Sumith Prasad
Created by Katori Hall, Starz’s drama series ‘P-Valley’ centers around The Pynk, a strip club located in the Mississippi city of Chucalissa. The show primarily focuses on Hailey Colton AKA Autumn Night and Uncle Clifford, the owners of the strip club, along with the lives of the employees working at the place. Through these characters, Hall explores the lives of strippers and dancers who perform at nightclubs, challenging the taboo and prejudices around them.
The series also explores several subjects like LGBTQIA+ relationships, religion, ambition, etc. Captivated by the richness of its narrative, we have found more shows that resemble Hall’s creation. You can watch most of these shows similar to ‘P-Valley’ on Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime.
7. Harlem (2021–)
Created by Tracy Oliver, Amazon Prime Video’s comedy series ‘Harlem’ centers around Camille, Tye, Quinn, and Angie, four women in their thirties who navigate their love and professional lives while living in the Manhattan neighborhood of Harlem. The four friends get into intricate romantic relationships and face challenges that threaten their ambitions but with each other to support them. The relationships present in the show will remind us of the multiple relationships that drive the narrative of ‘P-Valley’ forward, including the ones of Hailey and Andre Watkins, Duffy and Roulette, Diamond and Keyshawn, etc. The ambitions the four protagonists display can be paralleled with the ambitions of Mercedes Woodbine and Roulette.
6. The Chi (2018–)
Created by Lena Waithe, Showtime’s crime series ‘The Chi’ centers around a murder that rewrites the fates of people who lives in a community in the Southside of Chicago. The people support each other to deal with the dangers that threaten the dynamics of their community. Like ‘P-Valley’ explores life in Chucalissa, ‘The Chi’ explores the Black life in South Chicago, depicting the alliances and relationships that form between the community members. The murder in the Showtime series will also remind us of Montavius’ murder in Hall’s show since it connects Hailey, Mercedes, Uncle Clifford, and Diamond despite the tensions between them.
5. Harlots (2017–2019)
If you are wondering how a series set in 1760s London is similar to ‘P-Valley,’ let us explain. Hulu’s period series ‘Harlots’ centers around Margaret Wells, who opens an up-and-coming brothel, challenging Lydia Quigley, who runs another elite brothel for the rich and influential. Created by Alison Newman and Moira Buffini, the show progresses through the consequences of the two rival madams’ actions.
Like ‘P-Valley,’ ‘Harlots’ explores the struggles of several women who try their best to find a footing in life. The religious morality that threatens Wells’ life can be paralleled to the same that challenges Mercedes’ life as well. Wells in the Hulu show and Clifford in the Starz show try their best to keep their establishments afloat for their “family.”
4. Claws (2017–2022)
Created by Eliot Laurence, TNT’s comedy-drama series ‘Claws’ centers around five manicurists who work at the Nail Artisans salon of Manatee County, Florida, and get involved in organized crime to build their own empire. The series progresses through the struggles of the women whose ambitions make them aspire to have better living conditions. Like ‘P-Valley,’ ‘Claws’ also feature women protagonists, whose lives are entwined in several personal dilemmas and relationships. Like Hall’s show is primarily set in The Pynk, Laurence’s series revolves around the Nail Artisans. Both shows also include a well-conceived crime storyline.
3. Insecure (2016–2021)
HBO’s comedy-drama series ‘Insecure’ follows Issa Dee and Molly Carter, two best friends who have each other’s back as they navigate relationships and careers, within the Black community of South Los Angeles, California. Like ‘P-Valley,’ ‘Insecure’ also explores the racial tensions present in society. Furthermore, Issa Rae and Larry Wilmore’s show revolves around the friendship of the two protagonists, reminding us of the intricate friendships of Hailey and Mercedes, Keyshawn Harris AKA Miss Mississippi and Gidget, and Roulette and Whisper.
2. Atlanta (2016–2023)
If you are captivated by Lil Murda’s journey as an emerging rapper from the Southern United States while watching ‘P-Valley,’ FX’s comedy-drama series ‘Atlanta’ should be your next watch. The series follows Earnest “Earn” Marks, who becomes the manager of his cousin Alfred “Paper Boi” Miles, an emerging rapper. Earn and Paper Boi, like Lil Murda and Woddy, try to establish themselves in the hip-hop scene while facing several challenges. Both series explore the rap scene of their respective settings, modern Black culture, and racism. Both shows have a fascinating soundtrack, prominently featuring hip-hop music, as well.
1. Pose (2018–2021)
FX’s drama series ‘Pose’ revolves around New York City‘s drag ball culture scene, exploring the lives of LGBTQIA+ individuals who are part of NYC’s African-American and Latino communities. Set in the 1980s and 90s, the series also depicts the lives of dancers, dance teachers, dominatrices, and strippers that are part of the scene, reminding us of the strippers and dancers of ‘P-Valley.’ Both shows stress the importance of LGBTQIA+ representation on screen. The intricate queer relationships in ‘Pose’ will remind us of Lil Murda and Uncle Clifford’s relationship as well.
Read More: Is P-Valley a True Story?
