Black Earth Rising

Why Watch
"Michaela Coel delivers a powerhouse performance in this razor-sharp geopolitical thriller confronting international justice, war crimes, and hidden truth."
Tone: Cerebral, Tense Political Thriller
Where to Watch
JustWatch Streaming details by: JustWatch
AI Critic Analysis
Series Deep Dive:

Hugo Blick directs a sophisticated interrogation of Western intervention and post-colonial prosecution in Black Earth Rising. Michaela Coel stars as legal investigator Kate Ashby, confronting buried trauma linked to the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Featuring sharp support from John Goodman, this completed miniseries refuses simple moral answers, delivering a formidable, complex legal inquiry. Viewers can track episode guides and discover where to stream the full limited drama on BBC Two.

Analysis Refined:March 2026
Scheduled next refinement: in 385 days
Season: 1
Watched? # Air Date Episode Name
E1 Sep 10, 2018 In Other News
E2 Sep 17, 2018 Looking at the Past
E3 Sep 24, 2018 A Ghost in Name
E4 Oct 01, 2018 A Bowl of Cornflakes
E5 Oct 08, 2018 The Eyes of the Devil
E6 Oct 15, 2018 The Game's True Nature
E7 Oct 22, 2018 Double Bogey on the Ninth
E8 Oct 29, 2018 The Forgiving Earth
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Production Note - Limited Series

Production Type: Limited Series

Black Earth Rising is a standalone Limited Series designed as a completed, finite historical narrative. This high-stakes political thriller was conceived by writer and director Hugo Blick as a comprehensive exploration of international law and the legacy of the Rwandan genocide. The production involved complex filming locations across the United Kingdom, Ghana, and various parts of Europe to capture the global scale of the International Criminal Court's reach. Because the narrative arc was built to resolve the personal and political mysteries surrounding its protagonist, Kate Ashby, the series was structured from its inception to function as a singular, self-contained television event.

The collaboration between the BBC and Netflix allowed for a cinematic approach to the eight-part series, ensuring that every episode contributed to a fixed conclusion. Hugo Blick, known for his distinct auteur style in limited formats, maintained creative control to ensure the story reached its intended finality without the need for subsequent seasons. By focusing on a specific historical and legal window, the production avoided the traditional episodic model in favor of a dense, novelistic structure that definitively closes the chapter on its characters and their journey toward justice.

Production Trivia: Written, directed, and produced by Hugo Blick, this eight-episode thriller is a co-production between BBC Two and Netflix. It features Michaela Coel as a legal investigator and John Goodman as an international human rights lawyer, exploring themes of international justice and post-genocide recovery.
Oracle Insights Refined:March 2026
Scheduled next refinement: in 298 days

If you liked Black Earth Rising:

Technical Details
Network: BBC Two
Seasons: 1
Years: 2018 - 2018
Genre: Drama, Mini-Series, Thriller
Rating: TV-14
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Frequently Asked Questions

No, Black Earth Rising was produced as a standalone limited series, and there are no plans for a second season. The story concludes definitively at the end of its eight-episode run, serving as a complete narrative arc.

While the series is inspired by real-world events like the Rwandan genocide and international legal proceedings, the characters and specific plotlines are fictional. It is an original story written and directed by Hugo Blick rather than a direct adaptation of a single historical event.

No, the series is not based on a book; it is an original screenplay created by Hugo Blick. Blick served as the sole writer and director for the entire production, crafting the complex political thriller from scratch.

The production was primarily filmed on location in Ghana, which served as a stand-in for various African settings. Additional scenes were shot in the United Kingdom, specifically around London, and in parts of France.

The complete series consists of eight episodes, each running approximately 60 minutes. As a limited series, these eight chapters encompass the entire story from beginning to end.

The series stars Michaela Coel as Kate Ashby, a legal investigator, and John Goodman as her mentor, Michael Ennis. Their performances drive the emotional and political weight of the narrative as they uncover secrets about Kate's past.
FAQ Refined:March 2026
Scheduled next refinement: in 168 days