Dreaming Whilst Black Season 2 Review and Interview With Adjani Salmon

The BAFTA Award–winning series Dreaming Whilst Black is back with season two, and it doesn’t miss a beat. The show continues to tackle topics that feel universal, from social commentary to culture, relationships, and career struggles.

The series follows Kwabena (Adjani Salmon), who used to work in recruitment but is now chasing his first big opportunity as a director after the success he experienced in the first season. Just when he thinks his world is about to change — and that he’ll finally get the chance to make the kind of impact on an industry that often overlooks or mocks Black culture — he realizes that sustaining a career in the business comes with its own set of challenges.

This season, Kwabena still takes risks, sometimes finding himself adopting the very characteristics he and his friend Amy have criticized in the past. From casting a Black lead while facing pressure to include an unproven white content creator, he’s stuck trying to make something meaningful with Sin and Subterfuge, a project that could either make him or break him. That pressure becomes even more real after he turns down multiple projects that simply don’t interest him. Many of the scripts sent his way either don’t make sense or feel like they were written by people who know nothing about the culture or background they’re trying to portray.

The series also catches up with Amy (Dani Moseley) and her producing ambitions. While she’s passionate about telling stories that reflect her perspective, her workplace doesn’t always embrace those ideas. Her Caucasian colleague often blocks them, claiming they might come across as offensive. In a nice role reversal, Kwabena becomes the one encouraging Amy to pursue her passion and tell the stories she believes in, just as she once encouraged him.

Amy is also juggling a lot in her personal life. With family struggles — including caring for her sick mother and supporting her sister who has stepped away from medical school — she’s eventually offered a position that represents everything she’s dreamed of. The question is whether she’ll take it.

One of the best storylines this season is Kwabena’s relationship with Vanessa, which I personally connected with. Kwabena now has more money, a huge career opportunity, and nothing to hide — except his feelings and the real reason he didn’t visit Vanessa (Babirye Bukilwa) in New York. When the character begins to confront his insecurities and Vanessa reveals what she truly wanted from him, the show hits in a very satisfying rom-com way.

Overall, I give the series a 9/10. It’s definitely worth watching with friends, family, or your partner because it still carries the same humor, compelling storytelling, and relatable themes that made the first season so enjoyable.

You can catch the series now on Paramount+ and the Showtime app.Taji Mag was also able to speak with Adjani Salmon about the continued success of the show, advice on BAFTA speeches, and the importance of telling authentic Black stories.