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Godfather of Harlem (2019-2025)

4 seasons
3,60 130 votes

State: Returning Series

Genre: Crime

Origin: United States

Developed by: Chris Brancato and Paul Eckstein

Stars: Forest Whitaker, Vincent D'Onofrio and Lucy Fry

IMDb score: 8,1 (25.688)

Releasedate: Sunday 29 September 2019

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UK

This TV Show is not available on US streaming services.

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Godfather of Harlem plot

Godfather of Harlem tells the true story of notorious crime boss Bumpy Johnson, who returned from a 10-year prison term in the early 1960s to find the neighborhood where he once ruled. With the streets under the control of the Italian mob, Bumpy must face the Genovese crime family to regain control. During the violent struggle, he forms an alliance with the radical preacher Malcolm X.

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Opinions about Godfather of Harlem

The reviews and comments below are selected at random from our extensive user contributions. If you want to write a review or post a comment yourself, you can do so on a specific season page.

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Lebarron

  • 110 comments
  • 106 votes
Tuesday 28 July 2020
Godfather of Harlem season 1

The Godfather of Harlem is a series about African-American Ellsworth 'Bumpy' Johnson. Bumpy's criminal career began as a numbers runner for Stephanie St. Claire and eventually became her lieutenant during their war with Dutch Schultz. Bumpy was sentenced to 15 years in Alcatraz in 1952 and was released in 1963. That's where this series starts. Bumpy returns to Harlem and tries to reclaim his territory from the Genovese Family led by Vincent 'Chin' Gigante who would later be known as The Oddfather when he was seen daily in the street in his bathrobe and slippers and with an umbrella under the shower was standing. This was an act to deceive justice by making them think he was crazy. An act he kept for more than 20 years until he went to jail in 1997 and died there in 2005. The series is well made and rock hard. He has a strong cast especially Forest Whitaker as Bumpy and Vincent Di Onofrio as Chin are strong. In addition, there are also supporting roles by Giancarlo Esposito, Luis Guzman, Paul Sorvino and Chazz Palminteri. As far as I'm concerned, the series has one major flaw: Rap music in a series that takes place in the 1960s. The makers try to score with fans of series such as Power and Empire, but it detracts from the '60s setting and for me it was a terrible atmosphere ruiner and therefore it weighs very heavily in the rating. You wouldn't let Martin Garrix make the music for a series about Anne Frank, would you? A series like Crime Story opened with the 60's hit Runaway, Tour of Duty with Paint it Black and China Beach with Reflections. That literally set the tone of the series and put you in the right vibe as a viewer. That's why it's not a top series for me, but just entertaining.

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Suitehome

  • 864 comments
  • 560 votes
Monday 1 November 2021
Godfather of Harlem season 2

S2 of mafia epic The Godfather Of Harlem is off to a slow start. But episodes 3 to 6 are smooth and have a nice atmosphere. Still, this second season seems to be a bit too much of a good thing, and the sparkle has disappeared. Speaking of sparkling; Ilfenesh Hadera (as Mayme Johnson) steals the show here. Graceful, villainous and devoted, she plays the husband of mobster Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson (Forest Whitaker). Vincent D'Onofrio also acts sublimely here, balancing between family man and hot-tempered Italo gangster.

TGOH rumbles from problem to 'solution' and that repeats itself almost every episode. I found it to be superficial and patchy. The story around Nation of Islam and Malcolm X, too, becomes jaded over time. As if there isn't enough interesting material for so many episodes. After seeing S2 of TGOH, despite the number of liquidations, the feeling of an empty shell lingers.

dutch flagTranslated from Dutch · View original