When We Rise (TV Mini Series) Parts II and III (2017) User Reviews

So Many Issues And Slow Progress

[DKosty123 · 8/10 · 15 May 2017]

Cleve and the main cast continue their saga as we get ready to head into the GRID era of HIV/AIDS and it's effect on the Gay Rights Movement. Milk is murdered, but then what is about to come is pure murder of a lot of gay people.

The beginning of HIV/AIDS was the scariest time in history for a lot of people. The causes of the disease were difficult and the Center for disease control was calling it GRID. There were rumors which were later proved to be not accurate that the disease was strictly isolated to gay people. I give this series credit that the writers went beyond the obvious headline maker early cases of death from HIV/AIDS, Rock Hudson and Liberace, and dig into the common folks getting the disease. Presented here is the little known photo and fact that the scene of the capital filled with more Aids Victims Quilt Panels than attended Barack Obama's Inauguration hammers home this fact.

There is lots more to come as the series moves forward.

Revisited Reagan Era

[DKosty123 · 8/10 · 15 May 2017]

This episode is the witness of the first wave of AIDS deaths and the fear of the unknown raised in this country. The rumors and false information about the disease cause a lot of grief.

There is so much unknown and the Reagan -Bush 1 eras ignored what gay people needed for a long time- which was becoming desperate for help. Many families that had 4 children would lose 2 of those 4 in this era. When the actual death tolls from AIDS are factored into the US System, Social Security is actually a lot less likely to go broke because a fair piece of the baby boom generation died in the 1980's and early 1990's. Even when treatments finally got developed, there still is no true cure for the disease.

The folks like Magic Johnson who survived being HIV positive are among the exceptions to this era. They are still a mystery on why they survived what killed many people, exposure to AIDS. Of course Johnson was one of the early ones who proved that the disease was not exclusive to gay people.

As the main character's become involved nursing and nurturing their friends who are dying, the mood here becomes decidedly gloomy, but the disease is not going to stop the revolution which is coming out of the closet.

Even better than the first half

[caseysparker · 10/10 · 27 February 2017]

Exceptional second half of the first episode. The quality of the content here is great, the writing is outstanding. The second half of this episode really shines. If the first half is the introduction this half really gets the ball rolling. The way they're setting up story-line makes me very excited to see where they're heading in future episodes. A must-watch.