2023 Show
Danielle Henderson · United States of America · English
A messy but meaningful social thriller that takes a jab at tokenism in the workplace
A lot of things are at play in The Other Black Girl, a 10-part series adapted from the novel of the same name. The first half is a workplace horror that cleverly sets Nella’s career ambitions against the racial microaggressions she endures daily, while the second half is more of a mystery, with Nella digging deeper into Hazel’s sketchy past. At the same time, The Other Black Girl is also a comedy, a social thriller, and a revealing satire about the state of the publishing industry and companies at large. It doesn’t always succeed in balancing all the things it tries to be, but when it does, it soars; it becomes an exciting and meaningful piece of work you can’t stop watching. And even when it falters (it’s not as good at mystery as it is at commentary), The Other Black Girl remains largely enjoyable—addicting, even, since each episode runs for a breezy 30 minutes. Anchored by an extremely likable performance by Daniel and a chilling one from Murray, The Other Black Girl is easily one of the best multi-genre shows to come out in a while.
Nella, an editorial assistant, is tired of being the only black girl at her company, so she’s excited when Hazel is hired. But as Hazel’s star begins to rise, Nella spirals out and discovers something sinister is going on at the company.
"A faithful and gripping adaptation that will leave viewers exhilarated, entertained, and wanting more -- especially from star Sinclair Daniel."
— Proma Khosla
"What starts as a run-of-the-mill thriller becomes an even more average sci-fi-infused story of Black horror, mirroring the likes of Jordan Peele but never coming close to scratching the surface of his legacy."
— Kaiya Shunyata
As the only Black women in their white-dominated company, editorial assistant Nella (Sinclair Daniel) and new girl Hazel (Ashleigh Murray) hit it off instantly, but when things take a turn for the bizarre, Nella starts to question whether Hazel is the ally she claims to be.
At the heart of the show’s mystery is Hazel, who switches from cheery colleague to creepy cult leader in a heartbeat. Her characterization is a little wanting, but what Murray spins out of what she has is impressive. I wouldn’t call her the strongest presence, since that title is shared by Brittany Adebumola, who plays Nella’s best friend, and Bellamy Young, Nella’s boss. And I wouldn’t call her the stand-out either, since that tile belongs to Hunter Parrish, Nella’s white boyfriend who sticks out like a sore thumb in Nella’s immediate circle. But Hazel is the most intriguing character; she holds a mystique that is both terrifying and attractive, perfectly delivered by Murray.
Among the many race-related social thrillers being released lately, The Other Black Girl is one of the better ones.
Renee Cuisia is the lead curator at A Good Movie to Watch. In her spare time, she likes to watch K-dramas and analyze them to death. She's also seen You've Got Mail one too many times but is still convinced it's one of the greatest films out there.
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