# Harlem (TV series)

Harlem is an American comedy television series created and executive produced by Tracy Oliver that aired on Amazon Prime Video from December 3, 2021, to February 6, 2025. In February 2022, the series was renewed for a second season, which premiered on February 3, 2023. In December 2023, the series was renewed for a third and final season, which premiered on January 23, 2025.
It received generally favorable reviews by critics, earning nominations at the Black Reel Awards and NAACP Image Awards, both for direction and cast of actors.

## Synopsis

The series follows four female friends who met while attending New York University and are now in their thirties, living in Harlem, as they try to balance love, life, and their careers as working professionals.

## Cast
### Main cast

* Meagan Good as Camille Parks
* Grace Byers as Quinn Joseph
* Shoniqua Shandai as Angie Wilson
* Jerrie Johnson as Tye Reynolds
* Tyler Lepley as Ian Walker

### Recurring cast

* Whoopi Goldberg as Dr. Elise Pruitt
* Jasmine Guy as Patricia Joseph
* Bevy Smith as Aunt Tammy
* Juani Feliz as Isabela Benitez-Santiago
* Logan Browning as Porshia
* Jonathan Burke as Eric
* Kadeem Ali Harris as Brandon
* Sullivan Jones as Jameson Royce
* Andrea Martin as Robin Goodman (season 1)
* Robert Ri'chard as Shawn (season 1)
* Erika Henningsen as Kate (season 1)
* Kate Rockwell as Anna Sharp (season 2)
* Luke Forbes as Michael (seasons 2, 3)
* Joie Lee as Deborah Parks (seasons 2, 3)
* Rachel True as Aimee (season 2)
* Trai Byers as Keith (season 2)

### Guest appearances

* Rick Fox as Phil Joseph (season 2)
* Sherri Shepherd as Sonya Wilson (season 2)
* Lil Rel Howery as Freddie Wilson (season 2)
* Countess Vaughn as Herself (season 2)
* D. Woods as Karla (season 2)

## Production

The project was first announced on July 8, 2019, as an untitled half-hour comedy series. Filming was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Creator Tracy Oliver said she had the idea for the show because she felt there weren't a lot of "Black female friendship stories on the air," and she wanted to portray people in their thirties who were still searching for their path in life. She based the show in part on her own experiences. The series is executive produced by Oliver, Amy Poehler, Kim Lessing, Dave Becky, Pharrell Williams, and Mimi Valdés.
On January 14, 2020, it was announced that Meagan Good, Grace Byers, Jerrie Johnson, and Shoniqua Shandai had been cast in the series, and that Malcolm D. Lee would direct the first two episodes. On February 17, 2021, it was announced that Whoopi Goldberg and Jasmine Guy would be joining the show in recurring roles. On March 4, 2021, it was announced that Andrea Martin, Robert Ri'chard, Juani Feliz, Kate Rockwell, and Sullivan Jones would also have recurring roles. On February 17, 2022, Amazon renewed the series for a second season. On December 6, 2023, Amazon renewed the series for a third season, which premiered on January 23, 2025.

## Episodes
### Series overview

| Season | Episodes | Episodes | Originally released | Originally released |
| Season | Episodes | Episodes | First released | Last released |
| 1 | 10 | 10 | December 3, 2021 (2021-12-03) | December 3, 2021 (2021-12-03) |
| 2 | 8 | 8 | February 3, 2023 (2023-02-03) | February 24, 2023 (2023-02-24) |
| 3 | 6 | 6 | January 23, 2025 (2025-01-23) | February 6, 2025 (2025-02-06) |

### Season 1 (2021)

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
| 1 | 1 | "Pilot" | Malcolm D. Lee | Tracy Oliver | December 3, 2021 (2021-12-03) |
| 2 | 2 | "Saturn Returns" | Malcolm D. Lee | Tracy Oliver | December 3, 2021 (2021-12-03) |
| 3 | 3 | "Rainbow Sprinkles" | Linda Mendoza | Azie Dungey | December 3, 2021 (2021-12-03) |
| 4 | 4 | "Winter Solstice" | Linda Mendoza | Njeri Brown | December 3, 2021 (2021-12-03) |
| 5 | 5 | "Boundaries" | Linda Mendoza | Travon Free | December 3, 2021 (2021-12-03) |
| 6 | 6 | "Cuffing Season" | Stacey Muhammad | Jess Watson | December 3, 2021 (2021-12-03) |
| 7 | 7 | "The Strong Black Woman" | Stacey Muhammad | Britt Matt | December 3, 2021 (2021-12-03) |
| 8 | 8 | "Five Years Ago" | Linda Mendoza | Azie Dungey & Sean Buckley | December 3, 2021 (2021-12-03) |
| 9 | 9 | "Secrets" | Neema Barnette | Aeryn Michelle Williams | December 3, 2021 (2021-12-03) |
| 10 | 10 | "Once Upon a Time in Harlem" | Neema Barnette | Tracy Oliver & Scott King | December 3, 2021 (2021-12-03) |

