Rapman, also known as Andrew Onwubolu, is no stranger to producing quality films that depict areas of the Black British experience, as evidenced by his hit films Blue Story and Shiro’s List. He’s now ventured into television with Netflix series Supacell. Using sickle cell disease as the origin of superpowers, the show is an innovative approach to the science fiction and superhero genre. Through this unique concept, Supacell also challenges long-standing stereotypes associated with the Black community.
Across six episodes, we see the story of five seemingly ordinary Black people from South London, all linked by a genetic history of sickle cell disease and the sudden emergence of superpowers. But things get tricky when courier and new time-traveller Michael (Tosin Cole) teleports into the future and discovers his fiancée Dionne’s (Adelayo Adedayo) life is in danger. To save her, he must find four others with newfound superpowers: Sabrina (Nadine Mills), Rodney (Calvin Demba), Andre (Eric Kofi Abrefa), and Tazer (Josh Tedeku).
‘Supacell’ cast tell origin stories for their superpowers
Despite the instantly opportunistic nature of getting superpowers, Supacell’s characters are not trying to use their newfound talents to conquer the world. As Rodney, newly equipped with super speed, says, “This ain’t a fucking comic book, this is real life.” They grapple with personal dilemmas, be it Andre paying child support, Tazer dealing with gang rivalry, or Sabrina protecting her sister from harm. They don’t have time to focus on helping someone save their fiancée or dealing with mysterious figures trying to capture them. They’re already just trying to survive the day.
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