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Marie Claire
Marie Claire
Lifestyle
Quinci LeGardye

The 40 Best Black TV Shows Ever

Still from insecure, one of the best black tv shows ever.

No one can deny the impact that Black-led shows have had on the history of television. Black Hollywood has gone through several golden ages over the years, from trailblazing sitcoms of the '70s to the UPN comedies that dominated the '90s and early aughts to the genre-defying influx of prestige series like Insecure, Queen Sugar, and Scandal in more recent years. Every year, Black creatives debut new shows that highlight the variety of the Black experience, while proving that the culture and community is not a monolith. (Just look at 2023’s buzziest shows and try to compare Abbott Elementary and Swarm.) Whatever the genre you prefer, there’s no shortage of excellent television to check out for your latest dose of Black excellence.

Many of the best TV shows of all time have found a second life on streaming, so we created a list to highlight some essential picks. Read on for a primer of the best Black TV shows to watch and where to find them.

'Insecure'

Yvonne Orji and Issa Rae in Insecure. (Image credit: HBO)

Original run: October 9, 2016 — December 26, 2021

Starring: Issa Rae, Yvonne Orji, Jay Ellis, Natasha Rothwell, Amanda Seales, Lisa Joyce

Premise: Best friends Issa and Molly aren't as confident as everyone makes them out to be, but they know how to fake it 'til they make it. Part comedy, part drama, Issa Rae writes a world that accurately mirrors the Black woman experience, no sugarcoating needed.

WATCH ON NETFLIX

'Sister, Sister'

Tia and Tamera Mowry and Marques Houston in Sister, Sister. (Image credit: ABC)

Original run: April 1, 1994 — May 23, 1999

Starring: Tia Mowry-Hardrict, Tamera Mowry-Housley, Jackée Harry, Tim Reid, Marques Houston

Premise: Twin sisters separated at birth wind up meeting each 14 years later by chance at a Detroit mall. Not wanting to separate the twins any longer, their (conveniently) single adoptive parents agree to move in together so they can be a family. It's as lovely as well as laugh-out-loud funny as it sounds.

WATCH ON HULU

'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' 

Will Smith and Alfonso Ribeiro in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. (Image credit: NBC)

Original run: September 10, 1990 — May 20, 1996

Starring: Will Smith, James Avery, Alfonso Ribeiro, Tatyana Ali, Karyn Parsons, Joseph Marcell

Premise: If you know the famous theme song, you kinda already know what this show is about. But if you've been hiding under a rock, we can break it down for you. A kid (Smith) from West Philadelphia moves in with his wealthy uncle Phil (James Avery) and crew in California at his mother's request. He has a hard time adjusting to the new lifestyle, but with the help of his new family, he'll figure things out.

WATCH ON HULU

'Black-ish' 

Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross in black-ish. (Image credit: ABC)

Original run: September 24, 2014 — April 19, 2022

Starring: Anthony Anderson, Tracee Ellis Ross, Marcus Scribner, Miles Brown, Marsai Martin, Yara Shahidi

Premise: Family man Andre "Dre" Johnson (Anthony Anderson) awakes one day with the fear that his family could be getting too used to their lives in their very white, upper-middle-class neighborhood. Not wanting his family to lose their cultural identity, Dre sets out to teach his children various aspects of Black culture.

WATCH ON HULU

'A Different World' 

Kadeem Hardison and Darryl M. Bell in A Different World. (Image credit: NBC)

Original run: September 24, 1987 — May 8, 1993

Starring: Lisa Bonet, Kadeem Hardison, Jasmine Guy, Darryl M. Bell, Charnele Brown, Dawnn Lewis, Jada Pinkett Smith

Premise: This spin-off from the world of The Cosby Show followed Denise Huxtable (Bonet) and her times at Hillman College. It was one of the first shows to accurately portray historically Black fraternities and sororities, while covering topics from HIV to the 1992 LA riots.

