Have you heard of “Return of the King”? No, not the J.R.R. Tolkien novel or Peter Jackson movie. The Boondocks episode. If you haven’t, today’s probably a good day to rewatch this controversial 22-minute gem. Pretty much the only television show with enough guts to tackle the legacy of King with such a combination of reverence and irreverence, here The Boondocks strikes at a remarkable premise: What if King had gone into a coma after being shot in Memphis and, after the turn of the 21st century, finally came to? Well:
McGruder’s take isn’t for everyone, but if it’s for you, the full episode is available to stream on YouTube for the price of a hot cup of coffee.
P.S. In case you haven’t seen it, the show’s Obama inauguration episode, “It’s a Black President, Huey Freeman,” boasts an A-tier Werner Herzog guest appearance. It’s also worth a watch—although this year, it may feel a little too soon.
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