Selma director Ava DuVernay’s epic mini-series, When They See Us, to stream on Netflix, about a sensational case of racism and ill-justice reaching back to the late 1980’s, premiered at the Apollo Theater this week. Remember “wilding,” and five black teenagers convicted of a brutal rape of a jogger in Central Park, and their later exoneration? This is that story. Back in the day, the focus was on the hideous violence of the crime, and the young white woman, the victim, left to die. The media went berserk over “wilding,” teens looking to rob and beat innocent people, just for fun. Behind all of this was a seriously beaten woman who became a cause celebre, and some police officials trying to make their name. Today, in the #metoo era, and a time when a glaring light shines on the plight of blacks murdered by authorities, the case plays very differently. And that could be reason enough to tune in to this four-part series, but that’s not all. Especially when you know where it’s going, When They See Us is riveting, a must-see event.

Oprah, a producer, showed up in Harlem, along with her pal Gayle King, and Robert DeNiro, plus the five young men, now grown up after years of prison, exonerated, and leading exemplary lives, even though “normal” would have been enough. And just in case you don’t get the relevance to our world today, just see the Trump cameo of that time, in a moment of utter racist bombast, how he took out a $185,000 ad to proclaim about this case, bring back the death penalty. The drama here underscores just why we should not.

A further irony: the principal villains of the piece are two women, maybe one more than the other. Prosecutor Linda Fairstein is played by Felicity Huffman, who now beset in her own legal drama, plays bad very well, as Fairstein doing whatever she can manage to coerce confessions from the young innocent boys. And the wonderful Vera Farmiga adds nuance to the role of Elizabeth Lederer said she had no contact with the lawyer, who now teaches at Columbia Law School, and maintains, she would not do anything different if she were to try the case now.

Treated thus far to the story up to the boys’ conviction, we cannot wait to see parts 3 and 4.