WATCH ON MAX

'I May Destroy You' 

Michaela Coel in I May Destroy You. (Image credit: HBO)

Original run: June 7, 2020 — August 24, 2020

Starring: Michaela Coel, Weruche Opia, Paapa Essiedu, Stephen Wight

Premise: Londoner Arabella (Michaela Coel) arrives back in town with an inbox full of messages from her publisher on her book's status and tempting texts from her friends to go out for the night. She chooses the latter, and something happens that changes her forever.

WATCH ON MAX

'Family Matters' 

Reginald VelJohnson and Jaleel White in Family Matters. (Image credit: ABC/CBS)

Original run: September 22, 1989 — July 17, 1998

Starring: Reginald VelJohnson, Jaleel White, Kellie Shanygne Williams, Darius McCrary, Jo Marie Payton, Rosetta LeNoire

Premise: It's the show that gave us the infamous nerdy next-door neighbor Steve Urkel (Jaleel White) that America couldn't get enough of, yet the Winslow family wished he and all his silly antics would just go away.

WATCH ON HULU

'Atlanta' 

Donald Glover in Atlanta. (Image credit: FX)

Original run: September 6, 2016 — November 10, 2022

Starring: Donald Glover, Brian Tyree Henry, LaKeith Stanfield, Zazie Beetz

Premise: This two-time Emmy winner tells the story of cousins Alfred "Paper Boi" Miles (Brian Tyree Henry) and Earnest "Earn" Marks (Donald Glover). With the help of their friend Darrius (Lakeith Stanfield), they'll set out to try and make their way to the top of the Atlanta rap scene.

WATCH ON HULU

'Moesha' 

The cast of Moesha. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Original run: January 23, 1996 — May 14, 2001

Starring: Brandy Norwood, William Allen Young, Marcus T. Paulk, Lamont Bentley, Terrance Harvey, Shar Jackson

Premise: South Central Los Angeles teen Moesha (Brandy Norwood) is used to being the head of her household. That all changes when her father remarries, leaving her and her little brother to adjust to the new addition. Thankfully, they have a great group of friends to help them along the way.

WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO

'Scandal' 

Kerry Washington in Scandal. (Image credit: ABC)

Original run: April 5, 2012 — April 19, 2018

Starring: Kerry Washington, Tony Goldwyn, Darby Stanchfield, Katie Lowes, Bellamy Young, Guillermo Diaz

Premise: Hollywood queen Shonda Rhimes does it again, this time about a former White House communications director who opens up a crisis management firm to make sure what secrets happen in Capitol Hill stay there. All hail Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington).

WATCH ON HULU

'Everybody Hates Chris' 

Tyler James Williams and Terry Crews in Everybody Hates Chris. (Image credit: UPN/The CW)

Original run: September 22, 2005 — May 8, 2009

Starring: Terry Crews, Tichina Arnold, Tequan Richmond, Imani Hakim, Vincent Martella, Tyler James Williams, Chris Rock

Premise: Comedian Chris Rock brings his childhood in Brooklyn's Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood to the small screen. Its ability to tackle race and class in America through comedy earned the show Golden Globe and Emmy nominations.

WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO

'One on One'

Flex Alexander, Robert Ri'chard, and Kyla Pratt in One on One. (Image credit: UPN)

Original run: September 3, 2001 — May 15, 2006

Starring: Kyla Pratt, Robert Ri'chard, Flex Alexander, Kelly Perine, Sicily Johnson

Premise: When her mom accepts a job out of the country, teenager Breanna Barnes (Kyla Pratt) has to move in with her former athlete-turned-sportscaster dad. She has bigger problems, though, like her relationship with her boyfriend Arnaz (Robert Ri'chard) and dealing with the pain that is high school.

WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO

'Girlfriends'

Tracee Ellis Ross, Golden Brooks, Jill Marie Jones, and Persia White in Girlfriends. (Image credit: UPN/The CW)

Original run: September 11, 2000 — February 11, 2008

Starring: Tracee Ellis Ross, Golden Brooks, Persia White, Reginald C. Hayes, Jill Marie Jones

Premise: Before Black-ish, Tracee Ellis Ross played California girl Joan. She and her close-knit girlfriends went through their 20-somethings problems together, tackling issues from interracial relationships to parenthood all while wearing elite '00s fashion.

