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What to watch: 10 shows premiering in February

"Bel-Air" star Jabari Banks is back for Season 2 on Feb. 23. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI
1 of 5 | "Bel-Air" star Jabari Banks is back for Season 2 on Feb. 23. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo

Feb. 1 (UPI) -- February ushers in Black History Month with documentaries about an important time in the struggle for civil rights, and on a beloved figure who was as much an activist on the court as he was off. The month also marks the return of several popular TV shows and the debut of others, as well as two of the most-watched special events of the year.

Will Beyoncé win new hardware to extend her already record-setting run of Grammy wins? Will Patrick Mahomes and his Chiefs or Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles prevail in Super Bowl LVII? We don't know but they're already making Black history as the first two African-American quarterbacks to face each other in the big game. Here are 10 things to watch in February.

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'Lowndes County and the Road to Black Power' -- Peacock

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In 1965, the Voting Rights Act was passed. But in Lowndes County, Ala., a county that was 80% African American, there was not one Black resident who was registered to vote. Those who wanted to register faced strong resistance, up to and including violence.

This documentary, out Thursday, talks to some of those involved with the voting rights movement in the South and reveals how Lowndes County became an integral part of ensuring that African Americans had the right to vote.

The struggle still endures to this day, as we've seen in recent elections on both a location and national level. "We have to continue to tell the story of how we got to where we are today," a man says in the trailer and this powerful documentary is one way to do so.

'Harlem' -- Prime Video

The four girlfriends show has become a common TV trope since Miranda, Carrie, Samantha and Charlotte made it must-see TV in the '90s with the groundbreaking TV show Sex and the City.

Since then, several shows have tried to capture that chemistry and a few have somewhat succeeded. Prime Video's Harlem, now in Season 2, was created by Girls Trip writer Tracy Oliver. What sets this one apart is its Harlem location (though also shared with Starz' similarly conceived show Run the World) and the compelling dynamics between the women.

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Hollywood vet Meagan Good stars as Camille, Empire star Grace Byers plays Quinn and newcomers Shaniqua Shondai and Jerrie Johnson play Angie and Tye, respectively. The friends group show, from the unique POV of Black women navigating love, work and friendship in the big city, streams Friday.

'2023 Grammy Awards' -- CBS

Beyoncé is the most awarded female in Grammy Awards history with 29 wins. The Renaissance hitmaker is up for nine Grammys this year and if she wins more than two, she will hold the all-time record in any genre.

Beyoncé has not publicly revealed whether she's going to perform or not, but two of the other top nominees, Harry Styles and Mary J. Blige will take the stage, along with Lizzo, Sam Smith, Brandi Carlile, Steve Lacy and Luke Combs. Former Daily Show host Trevor Noah is hosting this year's show, which airs on Sunday at 8 p.m. EST.

'Vanderpump Rules' -- Bravo

Lisa Vanderpump, Ariana Madix, James Kennedy, Katie Maloney, Lala Kent, Raquel Leviss, Scheana Shay, Tom Sandoval and Tom Schwartz will all return for the tenth season of the reality series.

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Kennedy's girlfriend Ally Lewber, Kristina Kelly and SUR's Charlie Barnett are returning as well and RHOH's Garcelle Beauvais will be making a cameo. Without a guide, you may be lost, so watch the trailer for a preview of the hookups, breakups, makeups and more drama to come when Vanderpump Rules debuts on Bravo on Feb. 8 at 9 p.m. EST. If you need to catch up, you can find all the previous seasons on Peacock.

'Bill Russell: Legend' -- Netflix

Boston Celtics icon Bill Russell died last year at the age of 88. His legacy cast a long shadow both off and on the court and not just because of his 6'10 height. Russell was not just an 11-time NBA champion and five-time MVP, he was the league's first Black head coach.

But off the court, he was one of the first vocal Black athletes who used his platform to champion racial equality. Despite his success in Boston, Russell experienced several racial incidents and refused to accept his Hall of Fame induction in person in 1975 as he believed another Black player should have had the honor first.

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Bill Russell: Legend, streaming Feb. 8, explores his legacy with narration by actors Jeffrey Wright and Corey Stoll and interviews with Steph Curry, Jalen Rose, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Chris Paul and more.

'You' -- Netflix

To explain the plot of this show to those who've never watched it would take considerable time. But here's what you need to know. Boy meets girl, which turns into obsession, which leads to murder, which leads to boy avoiding deception only to end up back where he started. In other words, Penn Badgely's star turn as Joe Goldberg/Jonathan Moore has made the buzzy Netflix show You a cult hit. Season 4, out Feb. 10, should be more of the same as Goldberg/Moore tries to outrun his past in the U.K., only to find it inevitably catching up to him.

'Super Bowl LVII' -- CBS

Will the Philadelphia Eagles fly or will their wings be clipped by the Kansas City Chiefs and their Hall of Fame-bound quarterback Patrick Mahomes? Which Kelce brother will emerge triumphant? Will Andy Reid get some revenge against his old team where he coached for years but never won a Super Bowl?

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Super Bowl LVIl, which kicks off at 6:30 p.m. EST on Feb. 12 and airs on Fox, has as many dramatic storylines as the Real Housewives franchise. But only one champion can be crowned. And depending on your perspective, Super Bowl LVII is either a football game or a Rihanna concert that just happens to include a game, as the recording artist/entrepreneur takes to the stage for the first time in years to headline the halftime show.

'Planet Sex with Cara Delevingne' -- Hulu

Model/actress Cara Delevingne is hosting a new Hulu show, Planet Sex with Cara Delevingne, appropriately debuting on Valentine's Day. On the six-part docuseries, the 30-year-old U.K. native, who has dated both men and women and has identified as pansexual and bisexual, will travel the world to learn more about the spectrum of human sexuality.

In the trailer, she reveals more of her own journey of coming to terms with who she is and will talk to others who've done the same, whether they are straight, gay, queer or undecided. Planet Sex with Cara Delevingne will debut on Feb. 14.

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'Snowfall' -- FX

Snowfall's sixth season is the last, and in the final episodes, Franklin Saint must contend with seemingly every branch of law enforcement to keep his empire from crumbling. He's dealing with pressure from the FBI, the CIA, and the DEA, as well as the corrupt LAPD.

English actor Damson Idris has received accolades for his portrayal of an American drug dealer in the series created by the late director John Singleton. Set in '80s Los Angeles, Snowfall shows how the complex intersection of poverty, racism and government interference led to one of the most destructive periods in the city's history. Season 6 premieres on Feb. 22.

'Bel-Air' -- Peacock

When aspiring filmmaker Morgan Cooper released the trailer for Bel-Air, his reimagining of the '90s TV sitcom that made Will Smith a star, he likely never imagined that it would go viral and attract the attention of Smith himself. Things moved quickly and that trailer became the Peacock TV show Bel-Air, which heads into its second season on Feb. 23.

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This year, everyone is faced with tough choices. As Will and Carlton bond, will he become closer to his entire family or will the betrayal that concluded last-season cloud his judgment? Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star Tatyana Ali joins the cast as a recurring character in Season 2.

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