After six seasons of following the Bordelon siblings and the Louisana sugarcane farm left to them by their father, Queen Sugar is making its seventh season the last. Based on the novel of the same name by Natalie Baszile, Queen Sugar is Ava DuVernay’s family drama that found critical success during its run on OWN due to the nuanced way it covered themes of racial and socioeconomic inequalities.
The series received two NAACP awards and a total of twelve nominations and is uniquely helmed by an all-female directing cast. DuVernay, who made the choice to end Queen Sugar despite being told by the studio and network to continue, told Deadline that “as a storyteller, the bravest thing to do is know when you’re done.”
While fans still have the season six finale and the full seventh season to look forward to, it will be hard to let go of the family we have come to know so well over the years. Dawn-Lyen Gardner as Charley, Rutina Wesley as Nova, and Kofi Siriboe as Ralph Angel, along with the actors that make up the fictional community of St. Josephine have become familiar faces for viewers as they represent people that America, and the media, has often left at the margins.
Representation of Black Americans living in the rural South is few and far in between, especially representation of dark-skinned Black people. “It’s a radical act that it lasted this long,” DuVernay said in her interview with Deadline. “And it’s a testament to every single pair of hands that touched it and I am so proud of that.” The season six finale premiers tonight on OWN. Queen Sugar is produced by Warner Bros TV and Filmworks and the final season will feature thirteen episodes.
