You know those shows that you start watching as a joke but then suddenly realize it's 3 AM and you’ve binged six episodes? That’s basically the vibe of Carl Weber's The Family Business Season 1. It's messy. It's loud. It’s got more plot twists than a bag of pretzels. Honestly, if you walked into this expecting The Wire, you're gonna be confused. But if you want a high-octane mix of a black "Godfather" and a daytime soap opera, you’ve hit the jackpot.
Most people look at the poster and think it’s just another generic crime drama about guys in suits. Wrong. It’s actually a very specific, almost operatic look at the Duncan family, a group of "upstanding" citizens in Jamaica, Queens, who run an exotic car dealership. Or so they say.
The reality? They are a lethal crime syndicate.
The Duncan Family: Not Your Average Car Dealers
Let’s talk about L.C. Duncan. Ernie Hudson plays him with this incredible, smooth-talking gravitas that makes you forget he's essentially a warlord. In Carl Weber's The Family Business Season 1, L.C. decides he’s done. He wants to retire, move to Florida, and leave the keys to the kingdom to one of his kids. This is where the chaos starts.
The family is a wild bunch. You’ve got Orlando (Darrin Henson), the workaholic son who gets the CEO nod, much to everyone else’s annoyance. Then there’s Paris, played by Javicia Leslie. She’s probably the breakout character—a glamorous party girl who can shoot a hitman between the eyes without messing up her manicure. Seriously.
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The dynamic is just… intense. You have the older brother Junior (Sean Ringgold), who is the family's literal muscle, and London (Tami Roman), who seems like a quiet housewife but has secrets that could sink a battleship. When L.C. chooses Orlando, it doesn't just ruffle feathers; it triggers a full-blown internal and external war.
What Really Happened with the Zunigas?
The first season isn't just about who gets to sit in the big chair at Duncan Motors. It’s about survival. The Duncans are being squeezed from every side. The Zuniga cartel, led by Alejandro Zuniga (Emilio Rivera), is breathing down their necks. There’s a fragile alliance there that’s basically held together by duct tape and prayers.
Why the Stakes Feel Different
Most crime shows focus on the drugs or the money. While that’s here—specifically with the introduction of "HEAT," a drug Orlando invented—the show is really about legacy. It’s about the fact that no matter how much money you have, if your family is falling apart, you’re broke.
- The Betrayal: It’s not just the rivals you have to watch. Harris Grant, the family lawyer and son-in-law, is a piece of work. Miguel A. Núñez Jr. plays him with such a perfect "slimeball" energy that you just love to hate him.
- The Missing Link: Vegas Duncan. He’s the favorite son who is mysteriously absent. His absence hangs over the whole first season like a ghost.
- The Matriarch: Valarie Pettiford as Chippy Duncan is the glue. She’s sweet until she isn’t. If L.C. is the brain, Chippy is the spine.
Why Season 1 Still Matters in 2026
It’s been a few years since this first aired, but looking back from 2026, you can see why it sparked such a massive franchise. We’ve seen the New Orleans spinoff now, but it all started here. The production values in season one were… let's say "experimental." The editing is choppy, and some of the acting feels like it belongs on a stage play.
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But that’s part of the charm.
It doesn't care about being "prestige TV." It cares about being entertaining. The show leans into the melodrama. When a character gets shot, it’s not just a wound; it’s a Shakespearean tragedy. This "soap-noir" style is exactly why the show survived and thrived while other, more "serious" dramas got canceled.
Breaking Down the Episodes
The season runs for eight episodes. It starts with "We Are at War" and ends with "Mexican Stand Off." In between, you get a kidnapping, a secret drug lab, several assassinations, and a baby being born in the middle of a crisis. It's a lot.
One thing that genuinely surprises new viewers is the "Godfather" influence. There's a specific scene in episode three, "Show Down," where the Duncans have to handle their business in a way that feels very Michael Corleone. It’s a turning point where the family realizes they can’t just be businessmen anymore. They have to be soldiers.
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Common Misconceptions About the Show
People often think this is just a low-budget version of Empire or Power. Honestly, that’s a lazy comparison. While those shows focus heavily on the flash and the music industry or the high-level drug trade, Carl Weber's The Family Business Season 1 is much more insular. It’s about the house. It’s about the dinner table.
Another big misconception is that you need to have read Carl Weber's books to understand it. You don't. While the books give you way more internal monologue (especially with Paris being a bit of a "ghetto stereotype" in the early chapters, according to some Goodreads reviews), the show streamlines it into a punchy thriller.
Actionable Insights for Your Next Binge
If you're diving into this for the first time or doing a rewatch, here is how to actually enjoy it:
- Lower your "prestige" guard. Don't look for flawless cinematography. Look for the chemistry between Ernie Hudson and Valarie Pettiford. It’s the best part of the show.
- Watch the background. The Duncans’ "security" team and the way they handle "problems" in the dealership is a masterclass in subtle urban storytelling.
- Track the "HEAT." The drug plot line in the latter half of the season sets up almost everything that happens in the next four seasons. Pay attention to who knows about it and who doesn't.
- Embrace the camp. When the outfits get wild and the gunfights get physics-defying, just go with it. It’s supposed to be fun.
The Duncans aren't heroes. They aren't even "anti-heroes" in the way we usually think of them. They’re just a family that refuses to lose. Whether they're selling a Mercedes or burying a body, they do it together. That’s the "business."
If you want to see where the Duncan empire truly began, go back to those first eight episodes. It’s rough around the edges, sure, but it has a heart (and a trigger finger) that you won't find anywhere else on TV.
Next Step: Check out the first two episodes on BET+ or Paramount+ back-to-back. The transition from the "legitimate" family meeting in the pilot to the absolute carnage by the end of episode two is the perfect litmus test to see if this world is for you.