There is a sweetness at the core of the historical adventure series Washington Black that is reminiscent of the best of filmmaker Chris Columbus’s work. That intangible, magical feeling does a lot to help smooth over the series’ (thankfully, few) misfires. An adaptation of a novel intended for a younger audience (not that it lacks depth, nor is it “unadult”) is likely part of the reason it serves as a reminder of Columbus’s creative highlights. It also possesses the characteristics of some beloved cultural touchstones, such as Roots and the Underground Railroad, while carrying the weight of the challenging themes prevalent in these adaptations.

The series covers a dizzying amount of ground and covers it well. Not only do ages shift (both Ernest Kingsley Junior as the main Washington Black and Eddie Karanja as young Washington do stunning work to add depth to an ever-succeeding hero), but so do the environments. Spending time travelling to and from starkly different locations (Canada and Barbados) provides breaks in what could otherwise feel somewhat monotonous (think trees, roads, and little else).

Washington begins on a plantation, run cruelly at first by one owner, and then even more cruelly by its next. After the death of what can only be called a significant older guardian, a kind of Hero’s Journey begins in earnest.

Such monumental themes call not just for mega talents behind the camera; they necessitate actors with both depth and buoyancy. For all its highs, when it’s a success, this happy, satisfying intersection of tones and subgenres, is readily at risk of a litany of complaints. Occasionally, Washington Black dims down the whimsy, and reminds its audience of the stakes.

Thankfully, relative newcomers Ernest Kingsley Junior, and Eddie Karanja are more than up to the weighty task. Rounding out the cast is none other than Sterling K. Brown, a television force of nature. Yes, he’s done notable work in film (American Fiction deserves an honourable mention), but his turn as Christopher Darden in The People Vs. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, and Randall Pearson on This Is Us, are what made him a household name.

There is typically a disconnect between fans of a beloved novel or series, and its respective screen adaptation. In this case, fans of Canadian author Esi Edugyan’s original work won’t find much to harp over. Thank goodness, because the last thing a prominent, serious, and joyous historical series such as this needs, is a divided fanbase where in-fighting erodes the series’s support.

Tune in to see how the adaptation handles itself, then stay for the talented cast and dazzling visuals.

Washington Black is now streaming on Disney+ in Canada.