It is a series of dramatic events that the father experiences in his life and between his family. This father seems to be taking an unfaithful and honest approach to parenting and relationships. The season deals with a series of dramatic diaries, as during the filming of a documentary for application at New York University, Drea presents her non-candidate family and deals with matters clearly.
#blackAF takes a little while to settle into its voice and tone, but by the excellent fifth episode, it has its own smart groove, one driven unexpectedly by the toxicity - autobiographical or not - of the main characters.
Though #blackAF is frequently very smart, and at times explosively funny, the comparisons it constantly invites to Barris' previous work can be terribly distracting.
On Netflix, Barris's acid tone drops to an even lower pH level. The jabs are so cutting and downright mean, you can feel less like a viewer than a family therapist.
Though he's no actor, Barris' Larry-David-like self-awareness lends authenticity to his performance. Even if it takes another season to perfect, #blackAF feels substantial enough to justify the investment.
Ultimately, it's uncertain what audiences are meant to understand about Barris, if anything at all, or the world he's created within the series. Because even as a source of pure entertainment, it falls flat.
