Series

The Good Lord Bird

All of this is true. Most of it happened.

6.720201 Season7 Episodes

Henry 'Little Onion' Shackleford, a newly freed teenager joins abolitionist John Brown on a holy crusade to end slavery. Onion encounters Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman, and he finds himself as a part of the famous 1859 raid at Harpers Ferry.

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Episodes

Limited Series7 episodes

1
1. Meet the Lord
57m
Henry Shackleford, a young slave living in the Kansas territory in 1856, encounters abolitionist John Brown, who mistakes him for a girl and promptly 'frees' him. Believing Henry to be his good luck charm, Brown welcomes him into his ragtag army and nicknames him 'Onion'. Donning a dress for the first time while dodging bullets, Onion quickly awakens to the life or death stakes in the battle over human bondage and witnesses Brown's divinely inspired violent agenda: to free the land of slavery by any means necessary.
2
2. A Wicked Plot
46m
Separated from Brown's army, Onion and fellow slave Bob leave the fight in Kansas, only to cross paths with pro-slavery 'redshirts' who escort them to the slave-trading town of Pikesville, MI. Onion is taken under the wing of Pie, a mixed-race prostitute working out of the local hotel, who instructs him in the ways of the world despite her discovering his dangerous secret. Onion soon finds himself enmeshed in a mounting slave insurrection where he learns the consequences of his own actions.
3
3. Mister Fred
46m
Following the battle in Pikesville, Brown, now one of the most wanted men in America, travels north with Onion to raise funds for the abolitionist cause. They take refuge at the home of famed orator and 'King of the Negroes' Frederick Douglass and his two wives. When Brown and Douglass clash over methodology, Onion discovers just how complex the fight for justice and human equality really is.
4
4. Smells Like Bear
45m
Brown and Onion continue fundraising, this time heading to Canada on foot. After seeing true freedom for the first time and frustrated with Brown's increasingly irrational behavior, Onion demands freedom from Brown's army. But, when the legendary Harriet Tubman endorses Brown in a room full of new recruits, Onion realizes that he may be more invested in the cause and the 'old man' than he thought.
5
5. Hiving the Bees
51m
Onion and new recruit John Cook head to Harper's Ferry to prepare for the arrival of Brown and his army. However, Onion quickly struggles to perform his mission of recruiting more Black soldiers from the area when Cook's reckless behavior threatens their exposure to suspicious neighbors. After weeks of waiting, Brown, his army and his daughter Annie finally arrive — creating a new distraction for Onion: true love.
6
6. Jesus Is Walkin'
45m
The plan to take control of the nation's largest armory at Harper's Ferry is finally put into action. However, a crucial mistake by Onion threatens the success of the entire operation. Brown's army takes hostages, grabbing the attention of an angry mob and local militia. With shots firing, Onion is sent out to get reinforcements.
7
7. Last Words
45m
John Brown and his remaining army take a last stand as more federal troops descend upon Harper’s Ferry. With John Brown captured and held for public execution, Onion, truly on his own, risks his life to say his goodbyes to Brown. Series finale.

Trailer

Official trailer

Cast

Ethan Hawke
John Brown
Joshua Caleb Johnson
Henry 'Little Onion' Shackleford
Hubert Point-Du Jour
Bob
Beau Knapp
Owen Brown
Nick Eversman
John Brown Jr.
Ellar Coltrane
Salmon Brown
Jack Alcott
Jason Brown
Mo Brings Plenty
Ottawa Jones

