Godfather of Harlem

2019
4.6
36 reviews
TV-MA
Rating
Eligible
Watch in a web browser or on supported devices Learn More

Season 1 episodes (10)

1 By Whatever Means Necessary
9/29/19
After returning from Alcatraz, Bumpy Johnson seeks to regain control of Harlem. With the streets controlled by the Italian mob, Bumpy must take on the Genovese crime family, led by Vincent "Chin" Gigante. In order to thwart the Italian's dope trade, Bumpy forms an alliance with Malcolm X.
2 The Nitty Gritty
10/6/19
Realizing a consistent source of heroin is vital to reclaim Harlem, Bumpy engages in a fevered search to find a dope supply independent of the Italians. Chin engages the services of crooked cops in a plot to arrest Bumpy and send him back to jail. Meanwhile, Mayme worries the effect Bumpy's rescue of his daughter Elise from the streets will have on their family.
3 Our Day Will Come
10/13/19
Bumpy unexpectedly finds himself at Elise's side when her shoplifting arrest and subsequent abuse is the catalyst for a protest where conflicting interests cause tensions to rise. Malcolm X and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. have their own agendas for the protest. Meanwhile, Chin and the Italian mob want the protest to end because it's happening at a building they own.
4 I Am the Greatest
10/20/19
Cassius Clay battles local boxing hero Doug Jones in the ring. Mayme insists Bumpy back Jones, an advocate for her Harlem Youth organization, but Malcolm urges Bumpy to back Clay. Meanwhile, Chin engages in a turf war for Harlem with Bonnano and a buried secret fueling their feud is revealed.
5 It's All in the Game
10/27/19
In an effort to break Bumpy's bank, Chin fixes a bet. As a result, Bumpy owes the winners more than he can cover. Police arrest Stella and Teddy for kissing. Elise looks toward the Nation of Islam in order to better herself.
6 Il Canto de Malavita
11/3/19
To cover his debt, Bumpy is tasked with killing a witness testifying against the Genovese family. Elijah Muhammed tours Malcolm X's mosque where he meets Elise and asks her to spy on Malcolm. Chin finds out Teddy is alive, leaving Ernie Nunzi to correct his mistake. Meanwhile, Esther James sues Adam Clayton Powell Jr. for slander.
7 Masters of War
11/10/19
Bumpy incites war between the Genovese and Bonanno families. Meanwhile, when Margaret goes missing, Mayme teams up with Elise in a desperate attempt to find her. Adam Clayton Powell Jr. feels the repercussions from his slander dispute with Esther James. Stella reveals a family secret.
8 How I Got Over
11/17/19
On the day of the March on Washington, Chin and Bonnano are at war in Harlem. Meanwhile, Mayme asks Bumpy to create a will. As a result, Bumpy finds out he and Mayme never formally adopted Margaret, so he asks Elise for her permission. Malcolm X and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. go to D.C. for the March on Washington. Stella considers breaking up with Teddy for his own good.
9 Rent Strike Blues
11/24/19
Due to slum conditions in Harlem, Adam Clayton Powell Jr. leads a rent strike and investigates the owners of the buildings. Ernie Nunzi searches for the hooker who helped set up Zambrano. Bumpy and Mayme experience tension in their marriage over infidelities. Elise and Malcolm grow closer.
10 Chickens Come Home to Roost
12/1/19
In the Season One Finale, when Bumpy blackmails the mob in an effort to secure the safety of himself and his family, it doesn't go as planned. President John F. Kennedy is assassinated. Teddy performs at the Apollo Theater in Harlem.

About this show

Inspired by actual persons and events, Godfather of Harlem reimagines the story of infamous crime boss Bumpy Johnson (Academy Award®- winner Forest Whitaker), who in the early 1960s returned from ten years in prison to find the neighborhood he once ruled in shambles. With the streets controlled by the Italian mob, Bumpy must take on the Genovese crime family to regain control. During the brutal battle, he forms an alliance with radical preacher Malcolm X (Nigél Thatch) – catching Malcolm's political rise in the crosshairs of social upheaval and a mob war that threatens to tear the city apart. Godfather of Harlem is a collision of the criminal underworld and the civil rights movement during one of the most tumultuous times in American history. While this story is inspired by actual events, certain characters, characterizations, incidents, locations and dialogue were fictionalized or invented for purposes of dramatization. With respect to such fictionalization or invention, any similarity to the name or to the actual character or history of any person, living or dead, or any product or entity or actual incident is entirely for dramatic purpose and not intended to reflect on an actual character, history, product or entity.

Ratings and reviews

4.6
36 reviews
Leonardo Fields
September 9, 2021
History, the sides you have never seen. It does have a tendency to keep you tensed. You must keep a strong mind otherwise history could repeat itself. Lesson learned, Keeping your political views to yourself is a must. Living right is heaven.
Did you find this helpful?
katie ferrari
December 27, 2021
this show is SO GOOD! it's a fantastic look at the civil rights movement from a different perspective, and it traces the intersection of organized crime (via Bumpy), the Nation of Islam and the start of Black Power (via Malcolm X), and formal politics (via Clayton Powell). i don't know why more people aren't talking about this show and i really hope it gets renewed for a third season. the writing and acting are so so good.
Did you find this helpful?
Rie Arnell
March 16, 2022
I like this show because it shows the ways things were back in that time and they don't sugarcoat nothing. Powerful performances and Bumpy Johnson is not a man to be reckoned with. He was fearless
Did you find this helpful?

Rate this show

Tell us what you think.