A fascinating, hypnotic documentary series, American Gangster investigates the lives of African-American druglords, thieves, and gang leaders. The most compelling story is probably that of Stanley "Tookie" Williams, who co-founded the Crips, counseled at-risk youth, appeared on The Gong Show as a bodybuilder, had a mental breakdown from drug use, had a social awakening in prison, and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to end gang warfare, before finally being executed for multiple murders. But American Gangster also uses his story to delve into how the cultural vacuum created by the collapse of the civil rights movement led to the rise of gangs--just as its episodes on drug lords like the Chamber Brothers and Leroy "Nicky" Barnes (who appeared on the cover of a Sunday New York Times Magazine next to the headline "Mr. Untouchable") explore the history of heroin and cocaine trafficking. Narrated by the authoritative voice of Ving Rhames (Rosewood, Dawn of the Dead), the show balances salacious details (the women who sorted "Freeway" Ricky Ross's cocaine did so topless, so that they couldn't steal any) and sharp sociological observations. The life of Ross, whose blocked aspirations as a tennis player led to a wildly successful drug empire, intersects with the Iran-Contra scandals of the Reagan Administration. The episode about jewel thieves Dino and Troy Smith, who went in for one last score after going straight for a while, plays out like a topnotch thriller, while the life of Lorenzo "Fat Cat" Nichols seems even more of a sad waste than these other ambitious, intelligent, and ruthless men whose talents found no place in the American mainstream. American Gangster doesn't forgive anyone's crimes, but its breadth of vision demonstrates the social forces that make crime seem inevitable. The result is compulsive and enlightening viewing. --Bret Fetzer

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