Lines are being drawn in the sand in the debut teaser for the upcoming fourth season of Godfather of Harlem. In addition to the thrilling first look,
Lines are being drawn in the sand in the debut teaser for the upcoming fourth season of Godfather of Harlem. In addition to the thrilling first look, we’ve also learned that the Forest Whitaker-led series has marked its return for April 13, giving fans plenty of time to go back and refresh their memories with a rewatch. The stakes are higher than ever for Whitaker’s Bumpy Johnson as he fights to gain control of Harlem from the other mafia families holding court in New York’s five boroughs. To make matters worse, a recent adversary has just arrived in the Big Apple and tensions from within Bumpy’s household pull his attention elsewhere. Featuring music by Grammy Award recipient Swizz Beatz, the MGM+ series is coming in warm with another tension and violence-filled season.
With one goal in mind, the opening sequence of the teaser shows Bumpy’s dream as the Godfather of Harlem — to restore the neighborhood to its former glory. Of course, if things were that straightforward, we wouldn’t be getting a fourth season. From there, we meet the Godfather’s newest enemy, Frank Lucas (Rome Flynn), who has literally just stepped off a bus and is ready to claim the streets of Harlem as his own. With the rest of the city’s mafia leaders breathing down his neck, Bumpy will have some tough decisions to make in his quest for control. The final seconds of the teaser see Bumpy and Frank sitting opposite one another with the former telling the latter, “We will go to war.” However, it’s unclear if Bumpy means with one another or if an alliance between the pair will see them take on the rest of New York’s mafia-fronted families.
Along with Whitaker and Flynn (who joins the cast after a compact stint on Chicago Fire), the Godfather of Harlem’s ensemble includes Ilfenesh Hadera (She’s Gotta Have It), Erik LaRay Harvey (Luke Cage), Lucy Fry (Island of Secrets), Antoinette Crowe-Legacy (Passing), Elvis Nolasco (Mr. Crocket), Michael Raymond James (True Blood) and Erik Palladino (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel).
‘Godfather of Harlem’s Rave Reviews
Over the last three seasons, audiences have tuned in for the story of Bumpy Johnson as he fights tooth and nail to earn and maintain control of the place he calls home. On Rotten Tomatoes, Godfather of Harlem boasts an impressive 87% audience rating, pointing to the obvious obsession with the crime drama. Last year, Collider’s Chase Hutchinson showered the third season with compliments, marking it with a “B.” Above all else, he pointed to Whitaker and Giancarlo Esposito’s performances, as well as the storytelling and music as the reasons that make Godfather of Harlem a must-watch, writing:
“Though each is playing historical figures, both the acclaimed actors and the show itself has always been able to play around with facts to craft something that is closer to a fable. From the anachronistic musical flair to the crackling energy in some of the key scenes where we just get to sit with all these rich characters, it all takes on a greater life of its own that remains enthralling.”
Check out the trailer for Season 4 of Godfather of Harlem above and tune into MGM+ for the next chapter on April 13. In the meantime, head over to the streamer to get caught up on the first three seasons.
Godfather of Harlem
Release Date
September 29, 2019
Network
Showrunner
Directors
Writers
Chris Brancato
, Paul Eckstein
WATCH ON MGM+
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