There is heart in this show. Now, as an atheist I would expect that the religious aspect of the show would bother me at some point, but it doesnt. If you like dramas, and House of Cards-esque settings, this might be your thing.
It really is a great show. Not perfect, but if you get into the storylines, it will keep you hooked till the very end.
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mariellealien15 August 2020
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The best of what Greenleaf has to offer can be seen in a family dinner conversation in the first episode. Ex-minister Grace has come back to the city of her father's megachurch for her sister's funeral, and mentions that she rarely goes to church in her new town. Her sister-in-law Kerrisa jumps on it, passive-aggressively asking why. Grace's mother insists on an answer, and the whole conversation devolves into a tense mess of resentment and jealousy. It is fascinating.
Much of my fascination with Greenleaf is that, for me, a white, big- city atheist, this world is so outside of my experience, in part because everyone's black, but more because everyone accepts Jesus as a very tangible figure in their lives. Only Grace is the sort of Christian I'm used to - the "I'm more spiritual than religious" type, and in her case she is torn between that and her evangelical roots.
Even though Jesus is so real for them, they are still human. One is clearly gay and trying hard not to be. The church head seems to be casually corrupt. Even Grace's odious pedophile uncle is probably a believer although he seems to flout everything in the bible.
There are some very interesting characters. Grace, her starchy mom and glad-handing dad, and most notably Kerrisa, played by Kim Hawthorne as a controlling, anxious woman resentful that following all the rules hasn't made her happy. She's awful, but also tragic.
I often object to character-driven dramas without much story, but in this case, I feel the story arc lays an element of artifice over these fascinating dynamics. Grace stays in town to play detective, looking for proof of her uncle's crimes, and while this story would be fine if it felt like just a part of the drama, its centrality overshadows the series' more subtle aspects.
I like Greenleaf, but I feel I would like it more if everyone just stayed at the dinner table forever. -
qui_j22 August 2021This is a soap opera with the theme about the workings of a Black church. It has all the trappings of a day or nighttime soap, the woeful background music, the long, lingering glances and stares between the characters, everyone is beautiful or handsome, all walk around fully made up, even when they wake up in the mornings, etc. The dialog is "soapy", as are the sets that are filled with flowers, no matter the home in which the scene is set. It's clearly made for a G rating. As the "seasons" progress, it becomes more "soapy" and less interesting, making it really difficult to stay engaged. The story lines and intrigue lessens to the point of becoming a very watered down version of where it all started. Season 5 is basically a hurried attempt to wrap things up neatly, make sure everyone has a happy ending, and show a lot of "woman power". Not surprising since this was the focus of the "O" network. What on earth was the point of this other than to fill a slot on the "O" Network?
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I see great potential for an interesting look at the inside world of wealth. power and the cloak of holiness. David Keith is a master in delivering dialogue. I love Lynne Whitfield as the matriarch with some obvious issues, yet to be revealed I hope. As the series continues, I (dare I say it?) pray the writers become more confident and provide more realistic speaking styles. The decor of the home, church and offices are beautifully done.Kudos to production staff. I admire the modern styling of the characters. An accurate mix of traditional, natural, ethnic clothing and hairstyles. Multi-racial actors in all types of roles. In fact, the realistic relationship between Grace and her daughter is something I can identify with. Thanks for that. I'm excited that Ms. Winfrey supports this type of project.
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In my never ending quest of finding new shows with diverse casts, I came across Greenleaf on Netflix and was hooked after the first episode. It offers excellent acting, dialogue, character plots and a unique perspective of behind the scenes of a megachurch family.
What I like most about this show is the drama! Just when you think things can't get more dramatic, they somehow always do. There is sibling rivalry, church rivalry, family secrets, mistresses! This show borders on being a soap opera, but I think what makes it different is in the excellent writing and the cast performance.
Like many shows, this series comes with a few drawbacks such as predictability and repeated plot lines. Although the series does have excellent writing, I find a lot of the plot lines to be very predictable. Often when I'm watching Greenleaf, I can predict what's going to happen with accuracy which is a little disappointing. The plot has many scenarios that are not new to television. A secretly gay husband, the pedophile uncle, the affair with the secretary. Come on; I've seen every one of these before in other shows.
Although I do love drama, some of the scenes are so dramatic that they make me laugh. For example, there was a scene when the gay husband (Kevin) is secretly looking at half naked men on his cell phone as his wife (Charity) talks to him. I was like really?
I recently started watching season two and discovered that there were some major story lines from season one that received little to no attention in season two, leaving a few plot holes.
