in the 20th century to the successes of today. The saga covers 41 years{{Snd}}starting in 1972, shortly after the Stonewall riots{{Snd}}and tells the evolving history of the modern gay rights movement.{{cite news |title= Gus Van Sant Re-Teaming with Dustin Lance Black on ABC Gay Rights Miniseries When We Rise |url= https://variety.com/2015/tv/news/when-we-rise-abc-gay-rights-movement-gus-van-sant-dustin-lance-black-1201666289/ |last= Wagmeister |first= Elizabeth |work= Variety |publisher=Penske Media Corporation |location= United States |date= December 21, 2015 |access-date= April 27, 2016}}

Cast

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Episodes

{{Episode table|background=#B11613 |overall= |title= |director= |writer= |airdate= |viewers= |country=US |episodes=

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 1

| Title = Part I

| DirectedBy = Gus Van Sant

| WrittenBy = Dustin Lance Black

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2017|2|27}}{{efn|name=PalmSprings|The first two parts of the series received an advance preview screening at the Palm Springs Film Festival on January 12, 2017.{{cite news |first=Daniel |last=Fienberg |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/we-rise-review-963993 |title='When We Rise': TV Review – Palm Springs 2017 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |publisher=Prometheus Global Media |date=January 12, 2017 |access-date=January 12, 2017}}}}

| Viewers = 3.26{{cite web |url=https://headlineplanet.com/home/2017/02/28/ratings-rise-starts-softly-loses-viewers-hour-two/ |title=Ratings: When We Rise Starts Softly, Loses Viewers in Hour Two |date=February 28, 2017 |access-date=February 28, 2017 |work=Headline Planet }}

| ShortSummary = 1972: Three people—an Arizona peace activist named Cleve Jones, an African-American sailor Ken Jones in Vietnam, and a Boston women's activist Roma Guy—all move to San Francisco to join the nascent gay community.

| LineColor = B11613

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 2

| Title = Part II

| DirectedBy = Gus Van Sant

| WrittenBy = Dustin Lance Black

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2017|2|27}}{{efn|name=PalmSprings}}

| Viewers = 2.64

| ShortSummary = Roma helps take a stand against the National Organization for Women's attempts to purge lesbians from their ranks. Ken comes to accept—and fight for—his sexuality. After struggling to find San Francisco less welcoming than he'd hoped, Cleve hears of a New Yorker, Harvey Milk, running for election to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.

| LineColor = B11613

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 3

| Title = Part III

| DirectedBy = Dee Rees

| WrittenBy = {{StoryTeleplay|s=Eileen Myers|t=Dustin Lance Black & Dianne Houston}}

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2017|3|1}}

| Viewers = 2.30{{cite web |url=https://headlineplanet.com/home/2017/03/02/ratings-abcs-rise-gets-even-weaker-part-two/ |title=Part two of When We Rise drew markedly fewer viewers than the little-watched premiere |date=March 2, 2017 |access-date=March 2, 2017 |work=Headline Planet }}

| ShortSummary = 1978–79: Roma sees the establishment of The Women's Building. Harvey Milk runs for the Board of Supervisors against a backdrop of Anita Bryant's Moral Majority and John Briggs's statewide initiative to ban gay people and allies from working with children.

| LineColor = B11613

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 4

| Title = Part IV

| DirectedBy = Dee Rees

| WrittenBy = {{StoryTeleplay|s=Allison Abner and Lisa Zwerling|t=Lisa Zwerling}}

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2017|3|1}}

| Viewers = 1.79

| ShortSummary = 1981: A new disease, initially named gay-related immune deficiency, starts spreading among gay men and drug users in San Francisco. Roma and Diane start a family.

| LineColor = B11613

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 5

| Title = Part V

| DirectedBy = Thomas Schlamme

| WrittenBy = Dustin Lance Black

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2017|3|2}}

| Viewers = 2.00

| ShortSummary = 1992: A decade after the advent of the AIDS Crisis, Cleve (now played by Guy Pearce) unveils the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt in Washington, D.C., and visits ACT UP in New York as they fight for early clinical trials of new drugs. Ken (now played by Michael K. Williams) finds his life turned upside down when Richard dies of AIDS. Roma and Diane (now played by Mary-Louise Parker and Rachel Griffiths) work with Tom Ammiano to see Carole Migden elected to the Board of Supervisors—and find out he's the biological father of their daughter Annie.

