'Harlem' can't avoid 'Sex and the City.' But in key ways, it surpasses it

or any of the other series that have turned “comedy featuring four single women navigating love and careers in New York City” into a familiar TV trope.

The Black women of “Harlem,” a 10-episode streaming comedy premiering Friday on Amazon, are decades younger than — and a few zip codes apart from — Carrie, Miranda and Charlotte. But they still eloquently saunter and drunkenly stumble in the stilettoed footsteps of those 20th century, Cosmopolitan-sipping pioneers.

The answer: absolutely, though the clunky pilot episode of “Harlem” may lead you to believe otherwise. The characters at first appear cast from the very mold used by HBO more than 20 years ago: Camille is the responsible one who overthinks things, pining after her ex and making bad choices when she second-guesses herself. Tye is a disciplined, confident businesswoman with a commitment problem. Quinn still openly believes in true love, even in the world of scammy dating apps.

But “Harlem” doesn’t drown in its social consciousness, either. Camille’s excited that the new head of her department at Columbia is a Black woman until she finds that she has to jump through just as many — if not more —hoops to impress her. The young professor organizes a rally against gentrification to impress her boss, but before giving her speech, she has to correct the impassioned claims of the previous speaker: No, Black men did not invent food, she informs the crowd.

Dating provides more of the quick-witted banter that makes this series pop. Hopeful romantic Quinn keeps getting catfished, so when she finally connects with a real, flesh-and-blood man on a video chat, her friends cheer. Then they stop short and assess their reason for the joyous outburst: “It’s a sad day for society when all a man has to do [to be good] is exist.”

malcolmdlee Lee, WhoopiGoldberg in “Harlem,” is like every blk mgr I worked for in corp Am. Did bidding of Dems. Eventually, all failed. ShoniquaShandai TyLepley TracyYOliver jemelehill LadyGraceByers OmariHardwick BryanVoltaggio MeaganGood 50cent LarenzTate SnoopDogg Oprah.

malcolmdlee Lee, S1E2, Africa isn’t all black today. Researching history of evolution of Caucasoids & Mongoloids. ShoniquaShandai TyLepley TracyYOliver jemelehill LadyGraceByers OmariHardwic tayediggs BryanVoltaggio tip WhoopiGoldberg MeaganGood 50cent SnoopDogg Oprah

No it doesn't. SATC is trash but definitely better than this offensively tropey trope-fest unrealistic garbage.

malcolmdlee I'm loving this show! Thank you for bringing TheJasmineGuy in as Patricia cause I love her as LadyGraceByers Mom. MeaganGood is messy as hell trying to stop her ex's wedding... I could go on...but this is mustsee HarlemOnPrime

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