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Hilarious, un-PC, on point and in your face, A Black Lady Sketch Show is created by, written by, directed by and stars just about every great black lady in US comedy, past or present, and it's now streaming on Showmax.
The groundbreaking six-episode series is created by Robin Thede (host of BET's The Rundown with Robin Thede and head-writer for The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore), who executive produces, writes and stars, with Issa Rae (Emmy and Golden Globe nominee for HBO's Insecure) producing and guest starring.
Every episode features four to six sketches framed within an ongoing end-of-the-world storyline that showcases the comedic talents of Thede and her core cast: Emmy winner Ashley Nicole Black (Full Frontal with Samantha Bee), Gabrielle Dennis (Insecure, S.W.A.T.) and Quinta Brunson (Quinta vs. Everything).
The impressive line-up of guest stars includes Oscar nominee Angela Bassett, Golden Globe nominees Maria Gibbs and Jackée Harry, Emmy winners Lena Waithe and Loretta Devine, Emmy nominees Laverne Cox and Amber Riley, singer Amara La Negra, and Grammy hall-of-famer Patti LaBelle.
Variety called the show "funny, irreverent, subversive and self-aware," saying the series is "rife with brilliant bits meant to be shared via social media."
The show made #18 on Rotten Tomatoes' list of the best TV shows of 2019, with a 100% critics rating. It featured in Best of 2019 lists from AV Club to Los Angeles Times, Salon to Vulture.
As Pop Buzz said, "A Black Lady Sketch Show is sharp, entertaining, and seriously overdue."
USA Today said, "The lightning-fast sketches manage to be universal and specific, enjoyable by more than just its obvious target demographic, but also serving an audience long ignored by Hollywood."
That audience made its feelings known loud and clear when HBO posted some taster sketches from the show on Youtube. "I never in my life thought I would see a show with black girl producers, directors, writers, actresses, etc. I've been so used to seeing 1 black girl as a side character, and that's it. I was born in the right time, the humor is on point!" said YouTube commenter 'Feliciatanktop'.
WATCH THE SEASON 1 TRAILER HERE:
One of our favourite sketches from the show is called Invisible Spy. In the world of international espionage, Trinity's phantom stealth and ninja-level skipping skills make her a great agent ... but you'd never know it. You'd never even see her coming. Because Trinity has the ultimate spy must-have: a "regular-looking face."
"Ashley Nicole Black is America's favorite spy," says Essence. As Thede says in an interview with Black, "She's badass. She kicks ass. And she uses this thing that other people do as a slight against her as her superpower."
On "being invisible," Black, who also wrote the character, says: "It really is how I feel. There'll be 15 people waiting for coffee and they'll serve all 14 people and then be like, 'Ooh, where did you come from?' People will literally walk into me on the street: 'Where'd you come from?' I'm like, "The sidewalk. ... Where we all are.'"
The love Black is getting (1.2m YouTube views - while being invisible, thank you very much) already seems impressive, but it's pretty outrageous when you consider who she's stealing the limelight from in this sketch: Brunson, Imagen Award winner Gina Torres (Suits), and Grammy winner Kelly Rowland, not to mention Trinity's would-be nemesis and unexpected doppelganger, Nicole Byer! Best known as a presenter and star of the Emmy-nominated baking reality show Nailed It!, Byer gets to show off more of her acting and comedy chops here ... along with the stealthiest exit ever.
WATCH INVISIBLE SPY HERE:
