Followed by
"Roots: The Next Generations" (1979)
Roots: The Gift (1988) (TV)
Referenced in
"Saturday Night Live: Fran Tarkenton/Leo Sayer, Donnie Harper and the Voices of Tomorrow (#2.13)" (1977)
- Mentioned on Weekend Update
"Saturday Night Live: Live from Mardi Gras (#2.14)" (1977)
- Roots II book held up by Garret Morris during end credits
Billy Jack Goes to Washington (1977)
"Saturday Night Live: Shelley Duvall/Joan Armatrading (#2.22)" (1977)
- Mentioned in Black Educational Conference promo
"The Love Boat: The Captain and the Lady/One If by Land/Centerfold (#1.1)" (1977)
- mentioned by Ronald
Disco Beaver from Outer Space (1978) (TV)
- Mentioned by name.
Same Time, Next Year (1978)
- Still photo of Kunta Kinte in transitional montage
Love at First Bite (1979)
Los bingueros (1979)
- In one scene, Fermín mentions Kunta Kinte.
Nothing Personal (1980)
- They mentioned it.
Can't Stop the Music (1980)
- dialogue
Modern Problems (1981)
They Call Me Bruce? (1982)
"Saturday Night Live: Ed Asner/The Kinks (#10.6)" (1984)
- Title mentoned during the monologue
Hamburger: The Motion Picture (1986)
Hollywood Shuffle (1987)
Coming to America (1988)
Twins (1988/I)
- mentioned by Vincent to Linda before their trip
"Murphy Brown: Set Me Free (#1.7)" (1988)
- Miles says "I was this close to being that first episode of Roots"
Do the Right Thing (1989)
- Mookie says "I'm not Kunta Kinte"
Saturday Night Live Goes Commercial (1991) (TV)
- named as an example of an expensive television event
"Mystery Science Theater 3000: Godzilla vs. Megalon (#3.12)" (1991)
- Forrester's responds
Boyz n the Hood (1991)
Diggstown (1992)
"The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air: Mama's Baby, Carlton's Maybe (#3.5)" (1992)
- William 'Will' Smith trys to talk Carlton Banks out of getting married and tells him that he isen't going to do to him what they did to Kunta Kinte, cut off his foot.
Greater Tuna (1994)
- One of the characters mentions that "Roots" should be banned because of its anti-slavery content.
The Lion King (1994)
"The Nanny: Pinske Business (#2.8)" (1994)
- Fran mentions the show's title by name.
Friday (1995)
Jeffrey (1995)
Flirting with Disaster (1996)
- Mrs. Coplin can't understand "this 'Roots' thing" with her son trying to find his biological parents
"E! True Hollywood Story: Tonya Harding" (1999)
Go (1999)
"Action: Re-Enter the Dragon (#1.2)" (1999)
- Peter calls Adam 'Kunta Kinte'
Flawless (1999)
- Leonard tries to placate the black gangster by saying he saw the movie.
"American Masters: Sidney Poitier: One Bright Light" (2000)
The Color of Friendship (2000) (TV)
Chlopaki nie placza (2000)
- Fred accuses Bolec of behaving like Kunta Kinte
Romeo Must Die (2000)
"The PJs: What's Eating Juicy Hudson (#2.12)" (2000)
- when Juicy's dad holds him up and says "The only thing greater than you"
"The PJs: The Last Affirmative Action Hero (#2.16)" (2000)
- Mrs Avery and Jimmy rehearse the scene where Kunta Kinte refuses his slave name
Bait (2000)
Bamboozled (2000)
"That '70s Show: Canadian Road Trip (#3.23)" (2001)
- Red wants to tape Roots, Kitty wants to just watch it.
Rush Hour 2 (2001)
"Saturday Night Live: Jack Black/The Strokes (#27.11)" (2002)
- Referenced on Weekend Update
Pink Floyd The Wall Redux (2002)
- A still photo of Kunta Kinte is shown.
Undercover Brother (2002)
Barbershop (2002)
The Fighting Temptations (2003)
Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003)
- gag with Tweety
The N Word (2004)
- "I don't like that whole 'Roots' thing..."
Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2005)
- Mentioned in dialogue
"The Boondocks: The Garden Party (#1.1)" (2005)
- "Out of the way, Kunta Kinte"
"Everybody Hates Chris: Everybody Hates the Gout (#1.16)" (2006)
- caruso calls chris Toby
Wordplay (2006)
- crossword puzzle hint: " 'Roots', for example" (answer: SAGA)
Mr. Hell (2006)
- black man called Kunta Kinte
"Prison Break: Tonight (#1.20)" (2006)
- black guy called "Kinte" (as in "Kunta")
"Family Guy: Untitled Griffin Family History (#4.27)" (2006)
- Scenes are recreated as Peter tells the story of his black ancestor.
Get a Life (2006) (V)
- character named "Kunta, the illegal alien"
Death Row (2007) (V)
- black prisoner called "Kunta"
Shanghai Kiss (2007)
- "I gotta go back to my roots." "Slow down, Kunta Kinte."
"The Boondocks: The Uncle Ruckus Reality Show (#2.15)" (2008)
- title mentioned; scene recreated
"The O'Reilly Factor: (2008-06-10)" (2008)
- This was referenced during 'The Great American Culture Quiz' segment.
Tropic Thunder (2008)
- Someone is called Chicken George
Bill Burr: Why Do I Do This? (2008) (TV)
- Burr jokes about the series
"Weltspiegel: (2008-08-31)" (2008)
- Mentioned severeal times in interviews and voice-over during the Gambia segment.
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (2008)
- Melman says "This is just like Roots"
Notorious (2009)
- "dick black like Toby" (rap lyrics)
In the Loop (2009)
- Kunta Kinte mentioned
"Family Guy: The Juice Is Loose! (#7.9)" (2009)
- Peter mention this movie
Crank: High Voltage (2009)
- mentioned by orlando when chev is being whipped
The 61st Primetime Emmy Awards (2009) (TV)
- Mentioned by Neil Patrick Harris when introducing miniseries and movie categories.
Featured in
Remembering 'Roots' (2002) (V)
- Extra about the series
Inside TV Land: African Americans in Television (2002) (TV)
Roots: Celebrating 25 Years (2002) (TV)
- Documentary about this series.
Good Fences (2003) (TV)
- Family watch one of the first parts on TV.
ABC's 50th Anniversary Celebration (2003) (TV)
- Showing Top Rating Shows
"I Love the '70s" (2003)
TV's Illest Minority Moments Presented by Ego Trip (2004) (TV)
- clips
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years (2004) (V)
- clips
Imaginary Witness: Hollywood and the Holocaust (2004)
"The 100 Most Memorable TV Moments" (2004)
- It is number 7 in the greatest moments in TV
The 59th Primetime Emmy Awards (2007) (TV)
- Clips featured during tribute for program's 30th anniversary.
Roots Remembered (2007) (TV)
- Documentary exploring this mini-series.
Spoofed in
"The Sonny and Cher Show: (#2.20)" (1977)
- spoofed as Rootless
"Saturday Night Live: Steve Martin/The Kinks (#2.15)" (1977)
- Spoofed in 'Roots II'
Hollywood Shuffle (1987)
"Chappelle's Show: (#1.3)" (2003)
- a sketch about bloopers from the show
Related Links