I'm blown away by how good Godfather of Harlem was. I was expecting some cheap knockoff of a show but it's not. This is so well down. You can tell the amount of time and effort they put into every aspect of the show by the attention to detail in everything. The cast is amazing and led by two of the most underrated actors in Hollywood in Forrest Whittaker and Vincent D'Onofrio. It's about the story of Bumpy Johnson (Whitaker), a gangster who makes his way up through to the top of the mob world in Harlem during the 1960's after he returns from a 10-year prison term.. It just got renewed for another season and I can't wait for more!
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Rob133129 September 2022
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Supermanfan-136 September 2021Godfather of Harlem is so much better than I expected it to be. First of all, the cast is incredible...Forest Whitaker, Vincent D'Onofrio, Giancarlo Esposito, Nigel Thatch, etc. Are all perfectly cast. It sticks to the truth more than most shows and makes every episode exciting. This show will keep you wanting more until before you know it you binged the entire series. I can't wait for more!
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juanmartinbravo31 August 2021It's a very entertaining series and overall I liked it a lot. Personally I'd say that the weakest point of the show was the music, so thanks god they didn't play much music.
I'm a hip-hop fan but having hip-hop music on a series about a gangster from the 60's seems way too forced. I unerstand that they do it to make the series more appealing to young people, but I really would have preferred if they used jazz, soul or funk rather than Swizz Beatz, Rick Ross, DMX, Westside Gunn (whose music I might enjoy listening but not when watching a series based on some events from the 60's) -
gillmurphydogg17 January 2023This 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! -
view_and_review10 December 2019This 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. -
Guanche4830 December 2022This series is great, one of the best! It is so realistic that you almost live in it. Gigante and Bumpy ( D'Onofrio and Whitaker) are absolutely fantastic, what a bunch of actors, not to mention the rest of the actors, who are many, absolutely wonderful.!!!
It's not just about two enemy gangs, the mafia, drugs and Harlem, it's much more than that. The story is very well detailed, full of political history based on true events, you learn a lot. The political part is not boring since it is explained in a simple way so that everyone can understand it. Nothing complicated. The costumes, the cars, the atmosphere of the 60s, everything perfectly measured, wonderful...!
The combination of real images in black and white is a true wonder!
The political messages, the tension, the action, the dialogues... everything is of great quality in my opinion.
I don't give it a ten simply because of the choice of music. There is soooo much good music from the 60's that I don't understand the choice. Please next time more jazz, soul, gospel... there is so much good musical history in Harlem! -
jackie_beales30 September 2019Does 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.
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evan_lassi8 September 2022I'm already a big fan of shows and movies based on true stories so I was already excited to see this. To say this show exceeded my expectations is an understatement!
This show is very well written, capturing the times was amazing, it was way more intense than I would have expected, and the acting and casting were fantastic!
Lot's of great performances but Thatch and Esposito steal the show with their performances as Malcolm X and Powell. I was bummed to learn Thatch was being recast but considering the rest of the cast, I'm sure it will play fine.
I don't know how long this show will run since it's a prequel to American Gangster with Denzel but this was a great one! -
mnaveed-2566130 September 2019This 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.
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Crime drama genre aficionados will dig Godfather of Harlem's groove with Forest Whitaker at the helm as Bumpy Johnson, a convict recently released from Alcatraz penitentiary off an 11 year beef into a strange new Harlem that he doesn't recognize: Italian's dominate what used to be African American-owned territory and the police are more intolerable, violent, and complicit in the drug trade than ever before.
The cast for Godfather of Harlem is spectacular. Forest Whitaker as Bumpy Johnson is flawless, while Vincent D'nofrio as his rival Italian capo conjures up imagery of Tony Soprano in a past life. Both men are titans on the screen.
Unfortunately, that's where the best things about Godfather of Harlem end. The story, while based on real people and places, is incredibly cliche. There's nothing in Godfather of Harlem that you haven't seen, heard or thought of before -- from the stale bigoted vocabulary that nearly every character employs in their dialogue , to the tried-and-true racist tropes that litter the story ... Godfather of Harlem ultimately feels like a caricature parody of a crime drama than an actual serious entry into the genre.
It's definitely worth watching, just don't expect your mind to be blown in the same way that shows like The Wire or The Shield captivated us. If you're looking for an excellent black-centric crime saga to start watching, give FX's "Snowfall" a shot instead. Godfather of Harlem feels too infantile in its development right now to be taken seriously as a contender -- give it a season or two to flesh itself out before engaging yourself with Bumpy Johnson's world. The makings of greatness are there screaming at us loud and clear, let's just hope the people writing the script step it up with more mellifluous and less-cliched dialogue and give us entertainment worthy of the Epic moniker the show's home network is named after.
Definitely keep your eye on this cinematic universe though. Whitaker and D'nofrio are just too amazing to ignore. -
spikeypoet24 November 2019Forrest Whitaker, Vincent D'Onofrio, Giancarlo Esposito... to name a few.
