16. Godfather of Harlem Season 4

The most criminally underrated series of the last five years is Oscar-winning actor Forest Whitaker’s 1960s drama Godfather of Harlem. As drug kingpin and unofficial mayor of Harlem Bumpy Johnson, Whitaker delivers steely stoicism whether staring at a man shot dead or helping his daughter recover from heroin addiction. His captivating performance gives the show the type of verisimilitude that helps transport you to a time when street justice reigned supreme. In the fourth season, Whitaker’s attempt at legitimization hits a snag when the money flow can’t match his ambition for bettering Harlem, and his struggles between doing what’s right and doing what’s effective are a point of compelling tension. Outside of Bumpy Johnson, the show has a constellation of characters that could be the leads of their own shows. Stella Gigante (Lucy Fry) is surreptitiously developing her own prowess in the criminal underworld, Elise Johnson (Antoinette Crowe-Legacy) gets involved with the Black Panther Party, and Vincent ‘Chin’ Gigante (Vincent D’Onofrio) is trying to maintain his place within the mob. Godfather of Harlem routinely delivers an all-star lineup of incredible actors, and season 4 is one of its best showings.