‘The Other Black Girl’ Hulu Series Review - A Lukewarm Adaptation

The Other Black Girl is an adaptation of the book of the same name, written by Zakiya Dalila Harris. The series is about Nella and how she was initially the only black girl working at Wagner Books. When another black girl joined the book publishing company, she was happy. This was until she found that Hazel (the new black girl) wasn’t as innocent as she appeared.

On the first day of Hazel’s work at Wagner, she showed her true colors by showing Nella in the wrong spot. This was the first red flag shown and had Nella not ignored it later on, she would have saved herself from getting into huge trouble.

Till the third episode, the audience will not be sure about Hazel’s intentions. It is only when she threatens Malaika in the saloon that we come to know her true face. Nella was warned by many about the hidden motives Hazel carries by Malaika (her best friend), Hazel’s stalker, and a woman who was constantly keeping a check on Nella from the shadows. Intending to change the world through her hard work, Nella found herself in deep trouble, but by the time she realized it was already too late. The damages were done and it was time for her to play detective with her best friend and boyfriend.

I was most impressed by Malaika’s character, played by Brittany Adebumola. Her character’s ability to sniff off lies in the first meeting itself was amazing. She was Nella’s mirror in the fake world created by Hazel and her allies. In a world filled with Hazels’, you need to have friends like Malaika by your side so that before engaging with you, your enemy thinks twice.

Nella, played by Sinclair Daniel was in the spotlight, being the main character. I am impressed by Sinclair Daniel’s work and how she portrayed everything Nella went through so perfectly.

Also, Ashleigh Murray in the role of Hazel wins the hearts of the audience. She fits in the shoes of Hazel perfectly and one can’t help but be in complete awe of her performance. People would remember Riverdale where she played the role of Josie. Murray is a bright actress and nothing less was expected from her.

The scene in which Nella and Malaika were invited to Hazel’s girls' get-together was intense. I was so nervous while watching this scene because it was our two innocent women against 5 to 6 devious ones. It was difficult to imagine how Malaika would strangle each one of them. It wasn’t practically possible, but she was the only one who could successfully escape the house together with Nella.

Initially, I was impressed by The Other Black Girl. Things started to go in the wrong direction for me when I started watching the seventh episode. This was when the realization hit me that events shown at the beginning wouldn’t be provided justice by the ending. The makers played with the audience as the mystery they promised wasn’t met. The script didn’t need to include special effects such as the flickering of lights, seeing shadows, and hearing voices.

When such effects are added to a series or a book, the audience naturally begins to think that there is a supernatural element involved. The ending doesn’t justify what was happening throughout the series. It didn’t make any sense to me. The writer maybe was in a haste to conclude the series (and the book). I didn’t find anything wrong with what was going on behind the curtains and Hazel’s involvement in that. Their motive was right and they were working in the right direction until it was about compromising one’s soul.

It was evident from the beginning that Hazel was a shady character and that Kendra was still alive. The only question that remained was who threatened Nella to leave Wagner Books and the reason behind it.

The series which follows this pattern disappointed the audience a lot as after investing almost 5 hours, we expect that end to justify the hunger for answers. Viewers should avoid watching The Other Black Girl with expectations. Just going with the flow would be the appropriate approach for this series.

Final Score – [6.5/10]
Reviewed by - Riya Singh
Follow @_riyasinghhh_ on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times
Note: All ten episodes are screened for this review.
Premiere Date: September 13, 2023, on Hulu and Disney+