When We Rise

The personal and political struggles, setbacks and triumphs of a diverse family of LGBT men and women who helped pioneer one of the last legs of the U.S. Civil Rights movement from its turbulent infancy in the 20th century to the once unfathomable successes of today. The period piece tells the history of the gay rights movement, starting with the Stonewall Riots in 1969.

When We Rise (2017) is a four-episode American limited series created by Dustin Lance Black for ABC. Following a diverse family of LGBT men and women, it traces the personal and political struggles of activists who helped shape the late stage of the American civil rights movement. Guy Pearce and Mary-Louise Parker play the older Cleve Jones and Roma Guy, while Austin P. McKenzie and Emily Skeggs portray their younger selves, and Michael Kenneth Williams and Rachel Griffiths anchor the Ken and Diane Jones storyline. The engine of the story is the grind of organizing: petitions, protests, hospital bedsides, and the hard choices activists make between private lives and public battles. Each episode moves through the decades in a parallel structure, linking youth and adulthood so the movement feels both intimate and sweeping. Set in 1960s and 1970s San Francisco and beyond, the series opens at the Stonewall Riots and carries forward through later decades of political fights. The tone is earnest and emotionally direct, with moments of warmth, anger and grief. Fans of Angels in America, It's a Sin and Milk will find resonance in its blend of historical scope and intimate character drama, offering a heartfelt portrait of community built under pressure.

• Angels in Americasweeping historical drama tracing a social movement through personal lives, earnest tone
• It's a Sinperiod drama about queer community activism and the AIDS-era fight for rights, emotional and political register
• Hollywoodtrue-history activism miniseries mixing political stakes with intimate family storylines
• Milkbiographical political drama about a gay rights figure and the campaign for equality

Created by

Dustin Lance Black

Release Date

2017-02-27

Episode runtime

43 min

Rating

7.5 / 10 (46)

What is When We Rise about?

A four-part miniseries following a diverse circle of LGBT activists from the 1969 Stonewall Riots through decades of the gay rights fight.

What is When We Rise like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of When We Rise as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.

Is When We Rise violent?

Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in When We Rise as mild.

Which shows are like When We Rise?

Shows with a similar feel include Angels in America, It's a Sin, Hollywood, and Milk.

How long is When We Rise?

When We Rise: 1 season, 4 episodes.

Is When We Rise still running?

No, When We Rise has ended.

Where can I watch When We Rise?

In United States, When We Rise streams on Hulu.