Reviews

misubisu
Jul 24, 2026
10
**Score: 10/10 — A Monumental, Unforgettable Masterpiece of American Storytelling** *The Good Lord Bird* is a genuine masterpiece. A towering achievement in television that deserves to stand alongside the greatest works of the medium. A "dangerous and honest show" that refuses to play it safe, it is an audacious, irreverent, and deeply human retelling of the final years of abolitionist John Brown, told through the eyes of a fictional enslaved boy who becomes swept up in Brown's violent crusade. It is a work that earns every point of its flawless score. **What Great Writing Looks Like** The writing is nothing short of extraordinary. Co created by Ethan Hawke and Mark Richard, the series translates James McBride's National Book Award winning novel with a pitch perfect ear for dialogue and a staggering tonal balance. It is a "humorous and dramatic tale" that somehow manages to be simultaneously a blistering historical drama, a darkly comic satire, and a deeply moving coming-of-age story. Onion's narration provides a perspective that is both heartbreakingly naive and devastatingly sharp, grounding the epic events in a profoundly human voice. The script never shies away from the brutality of its subject, yet it finds moments of absurdist humour that feel earned, not exploitative. **Production, Direction, and Casting: A Perfect Union** The production values are cinematic in scope. The sets, costumes, and cinematography, overseen by a team of talented directors including Albert Hughes, Kevin Hooks, and Darnell Martin, create a visceral, lived in world that is both beautiful and brutal. But the show's engine is its cast, a flawless ensemble bringing every character to vivid life. \- **Ethan Hawke as John Brown:** This is the performance of a lifetime. Hawke disappears into the role of the fanatical, Bible thumping, utterly compelling abolitionist. He walks a razor's edge between mania and sincerity, creating a character who is by turns terrifying, hilarious, and heartbreakingly sincere. It is a career defining turn that earned him well deserved Golden Globe and SAG Award nominations . \- **Joshua Caleb Johnson as Onion:** Johnson is a revelation, delivering a performance of immense nuance and heart as the fictional narrator. His journey from terrified child to weary survivor to a young man grasping his own agency is the emotional spine of the series . \- **Supporting Cast:** The ensemble is uniformly excellent. **Daveed Diggs** brings a brilliant, charismatic pomposity to Frederick Douglass. **Steve Zahn**, **Wyatt Russell**, and **Moses Brings Plenty** all deliver career-best work. **Crystal Lee Brown** is devastating as the slave Sibonia, and **Hubert Point-Du Jour** as Bob is a standout . **Pacing: A Perfectly Realised Seven Episode Arc** The pacing is masterful. Across seven tight episodes, the series builds with a relentless, propulsive energy towards the inevitable, tragic climax at Harpers Ferry. There is not a wasted moment, not a single dip in quality. It is a limited series that understands the power of its own ending A final scene of such quiet devastation that it lingers long after the credits roll. **The Verdict** *The Good Lord Bird* is not just a great television series; it is a monument to the power of the medium when all the elements align. It is "one of the greatest TV series of all time," a sentiment echoed by countless viewers and critics who have discovered its brilliance. The show's satirical tone, sharp writing, and the central performances are near perfect. It is a work of art that is as relevant now as the history it depicts. An undeniable 10/10 masterpiece. The sort of show that reminds you why you love television. **Watch if:** You appreciate masterful writing, career defining performances, and television that is unafraid to be dangerous, funny, and heartbreaking all at once. **Skip if:** You are looking for a straightforward history lesson. This is a tall tale. A "loving, witty, healing look at some of the nation's most horrible crimes".Read more
**Score: 10/10 — A Monumental, Unforgettable Masterpiece of American Storytelling** *The Good Lord Bird* is a genuine masterpiece. A towering achievement in television that deserves to stand alongside the greatest works of the medium. A "dangerous and honest show" that refuses to play it safe, it is an audacious, irreverent, and deeply human retelling of the final years of abolitionist John Brown, told through the eyes of a fictional enslaved boy who becomes swept up in Brown's violent crusade. It is a work that earns every point of its flawless score. **What Great Writing Looks Like** The writing is nothing short of extraordinary. Co created by Ethan Hawke and Mark Richard, the series translates James McBride's National Book Award winning novel with a pitch perfect ear for dialogue and a staggering tonal balance. It is a "humorous and dramatic tale" that somehow manages to be simultaneously a blistering historical drama, a darkly comic satire, and a deeply moving coming-of-age story. Onion's narration provides a perspective that is both heartbreakingly naive and devastatingly sharp, grounding the epic events in a profoundly human voice. The script never shies away from the brutality of its subject, yet it finds moments of absurdist humour that feel earned, not exploitative. **Production, Direction, and Casting: A Perfect Union** The production values are cinematic in scope. The sets, costumes, and cinematography, overseen by a team of talented directors including Albert Hughes, Kevin Hooks, and Darnell Martin, create a visceral, lived in world that is both beautiful and brutal. But the show's engine is its cast, a flawless ensemble bringing every character to vivid life. \- **Ethan Hawke as John Brown:** This is the performance of a lifetime. Hawke disappears into the role of the fanatical, Bible thumping, utterly compelling abolitionist. He walks a razor's edge between mania and sincerity, creating a character who is by turns terrifying, hilarious, and heartbreakingly sincere. It is a career defining turn that earned him well deserved Golden Globe and SAG Award nominations . \- **Joshua Caleb Johnson as Onion:** Johnson is a revelation, delivering a performance of immense nuance and heart as the fictional narrator. His journey from terrified child to weary survivor to a young man grasping his own agency is the emotional spine of the series . \- **Supporting Cast:** The ensemble is uniformly excellent. **Daveed Diggs** brings a brilliant, charismatic pomposity to Frederick Douglass. **Steve Zahn**, **Wyatt Russell**, and **Moses Brings Plenty** all deliver career-best work. **Crystal Lee Brown** is devastating as the slave Sibonia, and **Hubert Point-Du Jour** as Bob is a standout . **Pacing: A Perfectly Realised Seven Episode Arc** The pacing is masterful. Across seven tight episodes, the series builds with a relentless, propulsive energy towards the inevitable, tragic climax at Harpers Ferry. There is not a wasted moment, not a single dip in quality. It is a limited series that understands the power of its own ending A final scene of such quiet devastation that it lingers long after the credits roll. **The Verdict** *The Good Lord Bird* is not just a great television series; it is a monument to the power of the medium when all the elements align. It is "one of the greatest TV series of all time," a sentiment echoed by countless viewers and critics who have discovered its brilliance. The show's satirical tone, sharp writing, and the central performances are near perfect. It is a work of art that is as relevant now as the history it depicts. An undeniable 10/10 masterpiece. The sort of show that reminds you why you love television. **Watch if:** You appreciate masterful writing, career defining performances, and television that is unafraid to be dangerous, funny, and heartbreaking all at once. **Skip if:** You are looking for a straightforward history lesson. This is a tall tale. A "loving, witty, healing look at some of the nation's most horrible crimes".