El padrino de Harlem

This show could easily be dismissed as another gangster/crime syndicate show upon first glance. And I would have done so if it weren't for the historical tie ins.

The show takes place in 1963 Harlem. The 60's in and of themselves were historically significant to America in general and Black Americans in particular. Harlem was a hotbed of activity during that time. So, while the main character is Bumpy Johnson (Forest Whitaker) we get to see people like Malcolm X, Cassius Clay, Adam Clayton Powell, and Elijah Muhammad. I'm not saying these people were all portrayed accurately, but they were significant historical figures and significant in the show.

The main theme is Bumpy Johnson's battle with the Italian Mafia. He wants Harlem for himself and a certain Vincent "Chin" Gigante (Vincent D'0nofrio) would like nothing more than to eliminate Bumpy Johnson altogether.

While that theme plays out with its ebbs and flows, we get to see other historical events play out (sometimes with actual footage). Cassius Clay fighting Doug Jones for a shot at the title, the march on Washington on August 28, 1963, the Kennedy assassination, and the Malcolm X/Nation of Islam saga. I'm sure much of it is dramatized and it may ruffle some feathers.

The show is intense and in your face. Pretty much all of the characters bring something to the show whether you like them or not. It's not a battle between good and evil or even evil and evil. All the characters are layered and complex even if the bad they do is heavier than the good they do. Watch it, allow yourself to be drawn in, and enjoy.

Forrest Whitaker, Vincent D'Onofrio, Giancarlo Esposito... to name a few.

This show is phenomenal.

This will become a classic. If you like the genre, you will love it, if not, give it some time. After all, it is based on a real character. Real life, takes time to take shape.

This series is great, one of the best! It is so realistic that you almost live in it. Gigante and Bumpy ( D'Onofrio and Whitaker) are absolutely fantastic, what a bunch of actors, not to mention the rest of the actors, who are many, absolutely wonderful.!!!

It's not just about two enemy gangs, the mafia, drugs and Harlem, it's much more than that. The story is very well detailed, full of political history based on true events, you learn a lot. The political part is not boring since it is explained in a simple way so that everyone can understand it. Nothing complicated. The costumes, the cars, the atmosphere of the 60s, everything perfectly measured, wonderful...!

The combination of real images in black and white is a true wonder!

The political messages, the tension, the action, the dialogues... everything is of great quality in my opinion.

I don't give it a ten simply because of the choice of music. There is soooo much good music from the 60's that I don't understand the choice. Please next time more jazz, soul, gospel... there is so much good musical history in Harlem!

It's a very entertaining series and overall I liked it a lot. Personally I'd say that the weakest point of the show was the music, so thanks god they didn't play much music.

I'm a hip-hop fan but having hip-hop music on a series about a gangster from the 60's seems way too forced. I unerstand that they do it to make the series more appealing to young people, but I really would have preferred if they used jazz, soul or funk rather than Swizz Beatz, Rick Ross, DMX, Westside Gunn (whose music I might enjoy listening but not when watching a series based on some events from the 60's)