21 Terrific Black-Led TV Shows That You Can Watch On Netflix

    It's never a bad time to start watching (or rewatching) any of these amazing shows.

    Evelina Zaragoza Medina
    by Evelina Zaragoza Medina

    BuzzFeed Staff

    Here are some of the best Black-led TV shows that you can catch on Netflix RIGHT NOW.

    These shows were created by and star some incredible Black artists, and you should check them out if you haven't already!

    1. Lupin

    Assane and his son Raul on Lupin
    Netflix

    This French heist/thriller/revenge/crime drama is, without exaggeration, the best way to spend an afternoon. Part 1 is five episodes, each under an hour long, and totally worth the binge. Omar Sy stars as Assane, who will steal your heart as well as anything he can get his hands on with his charm, good looks, and intelligence. It also tells an emotional story about the relationship between fathers and sons, so get ready to be simultaneously thrilled and moved.

    More on Lupin:

    7 Reasons Why "Lupin" On Netflix Should Be Your Next Binge-Watch

    2. Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker

    Octavia Spencer as Madam CJ Walker on Self Made
    Netflix

    Octavia Spencer stars as Madam C.J. Walker (aka Sarah Breedlove), the first woman to become a self-made millionaire, which she did by building an empire of Black haircare products. Spencer absolutely knocks it out of the park, and Tiffany Haddish is great as Sarah's daughter, A'Lelia. If that's not enough to entice you, the period costumes are also fabulous.

    3. Pose

    Mj Rodriguez as Blanca on Pose
    FX / Netflix

    Blanca Rodriguez-Evangelista, a transgender woman and New York City ballroom-scene star, leaves the House of Abundance and starts her own house, called the House of Evangelista. She soon becomes mother to Damon, an ambitious and talented dancer, and Angel, a trans sex worker who is in love with one of her clients. Not only does Pose highlight LGBTQ narratives, but it's also one of the few shows that center Afro-Latinx characters and actors (Mj Rodriguez and Indya Moore, who play Blanca and Angel respectively, are both Latinx).

    More on Pose:

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    4. Dear White People

    Logan Browning as Samantha on Dear white people
    Netflix

    Based on the critically acclaimed film, Dear White People follows a group of Black students attending a prestigious, predominantly white university. The show balances drama and comedy to tackle issues surrounding modern race relations, and it's so. Damn. Clever. There are so few shows that focus on the college experience (yes, there is life after high school!!), so we're all blessed to have Dear White People in our lives. It was just renewed for its fourth and final season, too, so you'll know exactly how much to look forward to.

    More on Dear White People:

    23 Times Netflix's "Dear White People" Perfectly Captured What It's Like To Be A Black Millennial

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    5. Queen Sono

    Pearl Thusi as Queen Sono on Queen Sono
    Netflix

    Queen Sono is about a South African spy who balances her intense work responsibilities while dealing with problems in her personal life...like you do. It has thrills, (amazing) action, melodrama, and even some comedy. It was renewed for Season 2 but then canceled because of the coronavirus, so sadly, we'll only ever get the first six episodes — but it's well worth the watch.

    6. The Last Dance

    Dennis Rodman, Michael Jordan, Scotty Pippen, and Phil Jackson on The Last Dance
    ESPN / Netflix

    The Last Dance is a docuseries about Michael Jordan's time with the Chicago Bulls, and it provides an intimate look at one of the best athletes who ever lived. Watching Jordan's unrelenting competitiveness drive him to title after title after title is nothing short of thrilling.

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    23 Hilarious "The Last Dance" Tweets That Are 100% Gold

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    7. Luke Cage

    Mike Colter as Luke Cage, unharmed by bullets, on Luke Cage
    Netflix

    It's not entirely clear how Luke Cage fits into the larger MCU as we know it, but it's an amazing show on its own. Luke Cage, aka Carl Lucas (played by Mike Colter), had previously appeared in Jessica Jones, but his character becomes even more interesting once he's center stage. The show explores themes like morality and masculinity and boasts a supporting cast that includes Alfre Woodard and Mahershala Ali.

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    8. Astronomy Club: The Sketch Show

    Three Black women discussing skincare during an Astronomy Club sketch
    Netflix

    Astronomy Club is the Upright Citizens Brigade's first all-Black troupe, and they made six episodes of sketch-comedy gold. Some of the sketches are based on the cast's real-life experiences, and the humor has a very meta quality (aside from the fact that it's also just really funny).

    More on Astronomy Club:

    Sorry, “SNL,” “Astronomy Club” Is Coming For Your Wig

    9. Greenleaf

    Gigi's mother Daisy Mae walking away after saying something harsh to her
    OWN / Netflix

    Greenleaf stars TV and film icons Keith David and Lynn Whitfield and is executive-produced by Oprah. The show is about the lies and secrets that threaten to unravel the wealthy Greenleaf family, whose family business is a Memphis megachurch that serves a mostly Black community. Eldest daughter Gigi returns home after not seeing her family for 20 years, and things. Get. Messy.

