Guest editor Charlayne Hunter-Gault shares the TV shows and movies that she’s binge-watching this summer.
“Summer of Soul”
I was so surprised to find myself with a cameo in “Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised),” the hit documentary directed by Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson that brings to life a wonderful musical moment — the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival. Footage from the legendary festival in Harlem’s Mount Morris Park (now named Marcus Garvey Park) had been buried in a basement for some 50 years. The documentary is a real treasure that, thankfully, is being widely seen and appreciated.
“Bridgerton”
It took me a while to get into “Bridgerton,” but with so many of my sister-friends talking about it, I gave it a shot — making our husbands or boyfriends a little jealous (though they would never admit it) about our swooning over Regé-Jean Page, one glorious hunk of a brutha. Not sure how the sequel will be without him … but I may give it a shot.
“Fargo”
We went on a different TV trip in “Fargo,” a dark comedy-drama crime drama. While all of the actors have been stellar, my husband, Ron, and I especially enjoyed the surprising role played by Chris Rock.
“Outlander”
As a big fan of “Game of Thrones” — I communicated with friends after every episode, including one who prepared a dinner with dishes like those served at Westeros — I was happy to find “Outlander.” Not quite GOT, but a fantasy nevertheless that kept us eagerly looking forward to it every week. A great escape.
“Seven Seconds”
During these past months of isolation and binge watching, it has become ever so clear that the pressure for diversity in America is only now generating more primary roles for Black actors, including those from Europe, who also have complained about the narrowness of subject matter there. But it looks as if slowly but surely, on both sides of the ocean, Black actors are finally getting their just due … or close to it. That is the case with Clare-Hope Ashitey of “Seven Seconds.” She plays an assistant prosecutor who has her personal faults, like drinking too much, but who’s still able to carry out her duties as she tries to solve a hit-and-run.
“Respect”
For the first time since the pandemic, we ventured out to see a movie at the theaters, albeit masked. We thoroughly enjoyed “Respect,” the Aretha Franklin biopic, despite its painful moments. Jennifer Hudson was, as the young folks like to say, awesome!
“Girls Trip”
I am not a big fan of comedy, but “Girls Trip” was a trip I enjoyed as they traveled to the Essence Festival in New Orleans. And what a cast: Tiffany Haddish, Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Regina Hall were hilarious and just the fun I needed. And while it was definitely a girls trip, my husband enjoyed it, too.
“God Friended Me”
As a PK (Preacher’s Kid), I was intrigued by this series’ name — plus one of the featured actresses, Erica Gimpel, is friends with my daughter, Suesan. The promise of exploring faith, along with science, was so intriguing that I tuned in — and I am so glad I did. While we had to suspend disbelief, both my not-quite-atheist husband and I found it a great escape.
“Godfather of Harlem”
I began covering Harlem for The New York Times more than a year after notorious crime boss Bumpy Johnson’s exit, but his story was legend. And so it was with great anticipation that I began watching “Godfather of Harlem.” The television series is full of amazing performances, not least by Forest Whitaker as Bumpy, Nigel Thatch as Malcom X, Antoinette Crowe-Legacy as Bumpy’s wife, Elise, and Ilfenesh Hadera as his daughter, Mayme.
“Finding Your Roots”
I was a big fan of Henry Louis Gates Jr.’s “Finding Your Roots” long before I was featured in an episode. And I continue to find it educational and engaging, and so needed in these times.
“The Black Church”
Gates’ four-hour PBS series “The Black Church: This Is Our Story, This Is Our Song” reverberated in my soul and psyche. In so many ways, having grown up in the AME Church with two preachers — my father and grandfather — in my family, it was my story, too.
“Harriet”
I was so glad to see the story of abolitionist Harriet Tubman finally brought to life in this captivating 2019 film. While director Kasi Lemmons fielded some criticism for not casting an African American woman in the lead role, Black British actress Cynthia Erivo does a magnificent, believable job. I hope its success means we will finally get more stories of Black women like Harriet Tubman to help narrow the racial divide caused by ignorance of our history.
“The Chi”
With my husband being from Chicago and with Tyla Abercrumbie, a wonderful actress who’s also a friend, cast as a recurring character, we tuned in to “The Chi” every week. It’s a riveting drama about the challenges of Black life on the South Side of Chicago, and while aspects of it are hard to take, they are, alas, real.
“High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America”
When I first heard that High on the Hog: A Culinary Journey From Africa to America — the breakthrough book by historian Jessica B. Harris — was going to be a documentary series, I was so excited. I have known Harris for years, and I have written about what I call her “amazing griot voice,” as well as labeled her “a culinary anthropologist.” The four-part Netflix series, hosted by chef and writer Stephen Satterfield, didn’t disappoint. Its creators — two Black women, Karis Jagger and Fabienne Toback — focus on Harris’ amazing insight into the African origins of contemporary American food and the significant roles that Black chefs and cooks have played in American life and history.
