TIR Screens
Queen Sugar follows the Bordelon siblings as they return to rural Louisiana to save their family’s sugarcane farm while navigating grief, legacy, love, and power. Created by Ava DuVernay, the series spans seven seasons and centers Black family life, land ownership, and generational healing.
This landed on my Missed It List, meaning I didn’t watch it week to week while it aired. Instead, I binged the entire series straight through, and that experience hit very differently. Watching Queen Sugar uninterrupted made the emotional arcs feel more connected, layered, and at times overwhelming in both the best and hardest ways.
TIR Take
Bingeing Queen Sugar was a journey. Deeply emotional, occasionally frustrating, and ultimately rewarding.
Season 1 pulled me in immediately. I hated that Ralph Angel found the revised will letter, even though I like him as a character. Charley’s methods were questionable, but her vision had reach, and I wanted her plan to work. I was warned I’d grow to hate Nova, but early on I didn’t see it and hoped I wouldn’t.
By Seasons 3 and 4, the show was in full emotional overdrive. Ralph Angel’s custody battle. Nova and Remy. Davis discovering he had a daughter. Vi balancing lupus, marriage, and entrepreneurship. Charley still maneuvering strategically. Micah finding his voice through activism. Everything felt intentional, layered, and exhausting in a way that made sense.
Season 4 in particular stressed me out. The wins did not outweigh the chaos. Charley becoming Councilwoman. Darla and Ralph Angel reconciling. Trudy’s connection to the farm. All meaningful moments surrounded by nonstop turmoil.
Season 5 was the hardest for me. It leaned too heavily into rehashing 2020 and lost some of its layered nuance. I spent much of the season worried about Prosper. The highlights were Darla and Ralph Angel’s wedding and the baby announcement. Those moments mattered.
Season 6 brought stress again, but the family uniting to get the farm declared a historical landmark was one of the strongest arcs of the series. Micah’s self-discovery felt authentic. Charley and Davis reconciling worked for me in a binge context.
Season 7 felt different. Charley’s absence was noticeable after dominating the series for six seasons. Still, the character growth across all seven seasons felt real. Not linear. Messy. Human.
Critics’ Take
Critics praised Queen Sugar for its intimate storytelling, strong performances, and visual style. The show was frequently highlighted for centering Black family life and land ownership with care and depth. Some criticism focused on pacing in later seasons and the emotional heaviness of real-world events, but many agreed the long-form character development outweighed the slower moments.
Series Status
Queen Sugar concluded after seven seasons and was designed as a complete story. There are no official plans for a spinoff. Viewers who enjoyed its emotional depth and family focus may also like This Is Us, Greenleaf, or All American.
TIR Recommends
Overall Series Rating: 8/10
Bingeing Queen Sugar made the story feel more cohesive and emotionally resonant than expected. The land, the family fractures, the healing, and the setbacks all worked together to create a series that lingers long after the finale.
Your Take
Which season hit you the hardest?
Did your loyalties shift as the characters evolved?
Do you think Queen Sugar works better as a binge or week to week?
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