Lovecraft Country: The Show That Gave Us Everything and Deserved More
There are some shows you watch…
And then there are shows that stay with you.
Lovecraft Country was one of those shows for me.
A wild, beautiful, terrifying, brilliant one-season wonder on HBO Max, and honestly, it should’ve gotten so much more love than it did.
Let’s talk about it.
What Was Lovecraft Country?
If you missed it (first of all: fix that), Lovecraft Country was a genre-blending masterpiece that aired in 2020. It was based on the novel by Matt Ruff, which was inspired by the world of H.P. Lovecraft, except told through the lens of Black people reclaiming horror, fantasy, and sci-fi.
But this wasn’t your average sci-fi drama.
Nope. It gave:
- Historical fiction
- Sci-fi with monsters, time travel, and magic
- Romance & heartbreak
- Creepy horror that made your skin crawl
- Black culture, legacy, and generational trauma are explored unapologetically
It was bold. It was magical. And it was ours.
The Cast? Perfection.
Let’s talk talent.
- Jurnee Smollett as Leti? She ATE. That woman put her soul into that role. Her screams deserve an award by themselves.
- Jonathan Majors as Atticus? Whew. The strength, the softness, the trauma, the abs, sorry, I meant acting.
- Michael K. Williams as Montrose, Atticus’s complicated father? ICONIC.
- Aunjanue Ellis, Wunmi Mosaku, Jamie Chung, Courtney B. Vance, every single actor brought depth and authenticity.
You felt their pain. Their joy. Their rage. Their hope.
From Page to Screen
Lovecraft Country was originally two books and turning them into one season was a bold move.
Each episode felt like its own book.
Like every hour was a full story with a beginning, middle, and end.
Some episodes leaned into horror. Some were sci-fi. Some were emotional gut-punches.
It was a rollercoaster and I never wanted to get off.
Why It Resonated
As a Black woman who grew up feeling the weight of history, the fear of violence, and the hope for something better, this show hit me hard.
There were scenes that felt ripped straight out of our collective memory.
One minute I was watching a fantasy, and the next I was staring at a truth too real to ignore.
It spoke to:
- What it means to move through a world built against you
- The power of ancestry and legacy
- Black womanhood in all its magic and pain
- Our brilliance, our bravery, and the battles we still fight
It didn’t shy away from the horror of racism, but it didn’t stop there either. It showed Black people as heroes, scientists, witches, warriors, travelers, and gods.
Favorite Moments (Spoiler-Free-ish)
- Leti’s big moment in the house? ICONIC.
- That time travel episode? Whew, the RANGE.
- The music choices?? That Nina Simone to Cardi B pipeline was wild and genius.
- The layered symbolism of every color, every outfit, and every location meant something.
- The magic system? Deep and mythological, but still grounded in Black spiritual traditions.
The Cancellation That Still Hurts
Let’s be real.
Lovecraft Country deserved more.
The season finale set up so many possibilities and then it was just gone. Cancelled. Like that.
No second season. No closure. Just vibes and anger. 🙃
Fans were heartbroken. Critics were confused. But we all knew: this show was ahead of its time.
It was doing something no other show was doing.
And it wasn’t afraid to make you uncomfortable, which probably made execs uncomfortable too.
But we’ll always have that one season. And I’ll always be grateful for it.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve never seen Lovecraft Country, I can’t recommend it enough.
It’s only 10 episodes, but it feels like a full meal.
It’s scary. It’s beautiful. It’s chaotic. It’s healing.
It’s unapologetically Black and deeply human.
It’s the kind of show you wish you could forget just to watch again for the first time.
So thank you, Lovecraft Country.
For the art.
For the truth.
And for giving Black imagination the respect it deserves.
Have you seen Lovecraft Country?
Let me know your favorite episode or moment in the comments!
And if you’ve got any other underrated shows I should watch, send them my way. I’m always down to talk TV.