Originally aired on ABC for eight consecutive nights from January 23 to January 30, 1977, Roots was watched by an estimated 130 and 140 million viewers, more than half the U.S. population at the time. When you consider that this was in the days before DVR’s and audiences could only watch these shows as they aired, these numbers are even more remarkable.

Based on Alex Haley’s best-selling novel, Roots tracks several generations of one family, descended from the Mandinka warrior Kunta Kinte (Levar Burton). Just 15, Kinte is kidnapped, sold to a slave trader and placed aboard a ship bound for Colonial America under the command of Capt. Thomas Davies (Edward Asner). After arriving in Maryland, Kinte is sold into slavery and given the name Toby by his owner John Reynolds (Lorne Greene), a plantation owner from near Fredericksburg, Virginia.

Kinte makes several unsuccessful attempts to escape, and eventually fathers a daughter named Kizzy (Leslie Uggams), who later has a son named George (Ben Vereen) as a result of a rape by her white slave master. George eventually becomes an expert in cockfighting, earning the moniker “Chicken George.” Eventually, George would become the first member of his family to gain his freedom.

Spanning from 1750 through the Civil War, and the aftermath of emancipation. Forty years after its original airing, Roots: The Complete Original Series remains one of the most powerful dramas ever broadcast.  While the brutality doesn’t match what has been seen in the cinema in recent years—Amistad comes to mind—the humiliation that Levar Burton’s Kunte Kinte experiences is palpable; but then, so is his strength of character. Roots also shows the conflicts that arose for slavers given the differing opinions of Thomas Davies and his Third mate Slater (Ralph Waite), and peels back the layers on the people involved in human trafficking. While Davies remains committed to his mission, there are brief moments when his humanity peeks through.

Aided by a solid script from Alex Haley and James Lee, the white, secondary roles, were filled by familiar television actors such as Lorne Greene, Edward Asner and Ralph Waite to reassure audiences. The cast also includes John Amos, Robert Reed, Louis Gossett Jr., Chuck Connors, Lloyd Bridges, Richard Roundtree, George Hamilton and many others. While the special effects are decidedly dated, Roots: The Complete Original Series is highly recommended.

Presented in the 1.33:1 aspect ratio, Roots has been remastered, and this 1080p release looks great. Colors looks stunning throughout. Everything is bright and vibrant without ever being overblown. Blacks are rich and appropriate. The image has a surprising amount of detail for something made in 1977. The image has an appropriate amount of grain.

The DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track doesn’t offer much in the way of dynamic range, but the sound is clear. Dialogue is clear and concise throughout. It’s nothing special, but does the job.

English SDH, French, Italian SDH, Japanese, Spanish, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Norwegian, and Swedish subtitles are included.

The following extras are available:

  • Photo Booklet: Containing the discs is a 32-page booklet containing episode descriptions, pics of the cast, and media coverage from the time of its original release.
  • ROOTS: The American Story Continues: Celebrities, historians and others discuss why the 1977 miniseries was a seminal moment in U.S. history and is still relevant today. Includes interviews with Whoopi Goldberg, Blair Underwood, James Earl Jones, Debbie Allen, Christopher Haley, Al Sharpton and more.
  • ROOTS: The Cast Looks Back: The stars of the original miniseries share emotional memories of Roots’ filming, it’s impact on their lives, and on figures such as Barack Obama and it’s continuing importance.  Includes LeVar Burton, John Amos, Louis Gossett Jr., Ben Vereen, Cicely Tyson, Ed Asner, Sandy Duncan, and more.
  • Crossing Over: How ROOTS Captivated an Entire Nation: The above mentioned actors and celebrities continue to reflect on the cultural impact that Roots had on the entire nation.
  • LeVar Burton: Original Screen Test
  • Alex Haley Interview by David Frost: Haley explains the importance of researching his ancestral history all the way back to Africa.
  • ROOTS: One Year Later: The cast and crew reflects on the impact of Roots just a year after it originally aired. Included is emotional footage of Alex Haley visiting his ancestral tribe in Africa.