Godfather of Harlem

This show could easily be dismissed as another gangster/crime syndicate show upon first glance. And I would have done so if it weren't for the historical tie ins.

The show takes place in 1963 Harlem. The 60's in and of themselves were historically significant to America in general and Black Americans in particular. Harlem was a hotbed of activity during that time. So, while the main character is Bumpy Johnson (Forest Whitaker) we get to see people like Malcolm X, Cassius Clay, Adam Clayton Powell, and Elijah Muhammad. I'm not saying these people were all portrayed accurately, but they were significant historical figures and significant in the show.

The main theme is Bumpy Johnson's battle with the Italian Mafia. He wants Harlem for himself and a certain Vincent "Chin" Gigante (Vincent D'0nofrio) would like nothing more than to eliminate Bumpy Johnson altogether.

While that theme plays out with its ebbs and flows, we get to see other historical events play out (sometimes with actual footage). Cassius Clay fighting Doug Jones for a shot at the title, the march on Washington on August 28, 1963, the Kennedy assassination, and the Malcolm X/Nation of Islam saga. I'm sure much of it is dramatized and it may ruffle some feathers.

The show is intense and in your face. Pretty much all of the characters bring something to the show whether you like them or not. It's not a battle between good and evil or even evil and evil. All the characters are layered and complex even if the bad they do is heavier than the good they do. Watch it, allow yourself to be drawn in, and enjoy.

Forrest Whitaker, Vincent D'Onofrio, Giancarlo Esposito... to name a few.

This show is phenomenal.

Does a great job portraying Family man/ villian. He still resembles characters that we've grown to know and love, but perhaps it's his subtleties and what he doesn't say that helps sell the protagonist . So far so good. Kept me hooked. Looking forward to future episodes.

This is one of the most underrated series. I am surprised the series isn't watched and talked about more. It has two of tv's greats in it- Vincent d'onofrio and Forest Whitaker.

The series follows the Italian and black mafias as they go head to head for the streets of Harlem in the 1960s era. It's an intense and gritty series with non-stop drama. Honestly, never a dull moment but there's some pretty graphic violent scenes that aren't for the faint-hearted.

This series has the potential to make a great film as well. I like how they explore stories from the perspective of Cassius Clay and Malcolm X too!

This will become a classic. If you like the genre, you will love it, if not, give it some time. After all, it is based on a real character. Real life, takes time to take shape.