Tracy Oliver on ‘Harlem’: ‘Writing the show I wanted to see’

The creator of the bold and bright comedy, says the critical and commercial success of ‘Girls Trip’ proved there is a market for stories about friendship between women of colour

Harlem is a fun show looking at four 30-somethings in the historical Black neighbourhood negotiate love and careers (not so much labels). “A few years ago, I was looking at what was on television, and thinking to myself that I did not see myself and my group of friends there,” says creator Tracy Oliver over video call from New York, USA.

“I thought to myself, I can either complain about it, or sit down at my laptop and write the show I want to see.” Oliver did just that and sent the script to her team who loved it but could not quite figure out who in the marketplace would buy it.

The idea just sat on Oliver’s laptop till Girls Trip came out. The 2017 comedy starring Regina Hall, Queen Latifah, Tiffany Haddish, and Jada Pinkett Smith was a critical and commercial success. “Suddenly, there was proof that stories about friendship between women of colour could be marketable.” Oliver said the movie proved these stories were accessible to a wide group of people and not just a niche audience. “That is when I revisited the script and it became a project.”