Critique of Amazon Prime's 'Them' and the 'Race Horror' Genre

Recently launched, Amazon Prime's anthology series 'Them' consists of ten episodes and centers on the Emory family, a Black household relocating to a predominantly white neighborhood in Compton, Los Angeles, in 1953. The family grapples with both racism and supernatural occurrences. The screenplay was penned by Little Marvin, featuring Deborah Ayorinde as Lucky Emory and Shahadi Wright Joseph portraying their daughter. The series has drawn parallels to Jordan Peele's 2019 film 'Us', sharing similar musical elements. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Marvin highlighted a scene that addresses historical violence against Black individuals. Critic Kadish Morris warns that such portrayals may trivialize Black suffering, urging horror writers to address weapons alongside wounds to better examine race.