A gangster named Bumpy Johnson makes his way in Harlem during the 1960s. A TV prequel to the 2007 film, 'American Gangster', which centered on the criminal enterprise of Frank Lucas.
Stars: Forest Whitaker, Nigel Thatch and Ilfenesh Hadera
Full Cast: Lucy Fry, Antoinette CroweLegacy, Vincent DOnofrio, Erik LaRay Harvey, Rafi Gavron, Elvis Nolasco, Demi Singleton, Giancarlo Esposito, Markuann Smith, Chazz Palminteri, Paul Sorvino, Korey Jackson
Episode Guide
Season 3
March 26, 2023Episode 10 Our Black Shining Prince
March 19, 2023Episode 9 We Are All Kings
March 12, 2023Episode 8 Homeland or Death
March 5, 2023Episode 7 All Roads Lead to Malcolm
February 19, 2023Episode 5 Angel of Death
February 5, 2023Episode 4 Captain Fields
January 15, 2023Episode 1 The Negro in White America
Season 2
Season 1
Best Godfather of Harlem Episodes
Top 20 (Ranked)
August 29, 2021
9.0 145 votesS2E10 The Hate That Hate Produced
9.0 145 votesS2E10 The Hate That Hate Produced May 23, 20218.9 173 votesS2E6 The Ballot or the Bullet
8.9 173 votesS2E6 The Ballot or the Bullet August 15, 20218.9 128 votesS2E8 Ten Harlems
8.9 128 votesS2E8 Ten Harlems August 22, 20218.9 121 votesS2E9 Bonanno Split
8.9 121 votesS2E9 Bonanno Split May 9, 20218.8 183 votesS2E4 The Geechee
8.8 183 votesS2E4 The Geechee April 25, 20218.6 201 votesS2E2 Sting Like a Bee
8.6 201 votesS2E2 Sting Like a Bee May 2, 20218.6 180 votesS2E3 The Fruit Stand Riot
8.6 180 votesS2E3 The Fruit Stand Riot May 16, 20218.6 172 votesS2E5 It's a Small World After All
8.6 172 votesS2E5 It's a Small World After All November 10, 20198.5 369 votesS1E7 Masters of War
8.5 369 votesS1E7 Masters of War April 18, 20218.5 208 votesS2E1 The French Connection
8.5 208 votesS2E1 The French Connection August 8, 20218.5 119 votesS2E7 Man of the Year
8.5 119 votesS2E7 Man of the Year December 1, 20198.4 366 votesS1E10 Chickens Come Home to Roost
8.4 366 votesS1E10 Chickens Come Home to Roost September 29, 20198.3 656 votesS1E1 By Whatever Means Necessary
8.3 656 votesS1E1 By Whatever Means Necessary October 6, 20198.1 443 votesS1E2 The Nitty Gritty
8.1 443 votesS1E2 The Nitty Gritty October 13, 20198.1 427 votesS1E3 Our Day Will Come
8.1 427 votesS1E3 Our Day Will Come October 20, 20198.1 387 votesS1E4 I Am The Greatest
8.1 387 votesS1E4 I Am The Greatest October 27, 20198.1 357 votesS1E5 It's All In the Game
8.1 357 votesS1E5 It's All In the Game November 3, 20198.1 353 votesS1E6 Il Canto de Malavita
8.1 353 votesS1E6 Il Canto de Malavita November 17, 20198.0 332 votesS1E8 How I Got Over
8.0 332 votesS1E8 How I Got Over November 24, 20197.9 323 votesS1E9 Rent Strike Blues
7.9 323 votesS1E9 Rent Strike Blues Godfather of Harlem Trailer
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User Reviews
Watchseries; I like this series, but it is hard to watch at times.
A few serious flaws:
A period piece, from the early 1960s... with a RAP soundtrack? Big mistake. They should have used period music only. I guess they were pandering and mistakenly thought they needed modern music to attract a younger audience.
Perhaps another pandering tactic to reach the young 'urban' male audience (who were raised in the era of the Kardashians) is the anachronistic portrayals of interracial relationships. While there have been interracial relations since the beginning of human history, there almost certainly were non in the early 60s between a mafia princes and a kid from Harlem, nor between a rich society woman and a Bumpy Johnson type gangster.
I like this series, but it is hard to watch at times.
A few serious flaws:
A period piece, from the early 1960s... with a RAP soundtrack? Big mistake. They should have used period music only. I guess they were pandering and mistakenly thought they needed modern music to attract a younger audience.
Perhaps another pandering tactic to reach the young 'urban' male audience (who were raised in the era of the Kardashians) is the anachronistic portrayals of interracial relationships. While there have been interracial relations since the beginning of human history, there almost certainly were non in the early 60s between a mafia princes and a kid from Harlem, nor between a rich society woman and a Bumpy Johnson type gangster.
Godfather of Harlem watchseries. I started watching this with enthusiasm.. But soon I got disolusioned and bored. Watched the whole first series till the end. Finally it's over. Why? Some very bad and unconvincing acting (Gigante in particular), some very fake gunbattles and cgi splashes of blood, some very fake backgrounds (balcony scene with Bumpy - looks like Harlem is drawn onto a wall with a pencil), lackluster support actors, unconvincing emotions, malcom x's way he talks sounds like he's trying too hard...the list is endless. And even the title, it doesn't seem from the series that bumpy was such a godfather.
The acting is ok , show very poor , music is the worst doesn't fit 60's, overall 4 out 10 Would not recommend and would not waste the time ...
Maybe, just maybe some of the music created originally for the series is worth mentioning. The list of debacles beginning from faulty casting to lack luster art direction, hollow 'standby' support cast, to cliche dialogues trying hard to feel substantial and most surprisingly the Godfather himself having no charisma to steer the ship ahead. Waste of time.
Great cast, decent period/era production and good costume design. However, something just ain't right here and it's that great actors are being wasted. I'm leaning towards bad screenplay, writing and directing. And it's very possible that Forrest Whitaker was miscast as Bumpy Johnson.
Should of had relevant track lists rather than modern hip hop. Dont go right with the 60's & 70's