The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Blistering performances.

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

How can I get chosen for a research into my family roots ?

I so wanted to like this show because I'm a lover of geanology and history wether it's good or bad. But it seems every episode has a breakaway segment about slavery or the plight of African Americans. I've tried to rewatch it and I can't swallow the misleading pill. The latest episode I watched dealt with the host going to a high school class to "teach" the class that our founding fathers owned slaves and were hypocritical to free our country but not the slaves, painting them out to be bias and hypocrites. But they fail to provide that the reasoning behind it was the fear of a fragile country falling apart if they were to do so. It was a hard line choice and a complex one and while I'm all for a clear and true picture no matter how tough this show does not give a well rounded look at our history. The bias and splitting of hairs is enough to make me boycott the show. I love the truth of history too much to give this falsified views of our country an ounce of life. Tell the whole story!

Genealogical research is often fascinating, illuminating and addictive. But here's the thing about televising something that involves a lot of library time and reading -- you have to make it engaging. Finding Your Roots means well but it is nowhere near as fun or interesting to watch as another genealogical show, Who Do You Think You Are, currently airing on TLC. Unfortunately, it is Gates himself that is a drag on the show. He is a scholar and a professor and his sit downs with his guests come across like a dry lecture. The guests show up like good students for the lecture but they have had little or no personal involvement in the quest up to that point. And frankly some of them don't look too interested in their own stories.I've been involved in genealogical research for many decades and I have learned some remarkable things at the hands of Professor Gates and his association with PBS. I don't want the show to disappear but I would encourage PBS to reformat it in favor of engaging both the guest and the viewer to a higher degree. They have the perfect opportunity to do that in the wake of the revelation that Gates and the show's producers covered up the facts of Ben Affleck's slave owning ancestry.