It’s 1970 and Atlanta is a small-time city attempting to filter out its Dixie roots. The story, as each episode will brief you, is “based on some s*** that really happened.”
Based on the true-crime podcast of the same name, Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist takes audiences on a wild ride through Atlanta in 1970. Muhammad Ali’s historic comeback fight was a pivotal moment for his career and the city, changing its trajectory for the future and earning the title, “Black Mecca.” The only thing bigger than an Ali comeback fight in Atlanta is the untold story that unfolded afterward.
A hustler named Chicken Man (Kevin Hart) bogarts his way to hosting the biggest afterparty in the city. The guest list is a trove of high-profile celebrities and gangsters that converge in a house-turned-casino for one night only. The night begins as an epic success for Chicken Man and those around him, but just as he gets comfortable, everything around him starts to fall apart. After a brazen robbery takes place at the party, Chicken Man is immediately suspected of being the conductor behind the tragedy. Along with an old foe, detective J.D. Hudson (Don Cheadle), the pair set out to find the thieves who robbed the unsuspecting guests and tarnished the image of the city.
The first order of business is discussing how important and powerful the cast is on this project. For a straight-to-streaming, limited series, this project is the epitome of Black star power. Kevin Hart and Don Cheadle are just the beginning. There’s also Taraji P. Henson, Samuel L. Jackson, Terrence Howard, Clifton Powell, David Banner, Rockmond Dunbar, Chloe Bailey, and Marsha Stephanie Blake.
On top of the headline actors, there was a long list of familiar faces and fresh standouts from Jalyn Hall and Sinqua Walls to Lori Harvey. We even spotted a friend of the magazine, Brittney Level, in one episode of the series. Audiences are in for a treat with a phenomenal performance from Myles Bullock, and it wouldn’t be an ATL project without a sighting of Atlanta’s own Kenny Burns.
This series has all the feels of Black greatness. To go through this eight-episode series is a unique experience. It’s a beautiful amalgam of modern visual effects and the bravado and pride of a Blaxploitation film (a genre of movies in the ’70s that largely featured Black actors and aimed at Black audiences). To launch such a well-crafted series like this in 2024 is beyond impressive and everyone behind the show deserves all the praise.
The story is a hilarious mess, with subplots all over the place and characters seemingly materializing out of thin air. Chicken Man (or simply ‘Chicken’ as his friends call him) hustles numbers around Atlanta with his “associate” Vivian (Taraji P. Henson), unbeknownst to his wife Faye (Artrece Johnson). When Chicken hears from his friend Silky (Atkins Estimond) that a big-time gangster, Frank Moten (Samuel L. Jackson), is looking to party after the big Ali fight, he immediately wants in on the action. After presenting a unique vision and a slew of guarantees, Silky risks it all on Chicken’s word and gives him the go-ahead.
Elsewhere, a fresh-out-of-jail McKinley Rogers (Sinqua Walls) is contacted by an old friend to pull a heist. Initially, he wanted nothing to do with it, citing his desire to stay risk-free for his daughter’s sake. But the allure of how much money could be made got the best of him and he agreed. Taking the job meant he had to work with Andre (Melvin Gregg), Baby Ray (Jalyn Hall), and Willie Black (Myles Bullock). The first two weren’t a problem, but that hot-head Willie Black (or as I like to call him “Evil T.I.”) was a constant pain for Rogers. Boisterous, arrogant, and short-tempered are three descriptions you’d want to avoid if recruiting for a heist.
Detective J.D. Hudson is the first Black detective in the Atlanta Police Department as they start their lackluster attempt at diversifying the force. Attempting to operate in an extremely hostile white space, Hudson’s resources are limited and he’s stretched even further when he’s assigned to detail Muhammad Ali (Dexter Darden) during his time in Atlanta.
Frank Moten is one of the most powerful gangsters in the country. As the head of “The Firm”, a council of Black bosses from around the country, he runs New York while his number two, Cadillac Richie (Terrance Howard) controls New Jersey. Other members of The Firm include:
- Missouri Slim (David Banner) who runs Kansas City
- TEX Patterson (Exie Booker) who controls Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas
- Mushmouth (Clifton Powell) rules Detroit
- Bunker Willis (Dammon Earl Hughes) controls the Southside of Chicago.
Don’t let this detailed list of characters disturb your peace. Sometimes seeing too many notable actors in a project causes viewers to doubt its quality. Rest assured, Fight Night is a masterpiece in modern television. While it doesn’t exist as a ‘flawless’ production, its minute collection won’t affect the overall quality or delivery of the content whatsoever. For example, the dialogue from members of The Firm. David Banner put on a stellar performance as Missouri Slim, I won’t argue that. But with the longevity and résumé of someone like Clifton Powell, fans of Black television and cinema deserved more from him. Specifically, had he and David Banner swapped roles, I believe Clifton Powell would’ve breathed a different type of air into those lines. The same goes for Lori Harvey playing Lola Folana. A seasoned and recognizable actress or singer would’ve faired better than someone recognizable in pop culture. Granted, she didn’t do a bad job, but that small amount of face time for Lola could’ve been used better. Terrance Howard looked like his old self again, flaunting those seasoned acting chops, only to hit an odd spot when interacting with his mother. Without that awkward exchange, he could’ve gone the entire series with a high-level, “Whoop that trick!”, degree of quality that would’ve made Cadillac Richie a more celebrated character. Again, these are just opinions that fall under constructive criticism. The show still rocks.
The best part about having copious actors in a series is that somewhere, unfamiliar faces will break through and rise to the occasion. Kevin Hart was equal parts annoying and hilarious and Taraji P. Henson was more embraceable in the latter part of the season, but nobody impressed more than Evil T.I. (you’ll understand once you watch the show). Myles Bullock acted his tail off in this series as the quick-to-anger, smart-mouthed Willie Black. A constant liability, he always puts himself first and his decisions affect everyone around him. Simply put, he’s a selfish scumbag. But the thing about Willie Black is that he grows on you. It’s his arc, his personality, and the way he carries himself through the series as a mainstay. Teresa Celeste stood out as well in her role as Maxine, who wasn’t the biggest fan of Vivian’s but helped her out in a jam for Chicken’s sake.
Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist gets a 9.5 out of 10. Never in my life have I concluded that a limited series needed a spin-off so quickly. There’s no way this series can end like it did. That’s not to say the ending was bad, but the fact that it did indeed end. Hats off to Shaye Ogbonna on this epic series. The series is rare in that it stands in a space all its own and can’t be compared to anything else. Its exceptional quality, and again, its high level of authenticity, can’t be touched. Locals will appreciate landmarks like the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Paschal’s restaurant, and the Clermont Lounge. Discussions surrounding property near the airport will ring familiar too. The show is rated TV-MA for violence, nudity, language, and drug use.
Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist is available now on Peacock, with a new episode weekly on Thursdays.
-Jon Jones
Photos: Courtesy of Peacock