Reservation Dogs
Growing up on the fringes is often depicted in a certain way to raise awareness of systemic issues, but in FX’s Reservation Dogs we get creator Sterlin Harjo’s deeply personal look at youth “on the rez” who are dealing with loss and have had to grow up quickly, but are still allowed to be kids. With his deft sense of humor, we see joy and an everyday life made extraordinary by the stories that connect us—whether it’s references to Tarantino while going on adventures or encounters with urban legends. Its characters litter their day-to-day conversations and interactions with pop culture references, and the show also gives us a glimpse at how the supernatural co-exists as a part of their reality through it’s depiction of Indigenous folklore (like the scene above). In the way that John Hughes and Steven Spielberg were able to capture the spirit of American youth in the ‘80s, Harjo gives us that needed perspective for the underrepresented growing up in America today. Catch up with this Taika Waititi-produced series before season two is released later this year.
