NEW URBAN MEDIA- YOUR GUIDE TO THE HOTTEST BLACK SHOWS TO STREAM FROM THE U.S. THIS FALL

Remember the old days of waiting to take a trip home to America to pick up the dvd (or even videotape) version of your favorite English language shows? Or sending money back home with a visiting friend so they could pick a copy up for you & stuff it in their luggage on their return to the DE? Well, the advent of digital television and streaming services has literally changed the way we consume our entertainment today, and luckily for expats like us, we can now utilize these services to watch virtually any show from around the world.  Here's our guide to the best black shows for fall, that you can watch via Apple iTunes, Google Play, Maxdome and Amazon.de. Some first seasons are even free of cost if you belong to Amazon Prime. Below, you can find a synopsis of what's out for the season:

A sample roster of fall's most popular shows with black central characters, now available internationally via stream

BLACK-ISH 

Andre "Dre" Johnson and his wife Rainbow have all the trappings of a happy successful life in California with dream careers, and 4 lovely children. Like any parents, Dre (Anthony Anderson) and Rainbow (Tracee Ellis Ross) Johnson want to give their children the best. But their offspring's childhood is turning out to be much different than theirs. They now realize at least two things: there is a price to pay for giving their children more than what they ever had, and these loving parents are totally unprepared for the fallout. The Emmy Award winning comedy stars Anthony Anderson as Dre, Tracee Ellis Ross as Rainbow, Yara Shahidi as Zoey, Marcus Scribner as Andre Jr., Miles Brown as Jack, Marsai Martin as Diane, Jenifer Lewis as Ruby, and Laurence Fishburne as Pops. Black-ish is available on Amazon Prime.

THIS IS US
Everyone has a family. And every family has a story. This Is Us chronicles the Pearson family across the decades: from Jack and Rebecca as young parents in the 1980s to their 37-year-old kids Kevin (Justin Hartley), Kate (Chrissy Metz), and Randall (Sterling K. Brown) searching for love and fulfillment in the present day. This grounded, life-affirming dramedy reveals how the tiniest events of our lives impact who we become, and how the connections we share with each other can transcend time, distance, and even death. This is us has been heralded as a smart, modern show inviting you into a family that you will feel has been part of your life for years.  This Is Us is available via Apple iTunes, Google Play, Maxdome, and Amazon.de

QUEEN SUGAR
From Oscar nominated director Ava Duvernay  and producer Oprah Winfrey comes "Queen Sugar" a visually lush saga following the lives of the estranged Bordelon siblings in Louisiana. At the center of the family are Nova (Rutina Wesley), a journalist and activist; Charley (Dawn Lyen-Carter), the wife and manager of a superstar NBA player; and formerly incarcerated brother Ralph Angel (Kofi Siriboe), who is searching for redemption. Following a tragedy in the family, the siblings must put their complicated lives aside so that they can come together to run the clan's struggling sugar cane farm. Also involved in the farm are Aunt Violet (Tina Lifford) and family friend Remy Newell (Dondre T. Whitfield). Outside of satellite tv,  updates to follow on streaming availability for Queen Sugar.

EMPIRE
Although the show's glossy style borrows heavily from 80s nighttime soaps like Dynasty (Denver Clan), director/producer Lee Daniels (Precious/Monster's Ball) brings us an opulent, contemporary melodrama heavily inspired by William Shakespeare's "King Lear" and the 1963 theatre play "Lion in Winter".  Set in modern day Manhattan and Philidelphia, Empire follows the perilous family saga of the Lyons- recording industry royalty headed by reformed street King come recording icon & mega mogul Lucious Lyon (Terrence Howard). Aided and abetted by his colorful ex-wife Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) and three sons as heirs to the family's music empire, the Lyon family is constantly embattled to keep the forces from outside (and within) their gilded walls on a quest to dethrone them from the height of industry power and influence as the heads of Empire Entertainment. empire can be seen via Amazon, Maxdome, Apple iTunes, or Google Play.