### Season 2 (2023)

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
| 11 | 1 | "Takesie Backsies" | Linda Mendoza | Tracy Oliver & Scott King | February 3, 2023 (2023-02-03) |
| 12 | 2 | "If You Can't Say Anything Nice…" | Meagan Good | Britt Matt | February 3, 2023 (2023-02-03) |
| 13 | 3 | "As Assist from the Sidelines" | Stacey Muhammad | Aeryn Michelle Williams & Jessica Watson | February 10, 2023 (2023-02-10) |
| 14 | 4 | "Baby and the Bath Water" | Linda Mendoza | Nicole Drespel & Morgan Collins | February 10, 2023 (2023-02-10) |
| 15 | 5 | "Pride" | Linda Mendoza | Britt Matt & Sean Buckley | February 17, 2023 (2023-02-17) |
| 16 | 6 | "Out of the Deadpan and into the Fire" | Shea William Vanderpoort | Alisha Cowan & Thembi Ford | February 17, 2023 (2023-02-17) |
| 17 | 7 | "Fall Back to Rumspringa Forward" | Shea William Vanderpoort | Anaya Byrd & Katie Tibaldi | February 24, 2023 (2023-02-24) |
| 18 | 8 | "Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy" | Stacey Muhammad | Tracy Oliver & Brandon K. Hynes | February 24, 2023 (2023-02-24) |

### Season 3 (2025)

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
| 19 | 1 | "Ex...pecting" | Stacey Muhammad | Story by : Tracy Oliver & Britt Matt Teleplay by : Scott King | January 23, 2025 (2025-01-23) |
| 20 | 2 | "Fallopian Blues" | Stacey Muhammad | Aeryn Michelle Williams & Ayana Byrd | January 23, 2025 (2025-01-23) |
| 21 | 3 | "Can We Talk…For A Minute" | Tasha Smith | Azie Dungey & Alisha Cowan | January 30, 2025 (2025-01-30) |
| 22 | 4 | "Foot Rub" | Shea William Vanderpoort | Aeryn Michelle Williams & Azie Dungey | January 30, 2025 (2025-01-30) |
| 23 | 5 | "Fear Factor" | Tasha Smith | Britt Matt | February 6, 2025 (2025-02-06) |
| 24 | 6 | "Dear Harlem" | Shea William Vanderpoort | Tracy Oliver | February 6, 2025 (2025-02-06) |

## Release

The trailer was released on November 3, 2021. All 10 episodes of the series premiered on Prime Video on December 3, 2021.

## Reception

According to the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, the series' first season has a 96% approval rating based on 26 critics' reviews, with an average rating of 6.9/10. The website's critics consensus reads: "Harlem is a delight that is often wise about friendly foibles, aided by a terrific cast whose snappy repartee immediately shines." Metacritic assigned the first season a weighted average score of 77 out of 100 based on 12 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".

### Accolades

| Award | Year | Category | Recipient(s) | Result |
| Black Reel Awards | 2023 | Outstanding Comedy Series | Harlem (given to Tracy Oliver) | Nominated |
| Black Reel Awards | 2023 | Outstanding Lead Performance in a Comedy Series | Meagan Good | Nominated |
| Black Reel Awards | 2023 | Outstanding Guest Performance in a Comedy Series | Whoopi Goldberg | Nominated |
| NAACP Image Awards | 2022 | Outstanding Comedy Series | Harlem | Nominated |
| NAACP Image Awards | 2022 | Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series | Neema Barnette (for "Once Upon A Time in Harlem") | Nominated |
| NAACP Image Awards | 2024 | Outstanding Comedy Series | Harlem | Nominated |
| NAACP Image Awards | 2024 | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | Meagan Good | Nominated |
| NAACP Image Awards | 2024 | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | Tyler Lepley | Nominated |
| NAACP Image Awards | 2024 | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | Shoniqua Shandai | Nominated |
| GLAAD Media Awards | 2022 | Outstanding New TV Series | Harlem | Nominated |
| GLAAD Media Awards | 2024 | Outstanding Comedy Series | Harlem | Nominated |