Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Aftershock’ on Hulu, A Harrowing Documentary About The Black Maternal Mortality Rate

Hulu bought the rights to the documentary about the maternal mortality crisis after it premiered at Sundance to rapturous reviews. Directed by Paula Eiselt and Tonya Lewis Lee, the documentary examines the factors that have led to an epidemic that affects Black women four times the national average.

AFTERSHOCK: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

The Gist: Following the untimely and preventable deaths of their partners who died during childbirth after doctors neglected their medical concerns, two men and their families aim to turn their losses into a wake-up call for the medical community and create a space for other grieving loved ones to come together. Bruce McIntyre and Omari Maynard lead the charge, while Dr. Neel Shah hopes to promote change from within the system.

What Will It Remind You Of?: Though not entirely similar, the film struck as a spiritual successor to The Janes which released earlier this year on HBO Max and recounted the story of an underground network of women who helped other women obtain safe abortions prior to Roe vs. Wade. That film chronicled the birth of a movement; so too does Aftershock.

Performance Worth Watching: Shawnee Benton Gibson, the mother of Shamony Gibson who died during childbirth, is the model of strength and resilience. She is a reproductive advocate in her own right, and speaks eloquently and emphatically about the epidemic in a way that makes you want to follow her to the ends of the earth.

Memorable Dialogue: A young mother-to-be in Tulsa shares her skepticism about giving birth in a broken system saying, “a black woman having a baby in America is like a black man at a traffic stop with the police.” It’s a striking indictment of the levels to which racism colors every aspect of Black people’s lives in this country, often with deadly consequences.

Sex and Skin: It’s not that type of documentary, though there is a childbirth scene late in the film.

Our Take: Childbirth and maternity is a hot topic in contemporary America because of the shocking strikedown of Roe vs. Wade earlier this summer. Not only did that law take away protections for reproductive choice, it also forces birth in a country that tops the global list for maternal death. This rate is four times as high for Black people who are routinely denied access to the same care that their non-Black counterparts receive.

The new Hulu documentary Aftershock is a searing look at how racism pervades every corner of our country, and will ultimately inspire you to jump into action. It does so by showing two classic Black American families who have been struck by tragedy and their fight to ensure that conversations around maternity and medical care begin to change. The directors include fascinating testimony about the history of midwifery and obstetrics, and how both practices were affected by the country’s racist roots.

The conversation is not new — Serena Williams shed light on her own negative medical experiences while giving birth — but the documentary breathes new life into a movement that affects thousands of families. It’s educational, infuriating, and a mandatory viewing for everyone.

Our Call: STREAM IT. It’s powerful, topical, and inspiring.

Radhika Menon (@menonrad) is a TV-obsessed writer based in Los Angeles. Her work has appeared on Paste Magazine, Teen Vogue, Vulture and more. At any given moment, she can ruminate at length over Friday Night Lights, the University of Michigan, and the perfect slice of pizza. You may call her Rad.