    More on Greenleaf:

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    10. Sister, Sister

    Tia and Tamera meeting for the first time
    ABC / Netflix

    The iconic sitcom that made Tia and Tamera Mowry household names is on Netflix, and for that, we are all grateful. The Mowry twins star as Tia Landry and Tamera Campbell, twins who were separated at birth when they were adopted by different parents. They bump into each other as teenagers, and the rest is history. The show is hilarious, the '90s fashion is iconic, and Jackée Harry, who plays Tia's mom Lisa, is sitcom royalty.

    More on Sister, Sister:

    It's Been 26 Years Since "Sister, Sister" Debuted — Here's The Cast Now

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    11. Moesha

    Moesha smiling sarcastically at her stepmother
    UPN / Netflix

    Before stealing our hearts as Cinderella, Brandy starred in Moesha, one of the great coming-of-age sitcoms of the '90s. Brandy booked the role thanks to her already impressive music career, but Moesha was her first foray into acting, and she could not have been more perfectly cast.

    More on Moesha:

    10 Side-By-Sides Of The "Moesha" Cast That Will Have You Reliving The Series All Over Again

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    12. Girlfriends

    Joan, Toni, Maya, and Lynn at Toni's OBGYN appointment
    Ron Tom / Paramount Pictures

    Girlfiends is another one of the terrific Black sitcoms that Netflix added in 2020, and it couldn't come soon enough. It follows the lives of four friends — Toni, Joan, Lynn, and Maya — as they navigate professional and romantic situations while relying on their friendships for support. Its appeal is universal, but the focus on Black female friendship makes it rare among sitcoms. It also gets funnier with each of its eight seasons.

    More on Girlfriends:

    16 Reasons Why You Need To Watch “Girlfriends”

    13. The Game

    CBS Paramount / Courtesy: Everett Collection

    The Game is actually a spinoff of Girlfriends, and the first five seasons are about Joan's cousin Melanie (played by Tia Mowry). While Melanie tries to balance her relationship and medical school, she meets new friends who have relationship issues of their own. The Game is the rare spinoff that shakes off the shadow of the original show and has an identity all of its own.

    14. Chappelle's Show

    David Chappelle as Prince
    Comedy Central / Netflix

    It was gone for a while, but Netflix is once again the home of Chappelle's Show. You can revisit classic characters like Tyrone Biggums and Clayton Bigsby and bemoan the fact that there are only 24 episodes.

    15. All American

    Spencer James during a team huddle on all american
    The CW / Netflix

    All American is here to fill the teen sports drama–shaped hole in your life. It's based on the true story of Spencer Paysinger, who went on to have a professional football career in the NFL. There's drama, romance, and sports — what more could you ask for? The show skyrocketed in popularity once the first season became available on Netflix, and for good reason.

    More on All American:

    Everything You Need To Know About “All American,” One Of The Top Trending Shows On Netflix

    16. Black Earth Rising

    Michaela Coel as Kate on Black Earth Rising
    Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection

    If you loved Michaela Coel in I May Destroy You, here's another chance to see her shine in a great role. She plays Kate Ashby in Black Earth Rising, a miniseries about a woman who survived the Rwandan genocide but has a lot of questions about her past — especially when she finds out that her adoptive mother has been hiding a lot from her. It's only eight episodes, so it makes for a quick, intense watch.

    17. Seven Seconds

    KJ Harper discussing evidence with Latrice Butler
    Cara Howe / Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Regina King won an Emmy for her role in Seven Seconds, in which she played the grieving mother of Brenton Butler, a teenager who was left for dead on the side of the road. The show is a really visceral portrayal of race relations in the US, police brutality, and grief. Clare-Hope Ashitey plays K.J. Harper — the lawyer who represents the Butlers — who is great at her job but terrible at pretty much everything else.

    More on Seven Seconds:

    "Seven Seconds" On Netflix Is Absolutely Amazing And You Should Binge-Watch It Now

    18. Colin in Black and White

    Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Colin Kaepernick recognition as a civil rights activist began in 2016, but before that he spent 28 years becoming the man we know today. With the help of Ava Duvernay, Colin is telling his life story in his own words (literally — Colin narrates the episodes). This limited series focuses on his teenage years as a biracial boy adopted by a white family, and features Nick Offerman as Colin's father Rick.

    19. When They See Us

    Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection

    Jharrel Jerome won an Emmy for his unforgettable performance as Korey Wise, who was one of the five men of color wrongfully imprisoned for rape and attempted murder in 1989. You might remember them as the Central Park Five. The four-episode series, written and directed by Ava Duvernay, is a personal, heartbreaking look at what was taken from from them before their innocence was proven and their convictions overturned.

    20. How to Get Away with Murder

    ABC/Courtesy Everett Collection

    I mean, what needs to be said here? Iconic actor Viola Davis playing the iconic role of Annalise Keating/Harkness for six exciting seasons should be all you need to know. Annalise is the perfect Shondaland heroine: an imperfect but brilliant woman who is right in the middle of a web of lies and intrigue (literally — so much murder.). "Why is your penis on a dead girl's phone?" could not have been more perfectly uttered by anyone else.

    21. And finally, Blood and Water

    Main character Puleng listening during a school assembly
    Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection

    This South African teen drama is about a girl who becomes increasingly obsessed with a classmate who she believes might be her long-lost sister. Puleng, the protagonist, uncovers more and more secrets about her family as her investigation unfolds. The show's second season is on the way, so until then, you can enjoy Season 1 on Netflix.

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