Black-Led Series You Are Sleeping On (but Shouldn’t)

There’s a deep bench of Black-led series—across drama, comedy, and everything between—that slipped under a lot of people’s radar the first time around. From tender coming-of-age stories and South African teen mysteries to razor-sharp Chicago comedies and London crime sagas, these shows deliver top-tier writing, bold performances, and distinct points of view. If you’re hunting for something new-to-you that’s already finished—or ready to binge before the final seasons arrive—start here and make your queue a lot more interesting.

‘Queen Sugar’ (2016–2022)

This Louisiana-set family drama follows the Bordelon siblings as they rebuild their lives while running a sugarcane farm. Adapted from Natalie Baszile’s novel, it was created by Ava DuVernay and executive produced with Oprah Winfrey for OWN. The series is notable for employing an all-women roster of directors across its run. Across seven seasons, it delivered 89 episodes of slow-burn, character-first storytelling.

‘David Makes Man’ (2019–2021)

Created by Tarell Alvin McCraney, this lyrical coming-of-age series centers on a gifted Miami teen navigating pressures at school and home. Akili McDowell stars, with Phylicia Rashad in a key supporting role. Season 2 jumps forward to examine the character’s adulthood and the echoes of childhood trauma. The show aired on OWN for two seasons.

‘South Side’ (2019–2022)

Set in Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood, this workplace comedy tracks two friends working at a rent-to-own shop while chasing bigger dreams. Creators Bashir Salahuddin and Diallo Riddle built a hyper-local ensemble and a fast-joke style. The series launched on Comedy Central before moving to HBO Max for later seasons. It wrapped after three seasons with a devoted cult following.

‘The Underground Railroad’ (2021)

Barry Jenkins adapts Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer-winning novel into a limited series that literalizes the Underground Railroad. Thuso Mbedu leads, with Joel Edgerton among the supporting cast and Nicholas Britell composing. The Prime Video production spans ten episodes with meticulous period craft. It earned major awards recognition, including a Peabody.

‘Top Boy’ (2011–2023)

This London crime saga follows rival dealers and families in East London estates, led by Ashley Walters and Kane Robinson. Originally airing as ‘Top Boy: Summerhouse’ on Channel 4, it was revived by Netflix with Drake among executive producers. The revival continued the story with new antagonists and shifting alliances. The final installment concluded the narrative in 2023.

‘The Get Down’ (2016–2017)

Baz Luhrmann’s musical drama chronicles the birth of hip-hop in the South Bronx through the eyes of talented teens. Justice Smith, Shameik Moore, and Herizen Guardiola anchor the ensemble, with narration contributions from Nas. The Netflix series arrived in two parts with standout production design and soundtrack work. It ended after one season due to cost and scale.

‘I May Destroy You’ (2020)

Michaela Coel’s limited series examines consent, memory, and identity through intersecting timelines and sharp humor. Coel created, wrote, and starred, with HBO and BBC One as original broadcasters. The 12-episode run features an ensemble including Weruche Opia and Paapa Essiedu. It became a critical touchstone for form and subject matter.

‘Them’ (2021–present)

This horror anthology from Little Marvin explores American terrors through standalone seasons. ‘Them: Covenant’ launched the franchise on Prime Video, with subsequent installments shifting settings and casts. Each season mixes supernatural threat with period-specific tensions. The show continues as an evolving anthology format.

‘Harlem’ (2021–2025)

Created by Tracy Oliver, this comedy follows four ambitious friends navigating careers, love, and friendship in New York’s Harlem. Meagan Good, Grace Byers, Jerrie Johnson, and Shoniqua Shandai lead the ensemble. The series ran on Prime Video for three seasons. Executive producers included Amy Poehler and Pharrell Williams.

‘Raising Dion’ (2019–2022)

This family-friendly superhero drama follows a widowed mother protecting her young son as mysterious powers emerge. Alisha Wainwright and Ja’Siah Young star, with Michael B. Jordan as an executive producer and supporting actor. The Netflix series adapts Dennis Liu’s short film and comic. It concluded after two seasons that blended sci-fi stakes with parenting challenges.

‘The Chi’ (2018–present)

Created by Lena Waithe, this ensemble drama interweaves lives on Chicago’s South Side across family, politics, and community. The series premiered on Showtime and later migrated to Paramount+ with Showtime branding. It expanded its cast over multiple seasons while tackling changing local dynamics. Renewals established it as a long-running modern Black drama.

‘P-Valley’ (2020–present)

Katori Hall’s series spotlights dancers and staff at The Pynk, a Mississippi Delta strip club. Nicco Annan’s Uncle Clifford and Brandee Evans’s Mercedes lead a large ensemble. The Starz drama pairs neon-drenched visuals with character-driven arcs about ambition and survival. Production delays extended gaps between seasons, with Season 3 completed after strike impacts.