For example, Gigi's ex tries to get full custody of their daughter Sophia. It's a huge problem, and Gigi takes him to court. The father gets custody for 90 days and takes Sophia with him to Phoenix. Gigi is distraught and contemplates moving back to Phoenix to be with her daughter. Season one ends with Sophia being driven off by her dad and Gigi distraught. In season two Sophia is back with Gigi, and there is no mention at all about the custody battle which surprised me.
Also, Charity was pregnant in season one with twins. Once season two starts, we discover that she lost one of the babies, but it is mentioned very casually in conversation. Last time I checked, losing a child is a BIG deal, and that should have gotten more attention in the show.
All in all, I do enjoy watching Greenleaf and tune in each week for the drama! I recommend Greenleaf if you are looking for a new show to watch on Netflix that has the privilege of being written by a team of black writers and has an all black cast too. -
xsophietaylorx13 January 2019I love Greenleaf because it isnt too serious, the storylines are dramatic but not to dark. Its a nice break from reality, yes some bits may be abit unrealistic but I enjoy it and will continue to watch it!
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irsnana-8317723 June 2016I was prepared to be bored by this series but have been pleasantly surprised.The story lines of each of the characters are seemingly innocent but, become more complex with each episode.
Lynn Whitfield, as always, holds her own as the matriarch of this family whose members seem filled with discontent over the familial pecking order decided by their father. Oprah Winfrey is surprisingly okay as the family rebel aunt who wants to use her niece to bring down her shady brother.
It has, so far, delivered enough shock value to make it entertaining after 3 episodes. -
belcebilgici16 August 2020I was so deeply moved by this show that it led me to write my first review on here. An addictive plot, amazing quality of acting and so many messages not only about religion but also about life itself.. The show has a way of pulling the audience inside of its world, making us feel like we are one of the Greenleafs. I am white; however I felt at home watching this show. No surprise Oprah takes part in this great production! With its bittersweet ending, I was devastated that it's over but also at peace within myself for some reasons I could not figure out. I am moved on a spiritual level as you can tell:) I am sure everyone who has belief inside of themselves regardless of what it is, will feel the same way. Plus I can not go without mentioning the amazing voice of Keith Davis, making his parts sound like a poem!
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ashay-6968019 October 2018Not sure why you all thought we would want to watch a break - up of Bishop and Lady Mae. I do t like what's happening this season. Lady Mae is not a woman of character, she's quite nasty acting and it's getting annoying. And then the one person that was genuinely seeking a relationship with God you make her Sterile???? Why do that to her? I do t know if I will watch next season or even finish this one because right now I don't like it. Oh BTW if you want to keep it realistic I Zoe's should end up tricking and on drugs..
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fitcruisin-0611930 March 2020You have to accept it as a show about scandals, and not judge it against other types of storytelling.
Lynn Whitfield gives so many memorable performances that at times she lights the screen on fire. This is not just any cast of actors. Many are actors that fit in multiple skill sets singing, acting and putting on super scenes of what seems like magic with crackling chemistry. Pastor James and Lady Mae have numerous interactions that are like acting clinics. These two have shown they can preach with such enthusiasm and with great believability.
You don't have to believe in God to love this series. It is about so many other things that you just can't wait for the next episode. -
MyContribution8 September 2020Having watched all 5 seasons, I'd say this family-based drama is a solid 7. It paints a roller coaster of emotions within the turbulent world of the Greenleaf family and the megachurch they run. It does sometimes dive too deeply into soap opera style, and plot elements are sometimes resolved with a wave of a writer's wand, but then it is fictional drama, not reality. The church business is a novel setting, and, with the exception of several scenes in the final season, isn't too preachy. The characters are fairly well developed and their interaction credible. Even though the plot seems to point to the eldest daughter, Grace, as the main focal point, in my opinion the matriarch Lady Mae is the star of the show. She is strong yet sensitive, often witty and ultimately endearing. Great performance by Lynn Whitfield.
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kkaraba-2641818 January 2020Recently subscribed to Netflix and happened upon this production by accident just scrolling through the titles to find something interesting. And, this is January 2020. The first several episodes from season one were so good, I can't stop watching. The story lines remind me somewhat of the "soaps" we used to love to watch way back when,but the quality of the acting is excellent. Oprah would not put her name on junk. I'm white and feel at home watching this show and totally vested in the characters. I'm still only half-way through season 3 and dread having the show end. Surprise! Just announced filming will start for season 5.
