Picture Credit: Paramount Global Content
As we’ve been tracking over the past year, Netflix has been aggressively picking up titles from rival networks and outside studios, and today, we’ve got another massive win for comedy fans. As quietly confirmed by Netflix, all three seasons of the criminally underrated Showtime series Black Monday are officially coming to Netflix US on April 13th. Is it worth watching, and what’s it about? Here’s the lowdown.
If you missed Black Monday during its original cable run, you are in for a frantic, hilarious, and cocaine-fueled treat.
Created by David Caspe (Happy Endings) and Jordan Cahan, the series takes us back to October 19, 1987—aka Black Monday, the worst stock market crash in the history of Wall Street. To this day, no one knows exactly who caused it… until now. The series follows a ragtag group of underdog traders who end up crashing the world’s largest financial system, a Lamborghini limousine, and the glass ceiling of the Wall Street old-boys club.
Is Black Monday worth watching?
The show ran for three seasons in total, though it was not renewed for a fourth season in 2022 and was canceled alongside Showtime’s Work In Progress.
Despite never becoming a massive mainstream hit during its run, it picked up rave reviews from audiences and is an absolute hidden gem. While critics were slightly mixed on the show’s chaotic first season, it holds a very respectable 7.4/10 on IMDb and an excellent 89% Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Furthermore, comedy heavyweights Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg serve as executive producers and even directed the pilot, guaranteeing that signature fast-paced, R-rated comedic tone.
Who’s in the cast for Black Monday?
The show is anchored by an absolute powerhouse comedic ensemble. Don Cheadle (who earned multiple Emmy nominations for the role) stars as Maurice Monroe. You may recall that Cheadle’s other major Showtime series from the 2010s, House of Lies, was also recently licensed to Netflix in the United States.
He’s joined by:
- Andrew Rannells (The Book of Mormon, Girls) as Blair Pfaff
- Paul Scheer (The League, Veep) as Keith Shankar
- Regina Hall (The Scary Movie franchise, Girls Trip) as Dawn Towner
- Casey Wilson (Happy Endings, Saturday Night Live) as Tiffany Georgina
- Yassir Lester (Making History, Duncanville) as Yassir X
- Ken Marino (Party Down, Wet Hot American Summer) as Larry Lehman
The Sony/Netflix Pipeline Continues
While Black Monday originally aired on Showtime, the series is actually distributed and co-produced by Sony Pictures Television. Sony and Netflix already have an incredibly cozy relationship. From massive overall film output deals to licensing iconic Sony-distributed television series like Breaking Bad, Community, and Seinfeld, Netflix is often Sony’s first port of call when looking to lease out their catalog.
We’ll be tracking all the new additions coming to the streamer in our comprehensive guide to what’s coming to Netflix in April.
Will you be checking out Black Monday when it drops on Netflix? Let us know in the comments down below!
