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Poster for I'll Fly Away

I'll Fly Away

Seen it?

1991 | 3 seasons | 60 min | Drama

Sunday Safe Betearly rating

Why it’s a Sunday Safe Bet

It won 3 Emmys, though it had a small audience and a quick end and little lasting buzz. A safe bet when you want something reliable.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for anyone who loves a strong character drama. If you loved The Lincoln Lawyer or Goliath, start here.
The mood
Thoughtful and character-driven.
The pace
3 seasons: a few weeks of evenings, hour-long episodes, about 39 hours in all.
What might put you off
Nothing much for most grown-ups.

I'll Fly Away is an American drama television series set during the late 1950s and early 1960s, in an unspecified Southern U.S. state. It aired on NBC from 1991 to 1993 and starred Regina Taylor as Lilly Harper, a black housekeeper for the family of district attorney Forrest Bedford, whose name is an ironic reference to Nathan Bedford Forrest, the founder of the Ku Klux Klan. As the show progressed, Lilly became increasingly involved in the Civil Rights Movement, with events eventually drawing in Forrest as well. I'll Fly Away won two 1992 Emmy Awards, and 23 nominations in total. It won three Humanitas Prizes, two Golden Globe Awards, two NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Drama Series, and a Peabody Award. However, the series was never a ratings blockbuster, and it was canceled by NBC in 1993, despite widespread protests by critics and viewer organizations. After the program's cancellation, a two-hour movie, I'll Fly Away: Then and Now, was produced, in order to resolve dangling storylines from Season 2, and provide the series with a true finale. The movie aired on October 11, 1993 on PBS. Its major storyline closely paralleled the true story of the 1955 murder of Emmett Till in Money, Mississippi. Thereafter, PBS began airing repeats of the original episodes, ceasing after one complete showing of the entire series.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsNot counted

    Not enough reviews on record yet

  • AudiencesNot counted

    Not measured yet: not enough ratings

  • AwardsVery strong

    Won 3 Emmys: Primetime Emmy Award: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, Primetime Emmy Award: Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special, Primetime Emmy Award: Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series. Won 2 Golden Globes: Golden Globe Award: Best Actor – Television Series Drama, Golden Globe Award: Best Actress – Television Series Drama. Won 1 DGA Award: Directors Guild of America Award: Outstanding Directing – Drama Series. Won 1 WGA Award: Writers Guild of America Award: Episodic Drama. Won 1 PGA Award: Producers Guild of America Award: Outstanding Producer of Television. Won 1 Peabody Award: Peabody Award: Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series. Also nominated for 15 more Emmys and 1 more Golden Globe. Plus 15 other awards.

  • Reach & staying powerWeak

    Ran for 3 seasons and reached a small audience so far

  • Buzz & cultural impactBelow par

    Not enough engagement data yet

Season by season

The show overall is a Sunday Safe Bet. Here's how each season stacks up.

  1. Season 11991 · 22 episodes
    Not rated yet
  2. Season 21992 · 16 episodes
    Not rated yet
  3. Season 31993 · 1 episode
    Not rated yet

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Cast & crew

Created by John Falsey, Joshua Brand

  • Sam WaterstonForrest Bedford
  • Regina TaylorLilly Harper
  • Jeremy LondonNathaniel 'Nathan' Bedford
  • Ashlee LevitchFrancie Bedford
  • John Aaron BennettJohn Morgan Bedford
  • Peter SimmonsPaul Slocum
  • Kathryn HarroldChristina LeKatzis
  • Bill CobbsLewis Coleman
  • Mary AliceMarguerite Peck
  • Rae'Ven Larrymore KellyAdlaine Harper