This show is phenomenal. -
skyycop23 January 2023Seeing that the character of Malcolm X is a re-cast supposedly due to scheduling Sounds like CRAP.
The series is good but know this , The re -cast has hurt the series. People are not at all happy with it. Don't be surprised when you see the ratings change and change they will. You set the bar high and now out of the blue Bam , We get an abrupt change and a weak excuse for the change. So pay attention to your Viewer's dropping off at some point. In case you don't KNOW people are complaining about the change , So think about the change that was made and learn from it , And re - think your thought. -
Jason_Off30 September 2019I am not sure how to review this, it should be great, amazing even but it just lacks the atmosphere you tend to associate with a mob film or series. Everything is a little rushed, the build up, the confrontations, the action, leaving a feeling of a lack of depth and seriousness.
Sadly even after 2 episodes I find myself without any interest in any of the characters. I will continue watching in the hope things improve. -
BhonkieLaal15 April 2020Was so excited to see these big names, especially Mr Whitaker taking this show to another level. To start of, the script writing is on point, fast pacing, great acting.. However some supporting actors did some overacting, but the main actors could carry them as well. Was positively surprised by two actors/characters that came of so clean and fresh off the screen. The one of Ernie is so well written, and great acting. And one of the most loved characters was that of Malcolm X, marvelous performance of Nigel Thatch. Will not hesitate to put this fine show alongside other big shows like Narcos, Gommorrah... But, I first would like to wait and see what's cooking for season 2.
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larsp7428 October 2019If you like American Gangster with Denzel Washington, you will probably love Godfather of Harlem. Denzel's character Frank Lucas was Bumpy's right hand until he took over the throne.The historical chratcters and well played acting by Forrest Whitaker looks mores tham prommising and I look forward to see the following episodes. Whitaker really nails this role and I have been missing Whitaker in a strong role for many years. If you like the Gangster genre I have no doubt that you will love Godfather of Harlem.
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efd-1046712 August 2021There is enough good acting and story in this to keep you watching, the music is oddly out of whack with the setting but again the acting gets you over that.
At times the lower production values are reflected in the small scenes with small crowds, you sometimes feel as though your watching a play more than a TV series, modern high budget series are normally 'bigger' than this. Forest Whitaker is believable and Italian mobsters are well played, worth a watch. -
tolanda-3421530 September 2019O my greatness....one episode and all in. Brilliant move Mr Forrest Whitaker to Bring to life The real deal Bumpy Johnson- it's a no blinking eye opener hell to the Chief TV series Go Epix
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buzzarderic15 December 2019This show is Awesome!!! Can't get enough of it.. Truly can't wait for season 2!!!!
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shredninja28 November 2019Can't believe they can mix in such stupid new-age wanna be badass music into 60s setting, what in the world were they thinking.
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allenctroutman21 February 2020I'm disappointed by some of the reviews here but I'll make my best case for the show. First of all, the music, it's excellent if you like rap music, particularly intelligent rap music. The music is fresh and not regurgitated Common tracks or Public Enemy. Second is the cast, this role has been waiting for Forest Whitaker since the quiet menace of Ghost Dog. He will be compared to James Ganfolfini as Tony Soprano but maybe that's not fair as Ganfolfini grew into the role after years of great writing. Forest Whitaker exudes that kind of hidden strength, much like Vincent D'onofrio did as Kingpin in Daredevil. D'onofrio's Italian gangster in this show is not as intense a character but he certainly comes into the role with a believable presence. Chad Palmantieri is always awesome and Paul Sorvino, it's just so nice to watch Paul Sorvino. Giancarlo Esposito is Amazing, he just chews the scenery in every shot. Nigel Thatch plays Malcolm X in a very credible and subdued way. His sympathy for Whitaker's character, Bumpy Johnson, is complex and intersting to watch develop.
If this show has one flaw it is that the female roles could do much more than they are and the show would be better for it. Antoinette Crowe's performance as Bumpy's estranged daughter from a previous relationship is Emmy worthy, really. A great character with one of the most interesting arcs in the show.
Is it perfect? No. Is it better than Power? Lord yes. -
I was intrigued by the first couple of episodes of Godfather of Harlem, but eventually I realized that the entire show is a pastiche of previous masterpieces in a bizarre alternate history production which is likely to mislead anyone who does not read books. Nearly every major character appears to have closely studied and emulated his/her analogue in either The Sopranos, The Wire, American Gangster or some related previous production. (Adam Clayton Powell is very similar to Clay Davis, to offer only one of many examples.) If this were a stand-alone, premiere series of black organized crime, then I would give it a higher rating. But it just seems like a multi-dimensional copycat collage of classic films and series about organized crime, most of the interest of which derives from the completely false narratives holding the production together.
