Ep 1. Meet the Lord

In "The Good Lord Bird" season 1 episode 1, titled "Meet the Lord," viewers are introduced to the young slave Henry "Onion" Shackleford. Set in the 1850s, Onion is living life in bondage on a Kansas Territory plantation, where life is tough and brutality from his masters is a daily reality.

One day, Onion is caught in the middle of a violent confrontation between abolitionist John Brown and slaveowner Dutch Henry. Brown is a white preacher who is convinced that slavery is a sin and must be eliminated. He sees Onion and mistakes him for a girl. Brown brings Onion along on his anti-slavery crusade under the guise of "Henrietta."

After convincing Onion to join his journey towards freedom, Brown becomes his new father figure and mentor. Onion's journey soon becomes a bizarre wild west adventure full of unexpected twists and turns.

While the ugliness of slavery takes center stage, there are also moments of levity in this powerful series premiere. Ethan Hawke as Brown and Joshua Caleb Johnson as Onion give standout performances, bringing their complex characters to life with exceptional nuance.

Through this episode, "Meet the Lord," viewers are given a glimpse of the harsh reality of slavery while also being introduced to one of the most influential figures in American history. The episode sets the stage for the season to come, promising a moving, thoughtful, and exciting journey as Onion grapples with his newfound freedom and grapples with Brown's relentless mission against slavery.