Godfather of Harlem
Godfather of Harlem | |
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Genre | Crime drama |
Created by |
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Written by |
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Starring |
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Theme music composer | Mark Isham |
Opening theme | "Just In Case" by Swizz Beatz |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
No. of seasons | 2 |
No. of episodes | 20 |
Production | |
Executive producers |
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Production location | New York City |
Camera setup | Single-camera |
Running time | 47–60 min |
Production companies |
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Distributor | Disney–ABC Domestic Television |
Release | |
Original network | Epix |
Original release | September 29, 2019 present | –
Godfather of Harlem is an American crime drama television series which premiered on September 29, 2019, on Epix.[1] The series is written by Chris Brancato and Paul Eckstein, and stars Forest Whitaker as 1960s New York City gangster Bumpy Johnson. Whitaker is also executive producer alongside Nina Yang Bongiovi, James Acheson, John Ridley and Markuann Smith. Chris Brancato acts as showrunner. On February 12, 2020, the series was renewed for a second season which premiered on April 18, 2021.[2][3]
A docu-series based on the series titled By Whatever Means Necessary: The Times of Godfather of Harlem premiered on November 8, 2020.[4][5]
Premise[]
Godfather of Harlem tells the "true story of infamous crime boss Bumpy Johnson, who in the early 1960s returned from ten years in prison to find the neighborhood he once ruled in shambles. With the streets controlled by the Italian mob, Bumpy must take on the Genovese crime family to regain control. During the brutal battle, he forms an alliance with Muslim minister Malcolm X – catching Malcolm's political rise in the crosshairs of social upheaval and a mob war that threatens to tear the city apart."[6]
Cast and characters[]
Main[]
- Forest Whitaker as Bumpy Johnson
- Luis Guzman as Alejandro "El Guapo" Villabuena, a close friend and associate of Bumpy's (season 1)
- Nigél Thatch as Malcolm X, an old friend of Bumpy's and Muslim minister in the Nation of Islam
- Ilfenesh Hadera as Mayme Johnson, Bumpy's wife
- Antoinette Crowe-Legacy as Elise Johnson, Bumpy's heroin-addicted daughter-turned Muslim
- Rafi Gavron as Ernie Nunzi, a violent associate of Vincent's (seasons 1–2)
- Lucy Fry as Stella Gigante, Vincent's daughter
- Erik LaRay Harvey as Del Chance, one of Bumpy's most trusted enforcers
- Elvis Nolasco as Nat Pettigrew, Bumpy's other trusted lieutenant
- Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Teddy Greene, an aspiring musician and Stella's boyfriend (season 1)
- Demi Singleton as Margaret Johnson
- Vincent D'Onofrio as Vincent "The Chin" Gigante
- Paul Sorvino as Frank Costello
- Chazz Palminteri as Joe Bonanno
- Giancarlo Esposito as Adam Clayton Powell Jr.
Recurring[]
- Steve Vinovich as Senator John McClellan (season 1)
- Tramell Tilman as Bobby Robinson (season 1)
- Deric Augustine as Cassius Marcellus Clay
- Rony Clanton as Cecil Bradley
- Clifton Davis as Elijah Muhammad
- Sean Allan Krill as Lester Wolff (season 1)
- Kathrine Narducci as Olympia Gigante
- Roslyn Ruff as Delia Greene
- Markuann Smith as Junie Byrd
- Marc C. Donovan as Mike Wallace
- Joanne Kelly as Amy Vanderbilt
- Afi Bijou as Sister Marny
- Kevin Corrigan as Venero Frank "Benny Eggs" Mangano
- Dominic Fumusa as Louis Gigante
- Justin Bartha as Robert Morgenthau (season 2)
- Annabella Sciorra as Fay Bonanno (season 2)
- Ronald Guttman as Jean Jehan (season 2)
- Gino Cafarelli as Fat Gino (season 2)
- Isaach de Bankolé as Monsieur 98 (season 2)
- Method Man as Sam Christian (season 2)
Guest[]
- Jazmine Sullivan as Mary Wells (season 1)
- Aloe Blacc as Lionel, a friend of Stella's, who is accidentally killed by Ernie, in a case of mistaken identity (season 1)
- Samm Henshaw as Sam Cooke (season 1)
- Ivo Nandi as The Zip (season 1)
- Michael Rispoli as Joseph Magliocco (season 2)
- Neal Matarazzo as Captain Mills (season 2)
- Grace Porter as Betty Shabazz (season 2)
- Whoopi Goldberg as Miss Willa (season 2)
- A$AP Ferg as Reggie (season 2)
Episodes[]
Season | Episodes | Originally aired | |||
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First aired | Last aired | ||||
1 | 10 | September 29, 2019 | December 1, 2019 | ||
2 | 10 | April 18, 2021 | August 29, 2021 |
Season 1 (2019)[]
No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | "By Whatever Means Necessary" | John Ridley | Chris Brancato & Paul Eckstein | September 29, 2019 |
2 | 2 | "The Nitty Gritty" | Joe Chappelle | Chris Brancato | October 6, 2019 |
3 | 3 | "Our Day Will Come" | Joe Chappelle | Paul Eckstein | October 13, 2019 |
4 | 4 | "I Am the Greatest" | Guillermo Navarro | Chris Brancato | October 20, 2019 |
