The Good Lord Bird
Limited Series
TV-MA
98%73%
Ethan Hawke stars as abolitionist John Brown in this series based on the novel. "Onion" is a fictional enslaved boy who becomes a member of Brown's family of abolitionist soldiers and finds himself in the 1859 raid at Harpers Ferry.
Where to Watch Limited Series
7 Episodes
- Meet the Lord
E1Meet the LordHenry Shackleford, a young slave living in the Kansas territory in 1856, has a run-in with abolitionist John Brown, who mistakes him for a girl and promptly “frees” him. Believing Henry to be his good luck charm, Brown welcomes him into his ragtag army and nicknames him “Onion.” Donning a dress for the first time while dodging bullets, Onion quickly awakens to the life or death stakes in the battle over human bondage and witnesses Brown’s divinely inspired violent agenda: to free the land of slavery by any means necessary. - Mister Fred
E3Mister FredFollowing the battle in Pikesville, John Brown, now one of the most wanted men in America, travels north with Onion to raise funds for the abolitionist cause. They take refuge at the home of famed orator and “King of the Negroes” Frederick Douglass and his two wives. When Brown and Douglass clash over methodology, Onion discovers just how complex the fight for justice and human equality really is. - Smells Like Bear
E4Smells Like BearJohn and Onion continue their fundraising mission, this time heading to Canada on foot. After seeing true freedom for the first time and frustrated with Brown’s increasingly irrational behavior, Onion demands freedom from Brown’s army. But, when the legendary Harriet Tubman endorses Brown in a room full of new recruits, Onion realizes that he may be more invested in the cause and the "old man" than he thought. - Hiving the Bees
E5Hiving the BeesOnion and new recruit John Cook head to Harper’s Ferry to prepare for the arrival of John Brown and his army. However, Onion quickly struggles to perform his mission of recruiting more African-American soldiers from the area when Cook’s reckless behavior threatens their exposure to suspicious neighbors. After several weeks of waiting, Brown, his army and his daughter Annie finally arrive—creating a new distraction for Onion: true love. - Jesus is Walkin'
E6Jesus is Walkin'The plan to take control of the nation’s largest armory at Harper’s Ferry is finally put into action. However, a crucial mistake by Onion threatens the success of the entire operation. John Brown’s army takes hostages, grabbing the attention of an angry mob and local militia. With shots firing, Onion is sent out to get reinforcements.
