25 September 2025

Seen & Heard: The History of Black Television

From nine-time Emmy nominee Issa Rae (Insecure), Seen & Heard is a two-part documentary exploring the history of Black television in America as seen through the eyes of trailblazers who wrote, produced, created and starred in groundbreaking series of the past and present.

Featuring interviews with actors, showrunners, writers, celebrities and other notable influencers from Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry to Shonda Rhimes and Ava DuVernay to Tracee Ellis Ross and Lena Waithe, the HBO docu-series takes us on a journey through television history, exploring Black representation from early on-screen appearances to modern creators revolutionising the industry in a new era of authentic storytelling.

“Seen & Heard Is The History Lesson Hollywood Needs,” Essence headlined, saying, “both a celebration of resilience and a call to action,” Seen & Heard “...makes clear that the story of Black television is still being written.”

Stream Part One and Part Two on Showmax.

Watch it now

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