5 | 5 | "It's All in the Game" | Guillermo Navarro | Lawrence Andries | October 27, 2019 |
6 | 6 | "Il Canto de Malavita" | Tanya Hamilton | Chris Brancato | November 3, 2019 |
7 | 7 | "Masters of War" | Tanya Hamilton | Zach Calig | November 10, 2019 |
8 | 8 | "How I Got Over" | Ernest R. Dickerson | Resheida Brady & Mosie Verneau | November 17, 2019 |
9 | 9 | "Rent Strike Blues" | Ernest R. Dickerson | Chris Brancato & Michael Panes | November 24, 2019 |
10 | 10 | "Chickens Come Home to Roost" | Joe Chappelle | Chris Brancato | December 1, 2019 |
Season 2 (2021)[]
No. overall | No. in season | Title [7] | Directed by | Written by | Original air date [7] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
11 | 1 | "The French Connection" | Joe Chappelle | Chris Brancato | April 18, 2021 |
12 | 2 | "Sting Like a Bee" | Guillermo Navarro | Chris Brancato & Michael Panes | April 25, 2021 |
13 | 3 | "The Fruit Stand Riot" | Guillermo Navarro | Chris Brancato & Paul Eckstein | May 2, 2021 |
14 | 4 | "The Geechee" | Joe Chappelle | Heather Mitchell, Chris Brancato & Michael Panes | May 9, 2021 |
15 | 5 | "It's a Small World After All" | Guillermo Navarro | Matthew Newman | May 16, 2021 |
16 | 6 | "The Ballot or the Bullet" | Marisol Adler | Chris Brancato & Michael Panes | May 23, 2021 |
17 | 7 | "Man of the Year" | Guillermo Navarro | Heather Mitchell, Chris Brancato & Michael Panes | August 8, 2021 |
18 | 8 | "Ten Harlems" | Joe Chappelle | Resheida Brady & Zach Calig | August 15, 2021 |
19 | 9 | "Bonanno Split" | Carl Seaton | Chris Brancato & Moise Verneau | August 22, 2021 |
20 | 10 | "The Hate That Hate Produced" | Joe Chappelle | Chris Brancato & Michael Panes | August 29, 2021 |
Production[]
Development[]
On April 25, 2018, it was announced that Epix had given the production a series order for a first season consisting of ten episodes set to premiere in 2019. The series will be written by Chris Brancato and Paul Eckstein who will also executive produce alongside Forest Whitaker, Nina Yang Bongiovi, James Acheson, and Markuann Smith. Brancato will also act as showrunner. Production companies involved with the series include ABC Signature Studios and Significant Productions.[6][8][9]
On June 19, 2018, it was reported that John Ridley would direct the first episode of the series.[10]
On February 12, 2020, the series was renewed for a second season which premiered on April 18, 2021.[2][3]
Casting[]
Alongside the initial series announcement, it was confirmed that Forest Whitaker would star in the series as Bumpy Johnson.[6] In September 2018, it was announced that Vincent D'Onofrio, Ilfenesh Hadera, Antoinette Crowe-Legacy, Nigél Thatch, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Lucy Fry and Paul Sorvino had been cast in starring roles.[11][12][13][14][15][16] In October 2018, it was reported that Giancarlo Esposito and Rafi Gavron had joined the cast in a series regular capacity.[17][18] On January 8, 2019, it was announced that Kathrine Narducci had been cast in a recurring role.[19]
For the second season in 2021, Justin Bartha, Annabella Sciorra, Ronald Guttman, Isaach de Bankolé, Method Man, Michael Rispoli and Grace Porter were added to the cast.[20][21] In May 2021, it was announced that actress Whoopi Goldberg will appear in a guest role.[22]
Filming[]
Principal photography for the series reportedly began in September 2018 in New York City.[23]
Reception[]
For the first season, the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported an 92% approval rating with an average rating of 7.50/10, based on 25 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads: "As sharply dressed as it is smartly written, Godfather of Harlem walks familiar blocks to its own beat and makes a strong first impression."[24] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the season a score of 72 out of 100, based on 10 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[25]
Cheryl Kahla of The South African said: "The Godfather of Harlem is an excellent example of what modern television is capable of today. Whitaker’s character Bumpy is a drug kingpin but also just a man trying to make sense of the world and connect with his family".[26]
Accolades[]
Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result | Ref. |
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2020 | NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Drama Series | Godfather of Harlem | Nominated | |
Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series | Forest Whitaker | Nominated | |||
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | Giancarlo Esposito | Nominated | |||
Nigel Thatch | Nominated | ||||
Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Main Title Design | Mason Nicoll, Peter Pak, Giovana Pham and Cisco Torres | Won |
References[]
- ^ "Video: New Trailer for the EPIX Original Series "Godfather of Harlem" Released" (Press release). Epix. June 14, 2019. Archived from the original on May 29, 2020. Retrieved June 13, 2019 – via The Futon Critic.