WATCH ON NETFLIX

'That's So Raven' 

Orlando Brown, Anneliese van der Pol, and Raven-Symoné in That's So Raven. (Image credit: Disney Channel)

Original run: January 17, 2003 — November 10, 2007

Starring: Raven-Symoné, Orlando Brown, Anneliese van der Pol, Kyle Massey, Rondell Sheridan, T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh

Premise: The ability to have brief psychic visions of the near future was every kid's dream because of this show. If you grew up watching Disney Channel, you wanted to be Raven Baxter (Raven-Symoné). PERIOD!

WATCH ON DISNEY+

'Living Single' 

Erika Alexander, Queen Latifah, Kim Fields, and Kim Coles in Living Single. (Image credit: Fox)

Original run: August 22, 1993 — January 1, 1998

Starring: Queen Latifah, Kim Coles, Erika Alexander, John Henton, Kim Fields, Terrence 'T.C.' Carson

Premise: A group of six 20-something friends trying to make it in the hustle and bustle that was New York in the '90s? Sign us up, Also, can't forget to mention it has the best theme song, like, ever.

WATCH ON HULU

'Empire'

Taraji P. Henson in Empire. (Image credit: FOX)

Original run: January 7, 2015 — April 21, 2020

Starring: Terrence Howard, Taraji P. Henson, Jussie Smollett, Bryshere Y. Gray, Gabourey Sidibe, Ta'Rhonda Jones

Premise: When hip-hop artist and CEO of Empire Entertainment Lucious Lyon (Terrence Howard) finds out his days are numbered, his three sons battle for control over his multi-million dollar company. Another problem? His ex-wife Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) is back in town, and she's out for revenge for taking the fall for the drug-running that financed his early career.

WATCH ON HULU

'The Jeffersons'

Sherman Hemsley and Isabel Sanford in The Jeffersons. (Image credit: CBS)

Original run: January 18, 1975 — July 2, 1985

Starring: Isabel Sanford, Sherman Hemsley, Marla Gibbs, Roxie Roker, Franklin Cover, Paul Benedict

Premise: After coming into a lot of money, the Jeffersons ditch Queens for a space in a high-rise in Manhattan. Isabel Sanford, who played Louise Jeffersons, became the second Black actress to win the Emmy for Best Actress.

WATCH ON TUBI

'Dear White People' 

The cast of Dear White People. (Image credit: Netflix)

Original run: April 28, 2017 — September 22, 2021

Starring: Logan Browning, Brandon P Bell, DeRon Horton, Antoinette Robertson, John Patrick Amedori, Ashley Blaine Featherson

Premise: Based on the 2014 film of the same name, this Netflix original focuses on a group of students of color at the prestigious Winchester University as they try to make their predominantly white Ivy college more inclusive.

WATCH ON NETFLIX

'Martin'

Martin and Tisha Campbell in Martin. (Image credit: FOX)

Original run: August 27, 1992 — May 1, 1997

Starring: Martin Lawrence, Tisha Campbell-Martin, Thomas Mikal Ford, Carl Anthony Payne II, Tichina Arnold

Premise: Martin Lawrence plays Martin Payne, a DJ for Detroit radio station WZUP. His on-off relationship with Gina Waters (Tisha Campbell-Martin) proved that true love does exist, but it doesn't come without a couple of mishaps.

WATCH ON MAX

'Half & Half'

Rachel True in Half & Half. (Image credit: UPN)

Original run: September 23, 2002 — May 15, 2006

Starring: Rachel True, Essence Atkins, Telma Hopkins, Valarie Pettiford, Chico Benymon

Premise: Estranged half sisters Mona (Rachel True) and Dee Dee (Essence Atkins) start bonding after they move in to the same apartment building, to the dismay of their moms, single Phyllis (Telma Hopkins) and second wife Big Dee Dee (Valarie Pettiford).

WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO

'When They See Us'

Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor and Ethan Herisse in When They See Us. (Image credit: Netflix)

Original run: May 31, 2019

Starring: Asante Blackk, Jharrel Jerome, Michael Kenneth Williams, Niecy Nash, John Leguizamo, Felicity Huffman

Premise: Ava DuVernay's miniseries tells the true story of the Central Park Five, a group of kids who were wrongfully convicted for attacking a female jogger in late '80s New York.

WATCH ON NETFLIX

'Blood & Water'

Ama Qamata and Dillon Windvogel in Blood & Water. (Image credit: Netflix)

Original run: May 20, 2020 — Present

Starring: Ama Qamata, Khosi Ngema, Thabang Molaba, Natasha Thahane, Dillon Windvogel, Arno Greeff

Premise: At a party, South African teen Puleng (Ama Qamata) runs into Fikile, a rich girl whom she believes to be her long-lost older sister, who was abducted at birth. She then transfers to the ritzy high school Parkhurst College to get closer to Fikile and uncover the truth.

WATCH ON NETFLIX

'A Black Lady Sketch Show'

Skye Townsend and Gabrielle Dennis in A Black Lady Sketch Show. (Image credit: HBO)

Original run: August 2, 2019 — May 19, 2023

Starring: Robin Thede, Ashley Nicole Black, Gabrielle Dennis, Quinta Brunson, Laci Mosley, Skye Townsend

Premise: Think Saturday Night Live for Black women. A Black lady sketch troupe, led by Robin Thede and produced by Issa Rae, acts through several hilarious sketches with guest appearances by stars including Angela Bassett, Gabrielle Union, Patti LaBelle, and more.

WATCH ON MAX

'The Underground Railroad'

Thuso Mbedu in The Underground Railroad. (Image credit: Prime Video)

Original run: May 14, 2021

Starring: Thuso Mbedu, Aaron Pierre, William Jackson Harper, Chase Dillon, Joel Edgerton, Sheila Atim

Premise: This gorgeous adaptation of Colson Whitehead's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel follows Cora (Thuso Mbedu), who escapes from slavery aboard a literal underground train system.

WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO

'P-Valley'

Nicco Annan and Elarica Johnson in P-Valley. (Image credit: Starz)

Original run: July 12, 2020 — Present

Starring: Brandee Evans, Elarica Johnson, Nicco Annan, Shannon Thornton, J. Alphonse Nicholson, Parker Sawyer

Premise: Based on creator Katori Hall's play of the same name, P-Valley follows the workers at Mississippi strip club The Pynk, showing the glamour and hard work that fuel the stripping industry.

WATCH ON STARZ

'The Proud Family'

Penny Proud of The Proud Family. (Image credit: Disney Channel)

Original run: September 15, 2001 — August 19, 2005

Starring: Kyla Pratt, Jo Marie Payton, Tommy Davidson, Karen Malina White, Alisa Reyes, Paula Jai Parker

Premise: This early-aughts cartoon is beloved among '00s Black kids for showing a family that looked familiar to them, while also airing episodes about Black history traditions like Kwanzaa and the Tuskegee Airmen. (The updated Disney+ revival Louder Than Prouder is also great.)

WATCH ON DISNEY+

'Abbott Elementary'

Quinta Brunson in Abbott Elementary. (Image credit: ABC)

Original run: December 7, 2021— Present

Starring: Quinta Brunson, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Tyler James Williams, Janelle James, Lisa Ann Walter, Chris Perfetti, William Stanford Davis

Premise: The best new comedy of 2022 is this mockumentary comedy about the staff at an underfunded Philly public school, that makes us want to give all teachers their much-deserved flowers.

