Watching Roots,got to admit I like this new interpretation. Especially, the way they used the same actor for Kunta Kinte. More believable that he never lost his accent. Wish, they’d done the same with Kizzy.
Another interesting point, is that they portray the female characters using a more feminist approach. Missy is shown to develop a friendly yet unequal relationship with Kizzy. Looking for a companion that will never turn on her, someone she can confide in who will never betray her to her peers, because she can never be one.
Later Kizzy has another similar relationship with the wife of her new master (despite her knowledge of his dalliances), teaching her to read. She does this, knowing that Kizzy has more knowledge of the upper class than she as well as the ability to read.
This is a curious viewpoint. White Women in slave narratives are often shown to be vengeful harpies, not as actors in their own right. They are, after all, the second most powerful group in 19th century American society, albeit a distant second. We can assume they would make accomodations and foster relationships advantageous to themselves.
Finally, why this portrayal. Is it merely our more modern sensibilities that cause us to show women as not being so one-dimensional or is it to insure Black and White Women vote for Hillary, maybe a little bit of both.