Black Excellence within the Black Experience of TV and Film
From psychological thrillers and animated comedies to documentary portraits and road trip farces, 2026 has delivered one of the most varied and compelling slates of films from Black and Brown directors in recent memory. Whether you are in the mood for a surreal Bay Area heist, a bloody Southern Gothic reckoning, a quiet grief drama […]
Tommy Davidson is stepping back into the spotlight, this time as the lead of his own show. The Varnell Hill Show, a long-in-the-works spinoff of Martin Lawrence’s beloved ’90s sitcom Martin, premieres September 1 on Paramount+ with two episodes, followed by new installments weekly through October 13. Davidson stars as Varnell Hill, a late-night talk […]
For nearly a decade, Birgundi Baker gave audiences Kiesha Williams, a character who evolved from an outspoken teenager into one of the most emotionally layered figures in The Chi’s history. Now, with the series finale behind her, Baker is stepping into a new chapter, and she’s doing it on her own terms. In this conversation […]
It has been a big final season for television, between South Side sagas, teen treasure hunts, kitchen chaos, and a little Staten Island magic. Nine of the season’s biggest shows are all bidding farewell around the same time, and mostly on their own terms. A show like Survival of the Thickest could have gone a […]
There’s nothing quite like the first crisp night of the season, a blanket, and a lineup of shows worth staying in for. Fall is when TV comes roaring back to life, the big broadcast dramas return from their summer break, prestige streaming series drop their long-awaited new chapters, and a wave of brand-new shows arrive […]
Some films tell you what a health crisis looks like. H.P.V. (Her Pretty Vagina) makes you feel the exact moment no one is looking at you while you’re in it, and that’s the difference between a PSA and a piece of art. Written, directed, and produced by Kiah Clingman, H.P.V. stars Taylor Polidore Williams (“Reasonable […]
Please Return Your Carts, which screened at the 2026 Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival is the kind of short that makes you appreciate how much can be said through one really smart creative choice. Directed by Kendra Jo, the 2025 short follows Benson Cross (Russell Hornsby), an Army veteran who has settled into a solitary […]
After eight seasons, The Chi has officially wrapped its run, closing the book on the longest-running Black drama in premium cable history. Since premiering on Showtime in 2018, Lena Waithe’s love letter to Chicago’s South Side quietly built one of the most significant runs in television, launching young actors into stardom, welcoming legends back to the […]
Joy Sunday just landed her first Emmy nomination. Her performance as Agent Jodie Plumb in HBO’s DTF St. Louis put her in scenes opposite Jason Bateman and Richard Jenkins, and she didn’t just keep pace, she commanded them. That’s 13 nominations for the show total, and one that belongs solely to her. She’s been a […]
There are people who go viral and there are people who go viral with a purpose. Lynae Vanee has always been the latter. The Atlanta-born poet, educator and cultural voice — a Spelman College graduate with a master’s in African American Studies from Boston University — built her platform through the viral Instagram series Parking […]