what is this sensual series that is a hit on Netflix worth?

After Love deceivedNetflix surprises again with content reserved for adults. Known for My faultAmerican director and screenwriter Tyler Perry returns to Netflix with a drama series, prohibited for those under 16, entitled Beauty in Black. Already among the most watched shows of the moment, the first 8 episodes of this new fiction – which combines thriller, scandal, passion and business intrigues – have been available since October 24 on the platform.

Crossed destinies

The series takes viewers into a dark and complex universe, following the intersecting destinies of two women with radically different lives. Kimmie, played by Taylor Polidore, is a young stripper marked by a difficult family past, forced to fend for herself after a period in prison and deportation.

Her life is turned upside down when she finds herself embroiled in the dark affairs of a powerful family and a human trafficking network. On the other hand, Mallory, played by Crystle Stewart, is a woman who has risen through the ranks to become the head of her wealthy and dysfunctional in-laws’ cosmetics company, hiding many secrets herself. Despite their opposing paths, Kimmie and Mallory see their lives collide following a series of accidents and deceptions.

Part 2 coming soon

With Beauty in BlackTyler Perry once again immerses us in the world of the black American community, in the heart of Atlanta. Interweaving the quest for personal justice and the struggle for power, Perry maintains a constant tension that keeps viewers in suspense, enriched by twists and turns.

The sequel, already confirmed, promises eight new episodes and a major development for Kimmie. The first part focused on her evolution, from victim to fighter, and the second will begin her rise to power, with unexpected upheavals.

A rather harsh criticism

Despite their success with the platform’s subscribers, Tyler Perry’s works are rarely spared from criticism, and Beauty in Black is no exception. The screenwriter and director is often singled out for clichéd representations, and this new series has been taken seriously, especially by the Anglo-Saxon press.

The Guardian accuses him of favoring the commercial aspect over narrative quality, emphasizing that his new production seems “ready to do anything to make money”. The show, which relies on crude scenes and violence, moves away from Perry’s family productions, at the risk of destabilizing its usual audience.

Ready Steady Cutan independent site known for its cinematic ratings, also points out the lack of depth of characters and themes, describing the series as “deeply off-putting” in its approach to sex work, power and abuse. Instead of offering a story of emancipation, Beauty in Black seems to accumulate the worst clichés about the condition of women.

Finally, Decidera site specializing in pop culture, deplores the lack of subtlety and character “dark, but predictable” of the scenario. The site suggests that another point of view, less confined to Perry’s universe, could have provided the nuance necessary to deal more fairly with such complex themes.