It’s officially fall, which means new seasons of your favorite shows and new series starting up. This week showed a trend this season and that’s dramas with black female leads. Normally, the female black character is the spunky sidekick or a character with few lines. However, networks are switching things up and giving these strong women the spotlight.
Look forward to your Monday nights being filled by young superheroes and villains before they got their infamous reputations. “Gotham” tells the stories of Batman (a.k.a. Bruce Wayne) and others from the DC comic book series as they grow into their personas before our very eyes. Jada Pinkett-Smith plays Fish Mooney, a no-nonsense gangster who owns a nightclub in town. She mentors and takes young Oswald Cobblepot under her wing and helps him find himself. Cobblepot will later become the notorious villain the Penguin. Smith influences a few other characters in the show, but we’ll have to tune in to see how she takes them on.
Adding to the Monday night line-up is “Sleepy Hollow,” which was renewed by FOX for a second season in 2013. “Sleepy Hollow” is a modern day twist to the 1820’s short story “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” (by Washington Irving). Leading lady, Nicole Beharie, stars in this supernatural fantasy series as Lieutenant Abbie Mills in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y., who investigates the Headless Horsemen after the phantom figure beheads her mentor and partner, Sheriff August Corbin. As Lt. Mills gets closer to the Horsemen, things start to get weird in the small town. Beharie was nominated for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series at the NAACP Image Awards for her performance in the series. Throughout the season we will get see how close she becomes with the Horsemen.
Keep your Wednesday nights open for the show critics are praising its cultural relevance. “Black-ish” stars hilariously funny comedian Anthony Anderson and the beautiful Tracee Ellis-Ross as Andre (‘Dre) and Rainbow Johnson. The two are parents of four kids and are trying to raise their children as well-rounded individuals. However, they don’t know how to respond when their eldest son, Andre Jr., asks to have a bar mitzvah because all his friends are having them. The show highlights race, culture and social class with a light-hearted touch of family values.
Starting off strong with great ratings, “Black-ish” could potentially give “Modern Family” a run for its money.
Get ready to sit on the edge of your seat because Thursdays are bringing the heat! It starts with the now-notorious series “Scandal” starring the talented Kerry Washington as fixer Olivia Pope. In season four, Olivia returns from her hideaway island after she finds out the body of her beloved friend and associate, Harrison, is discovered. She reaches out to her fellow Gladiators from her firm, Pope and Associates, but she doesn’t get the warm reception she was expecting. As long as she doesn’t see President Fitzgerald Grant (who is mourning his deceased son and taking care of his depressed wife), things are okay right?
However, Liv and her presidential drama have nothing on the new series, “How To Get Away With Murder,” starring the veteran actor Viola Davis. Davis plays Professor Annalise Keating, JD, at Philadelphia University teaching her law students how to win cases and look good doing it. The drama quickly unfolds as each student has their own little storyline leading up to the murder of… no spoilers! Tune in on Thursday nights to keep up with these stressed-out law students and their powerhouse professor.
