# Greenleaf (2016)

> A Memphis megachurch dynasty's faith and loyalty are tested by greed, adultery and sibling rivalry.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/58854

## Facts

- Seasons: 5
- Episodes: 60
- Episode runtime: 42 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: drama
- Created by: Craig Wright
- Network: OWN
- Cast: Lynn Whitfield, Keith David, Lamman Rucker, Merle Dandridge, Kim Hawthorne, Desiree Ross, Gregory Alan Williams, Rick Fox
- TMDB rating: 7.5/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4971144/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: strong
- Complexity: layered
- Violence: mild
- Tone: melodramatic, sincere, scandalous, tense

## What critics say

Audiences rated the Memphis megachurch family drama positively overall, with strong praise for its dramatic performances and soap-like twists while the later season drew sharp disapproval.

## Synopsis

Greenleaf (2016-2020) is a American network drama series created by Craig Wright for OWN, a family saga set inside a sprawling Memphis megachurch. Bishop James Greenleaf (Keith David) and Lady Mae Greenleaf (Lynn Whitfield) lead a congregation and a family whose children compete for control of the ministry. Jacob Greenleaf (Lamman Rucker), Grace Greenleaf (Merle Dandridge), Kerissa Greenleaf (Kim Hawthorne), and Charity Greenleaf-Satterlee (Deborah Joy Winans) each want something the church either provides or withholds, and their ambitions collide with the faith that binds them. Each season is built from a steady run of secrets, affairs, financial dealings and sibling feuds that surface in public and private rooms alike, so the show plays as one continuing serialized drama across five seasons and sixty episodes. The atmosphere is emotionally heavy, with sermons and choir performances setting a sincere, devotional register that frequently cuts against scandal and betrayal. Its Southern Black church setting gives the family drama a specific cultural weight. Viewers who enjoy Dynasty and Succession for scheming family power, or The Haves and the Have Nots for Black family melodrama, will find the same appetite for consequence here. The show is a soapy, melodramatic prestige-leaning series on a cable network with a clear arc from its first season through its final run.

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