- ^ a b "EPIX(R) Renews Critically-Acclaimed Drama Series "Godfather of Harlem" for Season Two" (Press release). Epix. February 12, 2020. Archived from the original on November 13, 2020. Retrieved February 12, 2020 – via The Futon Critic.
- ^ a b "Video: EPIX Releases New Full-Length Teaser Trailer for "Godfather of Harlem" Season 2 and Announces Premiere Date of April 18" (Press release). Epix. February 18, 2021 – via The Futon Critic.
- ^ Petski, Denise (July 20, 2020). "'Godfather Of Harlem'-Inspired Docuseries From Forest Whitaker Set At Epix". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 15, 2020. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
- ^ "EPIX(R) Sets Premiere Date for Docuseries "By Whatever Means Necessary: The Times of Godfather of Harlem"" (Press release). Epix. October 8, 2020 – via The Futon Critic.
- ^ a b c Petski, Denise (April 25, 2018). "Forest Whitaker To Topline Straight-To-Series Crime Drama At Epix". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on October 1, 2019. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
- ^ a b "Godfather of Harlem – Listings". The Futon Critic. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
- ^ Otterson, Joe (April 25, 2018). "Forest Whitaker to Star in Epix Drama Series 'Godfather of Harlem'". Variety. Archived from the original on October 1, 2019. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
- ^ Goldberg, Lesley (April 25, 2018). "Forest Whitaker to Star in Epix Straight-to-Series Crime Drama (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on September 26, 2019. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (June 19, 2018). "John Ridley To Direct First Episode Of 'Godfather Of Harlem' Epix Crime Drama". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 23, 2019. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
- ^ Goldberg, Lesley (September 11, 2018). "Vincent D'Onofrio to Star Opposite Forest Whitaker in Epix's 'Godfather of Harlem' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on September 12, 2018. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
- ^ Petski, Denise (September 12, 2018). "'Godfather Of Harlem': Ilfenesh Hadera To Co-Star In Epix Crime Drama". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on September 14, 2018. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
- ^ Petski, Denise (September 19, 2018). "'Godfather Of Harlem': Antoinette Crowe-Legacy Joins Forest Whitaker Epix Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on September 19, 2018. Retrieved September 19, 2018.
- ^ Petski, Denise (September 21, 2018). "'Godfather Of Harlem': Nigél Thatch To Star As Malcolm X In Epix Drama Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on September 21, 2018. Retrieved September 21, 2018.
- ^ Petski, Denise (September 26, 2018). "'Godfather Of Harlem': Kelvin Harrison Jr. & Lucy Fry Cast In Epix Drama Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on September 26, 2018. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
- ^ Petski, Denise (September 27, 2018). "'Godfather Of Harlem': Paul Sorvino To Star In Epix Drama Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on September 27, 2018. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (October 2, 2018). "'Godfather Of Harlem': Giancarlo Esposito To Star In Epix Drama Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on October 3, 2018. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
- ^ Petski, Denise (October 8, 2018). "'A Star Is Born's Rafi Gavron Joins Epix Crime Drama 'Godfather Of Harlem'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on October 9, 2018. Retrieved October 8, 2018.
- ^ Petski, Denise (January 8, 2019). "'Godfather Of Harlem' Casts Kathrine Narducci; Juan Riedinger Joins 'Claws'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 8, 2019. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
- ^ Del Rosario, Alexandra (March 17, 2021). "'Godfather Of Harlem': Justin Bartha, Annabella Sciorra & Ronald Guttman To Recur In Season 2". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
- ^ Petski, Denise (January 7, 2021). "'Walker' Casts Rebekah Graf; Grace Porter Joins 'Godfather Of Harlem'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
- ^ "'Godfather of Harlem' teases Whoopi Goldberg Season 2 role".
- ^ Welch, Rebecca (July 18, 2018). "Follow Cynthia Erivo Underground in 'Harriet'". Backstage. Archived from the original on July 22, 2018. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
- ^ "Godfather of Harlem: Season 1 (2019)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Archived from the original on November 15, 2020. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
- ^ "Godfather of Harlem: Season 1 reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
- ^ Kahla, Cheryl (November 11, 2019). "Godfather of Harlem: In conversation with Oscar-winner Forest Whitaker". thesouthafrican.com. Archived from the original on November 15, 2020. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
External links[]
- 2010s American crime drama television series
- 2020s American crime drama television series
- 2019 American television series debuts
- English-language television shows
- Epix original programming
- Television series by ABC Signature Studios
- Television series about organized crime
- Works about African-American organized crime
- Works about the American Mafia
- Television shows set in New York City
- Television series set in the 1960s
- Cultural depictions of Malcolm X