Queen Sugar: All About the Complete First Season on DVD

Queen Sugar, the series that garnered the highest-rated two-episode debut in OWN, (Oprah Winfrey Network), history, comes to DVD this week.

Without a doubt, Queen Sugar: The Complete First Season, should be added to your viewing collection.

Part of what makes Queen Sugar season 1 such a joy to watch is that it’s like nothing else on TV.

It isn’t just one of the best series about a contemporary, black family, it’s one of the best family dramas, period.

The estranged Bordelon siblings, Charley, Nova, and RalphAngel, are all at a crossroads in their lives.

No matter their different backgrounds and points of view, the three must come together in order to save the family’s sugar cane farm.

The series, filmed mostly on location in Louisiana, is visually stunning, which should come as no surprise considering it was created by award-winning filmmaker Ava DuVernay.

But the joy of watching Queen Sugar comes from its characters. They are complex, layered, and heartbreakingly real. You’ll feel as though these are people you know and care about.

Part of that comes from the tone and pace of the series, which unfolds gradually, pulling the viewer into this world.

Perhaps the difference is that every episode of the first season was directed by women.

As much as I enjoy any series, when I consider purchasing a season on DVD, I focus in on the extras, and Queen Sugar: The Complete First Season does not disappoint.

Deleted Scenes -- There are nine of them and they cover almost every major character, giving the audience a new and deeper look at the relationships we watched grow over the course of the season.

From Davis pushing Charley for couple’s counseling, Nova’s journey into Too Sweet’s story, and Ralph Angel and Ms. Velez tenuous flirtation, you’ll find something that answers a question you didn’t even know you had.

Inside Queen Sugar: Origins -- Focuses on show creator Ava DuVernay’s experience working with Oprah Winfrey and OWN, and how the idea for the series began.

Extraordinary in the Ordinary: An invitation to know the world of Queen Sugar -- shows viewers how they decided to go beyond the regular family drama with this series.

Oprah Winfrey and the Queen Sugar Cast -- This Is a 30 minute SAG AFTRA Foundation interview with Oprah and the entire cast, starting with how Oprah cajoled Ava Duvernay into reading the novel that inspired the series.

One of my personal favorites from the DVD was hearing actor Dondre Whitfield (Remy Newell) explain how his wife ended up directing his on-screen kiss!