There’s no shortage of documentaries about high school football teams chasing the glory of a championship, but Algiers, America might stand head and shoulders above the rest. The docuseries from journalist and Vice alum Jackson Fager interweaves stories about the Edna Karr Cougars marching toward a hopeful winning season with the fuller picture of their community being ripped apart by gun violence and the carceral state.
Here’s the official synopsis:
“Algiers, America is a five-part documentary that chronicles the journey of Coach Brice Brown, the Edna Karr Cougars, and their quest for a fifth state championship in six years. Connected to the Cougars are a collection of compelling characters in and out of the school – a passionate community leader and educator, a charismatic marching band leader, and a group of families fighting the epidemics of gun violence and mass imprisonment. Altogether, the series is a rare, authentic, captivating, candid, and sometimes difficult look at life in a community fighting to be defined by triumph on the football field and far beyond. This limited docu-series will at once break your heart and inspire you with its gripping tale, unforgettable characters, and tribute to possibility.”
That many episodes offer a massive amount of breathing room for an undeniable, undoubtedly complicated and vital picture that takes us past the stadium lights out into the neighborhood. It looks excellent and hits Hulu in its entirety on April 19th.
