The Hulu Original adaptation of Zakiya Dalila Harris’s best selling novel The Other Black Girl, defies genre. Each of the 10 half-hour episodes cross between a comedy, a workplace drama, and a psychological thriller a sci-fi component. That may sound like a lot, but the series manages to stick the landing most of the time.
(Hulu)
As the only Black assistant editor at Wagner Books, Nella (Sinclair Daniel) often feels a little out of place. So when Hazel (Ashleigh Murray) suddenly joins the team, Nella is understandably excited. But what could’ve been a beautiful work friendship quickly begins to unravel Nella’s world. Is Hazel out to get her? Is she trying to take over every aspect of Nella’s life?
The Other Black Girl places you in Nella’s anxious shoes as she begins to question everything. That’s the main driving force that keeps you wanting to watch the next episode. Is she overthinking this, or does Hazel really have a nefarious motive? That emotional back and forth lasts for most of the limited series, although once the question is answered, the resolution falls a little flat.
I found myself drawn most to the workplace dynamics of the series. Bellamy Young (Scandal) plays Nella’s boss Vera Parini, who is so adept at balancing sweet and sour that you can’t help but love her. Eric McCormack (Will & Grace) commands quite a presence as Richard Wagner, owner of the company, also straddling gruff and warm emotions with ease. And Garcelle Beauvais (Siren) is regal as Nella’s literary hero, Diana Gordon. But naturally, a series like this hinges solely on the shoulders of its two leading ladies, and both Sinclair Daniel and Ashleigh Murray rise to the challenge. It’s easy to warm up to Sinclair Daniel as Nella, and Ashleigh Murray is so charming that it’s easy to question Hazel’s motives alongsice Nella.
(Hulu)
As a half-hour multi-genre limited series, The Other Black Girl at times suffers from feeling like an amalgamation of too many familiar components. There are splashes of Single White Female, The Devil Wears Prada, and The Stepford Wives that can be pulled apart from its main components. I was nonetheless hooked until the mystery began to be resolved in the 8th episode. From there, it all fell apart on its way to a somewhat unsatisfying resolution. Having not read then novel, I can’t speak to how closely it may follow the narrative, but it leaves you wondering if a more cinematic ending would’ve fixed things.
Overall, I found The Other Black Girl to be the most satisfying scripted series from Onyx Collective to date. The series pulls in a few recognizable faces while also giving newcomers a chance to shine. It’s easy to get hooked, and it’s sure to spark conversations about the best ways for women in business to help each other rather than tear each other down.
I give The Other Black Girl 3.5 out of 5 TLC bops.
All 10 episodes of The Other Black Girl premiere Wednesday, September 13th, only on Hulu.
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