| LineColor = B11613

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 6

| Title = Part VI

| DirectedBy = Thomas Schlamme

| WrittenBy = Dustin Lance Black

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2017|3|2}}

| Viewers = 2.03

| ShortSummary = 1997: Ken relies on Cecilia Chung's support as he struggles with addiction at a VA hospital. Cleve visits the Human Rights Campaign in D.C., where Richard Socarides lobbies for Bill Clinton to do better than "don't ask, don't tell" and DOMA. Roma and Diane's daughter Annie struggles with her unconventional background. In Palm Springs, Cleve looks after the child of a drug-addicted neighbor. 2006: Cleve speaks to the interviewer we've seen throughout, against a backdrop of the murder of Matthew Shepard and George W. Bush's proposed Federal Marriage Amendment.

| LineColor = B11613

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 7

| Title = Part VII

| DirectedBy = Dustin Lance Black

| WrittenBy = Dustin Lance Black

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2017|3|3}}

| Viewers = 2.07

| ShortSummary = 2008: As Barack Obama is elected president, California Proposition 8 revokes California's recently-acquired marriage equality, starting Cleve to help organise the National Equality March on Washington, D.C., and advocate for equal rights. Roma, Diane and Tom become grandparents and advocate for citywide universal healthcare in San Francisco. Ken is baptised, but finds some churches are less welcoming than others.

| LineColor = B11613

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 8

| Title = Part VIII

| DirectedBy = Dustin Lance Black

| WrittenBy = Dustin Lance Black

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2017|3|3}}

| Viewers = 2.07{{cite web |url=http://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/when-we-rise-season-one-ratings/ |title=When We Rise Ratings |date=March 4, 2017 |access-date=March 4, 2017 |publisher=TVSeriesFinale }}

| ShortSummary = 2009–13: Cleve takes the battle against Prop 8 through the federal courts all the way to the Supreme Court. Ken works with Cecilia Chung to get support for his church. Roma and Diane decide to get married if the Supreme Court allows it.

| LineColor = B11613

}}

}}

=Notes=

{{notelist}}

Production

=Filming=

The series is eight hours long in seven parts. Gus Van Sant directed the first two-hour part, Dee Rees parts two and three, Thomas Schlamme parts four and five, and Black parts six and seven. The series is partially inspired by LGBT activist Cleve Jones's memoir When We Rise: My Life in the Movement.{{cite book|title=When We Rise: My Life in the Movement|first=Cleve|last=Jones|author-link=Cleve Jones|publisher=Hachette Books|location=New York City|year=2016|isbn=978-0316315432}} Van Sant and Black previously collaborated on Milk, which likewise featured Cleve Jones as a major character.

=Casting=

On March 15, 2016, Carrie Preston was cast as Sally Gearhart.{{cite news |title=Carrie Preston to Star In ABC's LGBT Rights Miniseries When We Rise |url=https://deadline.com/2016/03/carrie-preston-lead-role-abc-miniseries-when-we-rise-1201721016/ |last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |work=Deadline Hollywood |date=March 15, 2016 |access-date=April 27, 2016 }} Guy Pearce as Cleve Jones, Mary-Louise Parker as Roma Guy, Rachel Griffiths as Diane, Michael K. Williams as Ken Jones, Ivory Aquino as Cecilia Chung, Kevin McHale as Bobbi Campbell, Dylan Walsh as Dr. Marcus Conant, Rafael de la Fuente as Ricardo, Austin P. McKenzie as young Cleve Jones, Emily Skeggs as young Roma Guy, Jonathan Majors as young Ken Jones, Fiona Dourif as young Diane, Whoopi Goldberg as Pat Norman, Rosie O'Donnell as Del Martin, Denis O'Hare as Jim Foster, and David Hyde Pierce as Cleve's father, Dr. Jones, were cast on April 26, 2016, respectively.{{cite news |title=ABC's Gay Rights Mini Enlists Michael K. Williams, Sets All-Star Guest Cast |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/abcs-gay-rights-mini-enlists-887779 |last=Goldberg |first=Leslie |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=April 26, 2016 |access-date=April 27, 2016}}

