Does season 2 of “Harlem” get it right, again? I am not sure that the answer is yes. Season 1 arrived in 2021 as part of a small roster of shows that focused on young women searching for love and enjoying active and healthy sex lives in New York. But what made “Harlem” so special, aside from the perfect casting, was that it was guided by writer Tracy Oliver, who is a talent.
Season 2 picked up on the same night that Camille made a drunken house call to her prickly boss, Dr. Elise Pruitt (Whoopi Goldberg), quitting her hard-earned job at Columbia University, despite the efforts of Quinn (Grace Byers) to get her to stop. Note to self: Don’t drink and drive, text or Uber.
Quinn’s story opens with her exploration of her sexual identity and her first date with Isabella (Juani Feliz), admitting to the attraction despite being nervous about how to have lesbian sex.
Angie (Shoniqua Shandaiz) and Eric’s (Jonathan Burke) relationship is over because her actions got their first break—“Get Out the musical”—canceled after Jordan Peele and his team read all her communications. Angie continues to seek the best sexual companionship the city has to offer and goes home with the “best-looking man in New York,” after receiving his expert pedicure. Once at his apartment, Angie pretends to be her own twin to have sex with his even more handsome roommate. Long live Angie.
Tye (Jerrie Johnson) has grown tired of her endless one-night stands and finds herself craving a solid relationship but wanting to start small. Later, she helps Quinn find some sex toys that will make her feel more confident with Isabella—the good deed that was most needed.
Camille tries to fix things with Pruitt and with Ian’s mom because let’s face it, this girl is messy at all times. When she sees the broken-hearted and embarrassed Mira (the jilted bride) she tells her to “f*** off”— which was kinder than messy-messy Camille deserved.
Let’s not forget that Ms. Messy has to deal with poor Jameson (Sullivan Jones), who is clueless about what happened between her and her ex. Again: Ms. Camille is messy.
I toss up the question again. Does season 2 of “Harlem” work? No, not really, but also yes, it does. If Tracy Oliver’s (“Girls’ Trip”) DNA wasn’t in the mix, I doubt the series would have gotten off the ground. The storylines are crazy enough to grab attention. I mean, it is New York and Harlem. “If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere,” so crazy is our everyday.
These women are in their 30s and still single, which has its own signature of nuts. Trying to feel comfortable in your own skin and find someone with whom you actually want to spend your oh-so-precious free time is a compounded challenge. Maybe the pressure of being perfect on paper, for Camille, is the driving force for her messy behavior. Because sister-girl is the poster child for self-sabotage.
Season 2 still lives best when it is focused on the four friends chopping it up at their favorite restaurants or just being together. They are all so different and that makes for comedic conflict. It also highlights Oliver’s ability to construct complicated characters.
The character that has the most growth is Angie, with the actress Shoniqua Shandai peeling back layers of performance that deserves recognition. You might ask yourself, Is it the words on the page that make Angie sparkle? Or is it the powerful performance of Shandai? I float up my original question: Does season 2 of “Harlem” get it right, again? I offer this as an answer: Yes, because watching Shandai is a reason to step into season 2 of “Harlem.”
“Harlem” following the lives of Harlem residents Camille (Meagan Good), Quinn (Grace Byers), Angie (Shoniqua Shandai) and Tye (Jerrie Johnson) as they attempt to balance love, careers and the general expectations of life in the titular Harlem.
Season 2 of “Harlem” is now on Prime Video.