HBO’s “A Black Lady Sketch Show” invites viewers into uncharted territory. The series, created by Robin Thede and co-executive produced by Issa Rae, boasts a rarity for TV: a cast, writers room and director (Dime Davis) comprised entirely of black women.

Thede, who also stars in the new series, is no stranger to blazing trails. “For the record, I was the FIRST African-American woman to be head writer for a late-night show,” she recently tweeted, referring to her stint on Comedy Central’s short-lived “The Nightly Show With Larry Wilmore.” For the “Black Lady Sketch Show” writers room, Thede tapped such talk-show veterans as her former “Nightly Show” colleague Holly Walker, Amber Ruffin (“Late Night With Seth Meyers”) and Lauren Ashley Smith (a writer on Thede’s own brief late-night show, “The Rundown”).

While the guest list is stacked and star-studded — with appearances by Angela Bassett, Patti LaBelle, Laverne Cox, David Alan Grier and more — viewers may be less familiar with the series regulars, who deliver spy spoofs, beauty mishaps, dating disasters and scenes from an all-black lady courtroom in the first season. Here’s a quick primer to acquaint you with your comedy queens-to-be before the show premieres Friday.