On June 22, 2016, T. R. Knight was cast as Chad Griffin and Richard Schiff as Judge Vaughn Walker. Rob Reiner, Pauley Perrette, William Sadler, Phylicia Rashad, Alexandra Grey, Mary McCormack, Arliss Howard, and Henry Czerny were booked as guest stars.{{cite news |last1=Wagmeister |first1=Elizabeth |title=Pauley Perrette, Rob Reiner & More Join ABC's Gay Rights Event Series When We Rise |url=https://variety.com/2016/tv/news/when-we-rise-abc-guest-stars-pauley-perrette-rob-reiner-1201800915/ |date=June 22, 2016 |work=Variety |access-date=August 30, 2016 }} Charlie Carver was cast as Michael on November 21, 2016.{{cite news |first=Curtis M. |last=Wong |date=November 21, 2016 |title=Here's a Look at When We Rise, ABC's New LGBTQ Rights Miniseries |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/when-we-rise-preview_us_58335053e4b058ce7aac66cc/ |work=The Huffington Post |access-date=January 12, 2017}}

=Music=

Chris Bacon and Danny Elfman composed the music for the miniseries with various artists, and the soundtrack album is now released at Hollywood Records, Inc and iTunes.

Broadcast

The TV miniseries premiered on ABC on February 27, 2017, at 9 p.m. EST. Originally scheduled to air nightly until March 2,{{cite news |title= ABC Sets Midseason Premieres for Once Upon a Time, American Crime, The Catch, Dirty Dancing Redo and Others |url= http://tvline.com/2017/01/10/once-upon-a-time-season-6-return-date-the-catch-season-2/ |last=Mitovich |first=Matt |work=TVLine |publisher=Penske Media Corporation |location= United States |date= January 10, 2017 |access-date= January 15, 2017}} the scheduling was later shifted to accommodate live coverage of the address to a joint session of Congress by President Donald Trump on February 28; the first episode remained scheduled to air on February 27, with the remaining three episodes airing from March 1 to 3.{{cite news |first=Oriana |last= Schwindt |url= https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/when-we-rise-airdate-change-abc-trump-congressional-address-1201969924/|title=ABC Shifts 'When We Rise' Airdate to Accommodate Trump Congressional Address|work=Variety|publisher=Penske Media Corporation |location= United States |date= January 25, 2017 |access-date= January 25, 2017}}

Reception

=Critical response=

Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes gives the series an approval rating of 82% based on 34 reviews, with an average rating of 6.70/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "When We Rise works as a well-meaning outreach project with a decent cast, even if the script's ambitious reach slightly exceeds its grasp."{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/when_we_rise/s01/|title= When We Rise (2017) |publisher=Rotten Tomatoes|access-date=September 4, 2022}} On Metacritic, the series has a score of 67 out of 100, based on 24 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/tv/when-we-rise |title=When We Rise Reviews|publisher=Metacritic|access-date=September 4, 2022}}

Daniel Fienberg of The Hollywood Reporter wrote in his review of the first part of the miniseries: "In a film festival environment, in which stories of otherness and barrier-breaking are part of the expected tapestry, When We Rise might play as a bit quaint, muted and smoothed out for mainstream audiences, which it very clearly is. But even in 2017, when we like to think that boundaries have been pushed a fair amount and that the voices being heard are as diverse as ever, When We Rise feels like a rather astounding thing to find on network TV."

James Poniewozik of The New York Times wrote in his review: "When We Rise, ABC's sweeping four-night history of the gay rights movement, is a rebuttal. As a television drama, it often plays like a high-minded, dutiful educational video. But at its best moments, it's also a timely statement that identity is not just an abstraction but a matter of family, livelihood, life and death."{{cite news|first=James|last=Poniewozik|author-link=James Poniewozik|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/26/arts/television/review-when-we-rise-review-gay-rights.html|title=Review: 'When We Rise' Charts the History of Gay and Transgender Rights|work=The New York Times|location=New York City|date=February 26, 2017|access-date=February 28, 2017}}

Greg Braxton of the Los Angeles Times wrote in his review: "It could've been a scene from any of the recent protests that have arisen in the stormy first weeks of the Donald Trump presidency. But peering closer—at the '70s garb, the cameras recording the scene—reveals that this was a re-creation of another, similarly tumultuous, time. [...] The writer-director is still optimistic that When We Rise will appeal to a mainstream audience—including Trump supporters—because of its focus on family, emotion and perseverance."{{cite news|first=Greg|last=Braxton|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/la-et-st-when-we-rise-on-the-set-20170227-story.html|title=The ambitious LGBT miniseries 'When We Rise' arrives in a new era of upheaval|work=Los Angeles Times|location=Los Angeles|date=February 27, 2017|access-date=February 28, 2017}}

