Admittedly, I don’t think there will ever be a show that will top Insecure for me – and that’s mainly because I literally had my season of growth with Issa Rae – but there have been some shows I’ve discovered over the last couple of years that come close to giving me those same feelings of validation and representation.
Harlem | Amazon Prime
now while I DID find some of their personality traits obnoxious, I ALSO found so many aspects of this show relatable. From following your dreams despite the odds, opening yourself up to real, genuine love, and that constant feeling of not being enough for your parents – I saw a little bit of myself in all these woman. I love the different shades of melanin, the loud and proud queer (because bishhh you betta!), and the way these woman embrace the pieces of themselves that others try to use to keep them down. I saw these women be brave and bold and display unequivocal faith in who they are and I LOVE THAT SHIT!
Y’ALL! When I tell y’all I love me some Hattie, I. LOVE. ME. SOME. HATTIE. OKAY! The casting was phenomenal and the writers of this show didn’t sugarcoat shit. The celebration of black women, black culture and black creativity is so damn beautiful. Some of my favorite moments in this show is when they fade certain scenes to black and white – much like the roaring 20s – and somehow that makes these black women SHINE even more than when they’re in color. Also, the motherfucking soundtrack is everything you didn’t know you needed.
Twenties |BET+
Blindspotting | Showtime
I PROMISE Y’ALL the show is just as good, if not better than, the movie! But don’t y’all dare start the show before seeing the film. I cannot stress enough the importance of Blindspotting. As someone who primarily dates outside of her race and knows how difficult it can be to navigate relationships and parenthood of black girls and boys, this show really is everything. Seeing such a relatable and accurate representation of our neighborhoods, our people, and our culture is so comforting. The advocacy, the sex and body positivity, women taking back ideals that so many people use to bring and keep us down – I support it 100% and can’t wait for season two.
Lemme tell y’all something, if I didn’t have these kids – I would aspire to be Miss Nola Darling. This woman is so unapologetically herself and I am here for all of that energy. This show digs deep into sexuality, polyamory, the struggle to find spaces that accept black art for everything that it is, and shows that it’s never too late find our purpose. There is such a long list of reasons to love this show, but I don’t want to speak too much on this one because I really want y’all to experience the beauty of this show as authentically as possible. Also, feel free to watch the original, because while Netflix did an amazing job with She’s Gotta Have It, we know the importance of paying homage to the OG’s.
She’s Gotta Have It | Netflix
Dear White People | Netflix
If you’re like me and waited until the final season dropped to think about watching this show, stop thinking and just do it. From the cast, to the writing, to the music – and the music is, indeed, hot fucking fire – Dear White People is nothing short of what I expected it to be. Colorism, racism, interracial relationships, black mental health, black maternal health, and cultural appropriation – there’s a little bit of everything in this show and the way the situations are navigated is executed so flawlessly. & LORDT the character development and growth! Watch the show, y’all – watch the show.
thekulturekink 
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