New voices and stories: Three black-themed comedies arrive with edgy but honest perspectives

AN AFRICAN AMERICAN woman from a community outreach nonprofit group is addressing a grade-school class when one student interrupts: "Why you talk like a white girl?"

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A plus-size African American woman is seducing her white on-and-off boyfriend, promising a night of carnal delight: "Come get this chocolate pie!"

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A young African American man is confronted outside his parents' house by his disapproving father, who accuses the son of always asking for money. He tells his son he can't come into the house because, "I can't afford it."

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These scenes come from three new African American-theme TV comedies debuting in the fall in a medium still largely dominated by shows about white people. Each is the product of distinctive African American talents who created and star in them. Each is notable for its edgy, honest depiction of black life - a rarity on American television.

The depictions of situations, nuances, cultural references, language, and interactions within and outside the African American universe that confront the key characters in the series will be recognizable to many black viewers, particularly as they are largely unfiltered through a mainstream prism. But the writers and producers of the shows also believe general audiences will find universal truths and situations they can identify with.

The scene of the woman addressing the students is an introduction to HBO's Insecure, cocreated by and starring Issa Rae, who developed a huge following with her popular YouTube series The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl. In the show, which premieres Oct. 9, Rae plays a twenty-something navigating humorously uncomfortable situations in her personal and professional life.

Loosely Exactly Nicole, which premiered last week on MTV, stars comedian Nicole Byer (MTV's Girl Code) as a slightly fictionalized version of herself - a rotund, charismatic aspiring actress reaching for her slice of the Hollywood dream.

Also premiering last week was FX's Atlanta, created by Donald Glover (Community). Glover, who also serves as writer, director, and executive musical director of the show, stars as a broke and nearly homeless young man trying to turn his life around - and hopefully reverse the disappointment of his parents - as the manager of his rapper cousin.

The three shows are launching at a time when the volatile topic of race - particularly when it comes to the presidential race, the shootings of unarmed African American males by police, and movements such as #BlackLivesMatter - is center stage on the national scene.

None of the shows are overtly political or topical. They share similarities. The main characters are single and unsettled personally and professionally. Atlanta and Insecure have a hip-hop sensibility, and the N-word is peppered throughout both shows.

But the comedies have their separate identities, projecting a vivid - and often provocative - view of African American life rarely projected on mainstream television. Though popular shows such as black-ish and Empire have won favor with white viewers as well as people of color, these new shows are told from a younger perspective.

Rae applauded the trend. "I'm so excited to be part of this," she said by phone. "On a creative level, I know they will be all different because we're all different."

More significant, Insecure, Loosely Exactly Nicole, and Atlanta offer a sharp counterpoint to past and present shows such as Girls, Sex in the City, Friends, The Big Bang Theory, and New Girl that revolve around mostly young white characters.

Insecure, which Rae created with former talk-show host and writer Larry Wilmore (black-ish), explores the sometimes dicey relationship/friendship between two black women wrestling with conflicts inside and outside black culture.

The show is a breakthrough for HBO, which has been criticized for showcasing shows about white women while ignoring stories about women of color.

Set in Inglewood, Insecure features Rae's character, Issa Dee, dealing with the awkwardness of being a single black woman: Her long-standing relationship with her live-in boyfriend, Lawrence (Jay Ellis), appears to be going nowhere fast. Her job at a nonprofit agency is also problematic - the organization, geared to assist people "in the hood," is staffed predominantly by white people. She often props herself in front of a mirror, giving herself pep talks.

Rae believes Insecure presents universal truths that will be identifiable for all races.

"There are things about being female and being black in the show, but that's not at the forefront," said Rae. "We're dealing with regular people who just happen to be black. There's nothing high-stakes, and that's just fine. Hopefully, everyone who watches will be able to point and say, 'Hey, I know that person. I know what they're going through.' "

Byer's humor in Loosely Exactly Nicole is more over the top, with Byer exhibiting an energetic - and highly sexual - persona. Her character lives in a crummy Van Nuys apartment. Her two closest friends are white - her gay roommate, Devin (Jacob Wysocki), and bbf Veronica (Jen D'Angelo). She'll do anything to get an acting job - she paints the face of the son of her Asian friend so she can pose as his mother during an audition.

Byer, an executive producer and writer of her show, said in an interview, "I've lived an interesting life. During my 20s, I truly said 'yes' to everything, whether it was a good idea or not. Each episode contains a nugget of a true thing that happened to me, and there is an element that we sort of build on. I just want people to watch and laugh and not worry about all the terrible things going on in the world."

Atlanta reflects Glover's singular, quirky vision and contains elements of dark humor and even violence.

He portrays Earn Marks, who is so broke and irresponsible that Van (Zazie Beetz), his girlfriend and the mother of his young daughter, is close to kicking him out of their home. But he thinks he can pull his life together if he can persuade his up-and-coming rapper cousin Alfred (Brian Tyree Henry) to hire him as his manager.

Glover is better known to mainstream audiences than Rae or Byer, and viewers used to his nerd role on Community may be mystified by Atlanta. A shooting and its aftermath in the first and second episodes are played mostly for laughs. Most of the young African American men demonstrate little ambition or responsibility, spending their days smoking weed and playing video games. Earn does not appear to be a devoted parent or partner. Alfred carries a gun and is quick to pull it out.

Glover said during the summer session of the Television Critics Association media tour that some viewers familiar with his work may be thrown off by the series.

"Some of them will be like 'I hate this thing. I don't get him.' That happens a lot. I think people are always, like, 'I don't get this guy,' like, 'I don't understand him.' And that's, I think, good. Like, I think that's really good, actually."

Rae hopes all three shows pave the way for more edgy fare from people of color: "There are so many stories to tell."