‘Greenleaf’ (2016–2020)

Set inside a Memphis megachurch, this drama explores power, faith, and family secrets. Created by Craig Wright with executive producer Oprah Winfrey, it ran on OWN for five seasons. The series starred Merle Dandridge, Keith David, and Lynn Whitfield. A short-lived spinoff centered on Lady Mae followed the finale.

‘All American’ (2018–present)

Inspired by the life of Spencer Paysinger, this drama follows a rising football star navigating two Los Angeles communities. Daniel Ezra leads, with Taye Diggs in a pivotal mentor role. The CW series spawned college-set spinoff ‘All American: Homecoming’. Multiple renewals kept the flagship in play for a lengthy run.

‘Lupin’ (2021–present)

Omar Sy headlines this Paris-set heist thriller as Assane Diop, a gentleman thief inspired by Arsène Lupin. The Netflix series drops in multi-episode parts that mix capers with family stakes. Showrunners rotate across parts, keeping tone and puzzle-box plotting consistent. New installments have been announced following strong global viewership.

‘Dear White People’ (2017–2021)

Justin Simien’s campus dramedy expands his 2014 film into an ensemble series set at a fictional Ivy League. Each episode often spotlights a different student dealing with identity, activism, and media. The Netflix show concluded with a musically driven final season. Its run introduced a wave of rising talent in recurring arcs.

‘Grand Crew’ (2021–2023)

This Los Angeles hangout sitcom follows a tight-knit friend group that processes life over great wine. Phil Augusta Jackson created the series, with Dan Goor as executive producer. The NBC comedy ran for two seasons and twenty episodes. Its structure centers bottle-style conversations and small, character-led arcs.

‘The Porter’ (2022)

This period drama chronicles the creation of North America’s first Black-led labor union among railway porters in the 1920s. A Canadian–U.S. co-production, it premiered on CBC and streamed on BET+ in the States. The ensemble includes Aml Ameen, Ronnie Rowe Jr., and Mouna Traoré. It earned a leading haul of Canadian Screen Award nominations.

‘Swagger’ (2021–2023)

Reggie Rock Bythewood created this youth-basketball drama, with Kevin Durant as executive producer. O’Shea Jackson Jr. and Isaiah Hill star in a story inspired by real AAU circuits. The Apple TV+ series delivered two seasons exploring pressures on prospects, families, and coaches. It concluded after Season 2.

‘Blood & Water’ (2020–present)

Set in Cape Town, this teen mystery follows a student who suspects a private-school star swimmer is her long-lost sister. Ama Qamata and Khosi Ngema lead the cast for Netflix. Multiple seasons build out the investigation with school politics and family secrets. The show helped expand global appetite for South African series.

‘Insecure’ (2016–2021)

Created by Issa Rae and Larry Wilmore, this comedy tracks best friends navigating work, romance, and self-image in Los Angeles. Issa Rae and Yvonne Orji anchor an ensemble that grew into breakout fan favorites. The HBO series ran for five seasons with a curated music identity and rotating directors. Its finale wrapped character arcs with time-jump storytelling.

‘Atlanta’ (2016–2022)

Donald Glover’s genre-fluid series follows Earn, Paper Boi, Darius, and Van through the music industry and surreal detours. Episodes range from bottle stories to anthology-like one-offs. The FX show aired four seasons, including a Europe-set third season. The cast includes Brian Tyree Henry, LaKeith Stanfield, and Zazie Beetz.

‘Abbott Elementary’ (2021–present)

Quinta Brunson’s mockumentary-style sitcom centers on teachers at an underfunded Philadelphia public school. Brunson stars alongside Tyler James Williams, Sheryl Lee Ralph, and Janelle James. The ABC series blends workplace comedy with classroom problem-solving across expanding seasons. It has collected multiple major TV awards.

‘Bel-Air’ (2022–present)

This dramatic reimagining of ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ pivots the familiar setup into a grounded, hour-long format. Jabari Banks leads as Will, with Cassandra Freeman, Olly Sholotan, and Adrian Holmes among the ensemble. The Peacock series tracks class, identity, and family power dynamics in modern Los Angeles. Seasons expand arcs for both Banks and the extended family.

‘Snowfall’ (2017–2023)

Co-created by John Singleton, this FX drama charts the rise of Franklin Saint during the crack epidemic in Los Angeles. Damson Idris leads a large ensemble that evolves as rivalries and alliances shift. The series spans six seasons, concluding the crime saga’s arc in 2023. It pairs period detail with a focus on community impact.

‘Marvel’s Luke Cage’ (2016–2018)

Marvel’s Harlem-set series follows a bulletproof hero confronting corrupt power structures and crime bosses. Mike Colter stars, with standout turns from Mahershala Ali and Alfre Woodard. The Netflix production delivered two seasons that intertwined superhero action with neighborhood stakes. It connected to the broader Marvel Defenders slate.

