Godfather of Harlem Season 3 Review: Forest Whitaker Gives a Captivating Performance

By Jaslin Last updated Jan 17, 2023

As Godfather of Harlem returns for its third season, Forest Whitaker as gangster Bumpy Johnson and Giancarlo Esposito as Congressman Adam Clayton Powell Jr. continue to shine. Though they play historical individuals, the famed performers and the show have always been able to manipulate facts to create a story. From the anachronistic musical flare to the crackling intensity in some of the important scenes where we get to sit with all these fascinating personalities, it all takes on a greater life that remains enthralling.

Godfather Of Harlem Season 3 Review: Forest Whitaker Gives A Captivating Performance

The series remains grounded in key events and follows the same chronological trajectory. Godfather of Harlem shines when its actors can chew on every word of dialogue while discussing power dynamics behind closed doors.

There are still a lot of spectacles, from a man being crushed to death in a car to more shootouts with people being blown away, but the quieter moments cut through the characters’ world. Bumpy is in difficulty again in the first three episodes of this third season, but he is fighting to keep Harlem.

He has a growing target from criminals and the government. Bumpy won’t give up all he’s established since leaving prison without a fight, even if it means taking more risks and making new allies.

Godfather Of Harlem Season 3 Trailer Forest Whitaker Leads

It’s fun to see him figure out how to get out of each situation, but it’s heartbreaking knowing where it’s going. He can’t sustain this lifestyle. Despite his many flaws, we hope he can find a way to stay on the straight and narrow.

Whitaker brilliantly brings Bumpy’s paradoxes to life as he strives to go forward. Every scene with him letting loose proves he is one of the best-performing performers today. Bumpy often explodes to express his wrath and anguish at his world falling.

From his furious eyes to his edgy voice, Whitaker’s acting conveys this. However, he’s amazing at subtlety too. He easily communicates sly humor and affection to pals. When he welcomes loved ones, we see a nicer man beneath the vicious one most fear. Bumpy masks himself and others with it.

In one moment, he is ordered to kill someone by a new ally, which breaks his delicate façade. We know he can accomplish these evil actions, but he struggles in many ways. Despite his age, he must act young to appear strong.

Whitaker’s performance heightens the tension in the final sequence as Bumpy goes to commit violence alone and realizes he was misled. He is methodical but exhausted, evading detection like a pro who knows no other way. Whitaker, like Bumpy, could carry this alone. How long can he continue?

The story and performance can suffer in his absence. This season, Jason Alan Carvell replaced Nigél Thatch as Malcolm X. Obviously, many TV shows have replaced actors. It takes some getting used to. While Carvell isn’t bad as the characters, we were used to Thatch’s performance and how he found poetry in the misery.

That becomes lost when the character is sent aside from the main tale for a journey that, while true to life, feels too abrupt and lacks depth in its message about the character’s growing perspective. Carvell could fill the large shoes, but the series as we’ve seen it isn’t helping him, especially when we watch the real man’s footage.

Thankfully, the questions of legacy that resonate through these moments still come back to the rest of these first few episodes enough to keep one from judging some of the narrative diversions. The series contains just enough dark humor to provide dimension to the minor moments and smooth over most of the story’s difficult sections. Godfather of Harlem shines when it matters, with Whitaker again leading the way.