6 Cool TV Shows Featuring Black Women As Lead Actresses
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When it comes to TV in general, it seems as though black women have consistently been underrepresented or misrepresented. Although room for improvement remains, sisters are becoming more visible in TV.
I don’t mean in roles as supporting actresses or extras, either. I’m talking about black women appearing as lead actresses in some pretty popular shows. We’ve compiled a list of TV shows featuring black women that are changing the game. Check them out below!
1. How To Get Away With Murder
Viola Davis stars as powerful and gifted attorney, Annalise Keating, in ABC’s hit series How To Get Away With Murder. Davis’ character is also a law professor who hires a group of her students to work with her law firm after a town murder takes place.
The show takes the viewer through various twists and turns as Davis’ character and her team unravel the details of the case. This show is the perfect crime/drama/thriller that you won’t be able to stop watching and Davis really delivers.
She even won an Emmy for her role! Seasons 1 and 2 are available for purchase here.
2. Blackish
Tracee Ellis Ross is a mother of four, a wife and a successful black doctor in this hilarious comedy. Rainbow “Bow” Johnson, Ross’s character, is married to a man who is determined to not let their success overshadow their cultural identity.
Blackish does a fine job of producing pure comedy while simultaneously addressing real-life social issues in the black community. Faced with the challenge of integrating her and her husband’s very different upbringings, Ross’s character seems to be the one that keeps the family (relatively) grounded.
Get your daily dose of laughter and check out episodes of Blackish right now.
3. Being Mary Jane
Starring Gabrielle Union-Wade as Mary Jane Paul, this show is about the ups and downs of being a successful, single, black woman. As a highly-acclaimed news anchor, Union-Wade’s character often struggles with black issues in the media and she uses her platform to address and advocate for them.
The show mainly focuses on her character’s oh-so-relatable personal life as she deals with being a single woman on a quest to find love and start her own family. On top of that, Union-Wade’s character also deals with the drama that comes with being a financial support for her immediate family.
You can catch the first three seasons of Being Mary Jane here. Gabrielle is also a regular lead in films.