‘Black Lightning’ (2018–2021)

This CW series centers on Jefferson Pierce, a high school principal who returns to vigilantism to protect his city and family. Cress Williams leads, with Nafessa Williams and China Anne McClain as the Pierce daughters. Over four seasons, the show weaves metahuman politics with community activism. Crossovers connected it to the Arrowverse timeline.

‘Pose’ (2018–2021)

Set in New York’s ballroom culture, this FX drama foregrounds trans women of color and their chosen families. Mj Rodriguez, Indya Moore, and Billy Porter headline a large ensemble. Across three seasons, it tracks AIDS-era activism, music, and shifts in the ballroom scene. The series earned historic award wins for trans representation.

‘Power’ (2014–2020)

Courtney A. Kemp’s crime drama follows James “Ghost” St. Patrick, a nightclub owner running a drug empire. Omari Hardwick leads opposite Lela Loren and Naturi Naughton, with 50 Cent as executive producer and actor. The Starz series ran for six seasons with multiple spinoffs. It centers on the collision of ambition, loyalty, and law enforcement.

‘Empire’ (2015–2020)

This music-industry soap follows the Lyon family as they battle for control of a record label. Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson lead as Lucious and Cookie. The Fox series premiered to huge ratings and spun off a large soundtrack footprint. It concluded after six seasons with reconciliations and power shifts.

‘Being Mary Jane’ (2013–2019)

Gabrielle Union stars as a driven cable-news anchor balancing career, family, and relationships. The BET drama ran for four seasons followed by a two-hour finale film. Themes include fertility, professional ethics, and media image-making. It remains a key title in BET’s scripted slate history.

‘Scandal’ (2012–2018)

Kerry Washington leads as Olivia Pope, a Washington, D.C. fixer managing crises for powerful clients. Created by Shonda Rhimes, the ABC thriller established a fast-twist, high-stakes template. The ensemble includes Tony Goldwyn, Guillermo Diaz, and Bellamy Young. Seven seasons trace political intrigue, romance, and shifting alliances.

‘How to Get Away with Murder’ (2014–2020)

Viola Davis stars as law professor Annalise Keating, whose students become entangled in murder cases. The ABC series blends courtroom drama with nonlinear mystery structures. Across six seasons, it examines addiction, identity, and justice through rotating cases. Davis’s performance made awards history during the run.

‘A Black Lady Sketch Show’ (2019–2023)

Created by Robin Thede, this HBO sketch series features an all-Black women core cast and a deep bench of guest stars. Seasons rotate casts while keeping writer-performer hybrids at the center. The show blends genre parodies with recurring character universes. Multiple Emmys recognized its writing and editing.

‘Watchmen’ (2019)

Damon Lindelof’s limited series remixes the graphic novel into a contemporary Tulsa-set story led by Regina King. The HBO production connects superhero mythology with the history of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. Across nine episodes, it introduces masked cops, vigilantes, and legacy mysteries. The series concluded as a self-contained season.

‘Luther’ (2010–2019)

Idris Elba stars as DCI John Luther, a brilliant but haunted London detective. The BBC series unfolds through multi-episode cases with recurring nemesis Alice Morgan. Five seasons track professional fallout and personal sacrifice. A follow-up feature extended the character’s story after the series.

‘Godfather of Harlem’ (2019–present)

Forest Whitaker leads as crime boss Bumpy Johnson returning to Harlem after prison. The MGM+ series intersects real historical figures like Malcolm X with organized crime storylines. Seasons examine territory battles, community politics, and shifting alliances. The ensemble includes Ilfenesh Hadera, Giancarlo Esposito, and Vincent D’Onofrio.

‘Survivor’s Remorse’ (2014–2017)

This Starz dramedy follows a basketball phenom and his family adjusting to sudden wealth and fame. Jessie T. Usher, Tichina Arnold, and RonReaco Lee headline the ensemble. The series explores contracts, endorsements, and family dynamics around the league. It ran for four seasons with a writers’ room steeped in sports-business detail.

‘Underground’ (2016–2017)

This period thriller follows enslaved people plotting a dangerous escape via the Underground Railroad. Jurnee Smollett and Aldis Hodge lead, with production emphasizing action-forward storytelling. The WGN America series ran two seasons before cancellation. It remains notable for staging heist-like escapes within historical parameters.

‘Queen Sono’ (2020)

This South African spy thriller stars Pearl Thusi as a field agent tackling transnational conspiracies. Netflix launched it as its first African original scripted series. The show blends action sequences with political intrigue across Johannesburg and beyond. It concluded after one season due to pandemic-era production challenges.

Tell us which hidden-gem Black-led series you’d add to the list—and what you’re starting tonight—in the comments!