Set It Off

Set It Off has quietly become one of the more dependable crime dramas currently available in the US on Starz Apple TV Channel. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. A 7/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Jada Pinkett Smith sets the tone, and the ensemble matches it scene for scene. Available now on Starz Apple TV Channel — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

Set It Off is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. Set It Off treats its mystery as a means, not an end in itself. Four inner-city Black women, determined to end their constant struggle, decide to live by one rule — get what you want or die trying. So the four women take back their lives and take out some banks in the process. The writing gets a boost from Jada Pinkett Smith and Queen Latifah, who sell every scene they're in. It hit screens in 1996. What distinguishes the best crime dramas from the rest is whether the character work can carry scenes where the mystery takes a breath — Set It Off passes that test consistently. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

If you cannot walk away from a good mystery, Set It Off will keep you hooked. It has built its own audience without needing a direct comparison. Short enough to finish in one sitting, substantial enough to feel satisfying. Jada Pinkett Smith carries scenes that would sink a lesser production. The resolution feels inevitable rather than arbitrary, which is rarer than it sounds.