Supacell: Superpowers In Color
Date Written: July 9, 2024
Class: English Composition II
Paper Topic: Critical Review (Persuade the reader to watch without spoilers)
Grade: 96%
Supacell is a Netflix Original Series created by Rapman that was released this summer on June 27th, 2024. It is a British drama and sci-fi series with 6 episodes currently landing at #2 on Netflix's top 10 TV shows in the U.S. Andrew Onwbolu, also known as Rapman, is a British rapper who eventually made his way into screenwriting and directing, leaving Supacell with a lot of hip hop culture references which alone makes this series unlike any other series in sci-fi. The all-black stars of the series are what seem to be ordinary people living in South London who later find out that they have superpowers. The series stars Tosin Cole as Michael, Adelayo Adedayo as Dionne, Nadine Mills as Sabrina, Eric Kofi-Abrefa as Andre, Calvin Demba as Rodney, and Josh Tedeku as Tayo or "Tazer." The series has a content rating of TV-MA, produced by It's A Rap and New Wave Energy production companies, and was released by Netflix.
Supacell is a long-anticipated series with a layered story, numerous cultural references, powerful meanings, and provoking imagery. The choice of settings, special effects, and cinematography flow seamlessly together with a hip-hop soundtrack tying it all together. My opinion of Supacell is extremely positive. Not only do I believe this series is well written, produced, and directed but I also believe it is powerful to see an all-black cast with superpowers in a genre that you typically only see people of color as an extra.
Supacell is set in South London where all the main characters dwell. Each of them have different occupations and friends, but since they all have similar upbringings being from the same place, they have run into each other throughout South London. Some characters have gotten swept up by the negative influences of South London projects and others are trying to run from it by building an established and positive life. The main characters all find out they have superpowers and learn that they are stronger together. Since all of them are in different predicaments when they discover their powers they are left with the decision of using it for good or evil.
One of the most notable things about Supacell is that the cast is all black. This is important because historically speaking, African Americans were not allowed on TV until 1939. After African Americans were allowed to be on screen, roles in acting were placed into a box of comedic relief, negative stereotypes, and trauma. In recent times that has begun to change and seeing Supacell on screen was refreshing. With the genre being sci-fi and the characters having superpowers all while being from a relatable upbringing was definitely stepping outside the box we've been placed in for so long. This is also important because imagery plays a big part in self-worth, if all that is being portrayed in black cinema is degrading it will play out as negative actions in the African-American community.
Another noteworthy aspect of Supacell is the outstanding performance of the cast. The cast delivered exceptional performances, with each member contributing significantly to the show's success. Tosin Cole who plays Micheal and Adelayo Adedayo who plays Dionne, were some of my favorite actors. Their chemistry was amazing and their performance felt very natural. Micheal and Dionne are engaged and navigating life after finding out Micheal has powers. Dionne is very caring and Micheal is very protective of her which to me is the ultimate romance trope.
I found that the soundtrack, cinematography, and special effects were very well executed and made the story effective. Over time I've realized you can have a great story but if it's not done well on screen it can water down the purpose of it. The colors were vivid and the background music was relatable, making the story come to life. The special effects, in my opinion, were very creative. When their powers activate their eyes turn to a yellow hue, almost gold, and I found that aspect to be quite impressive.
One aspect of the show I didn't particularly enjoy were the cliffhangers. Supacell is extremely layered with double meanings and some things are easier to pick up than others, leaving you to have to rewatch or wait for the second season for answers. It's not necessarily a bad thing, it's just as someone who enjoyed this show it can leave you feeling eager.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Supacell and it left me glued to my device watching the first season in a period of about two days. Supacell is the ideal show for people who simultaneously love science fiction and hip-hop. The reason being is that hip-hop is a culture and represents so much starting at the origins so if you don't understand the culture this show probably won't mean much to you. Rapman did a great job of creating this masterpiece and allowing the culture of hip-hop to flow through Supacell smoothly and orderly. I am enthusiastically looking forward to the second season of Supacell and excited to see how the rest of the story plays out.
Reference Page
"Supacell." Onwubolu, Andrew, director.
Season 1, episode 1–6, Netflix, 27 June 2024.