GROWN FOLKS PARTY: Adult dramas are getting better

The quality of binge-worthy, original programing for adults is getting better. With the recent releases of a few exceptional series and movies now offered on streaming services & networks, now is a great time to catch up on really good stuff for grown-ups.

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION; A few offerings you may have missed. Some have required a second viewing, others, a Blu-Ray purchase.

 (BINGE RATING suggests a second viewing or REPEAT VIEWING for DVR recording)

TITLE: "Godfather Of Harlem"

NETWORK: EPIX

RATING: 5 STARS (out of 5)

AUDIENCE: Crime Drama/Vintage New York Culture Enthusiasts

BINGE RATING: Repeat Viewing (S.1)

BUY: Yes (S.1)

In the early 1960s, infamous crime boss Bumpy Johnson returns from 10 years in prison to find the neighborhood he once ruled in shambles; with the streets controlled by the Italian mob, Bumpy must take on the Genovese crime family to regain control.

Godfather of Harlem is an American crime drama television series, (a prequel to 2007's American Gangster) which premiered on September 29, 2019 on Epix. The series was written by Chris Brancato and Paul Eckstein, and stars Forest Whitaker as 1960s New York City gangster Bumpy Johnson. (Also features awesome performances by Vincent D'Onofrio, Paul Sorvino and Chazz Palminteri.)

TITLE: "Legion"

NETWORK: FX

RATING: 4 STARS (out of 5)

AUDIENCE: Fringe /Artsy/ Pharm Culture Enthusiasts

BINGE RATING: Second Viewing (S.1 & 2)

BUY: Yes (S.1)

David Haller is a troubled young man who was diagnosed with schizophrenia as a child. Shuffled from one psychiatric institution to the next, in his early 30s, David met and fell in love with a beautiful and troubled fellow patient named Syd. After a startling encounter with her, he was forced to confront the shocking possibility that the voices he hears and the visions he sees may actually be real. Syd led David to Melanie Bird, a demanding but nurturing therapist who heads a team of specialists -- Ptonomy, Kerry, and Cary -- each of whom possesses a unique and extraordinary gift. Together, they helped David to recognize and harness his hidden abilities and unlock a deeply suppressed truth -- he had been haunted his entire life by a malicious parasite of unimaginable power.

Legion is an American cable television series created for FX by Noah Hawley, based on the Marvel Comics character David Haller / Legion. It is the first television series connected to the X-Men film series, and is produced by FX Productions in association with Marvel Television.

TITLE: "Pennyworth"

NETWORK: EPIX

RATING: 5 STARS (out of 5)

AUDIENCE: British/Spy/Espionage Enthusiasts

BINGE RATING: Repeat Viewing (S.1)

BUY: Yes (S.1)

In 1960s London, Bruce Wayne's legendary butler, Alfred Pennyworth, forms a security company and goes to work with Thomas Wayne, Bruce's billionaire father.

Pennyworth is an American crime drama television series, based on characters published by DC Comics and created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger, that premiered on July 28, 2019, on EPIX.

TITLE: "The Boys"

NETWORK: AMAZON PRIME

RATING: 5 STARS (out of 5)

AUDIENCE: Superhero/Horror/Comedy/Adult Entertainment

BINGE RATING: Repeat Viewing (S.1)

BUY: Yes (S.1)

Superheroes are often as popular as celebrities, as influential as politicians, and sometimes even as revered as gods. But that's when they're using their powers for good. What happens when the heroes go rogue and start abusing their powers? When it's the powerless against the super powerful, the Boys head out on a heroic quest to expose the truth about the Seven and Vought, the multibillion-dollar conglomerate that manages the superheroes and covers up their dirty secrets. 

The Boys is an American superhero web television series based on the comic book of the same name by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson.

TITLE: "Happy"

NETWORK: SyFy

RATING: 4 STARS (out of 5)

AUDIENCE: Fantasy/Horror/Comedy/Adult Entertainment

BINGE RATING: Second Viewing (S.1 & 2)

BUY: Yes (S.1)

Nick Sax is a corrupt, intoxicated, ex-cop turned hit man who is adrift in a twilight world of casual murder, soulless sex, and betrayal. After a hit goes wrong, Nick finds a bullet in his side, the cops and the mob on his tail, and a monstrous killer on the loose. But his world is about to be changed forever by a tiny, imaginary, blue-winged horse with a relentlessly positive attitude named Happy. On their journey, they must contend with a laundry list of enemies including angry mobsters, ex-mistresses, ex-wives, and one very bad Santa.

HAPPY! is based on New York Times best-selling author Grant Morrison and Darick Robertson's graphic novel of the same name.

TITLE: "9-1-1"

NETWORK: FOX

RATING: 5 STARS (out of 5)

AUDIENCE: Procedural drama/Thriller/Family Entertainment

BINGE RATING: Repeat Viewing (S.1 and 2)

BUY: Yes (S.1)



The series explores the high-pressure experiences of first responders -- including police officers, firefighters and dispatchers -- who are thrust into the most frightening, shocking and heart-stopping situations. 

These emergency responders must try to balance saving those who are at their most vulnerable with solving the problems in their own lives. 

The show draws from real-life, high-pressure experiences of first responders who regularly face heart-stopping situations that are often unpredictable, intense and uplifting at the same time.

The series also features outstanding performances by Angela Bassett as Athena Grant Nash (née Carter), LAPD patrol sergeant. Peter Krause as Robert "Bobby" Nash, LAFD Station 118 captain (and Athena's second husband). Oliver Stark as Evan "Buck" Buckley, firefighter, Jennifer Love Hewitt as Madeline "Maddie" Buckley Kendall (911 operator and Buck's sister) and Aisha Hinds as Henrietta "Hen" Wilson, firefighter/paramedic.