Is 'Them' based on a true story? Intriguing details about the plot revealed

Created by Little Marvin, Them is a horror-drama anthology series currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video. Featuring Deborah Ayorinde, Alison Phil, Ashley Thomas, and Ryan Kwanten, the premise of the show is set against the backdrop of 1953. It narrates the life of a black family that moves from North Carolina to an all-white neighbourhood in Los Angeles during the Second Great Migration.

After them moving, the family’s house becomes a centre for evil forces who threaten to haunt, ravage and destroy them. Is Them based on a true story? Read on to find out as we have curated all the interesting details about the plot of the film. Scroll down to know more about the show’s premise.

Is Them based on a true story?

Them is not based on a real story or a book, but the events highlighted in the show takes inspiration from real-life events. The first season of the show, features the Emory family moving from North Caroline to a malicious neighbourhood in Los Angeles. As reported by Decider, between 1940 to 1970, around 5 million Black Americans made their move which is now registered in history as the Second Great Migration. Unlike the First Migration, this time the families who moved weren’t farmers but they were largely urban labourers.

Another historical event that Them highlights is "Blockbusting". During the migration period, white property owners who were scared of the process would sell their houses to real estate companies, who would manipulate the sales tactics so that the agencies received the property below value. The agents would then turn around and sell these houses to black families who would wish to reside in urban areas. The process would repeat, once any black family moved in the neighbourhood, all the white owners would sell their property to shift elsewhere.

Them also showcased how black soldiers in America were likely more subjected to chemical experiments during World War II. In totality, the Emory family is entirely fictional but the historical events happening amidst the evil forces at play occurred in reality. In the show, the black family is fighting both the supernatural and man-made horrors simultaneously.

(Promo Image Source: Still from Them)