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laragi16 October 2020The last 2 seasons dragged on. Little soap opera quality. A lot of long dialogue. Lynn W is terrific! Love her!! It's worth the first 3.
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smartyshots3 February 2021Gave it 4 episodes and I couldn't enjoy it. The uncle thing was predictable a mile away
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The story of a Southern mega-church headed by a family of sly hypocrites. Living in luxury and wielding influence how deep does the spirituality they claim really run? Are their sins products of their own human frailty exacerbated by a difficult world? Or are they bad people pretending to be holy?
It is about time a TV series dealt with the world of organized, profit-motivated religious organizations. A night-time soap take on an African-American mega-church in the Deep South is a novel approach to that telling the stories of people that have not yet been properly told in a fictional construct.
But my praise ends there. A solid cast in an interesting setting largely goes wasted in teleplay scripts so inept that they look like film school dropouts wrote them.
I love night-time soaps. I like the idea for this show as well as the story and the characters and the angle they take in relating the narrative. It is an imagined glimpse into a secret world of powerful people who profess piety and modesty but can't live it and we get to see them at their best and worst. I want to see it get multiple seasons.
But the scripts have to get better. They need to be outlined better and the dialogue needs to be more subtle in relaying information as well as doing so in a natural manner in which real people speak. So far they have tried to cram too much information in each sentence -
fayelr-5215630 May 2018Have just discovered this show on Netflix Australia and loving every minute of it. I love reading novels about family dramas, secrets and lies and so this was perfect for me.
To the cast and crew, keep up the great work. -
classicalsteve7 September 2017If you regularly attend church, you can receive spiritual healing, confess sins, and be in communion with God or at least perceive that this is happening. The clergy of the church facilitate your spiritual and religious needs and also acts as instructors, telling you, the congregants, what is right and wrong, sometimes claiming their advice is from Heaven. The clergy of the church, almost regardless of the denomination, is there to support the church members and potential converts. However, what about those people who play the role of the clergy? Who offers pastors, bishops and the like the spiritual guidance they may need? And what if the people performing those duties are in some ways compromising what they're telling others? Are they practicing what they're preaching?
"Greenleaf", a relatively new television/cable series, focuses on a predominantly African-American Protestant Church called The Calvary Fellowship. The grand Pooh-Bah is Bishop James Greenleaf (Keith David), the most inspirational figure of the church during services particularly with his resonant but kindly voice. However, behind the scenes, the bishop has many personal problems and even hints of flaws in character. His wife and "first lady" of the church is Lady Mae Greenleaf (Lynn Whitfield) who is the unofficial matriarch. Although her husband runs the church, she runs the Greenleaf family so-to-speak. Most of the family are involved with church duties, helping out at services, conducting teaching programs (i.e. Sunday School) and even planning events. Because their church and congregation are very large, the family lives very well. Servants are constantly in attendance at the Greenleaf household. In other words, if you're a member of the Greenleaf family, you'll live in the upper middle-class, but the price you pay is you're going to be integral to the operations of the church. Else, you may have to get out of Dodge as did their wayward daughter, Grace.
The series begins when the Bishop's estranged daughter Grace Greenleaf decides to return to the family after 20 years of self-imposed exile. We learn that she had been a preacher for the church but decided to end her clerical life and live among secular culture. We also learn that James Greenleaf had designs for her daughter possibly to succeed him as the main voice of the church during services. She has returned to the family and to the church but at the beginning of the story she has no intention of standing at the pulpit and making grand religious-biblical pronouncements as she had 20 years earlier. Even before she's stepped back into their house, Lady Mae tells Grace "not to cause trouble for their family". Zing. We know this reunion of Grace with the Greenleaf family is going to cause trouble. Of course if there wasn't trouble, there wouldn't be a show!
At first Grace just agrees to answer phones at the church offices as the first voice heard by either church members or potential converts. When a grandmother enters her office asking that her granddaughter be baptized (without it seems permission of the mother or father), Grace decides to take the role she vowed she wouldn't play. She dons a white robe and performs the ceremony. This story may be about how Grace begins to rediscover and play the role she left 20 years earlier.
As the series unfolds, we learn there are many hypocrisies surrounding the Greenleaf family. Grace is not the only estranged family member. Mavis McCready (Oprah Winfrey) is an alcoholic lush and Lady Mae's estranged sister. She resides a ways away from the family, and they seem to disown her. Other skeletons lurk in the closet, some of whose bones begin to rattle. We learn about a child molestation case involving one of the parishoners which has been conveniently swept under the proverbial church carpets. Also, a senator is investigating churches and other faith-based entities who enjoy the privilege of not-for-profit status. The senator asks for their financial records, and after he has taken his leave, Bishop Greenleaf makes it clear he has no intention of revealing any church records. I am guessing this will have further implications in the future of the series.
