Ep 3. Solomon Northup's Odyssey

Solomon Northup's Odyssey is an episode of the fourth season of American Playhouse, a series that showcases award-winning stage plays and adaptations of classic and contemporary literature. This episode, which originally aired on January 18, 1985, tells the true story of Solomon Northup, a free black man from New York who is kidnapped and sold into slavery in the deep South in the mid-19th century.

The show is based on Northup's memoir, Twelve Years a Slave, which he wrote after regaining his freedom with the help of a white Canadian abolitionist. The narrative is divided into three parts: Northup's life as a free man in Saratoga Springs with his wife and children, the harrowing ordeal of his enslavement and the various masters he had to endure, and his eventual liberation and reunion with his family.

The episode features Avery Brooks in the role of Northup, a talented fiddler and carpenter who is tricked by two con men into traveling with them to Washington D.C., where he is drugged and sold to a slave trader named Burch. From there, Northup is transported to Louisiana and is sold again to a ruthless plantation owner named Edwin Epps, played by Rhetta Greene. Epps is a drunken and sadistic master who revels in the punishment and torture of his slaves, particularly a young woman named Patsey, portrayed by Rae Dawn Chong.

As Northup adapts to his new life and learns the harsh realities of slavery, he never loses hope of finding a way to escape and return home. He befriends a fellow slave named Bass, a white carpenter who sympathizes with his plight and helps him send letters to his family. Northup also encounters a sympathetic mistress named Anne, played by Lynn Whitfield, who is appalled by her husband's cruelty and tries to intervene on behalf of the slaves.

The episode does not shy away from the brutality and degradation of slavery and portrays the slaves as fully-fleshed individuals with their own hopes, fears, and dreams. The cast is uniformly excellent, with powerful performances from Brooks, Greene, Chong, and Whitfield. The direction by Gordon Parks, Jr. is understated and naturalistic, letting the story and the performances speak for themselves.

Solomon Northup's Odyssey is a gripping and emotional account of one man's journey from freedom to slavery and back again. It is an important and timely reminder of the horrors of American slavery and the resilience of the human spirit. This episode is a must-see for anyone interested in American history, social justice, or great storytelling.