Update: Now that I have watched all of season 1, I will say that the uniqueness in Godfather of Harlem inheres entirely in the alternate-reality history portrayed. Bumpy is best buddies with Malcolm X and also friends with Cassius Clay, both devout Muslims. In fact, fully half of the series focuses on Malcolm X, which strikes me as somewhat odd, especially if the relationship depicted is completely fictional. It seems implausible that religious persons would not shun Bumpy for his insistence on holding on to his Harlem heroin business, even though his very own daughter was an addict for more than twelve years. How could this be true? I presume that it is not. Another wild implausibility is that mafia boss Chin's daughter fell in love with Teddy despite being raised in a manifestly racist family. I mean it is possible, but very, very unlikely.
As usual, some of the gangsters are glamorized--in this case it's the black ones. The Italians are depicted as morally inferior, but let's be honest: they are all a bunch of murderers. Bumpy is made to seem a likable family man, but, again, it requires a serious degree of cluelessness to not recognize that all of his wealth derives not from uplifting the poor people in Harlem by in turning them into addicts. Heroin is very, very addictive and by providing the white powder to his neighbors, Bumpy is destroying many of their lives.
Unlike many other reviewers, I am not troubled by the use of modern rap music as the score. But the writing is in places very amateur, with characters saying things for the sole purpose of info dumping on the viewers. Accomplished screenwriters avoid dialogue that does not advance the story and never put ridiculous words such as "So sorry!" in the mouths of people who would never say them. -
coxm-3564519 March 2020Loved American gangster, and love this. Each character plays their part to perfection. The development of their character is not rushed.
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zacdawac15 April 2023My rating of the show went from 9 to 7 after the third season. The first two years were gripping, compelling and intriguing, even if few of the actual gangsters were portrayed with even remote accuracy. The third season, while watchable and while filled with isolated interesting moments, doesn't stand up to scrutiny.
One minute, Mayme Johnson is Michelle Obama, working with grace, passion and diligence to bring everything positive to her Harlem community. The next minute, she's Carmela Soprano, standing by and enabling her husband's efforts to saturate the streets with heroin. The differences between Mayme and Carmela were, Tony didn't confide in Carmela about most of his ventures and Tony's primary business wasn't bringing lethal drugs to teenagers on the street where he lived. Ditto Bumpy. Is he a savior, working with his friends Malcolm X and Adam Clayton Powell to advance the rights and improve the lives of his people, or is he the direct cause of massive death and violent crime among his own?
Stella is also all over the place. One minute, she hates Joe Colombo enough to essentially put a hit on him. The next minute, she's Colombo's savior and ultimately, in a storyline that takes eight episodes to slowly play out, his lover. One minute, Stella hates her father and the next minute, she loves him. One minute, Chin is Colombo's mentor and benefactor and the next minute, they too are bitter enemies. Colombo is of course, a slick, smart top level gangster who makes Stella his most trusted business confidante, after she almost gets him killed and after she rats on her father. Wasn't he even slightly concerned that he might one day upset her and she might report his activities to the authorities or try to have him killed again?
One creature that we know is a villain, as clearly defined and as ludicrous as the Joker or the Green Goblin, is Wild Bill Harvey. Except he's a head honcho in the CIA. His job is to keep our country safe from menaces who are trying to make positive changes, like John Kennedy and Malcolm X. And if he has to supply gangsters with cocaine, kidnap women and stick needles in the arms of reformed junkies in order to do it, it's all for the greater good. Why would this man, who considered himself brilliant and indestructible, put his weapon down and take the hands of two dangerous gangsters whose daughters he just threatened, while standing at the edge of a building's roof?
Why did Bumpy turn down a rather generous and lucrative offer from the five families and instead set himself up as a relatively lone wolf who had to fight to get his product and who likely had a target on his back? And why didn't the Italians kill Bumpy, after he told all of the family heads to go f-ck themselves? And when did Chin become Bumpy's most loyal and faithful friend? Why would either or both of them turn down the five families and then readily partner with each other?
And then there's Malcolm X. Yes, if we know anything about the history of the civil rights movement, and the assumption is that anyone watching this show probably does, we know Malcom's fate. But did we need to spend ten episodes talking about it, warning him about it and slowly building up to it?
Again, I highly recommend the first two seasons of this show. I think the creative team needs to revamp, if they're going to go forward from this point. -
si-mon-matthews15 December 2019Should of had relevant track lists rather than modern hip hop. Dont go right with the 60's & 70's
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amjammal4 June 2021Honestly those giving this series a bad review really ought to get checked!!! This series puts boardwalk empire to shame. For me it has gone to being one of the top series ever. The music is amazing and the fact that they used modern hip hop and music only adds to the show's uniqueness. The actors and their acting are truly legendary. Story gets you hooked, even though some ppl complaining that the story isn't real. Well the first thing they do on the show is tell u this is a "work of fiction based on real character's etc..." so honestly can't understand ppl who complain that something isn't true when this is one of the first things the series warns you about. It's called entertainment guys. If you want something 100% accurate you can watch the history channels or a biography documentary. If i could give this show more than 10 I definitely would!!