STAR

Chronicling the literal blood sweat and tears of an aspiring girl group with nothing to carry them but talent and a dream, Star is the grittier, Atlanta based, polar opposite companion show to their glossier New York-based cousin Empire. Rather than seeing the music industry with a birds eye view from the top of Empire's world, Star digs deep into the annals of a far less glamorous,  existence where music is the saving grace against life's most brutal realities for two poor orphaned sisters and a lonely, isolated New York socialite. Rebellious and streetwise Star, fragile baby sister Simone, and pop daughter princess Alex struggle to get a foot in the door of the music world by any means necessary, all while having their choirmaster God Mother Ms. Carlotta (Queen Latifah) & corrupt manager Jahil Rivera (Benjamin Bratt) protect them with a matched fervency that ducks & dodges danger around every shadowy corner.   Naomi Campbell and rock star Lenny Kravitz also appear in recurring guest-star roles as Alex's parents. Star can be seen in German each Thursday night on Prosieben Fun.

SCANDAL

Everyone has secrets… and Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) has dedicated her life to protecting and defending the public images of the nation's elite by keeping those secrets under wraps. Pope's team are at the top of their game when it comes to getting the job done for their clients, but it becomes apparent that these "gladiators in suits," who specialize in fixing the lives of other people, have trouble fixing those closest at hand -- their own. The series is created by Shonda Rhimes (Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice). Shonda Rhimes. Scandal is a riveting political thriller starring Kerry Washington. Kerry Washington's character, Olivia Pope, is partially based on former George H.W. Bush administration press aide Judy Smith, who serves as a co-executive producer. This season marks the highly anticipate series finale, in which Olivia moves out of the private sector as the head of Pope & Associates into the White House in what is secretly held as THE most powerful political office in America: Chief of Staff to the President of the United States, the ultimate Gatekeeper, Puppet Master, and Power behind the "Leader of the Free World". Scandal can be seen  via Amazon. Prime, Apple iTunes, or Maxdome Store

HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER
Murder, deception, fear and guilt are the ties that bind Middelton University Professor Annalise Keating (Viola Davis) to her long-time associates Frank Delfino, Bonnie Winterbottom and her students. But as the group struggles to move on with their lives and focus on their clients, their past continues to haunt them, as Annalise and her inner circle struggle to keep their secrets from getting exposed. Relationships will be fractured, lies will spin out of control, and shocking, new mysteries upend their entire lives."How to Get Away with Murder" stars Academy Award-nominee Viola Davis as Professor Annalise Keating, Billy Brown as Nate, Jack Falahee as Connor Walsh, Aja Naomi King as Michaela Pratt, Matt McGorry as Asher Millstone, Karla Souza as Laurel Castillo, Charlie Weber as Frank Delfino, Liza Weil as Bonnie Winterbottom and Conrad Ricamora as Oliver Hampton. How to Get Away With Murder can be seen in the original English via Amazon Prime or iTunes, and in German on RTL CRIME.

MARY MARY

"Mary Mary" follows the daily lives of sisters and musicians, Erica and Tina Campbell, as they balance their households and careers. Mary Mary will not see a Season 7. WE tv network announced this past August that the popular docuseries will return September 28 for its sixth and final season. The series finale season will consist of six episodes, showcasing the sisters' once in a lifetime journey perform to perform in Israel, as they face the challenge of meeting the demands of their careers as gospel duo Mary Mary, and  their individual ministries and solo careers. 

MARRIED TO MEDICINE

"Married to Medicine"  follows a group of successful and doctors and wives of doctors, who are connected to the world of medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. The ups and downs work and family life, and maintaining productive, supportive friendships are the central focus of this popular reality show from the Bravo Network.  This cast of 7 lively, feisty women tackle issues ranging from the women's health issues & the care of aging parents , to how to maintain healthy communication in their respective marriages as busy career women and socialites. Married to Medicine can be seen via Amazon.


Revisit NUY 40+ MEDIA to stay up to date on new shows as they come rolling in and the weather gets colder. Until then, we wish you Happy Viewing! 

xo,
NUY 40+