[Orema]

Originally Posted by Orema

Received a free viewing of the EPIX channel this weekend.

Watched season 1 of The Godfather of Harlem with Forest Whitaker. It’s the story of Bumpy Johnson, a real-life dope king, during the civil rights movement in the 1960s. The acting is superb but many of the storylines will probably be traumatic for many. Especially BIPOC women. Vivid scenes of rape, drug indulgence, murder. I’m always annoyed when the rape scene of a woman is shown as titillating and arousing. Makes me want to slap someone.

Would love to see the same story told by someone like Ava DuVernay with an emphasis on the relationship between Adam Clayton Powell Jr. and Malcolm X or the relationship between drugs and politics (something few are willing to fully explore). There’s so much to examine during that time period.

I will speed through season 2 today to see what happens but I’m not recommending it.

Yesterday I binged season 2 of The Godfather of Harlem and it was better than season 1.

Pros:

• Superb acting by Forest Whitaker, Nigel Thatch, Giancarlo Esposito, Antoinette Crowe-Legacy, Vincent D'Onofrio, and and most character actors. (D'Onofrio acting borders on a caricature of The Chin, but his timing is so good that he's able to pull if off).
• Informative and historically accurate on political and cultural issues I'm familiar with.
• Good blending of old news reels with the dramatic acting
• Interesting and complex relationships between men

Cons:

• Triggers galore
• Included titillating and arousing images as a woman is sexually assaulted, but the same context isn't placed on the men who are raped. This is a pet peeve of mine, but it's worth mentioning.
• Colorism is shown and briefly addressed but isn't explore in any meaningful way.
• Obscene gun violence
• Many of the relationships between women were disappointing, dishonest and distrustful.

Glad I watched it but also glad I didn't pay for it.