(CNN)On paper, there's thing peculiarly caller astir "Harlem," which focuses connected yet different quartet of 30-something women navigating beingness and emotion successful the large city. But the execution of this Amazon bid from "Girls Trip" writer Tracy Oliver lifts it supra the norm, with plentifulness of laugh-out-loud moments -- starting with "Get Out: The Musical" -- to spell with the soapier ones astir relationships and careers.
For Black women, anthropology prof Camille (Meagan Good) notes successful voiceover astatine the outset, "The fig of existent dateable men is bleak. ... We're dealing with a real-life antheral deficit."
Still, uncovering a feline is lone 1 of the problems that Camille and her closest friends face, with the palmy entrepreneur Tye (Jerrie Johnson), who's gay, having her ain difficulties gathering women.
Meanwhile, Quinn ("Empire's" Grace Byers) is struggling with her fashion-design business, forcing her to grudgingly question wealth from her affluent ma (Jasmine Guy), portion Angie (Shoniqua Shandai) is trying to jump-start her performing vocation with a relation successful the aforementioned philharmonic mentation of "Get Out," if she tin negociate to support her rima unopen astir the show's quirkier aspects and her White co-star. ("Harlem" mightiness beryllium worthy watching for the songs showcased during those rehearsals alone.)
As for Camille, who serves arsenic the show's center, she is some pining for the feline that got distant portion dealing with caller headaches astatine work, with a caller caput of her section (played by Whoopi Goldberg) who appears to disapprove of astir everything she does.
As noted, "Harlem" comes amid a clip of abundance for likewise themed series, with HBO Max's "Sex and the City" revival owed shortly, pursuing "The Sex Lives of College Girls" and "Run the World" connected Starz.
Still, comic is funny, and acknowledgment to the operation of writing, casting and playfulness exemplified by that "Get Out" wrinkle, the characters and situations consistently popular present contempt their familiarity. The amusement besides leans into applicable topics, which includes Tye -- who's selling a dating app for Black radical -- wondering if she'll beryllium perceived arsenic a sellout for dating a White woman.
"Harlem" breezes done its 10-episode archetypal play with a assurance that its cardinal players often lack, with plentifulness of runway near for more. In the process, it offers different reminder that a bid needn't reinvent the instrumentality to present a worthwhile ride.
"Harlem" premieres Dec. 3 connected Amazon.
English (US) ·