Tracy Oliver, the mastermind behind Prime Video’s hit series Harlem, continues to prove her ability to craft relatable, authentic, and inspiring stories about Black women—and Black people as a whole.
Oliver is no stranger to telling our stories. Before creating Harlem, she created First Wives Club for BET, starring Jill Scott and Michelle Buteau, and was also a writer for Girls Trip and The Blackening.
In a recent conversation with The Quintessential Gentleman, Oliver opened up about her creative process, the intentionality behind her storytelling, and the cultural impact of her work.
In a time when social media often pits Black men and women against each other in debates about relationships, Oliver wanted Harlem to be different. She consciously avoided the divisive tropes often seen in media.
“I don’t want to do male bashing. I don’t want to do, ‘Why we can’t work out,’ she said. “I was like, what if we just showcase the normal challenges that any man and woman would go through in a relationship, regardless of race, and kind of just go from that angle so that when Black men are watching the show they can relate.”
Oliver’s approach resulted in male characters who are flawed yet genuine, presenting them as strong romantic partners with relatable struggles.
For example, Ian, portrayed by Tyler Lepley, is not a ‘bad’ guy. He’s a man who makes choices with pure intent, and while those choices sometimes hurt the people close to him, that’s just a part of life. He’s not intentionally trying to hurt anyone, nor does he have qualities that most women would find objectionable.
“I didn’t want to use this as a platform to tear Black men down or be overly critical or point out flaws or anything,” Oliver shared.
The male characters in Harlem reflect a balance that resonates with viewers, offering a realistic portrayal of Black love and relationships.
Harlem is deeply personal for Oliver. She drew heavily from her experiences, relationships, and observations of life in Harlem. “I mostly date Black men and a lot of my friends do, too,” she said.
Despite the numerous online discussions suggesting that Black men and women don’t like or date each other, Oliver wanted to depict what her reality truly was.
“If you saw the chatter, you would think that we are just not dating each other and that we can’t work it out. And so I was like, ‘No, I actually want to show Black love, Black friendships.’ Just different facets of Blackness,” she said.
This personal connection helped Oliver create characters and storylines that feel both authentic and aspirational. She wanted to represent the multifaceted experiences of Black people, from friendships to romantic relationships, and from personal growth to professional ambition.
Oliver also infused Harlem with a sense of wish fulfillment, taking cues from iconic shows like Sex and the City. While the characters face real-life challenges, Oliver ensured the show’s visual elements—fashion, production design, and cinematography—were elevated and aspirational.
“Even though some of them are struggling financially, I still wanted them to look good. I still wanted the apartments to be nice. I wanted the fashion to be on point. I wanted the hair to be on point. I wanted even the cinematography of the show just to be artful and beautiful,” she explained. “Part of why I like watching movies and television is that I get to escape. I want my entertainment to be escapist and fun and more aspirational than maybe real life is sometimes.”
When asked where she’d set a future series about another group of women, Oliver expressed a desire to spotlight lesser-seen Southern cities. “I’m originally from the South. And I don’t think outside of Atlanta, we do enough Southern content,” she said. “I would say Charlotte or, like, a Memphis, maybe Houston even.”
Check out the full interview below.
The first two episodes of Harlem Season 3 are now streaming on Prime Video.
