Stream on Netflix
Based on 1 season, 8 episodes · through September 18, 2025
A successful New York restaurateur is pulled into a dangerous criminal underworld. This happens when his troubled brother returns to town with massive gambling debts. The series features a highly diverse supporting cast with multiple people of color in prominent roles. It also includes background LGBTQ+ representation, such as a Black lesbian head chef and a gay kitchen employee.
Why 50%? See the score breakdownBreakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for Black Rabbit.
Woke representation / casting
The show features a highly diverse cast that emphasizes identity representation. Prominent roles are played by actors of color, including Cleopatra Coleman, Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù, and Amaka Okafor. It also includes deaf actor Troy Kotsur as a key mob boss. Multiple LGBTQ+ characters are present, such as Roxie, a Black lesbian head chef, and Tony, a gay kitchen employee. While a diverse cast fits a modern New York City setting, the casting choices and the inclusion of multiple queer characters highlight a clear and visible focus on representation.
60%
Woke political dialogue
There is very little explicit activist or political lecturing in the script. The characters are focused on their immediate personal problems, business issues, and the criminal underworld. The dialogue is gritty and grounded, and it avoids preaching about modern political or social topics.
Production
0%
Identity-driven story themes
The main plot centers on brotherly betrayal and the criminal underworld rather than modern identity politics. However, the show features background subplots involving queer characters. The head chef, Roxie, is a Black lesbian who confides in her ex-girlfriend and has a personal arc about wanting to change her path. These elements add a mild queer theme to the story, though they remain secondary to the main thriller plot.
35%
Western institutional / cultural critique
The show avoids direct critiques of Western systems like capitalism or traditional social institutions. It does depict a very toxic and destructive relationship between the two lead male characters, illustrating how family bonds and bad male behavior can ruin lives. However, this is presented as a personal family drama rather than an ideological critique of traditional gender roles or society.
15%
Woke character or canon changes
0 | Not relevant
0%
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
There has been no notable anti-woke backlash or major public controversy accusing the show of pushing political or activist agendas. Viewers and critics have focused their discussions entirely on the show's dark tone, pacing, comparisons to other crime dramas, and the performances of the lead actors.
0%
Creator track record context
Several key members of the creative and production team have a history of progressive and representation-focused work. Casting director Kathryn Zamora-Benson and producer Erica Kay both worked on the LGBTQ+ drama Pose. Writer Andrew Hinderaker frequently champions queer and diverse representation in his work. These background track records show a familiar alignment with progressive storytelling, though it is kept relatively subdued in this project.
45%