WATCH ON HULU

'Queen Sugar'

Dawn-Lyen Gardner in Queen Sugar. (Image credit: Oprah Winfrey Network)

Original run: September 6, 2016 — November 29, 2022

Starring: Rutina Wesley, Dawn-Lyen Gardner, Kofi Siriboe, Omar J. Dorsey, Nicholas L. Ashe, Tina Lifford, Bianca Lawson

Premise: The second Ava DuVernay series on this list, this melodrama follows three siblings from rural Louisiana who all have very different ideas on how to run their family's sugarcane farm after their father falls ill.

WATCH ON HULU

'227'

Alaina Reed Hall, Jackée Harry, and Marla Gibbs in 227. (Image credit: NBC)

Original run: September 14, 1985 — May 6, 1990

Starring: Marla Gibbs, Jackée Harry, Hal Williams, Alaina Reed-Hall, Regina King, Curtis Baldwin

Premise: This iconic comedy expands the idea of a family sitcom to include all of the zany members of a Washington, D.C., apartment building, dealing with issues that affected middle class families across America at the time.

WATCH ON HULU

'Snowfall'

Damson Idris in Snowfall. (Image credit: FX)

Original run: July 5, 2017 — April 19, 2023

Starring: Damson Idris, Michael Hyatt, Emily Rios, Angela Lewis, Amin Joseph, Carter Hudson, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, Isaiah John, Devyn Tyler, and Gail Bean

Premise: Boyz in the Hood director John Singleton helmed this crime drama about the Saint family, who navigate ways to make money during the 1980s crack epidemic in South Central LA.

WATCH ON HULU

'Blindspotting'

Candace Nicholas-Lippman and Jasmine Cephas Jones in Blindspotting. (Image credit: Starz)

Original run: June 13, 2021 — May 26, 2023

Starring: Jasmine Cephas Jones, Jaylen Barron, Candace Nicholas-Lippman, Benjamin Earl Turner, Atticus Woodward, Margot Hall, Rafael Casal, and Helen Hunt

Premise: This continuation series of the 2018 movie of the same name, starring Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal, takes place six months later. When Miles (Casal) is suddenly incarcerated, Ashley (Jones), his partner of 12 years, has to navigate a chaotic new environment as when she and her son Sean (Woodward) are forced to move in with Miles' mother (Hunt) and half-sister (Barron).

WATCH ON STARZ

'Bel-Air'

Jabari Banks and Olly Sholotan in Bel-Air. (Image credit: Peacock)

Original run: February 13, 2022 — Present

Starring: Jabari Banks, Olly Sholotan, Coco Jones, Adrian Holmes, Cassandra Freeman, Akira Akbar, Jimmy Akingbola, Jordan L. Jones, and Simone Joy Jones

Premise: This drama series inspired by the Fresh Prince has become another must-watch show, following teenage Will Smith (Banks) as he adapts to life in Bel-Air while staying true to his West Philly ways and his pro basketball dreams.

WATCH ON PEACOCK

'Rap Sh!t'

Aida Osman and KaMillion in Rap Sh!t. (Image credit: Max)

Original run: July 21, 2022 — December 21, 2023

Starring: Aida Osman, KaMillion, Jonica Booth, Devon Terrell, RJ Cyler, Amandla Jahava, DomiNque Perry, Brittney Jefferson, and Jaboukie Young-White

Premise: Issa Rae's follow-up to Insecure takes place among the emerging rap scene in Miami, FL, starring Osman and KaMillion as childhood friends Shawna and Mia, who become a rap duo after their freestyle goes viral.

WATCH ON MAX

'I'm A Virgo'

Jharrel Jerome in I'm a Virgo. (Image credit: Prime Video)

Original run: June 23, 2023 — Present

Starring: Jharrel Jerome, Mike Epps, Carmen Ejogo, Brett Gray, Kara Young, Allius Barnes, Olivia Washington, and Walton Goggins

Premise: A 13-foot-tall boy (Jerome) is raised in secret in Oakland, CA, until he turns 19 and is accidentally discovered by a group of teenage political activists. What happens next is a wild, surrealist, anti-capitalist adventure from the mind of Sorry to Bother You director Boots Riley.

WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO

'Grand Crew'

Carl Tart, Nicole Byer, Justin Cunningham, Echo Kellum, Aaron Jennings, Grasie Mercedes in Grand Crew. (Image credit: NBC)

Original run: December 14, 2021 — April 28, 2023

Starring: Echo Kellum, Justin Cunningham, Grasie Mercedes, Carl Tart, Aaron Jennings, and Nicole Byer

Premise: This unfortunately short-lived (unless someone renews it!) sitcom follows a hilarious crew of young friends living their best lives as young Black professionals in LA.

WATCH ON PEACOCK

'The Chi'

Michael Epps, Alex Hibbert, and Shamon Brown Jr. in The Chi. (Image credit: Parrish Lewis/Showtime)

Original run: January 7, 2018 — present

Starring: Alex Hibbert, Jacob Latimore, Tyla Abercrumbie, Luke James, Birgundi Baker, Yolonda Ross, Curtiss Cook, Iman Shumpert, and Michael V. Epps

Premise: This long-running ensemble drama follows the day-to-day lives of residents of Chicago's Southside, from a trio of best friends pulled in different directions in the aftermath of police brutality to the machinations of city government.

WATCH ON PARAMOUNT+ WITH SHOWTIME

'Good Times'

(Image credit: CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images)

Original run: February 8, 1974 — August 1, 1979

Starring: Esther Rolle, John Amos, Ja'Net DuBois, Ralph Carter, Bern Nadette Stanis, Jimmie Walker, Johnny Brown, Janet Jackson, and Ben Powers

Premise: The first-ever sitcom to center on a large, working-class Black family and the source of countless references passed down over 50 years (from "Dy-no-mite" to "Damn, damn, damn!")

WATCH ON FREEVEE

'Survival of the Thickest'

Amber Anderson, Michelle Buteau, and Tasha Smith Marley in Survival of the Thickest. (Image credit: Vanessa Clifton/Netflix)

Original run: July 13, 2023 — present

Starring: Michelle Buteau, Tone Bell, Tasha Smith, Taylor Selé, Garcelle Beauvais, Marouane Zotti, Liza Treyger, Anissa Felix, Anthony Michael Lopez, Peppermint, and Nicole Byer

Premise: After a devastating breakup, fashion stylist Mavis (Buteau) has to rebuild her life as a newly single woman. As she deals with demanding jobs and heartache, she's determined to thrive with the help of her besties (played by Bell and Smith).

WATCH ON NETFLIX

'Power'

Joseph Sikora and Omari Hardwick in Power. (Image credit: STARZ)

Original run: June 7, 2014 — February 9, 2020

Starring: Omari Hardwick, Lela Loren, Naturi Naughton, Joseph Sikora, Rotimi Akinosho, Michael Rainey Jr., La La Anthony, Larenz Tate, and Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson

Premise: This 50 Cent-produced crime series kicked off the Power television universe (a.k.a three spin-offs and counting). It follows a NYC nightclub owner and kingpin (Hardwick) as he reconnects with his high school girlfriend Angela (Loren), who's now a criminal prosecutor investigating his drug empire.

WATCH ON STARZ

'The Upshaws'

Kim Fields, Journey Christine, Khali Spraggins and Wanda Sykes in The Upshaws. (Image credit: Lisa Rose/Netflix)

Original run: May 12, 2021 — present

Starring: Mike Epps, Kim Fields, Wanda Sykes, Jermelle Simon, Khali Spraggins, Journey Christine, Diamond Lyons, and Gabrielle Dennis

Premise: Bennie (Epps) and Regina Upshaw (Fields) are a working-class couple raising a blended family. That includes their two young daughters, their grown-up, eldest son the couple conceived when they were teenagers, and Bennie's son from a years-ago affair with now co-parent Tasha (Dennis). It's complicated, but they make it work, with the help of Regina's sister Lucretia (Sykes).

WATCH ON NETFLIX

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