Danette Chavez of The A.V. Club wrote in her review: "When We Rise isn't laboring in another production's shadow, though; instead, it tries very hard to bring all of those moments and history makers to light. This is obviously a huge undertaking, one that traces the converging paths of gay activists who thwarted Prop 6, were later devastated by the rise of AIDS, but then rallied back to win marriage equality in 2015. Those battles weren't all fought by the exact same people, which pushes the scope of the miniseries even further. But a central trio of characters anchors the story, which runs through four decades (1971 to 2015, roughly)."{{cite web|first=Danette|last=Chavez|url=https://www.avclub.com/review/sprawling-when-we-rise-leaves-no-lgbt-milestone-un-251160|title=The sprawling When We Rise leaves no LGBT milestone unturned|work=The A.V. Club|publisher=Onion, Inc.|location=Chicago|date=February 27, 2017|access-date=February 28, 2017}}

When We Rise received a nomination for Best Miniseries at the 2018 Satellite Awards and won the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding TV Movie or Limited Series at the 29th GLAAD Media Awards.

Historical accuracy

File:Trans March San Francisco 20170623-6646.jpg, June 2017]]

Although there were some non-factual elements, Cleve Jones (one of the principal gay activists depicted) stated that the small, factual changes Black and his team made to the 50-year history of specific characters and events portrayed do not dilute the overall truthfulness and realness of the miniseries.{{cite news|last1=Young|first1=Sage|title=How Historically Accurate Is 'When We Rise'? Years Of Research Went Into The Expansive Miniseries|url=https://www.bustle.com/p/how-historically-accurate-is-when-we-rise-years-of-research-went-into-the-expansive-miniseries-40944|agency=Bustle|date=February 27, 2017}}{{cite news|last1=Nagourney|first1=Adam|title='When We Rise': Stories Behind the Pain and Pride of Gay Rights|newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/16/arts/television/when-we-rise-abc-dustin-lance-black.html|agency=The New York Times|date=February 16, 2017}} Black spent four years researching and writing the script, consulting as many of the real life figures as possible{{cite news|last1=Friedlander|first1=Whitney|title=Dustin Lance Black Hopes LGBT Equality Miniseries When We Rise Is a "Road Map" for "Difficult Times"|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2017/02/creator-dustin-lance-black-hopes-his-lgbt-equality.html|agency=Paste Magazine|date=February 27, 2017}} and many of the actors were able to meet with the individuals they portrayed. The episodes often contain archival footage of actual events.{{cite news|last1=Wenger|first1=Daniel|title=Dustin Lance Black, the Screenwriter Behind "Milk" and "When We Rise," on Coming Out as a Gay Activist|url=https://www.newyorker.com/culture/persons-of-interest/dustin-lance-black-the-screenwriter-behind-milk-and-when-we-rise-on-coming-out-as-a-gay-activist|agency=The New Yorker|date=March 2, 2017}}

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References

{{reflist}}

External links

  • {{Official website}}
  • {{IMDb title}}
  • [http://www.dustinlanceblack.com/portfolio/lgbtminiseries/ When We Rise] on Dustin Lance Black's website

{{Dustin Lance Black}}

{{GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding TV Movie or Limited Series}}

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Category:2010s American documentary television series

Category:2010s American drama television miniseries

Category:2010s American LGBTQ-related drama television series

Category:2017 American television series debuts

Category:2017 American television series endings

Category:American television docudramas

Category:American English-language television shows

Category:Gay-related television shows

Category:GLAAD Media Award–winning shows

Category:HIV/AIDS in television

Category:Lesbian-related television shows

Category:LGBTQ rights movement

Category:Television series by ABC Studios

Category:Television series set in the 1960s

Category:Television series set in the 1970s

Category:Television series set in the 1990s

Category:Television series set in the 2000s

Category:Television shows scored by Chris Bacon

Category:Television shows scored by Danny Elfman

Category:Transgender-related television shows

Category:Bisexuality-related television series

Category:Documentaries about LGBTQ topics

Category:American Broadcasting Company television dramas

Category:2017 LGBTQ-related television