To the show’s critics, its promise to depict slavery as it might be practiced in modern times is perhaps the most worrisome element of Confederate.
Still, some performers have already suggested that they want no part of a series like Confederate.
Instead, the new series, called Confederate, has provoked a passionate outcry from potential viewers, who are questioning how HBO and the creators will handle this volatile mixture of race, politics and history.
There is a long-standing tradition of historical fiction that has explored alternate depictions of the Civil War and its aftermath.