It is a truth universally acknowledged that we’ll moan about the length of a three-hour movie but binge an eight-episode series that is more than twice as long. But when the stories and cast are so compelling (think of the likes of The Undoing, Sharp Objects, The Penguin), it’s easy to understand why we slide into binge-mode with such ease. The next bingeable series coming your way is Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist.
Set against the backdrop of Muhammed Ali’s 1970 comeback fight, Fight Night follows an armed robbery that happened at a party that took place after the fight between Ali and Jerry Quarry. That’s intriguing enough, but there’s plenty more reason to watch.
It’s an entertaining history lesson
As the trailer declares, the series is based on “some sh*t that really happened”. Some of this real-life sh*t was an after-party hosted by Gordon “Chicken Man” Williams. The party saw guests held at gunpoint and robbed of cash and jewellery. Considering the party was attended by guests dripping in diamonds and furs (including alleged members of the Black Mafia), there was plenty of good loot up for grabs. Following the robbery, Chicken Man became the main suspect.
Why was there a big party in the first place? Ali had won his fight against Quarry, but the fight itself was more important than the win. It was Ali’s first fight since his suspension from the sport in 1967, following his conscientious objection to being drafted into miliary service for the Vietnam War. Following his refusal to enter military service, he had been banned from the sport and stripped of his World Heavyweight Championship title. His return to the sport in 1970 marked a momentous occasion for the man, for the sport, for Black people, and for the US, especially as the war had become increasingly unpopular.
It's a crime drama
Whether it’s the procedural plots of CSI and Criminal Minds or the dark truths of Catch Me a Killer or The Station Strangler, audiences are obsessed with crime stories in all shapes and forms. Fight Night has plenty of that in the form of the investigation that was launched to capture the culprits behind the armed robbery. The investigation was led by Detective JD Hudson. Concurrent to the investigation is Chicken Man’s efforts to clear his name.
It's got an amazing cast
Bringing all this action, drama, and history to life is a star-studded ensemble brimming with talent. Kevin Hart (who also serves as executive producer) plays Chicken Man. Taraji P Henson, no stranger to powerful roles, plays Chicken Man’s partner in business and pleasure, Vivian Thomas. Don Cheadle plays Detective Hudson and Terrence Howard is gangster Richard “Cadillac” Wheeler. Dexter Darden appears as Muhammed Ali.
It’s got Samuel L Jackson
In Fight Night, Jackson plays crime boss Frank “Black Godfather” Moten. Jackson gets his own entry on this list because he’s a boss – not only in the show but IRL. You might even say THE boss, seeing as he’s the highest-grossing actor in Hollywood. But he’s so much more than that. His long and impressive résumé is filled with roles that show off all kinds of acting chops! If you discount Stan Lee, he’s made more appearances in the Marvel Cinematic Universe than anyone else. Despite this, Jackson transcends his MCU character Nick Fury. You’re just as likely to know and love him for Jurassic Park, Die Hard with a Vengeance, Shaft, Deep Blue Sea, his Star Wars appearances, or a Quentin Tarantino movie. He even made a cameo on Generations while visiting South Africa. He accepted the role of Snakes on a Plane because it was about snakes on a plane. And he’s one of the most quotable motherf*ckers in film.
Watch an incredible cast bring a remarkable story to life in Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist on Wednesdays at 20:00 on M-Net channel 101, starting 13 November. Episodes will be available on DStv Stream after broadcast. Follow the conversation on Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok using #FightNight and #MNet101.