“God Save Texas” is a new series on Max inspired by Lawrence Wright’s book, featuring three episodes directed by Texas filmmakers Linklater, Stapleton, and Sosa. Each episode explores a different region of Texas through the lens of directors who share liberal views but vary in cultural background. The series offers a diverse perspective on the state’s complexities, touching on its vastness, politics, and cultural diversity.
“God Save Texas” is a series that critiques the current state of America and Texas, highlighting the role of prejudice in societal issues. Despite its familiar style and structure, the episodes offer a mix of humor, personal anecdotes, and cultural insights. The series doesn’t aim to revolutionize filmmaking but instead presents a thoughtful exploration of Texan identity and challenges.
The series also sheds light on the darker aspects of Texas, particularly its high incarceration rates and the mistreatment of inmates, especially those from poor and minority backgrounds. It poignantly portrays the struggles faced by released prisoners as they re-enter society, often without proper support or opportunities for rehabilitation. The episodes highlight the systemic issues within the penal system and question the lack of focus on rehabilitation in modern times.
Stapleton’s episode focuses on the Gulf Coast area, home to Texas’s oil industry. It delves into the state’s history of slavery, which influenced its decision to break away from Mexico and has persisted through Jim Crow and Civil Rights eras. The episode discusses racial discrimination in housing, banking, and other industries, as well as the segregation of neighborhoods and the presence of “sundown towns” where people of color were threatened with violence if they stayed after dark.
Stapleton’s documentary captures the voices of its subjects in a restrained and unsentimental manner, allowing their stories to unfold naturally. The director’s approach is reminiscent of a skilled regional novelist, giving viewers a sense of the characters’ personalities and storytelling styles. Some anecdotes, like Dennis’s experience driving through sundown towns, carry a bleak yet subtly comedic tone, highlighting the enduring hostility faced by people of color in certain areas.
Sosa’s episode explores her roots in the border area between Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, and El Paso, Texas, known as La Frontera. She and her subjects discuss the concept of living with a divided consciousness, straddling two sides of a political, cultural, and geographical divide. This border region challenges the idea of unity between the two cities, revealing a complex reality beyond the mirage of harmony.
Sosa’s episode reveals the border region’s history as a gateway for immigrants, highlighting cycles of exploitation and discrimination. It discusses how immigrants were both welcomed for their labor during times of need, like World War II, and demonized by xenophobic politicians while being paid low wages off-the-books. A particularly heartbreaking segment covers attempts to demolish a Mexican-American neighborhood in El Paso to make way for a sports stadium, reflecting broader issues of minority land seizures for development projects across the country.
The episode by Sosa intersects with Stapleton’s segment, especially regarding mistreatment of Black communities. Dr. Robert Bullard, known as the “Father of Environmental Justice,” highlights how Houston’s garbage was disproportionately dumped in Black neighborhoods from 1920 to 1978. It’s a continuation of the same narrative of white supremacy influencing governance decisions.
All three episodes of “God Save Texas” convey a cautious hope for progress, even amidst the state’s entrenched conservatism. They suggest that staying and fighting for change in Texas requires a determined, combative attitude. For example, a white liberal activist in Linklater’s episode returned to Texas after trying to relocate, realizing he needed more people to engage with. The series would have had a greater impact if it premiered on platforms where its message could reach a broader audience beyond progressive circles.
| Episode | Director | Region Explored | Themes Explored |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linklater | Linklater | Various regions across Texas | Texan identity, challenges, societal complexities, the role of activism |
| Stapleton | Stapleton | Gulf Coast area | History of slavery, racial discrimination, segregation, systemic issues |
| Sosa | Sosa | Border area (La Frontera) | Divided consciousness, immigration, exploitation, discrimination |
