Tracy McMillan and Marque Richardson discuss rehabilitation and mental health awareness.
In season 2 of the Hulu series “Unprisoned” the therapist becomes the patient as “Paige,” played by Kerry Washington begins family counseling with her father “Edwin” (actor, Delroy Lindo), and son “Finn” (actor, Faly Rakotohavana).
After realizing she misses her father and wants him to continue living with her, Paige has to self-reflect, take accountability, and even apologize to her father and son upon accepting that she isn’t always right. Series creator, writer, and executive producer Tracy McMillan describes Paige’s disposition at the beginning of season two as, “I know the most about everything around here because I’m the therapist. I’m fine and everybody else needs to change.” She adds, “What I love about [family therapist] Murphy Collins (played by John Stamos) is that he confronts Paige within the first episode and says, ‘Actually, it’s time for you to look at you.”
Related Article: https://lasentinel.net/relationships-get-real-with-tracy-mcmillan.html
Many may recognize Tracy McMillan from her hit OWN series, “Family or Fiancé” currently in its third season. Tracy McMillan has previously shared that several episodes of “Unprisoned” were inspired by real-life couples that she counseled on “Family or Fiancé.” When asked if there will be a fourth season of the OWN series, Tracy McMillan revealed that there are ten unaired episodes with an unknown release date. “…But I would love to get another season of that show too, because it’s about healing the black family. And that’s what both shows, “Family or Fiancé” and “Unprisoned” have in common,” said Tracy McMillan.
While Paige is being proactive in trying to create a more healthy relationship dynamic with Edwin and Finn, she’s unwilling to admit that she sabotaged her relationship with her most compatible partner “Mal” (actor Marque Richardson). Instead, the pair are trying to forge a platonic friendship which leads to a series of awkward, tension-filled interactions including Paige having dinner with Mal and his new girlfriend “Ava” (actress Brandi Evans).
Mal is also integral to this season after he hires Edwin, a former resident of the halfway house, in a supervisor role for the current residents. When asked about the evolution of his character in season two, Marque Richardson described Mal as, “A confident and grounded force for both Paige and Edwin. He’s perfectly imperfect yet in tune with his feelings and emotions that he’s taught me how to be in tune with mine.”
What makes “Unprisoned” must-see TV for the whole family, especially teens is the way Finn vocalizes his feelings to his mother as well as not shying away from talking about various mental health issues including anxiety disorder.
Actor Faly Rakotohavana told The Sentinel, “The interesting thing about this season is even Paige, as a therapist, is going to therapy because even the therapists need therapy. It’s not a bad thing and it shouldn’t have any sort of negative connotation to it. It’s just a space where you can finally be given the freedom to let everything out. Because when you hold it in, you’re going to feel it everywhere. So you need a space where you can allow yourself to be free and to feel the things that you feel because human emotions are valid and they’re real. And you’re not feeling it for no reason. You were meant to align with those feelings and figure out what they mean,” said Rakotohavana.
As a writer and executive producer of the series, Tracy McMillan shares that she was cognizant about making sure a younger generation was represented in the mental health conversation. “I feel like post-pandemic, so many young people in America are suffering from anxiety. So I always want to give the young people the maximum dignity and respect. It’s easy to be dismissive of a younger generation and say, ‘You don’t know anything yet.’ But in fact, they know things that we don’t know. And that’s one thing we want to show in our intergenerational story is everyone can learn from everyone else. This is not a top-down patriarchal family. That’s not a good family system. Everyone has gifts that they’re bringing to a family so we’re looking for what those are and celebrating them.
With one of the central themes of “Unprisoned” being Edwin’s rehabilitation into society after prison, The Sentinel asked Richardson and Tracy McMillan about the call to action in regard to how audiences can support formerly incarcerated people.
Richardson shared, “After season one, I started working with this national organization based in Philadelphia called the Juvenile Law Center, JLC that advocates for the welfare and the rights of children and young adults in the criminal justice system. I’m a board member of that program and a part of the work I’m doing is trying to figure out how to dismantle these systems that are currently in place.”
Tracy McMillan added, “If you’re the family member of someone who’s a returning citizen, I hope that this show helps you bring more compassion and open-mindedness to it. I also hope that it helps you be more honest about how that family member’s choices have impacted you, not in a shaming way, but in a loving way. So, I feel like the call to action is whatever is on your heart, and for me, in all of the things that I’ve been through my offering is an honest telling of the feelings and the story. Each person gives from their own gift. So, you have to figure out how you’re going to make a difference and even if it hasn’t affected you, it’s still a huge issue that impacts many Americans.”
“Unprisoned” season 2 is currently streaming on Hulu and Disney+.
