Series synopsis
David Makes Man is an American drama television series that premiered on OWN on August 14, 2019. It ended on August 24, 2021. It was created by Tarell Alvin McCraney. It stars Ade Chike Torbert, Akili McDowell, Phylicia Rashād and Trinity Cidel.
A 14-year-old prodigy's mother relies on him to find a way out of poverty, but he is haunted by the death of his friend; he must choose between the streets that raised him or the higher education that may offer him a way out.
Premise
A 14-year-old prodigy's mother relies on him to find a way out of poverty, but he is haunted by the death of his friend; he must choose between the streets that raised him or the higher education that may offer him a way out.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Ade Chike Torbert as Raynan
- Akili McDowell as David
- Phylicia Rashād as Dr. Woods-Trap
- Trinity Cidel as Trenise
- Nathaniel Logan McIntyre as Seren Kelly
- Lindsey Blackwell as Marissa
- Isaiah Johnson as Sky
- Cayden K. Williams as JG
Supporting cast
- Alana Arenas as Gloria
- Jordan Bolger as Shinobi
- Travis Coles as Miss Elijah
- Kwame Patterson as Adult David
- Arlen Escarpeta as Adult JG
- Zsané Jhé as Adult Shella
- Brandi Huzzie as Trisha
Guest cast
- Carrie Elizabeth Brown as Sharon
- Trace Lysette as Femi
- Jaden Piner as Shalimar Rose
- Julian Anthony Martinez as Luis
- Simeon Hernandez as Fred
- Aba Arthur as Adult Tare
- April Grace as David's Therapist
- Kyle Beltran as Adult Seren
- Eilan Joseph as Little David
- Janmarco Santiago as Elan
- Jamie K. Brown as Ashok
- Darryl W. Handy as Saul
Episodes
This series spans 2 seasons with 20 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | 10 | August 14, 2019 | October 16, 2019 |
| Season 2 | 10 | June 22, 2021 | August 24, 2021 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
David's Sky A 14-year-old prodigy's mother relies on him to find a way out of poverty, but he is haunted by the death of his friend; he must choose between the streets that raised him or the higher education that may offer him a way out. |
August 14, 2019 |
| 2 |
Dai Out David Makes Man centers on a 14-year-old prodigy from the projects who is haunted by the death of his closest friend and relied on by his hardworking mother to find a way out of poverty. He must choose between the streets that raised him or the higher education that may offer him a way out. Set in South Florida, the series is inspired by events in McCraney's own life and explores childhood trauma and the power of imagination to survive. |
August 21, 2019 |
| 3 |
MJB David Makes Man centers on a 14-year-old prodigy from the projects who is haunted by the death of his closest friend and relied on by his hardworking mother to find a way out of poverty. He must choose between the streets that raised him or the higher education that may offer him a way out. Set in South Florida, the series is inspired by events in McCraney's own life and explores childhood trauma and the power of imagination to survive. |
August 28, 2019 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Barrel of Oranges David pitches a renovation project for Homestead Village to Joe Padilla, a billionaire. Later, tragedy strikes JG. |
June 22, 2021 |
| 2 |
Hurston Young David gets suspended at Hurston Prep after an altercation with one of his friends, and he returns home to find his mother has changed for the better. Plus, Adult David receives news about his brother. |
June 29, 2021 |
| 3 |
Y'all Gucci JG continues to recover as friends from his past offer support. Meanwhile, David continues to pursue his redevelopment project, and he's surprised by an unexpected protestor. Finally, David's therapist pushes for him to work through past trauma. |
July 6, 2021 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | OWN |
|---|---|
| First aired | August 14, 2019 |
| Last aired | August 24, 2021 |
| Runtime | 43 minutes |
| Status | ended |
| Schedule | Tuesday at 21:00:00 |