A wonderful beginning to a masterful series. I think the main point of the story is that trying to juggle the problems of everyday life while maintaining a facade of "purity" may be too much for any family to accomplish. Consider the Bakkers of "Praise the Lord" who seemed wholesome until it was revealed they were engaging in fraudulent business practices. In the present series, we believe in the Greenleaf characters and their plights and their need to project an unstained veneer. The acting is outstanding, particularly David as the Bishop, Whitfield as the "first lady" and Dandridge as Grace. Honorable mention to Winfrey, playing against type as an alcoholic, the kind of character who might end up on Dr. Phil! While some of the situations might be perceived as melodramatic, other issues are dealt with, such as homosexuality, interracial sex, and even infidelity. For a family which is supposed to be holier than the congregation they serve, they seem to be digging some fairly large holes! -
evanali-sihotang22 December 2019This season 4 feels like only trouble trouble trouble, got me bored and not making any sense anymore! Sorry!!
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jamesdoree27 November 2018I was hesitant to watch this at first, but after starting the first episode I was hooked. There is such rich character development and the plot is strong, if not a little predictable at times.
That being said, a second season would ruin the impact of the first. -
kenyae-cagle28 March 2017So I just finished watching this show known as green leaf and this show was based on black Christianity and hypocrisy and corruption. This show tackles religious issues like rape and money drama and so much more especially with the gay community. As a black atheist who used to be a Christian it was hilarious to watch. This show while promoting black Christianity funny enough the opening to the show shows that Christianity and slavery went hand-in- hand and even went as far as to show the slave ship that many slaves were on because of the Atlantic slave trade and the beginning of Christianity. And now when you mix both the opening to the show to the actual show together it kind of seems like it's showing the truth all- in-one with slavery and Christianity being hand-in-hand, but then also showing how black people are so strongly religious because of this slavery to begin with which I find is insanely deep. So if you are still and Christian and you're an African American I say wake up. But if I had to rate this show I would give it a 6/10.
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music4ever5814 September 2018I like the acting, I like the story, the directing, the lighting, the sound, the music, Two thumbs up..........
December 2019 26, Greenleaf, its ok. -
Jessicanu943 December 2018Pretty good but some of the story lines were not that great
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Wow never realised the wealth involved in churches in USA that Bishops home is something else! I have watched last 2 seasons of this show and am halfway through the 3 red and I find the show very entertaining love the gospel music also all the characters are well developed now and the acting is top draw great to see Oprah and Pati la belle I am a big fan of both.
Glad to see it is scheduled for another season another show added to my favourites -
gkhege1 February 2021I would think any white folks at this casting call, felt just a little out of place but the entire cast did a great job. This series is well put together by Oprah. You can tell she grew up in tough times and hasn't forgotten it. Her character is a reflection of her memories. I'm sure she could have been the lead character but she chose the right one. I'm a former investigator and have dealt with many churches. This series shows the real world of greed and hypocrisy in many churches, large or small. The characters never finished a meal or glass of wine. Oprah also suggested a lot of sex in the show. I was surprised to see the implied oral sex scenes but it was relative to the theme. Not good for the kids but the adults probably enjoyed it in the safe manner it was portrayed. Good show.
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JohnM631 November 2021Entertaing up to a certain (low) level. The scenario constantly makes you wonder where the story is going. Basically the scenario is awfull and feels forced in an eagerness to bring focus to current societal issues. None of these issues however are dealt with in depth and are only superficially touched upon. Multiple storylines are simply cut of. A lot of completely pointless scenes and plotholes do not add to a coherent story. It's at times very hard to make any sense of this all and the reason is probably that there isn't one. The whole series feels like a cinematic supermarket that's low on stock and has a small variation of products. On the plus; I'm not a religious person, but I basically like how bible quotes are thrown into daily conversations, although at times I hear myself thinking "Please God, no more."
All in all you may compare this series to soaps like Dynasty, Dallas, The Bold and the Beautiful etc. A constant flow of fuss on your screen that is basically going nowhere and hardly makes any point.
If you can't find anything better, just check it out for yourself. Just don't expect a fantastic story filled with an interesting plot, great dialogues and scenes. It's mediocre at best. Two seasons was doable for me.