It’s always exciting to see TV shows finding ways to innovate when it comes to storylines and themes. The ABC series Black-ish has proven its ability to entertain while tackling an array of sociopolitical issues with poise. And if it’s ever been your dream to appear in the Black-ish cast or to take part in the franchise in some fashion, your chance could be coming up.
The series has already spawned a few spinoffs, with more additions to the Black-ish franchise on the way.
What Is Black-ish About?
Premiering on September 24, 2014, Black-ish made a splash right away, both in ABC’s lineup of sitcoms and the entertainment world at large. The series revolves around the Johnsons, an upper-middle-class African American family living in Los Angeles. The head of the household, Aundre ‘Dre’ Johnson (Anthony Anderson) has everything he could want: a great job, a beautiful house, a gorgeous wife, and a lovely family.
However, he feels like his family is becoming disconnected from their cultural roots by assimilating too much into their predominantly white neighborhood.
The series follows his quest to help his family create a sense of identity while preparing for their new future. The show is currently in its seventh season.
Stars and Response
It wasn’t long before critics began expressing praise for Black-ish thanks to its clever writing, great acting, and ability to blend humor with sharp socio-political commentary.
The series started off strong, with season one earning an 86% approval rating from critics on the TV and film review site Rotten Tomatoes. Subsequent seasons would continue to earn acclaim, with season four earning a perfect 100% critic’s rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Black-ish cast has Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross taking the starring roles, with notable names like Laurence Fishburne making recurring appearances. The show’s cast has also been the recipient of much praise, with Anthony Anderson earning multiple nominations at the Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series.
Black-ish Spinoffs and Franchise Future
The 23rd episode of season three of Black-ish titled “Liberal Arts” served as a backdoor pilot for a potential spinoff series focusing on the character Zoey Johnson as she goes off to college. The series would eventually be picked up by ABC’s sister network Freeform and go by the title Grown-ish. This spinoff proved to be another hit and has been renewed for a fourth season.
But the demand for spinoffs didn’t stop there. The franchise would eventually expand to include the spinoffs Mixed-ish, which focuses on the character of Rainbow Johnson during her childhood, and #blackAF, which saw the franchise branch out to Netflix.
Now, a new spinoff series has been greenlit for ABC, called Old-ish. This time, the show centers around Laurence Fishburne’s character, Earl ‘Pops’ Johnson, as he attempts to reconnect with his wife, Ruby Johnson, played by Jennifer Lewis.
If you want to join these Black-ish cast favorites and get a start on your acting career, keep an eye out for casting calls. With the pandemic winding down and production slated to begin soon, it could be a great chance to land a role in a brand new series based on a highly successful franchise. Discovery Spotlight brings in top agents who are casting for these series and more, so if you need help getting access to these sought-after roles, we can help you throughout the process.