
Rolling Stone
It's just good enough for fans of period crime dramas, without seeming interested in (or capable of) finding another level.
Full reviewThis prequel series to Ridley Scott's 2007 film American Gangster stars Oscar-winner Forest Whitaker as Bumpy Johnson, a crime boss looking to reclaim his neighbourhood after a ten-year stint in prison.
It's just good enough for fans of period crime dramas, without seeming interested in (or capable of) finding another level.
Full reviewThe show's ambition pays off in the rare gangster epic we haven't seen before.
Full reviewIf it can't be The Sopranos or Boardwalk Empire it can be something less while still entertaining those who like mob stories.
Full reviewThrough it all, Whitaker keeps a tight rein on his performance, letting his storied intensity break through in just a few flashes.
Full reviewEven with its ambitions, its embracing of the genre's cliches, its at-times strained credulity, and overstuffed plot lines may keep new audiences away.
Full reviewAnachronistic hip-hop might date the series quickly, but for now it's a rich and piquant stew.
Full reviewThis unofficial prequel to "American Gangster" does play with nostalgia from the era... But its depiction of a racially divided, corrupt and often venal world rings just as true today.
Full reviewIt's gritty, pulpy and unpredictable and confident in a swagger that's not really trying to emulate the soft nuances of "prestige" crime dramas like Breaking Bad or The Sopranos.
Full reviewIt's smart, engaging television that only occasionally falters under the weight of its ambition to tell a few too many stories at once.
Full reviewWe aren’t aware of any way to watch Godfather of Harlem: Season 1 in New Zealand. If we’ve got that wrong, please contact us.
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