The 12 Best Black TV Shows Of 2018 - Page 9

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Black television is once again in a Golden Era, thanks to a host of programming that showcases various facets of the Black experience. From family dramas and comedies to shows about navigating the criminal underworld, there is literally something on TV that every Black person can appreciate. While 2018 may have been lacking in terms of films that showcase Black life, TV more than picked up the slack. Here are our picks for the 12 best Black shows of 2018. If we left any of your favorites out, let us know in the comments section.

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Power

Summer TV just wouldn’t be the same without this explosive, edge-of-your-seat crime drama starring Omari Hardwick. Power consistently brings nothing but jaw-dropping action and plot twists galore every season, and Season 5 was no exception.

The fifth season of the highest-rated series on Starz, saw the deaths of major characters, shocking character developments and a cliffhanger that fans are still trying to wrap their head around. As there are still over six months left until fans can check in with Ghost, Tasha, Tommy and Angela, it leaves you wondering how the show can top itself next.

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Queen Sugar

Writer/director Ava DuVernay graciously took her talents to TV back in 2016 and gave of us the undoubted masterpiece known as Queen Sugar, about a Louisiana family trying to get through life obstacles with the help of each other.

Aside from the brilliant acting readily on display from week to week (hello Rutina Wesley, Kofi Siriboe, Dawn-Lyen Gardner and Bianca Lawson,) the family drama is unapologetic black in the best way possible. Consistently showing the strength, struggles, love and determination of the black family, is something that we can never get enough of onscreen.

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Dear White People

The 2014 indie film of the same name was the start, but the Netflix series adaptation took things to new heights. Dear White People is the perfect series to highlight the millennial voice and struggles, as they matriculate through the halls of higher education.

Starring a young and talented ensemble cast, the timely comedy-drama showed even more promise when season two aired earlier this year and tackled some of the biggest headlines facing the black community. We can’t wait to see what the students of Winchester University serve up in season three.

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Insecure

We really don’t have to say much about the brilliant and funny HBO series Insecure that hasn’t already been said. All you have to do is look at social media during each summer and see just how obsessed fans are with this Issa Rae-fronted take on figuring out your life one fail at a time.

Whether you’re #TeamIssa, #TeamLawrence, #TeamMolly or #TeamDaniel, Insecure has enough hilarious, realistic and poignant moments to keep you coming back for more. There is a long time to wait for season four to see how things pan out in Issa’s never-ending love triangle, but we’ll watch reruns to tide us over until then.

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Black-ish

Arguably the best family comedy of the decade, ABC’s hit show Black-ish is the perfect representation of modern family life. Expertly mixing in the laughs with serious issues such as police brutality, divorce and racial relations, Black-ish makes you think and cracks you up from continuous laughter every week.

The show is so popular that it was no surprise that a spinoff was next, as the A Different World-esque Grown-ish perfectly demonstrates.

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How To Get Away With Murder

Thanks to TV powerhouse Shonda Rhimes, there is not another show that has as many twists, turns and jaw-dropping cliffhangers as her ABC hit legal mystery How To Get Away With Murder.

Starring the immensely talented Viola Davis, HTGAWM never fails at showing that no matter your high-profile position, we all are imperfect and make mistakes that forever change the course of our lives. Even though Davis is a film star as well, we hope she gives us more of the great Annalise Keating in the future.

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Love Is

For all of the lovers of all things 90s-related, Love Is was literally a dream come true when it premiered last summer. Not only was the series (based on and created by Mara Brock Akil and husband Salim) filled with the perfect 90s R&B soundtrack, it also beautifully showcased that old-school love that many of us are currently longing for.

Watching the love story between TV writer Nuri and aspiring TV writer Yasir, is like watching a beautiful flower unfold, even if it includes the trials and tribulations that plague real world couples as well. Unfortunately, with the allegations raised against Salim Akil, the show won’t be continuing. But the series was nice while it lasted.

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Atlanta

It’s a ratings and critical darling, and about as realistic as anything you’ll see on TV (and in movies) today. From the brilliant mind of Atlanta native Donald Glover, FX’s Atlanta is one of the best things to happen to TV in quite awhile.

It’s equally quirky, funny, eye-opening and touching, as Earn and his crew Paper Boi and Darius navigate the streets of Atlanta on their quest to conquer the music industry without getting caught up in the process.

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Claws

While these shows just missed the Top 10, we still had to recognize how good they are.

If you haven’t discovered the absolutely original and totally unforgettable TNT comedy-drama series Claws, starring Niecey Nash, you’re doing yourself a disservice. Centering around the Florida crime underworld, the series is one of the best things about summer TV.

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The Chi

Created by the talented Lena Waithe, Showtime’s The Chi is about the life and harsh realities of a Chicago neighborhood and its lively residents. Each episode is better than the last, largely due to the abundance of talent in front of and behind the camera.

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Black Lightning

Lastly, there’s the CW’s Black Lightning, which is so good that even non-superhero fans will be drawn into the fearless and inspiring characters that are great representations of black excellence on television.