Summer time results in a complete dearth of American TV as everyone goes on hiatus. However, that also makes it the perfect time to get caught up on shows you missed out on during the regular TV season, and one such show is Black-ish. This show, which immediately follows Modern Family on ABC Wednesday nights, is a family comedy that delivers consistently and hilariously. If you're looking for a sharp, insightful, and ultimately delightful sitcom, add Black-ish to to your must-see lineup.
The show follows the incredibly weird and wonderful Johnsons, an affluent African-American family led by a mixed-race mom Rainbow (Tracee Ellis Ross) and proud black father Dre (Anthony Anderson). They have four kids: the fashionista Zoe (Yara Shahidi), the nerdy Junior (Marcus Scribner), and twins Jack and Diane (Miles Brown and Marsai Martin). Dre's father Earl (Lawrence Fishburne) also lives with them, adding further multi-generational complications.Together, they comprise a crazy sitcom family that get into the expected weekly scrapes, but also have a lot of funny and surprising insights about race and the stereotypes they encounter in their daily lives. As the title suggests, the show focuses on what it means to be black in modern day America, and how that differs from the older characters' own childhoods. Race is still a fraught and complex topic in America, but Black-ish handles this contentious subject with comedic flair.
In addition to its nuanced racial commentary, however, Black-ish highlights issues pertaining to a whole host of groups. Rainbow is an intelligent and accomplished anesthesiologist, and she is an unabashed feminist who never shies away from highlighting moments when she isn't getting her due simply because she is a woman. Dre works in advertising and often struggles with issues of ageism or just not being in the cultural loop like his younger colleagues. Junior is a nerd who would rather play Dungeons & Dragons than basketball, and his struggle to get his father to accept that is an ongoing battle. There's also plenty of socioeconomic commentary as Rainbow and Dre had very different upbringings: the former was raised by happy hippies, while the latter was struggling to get by in Compton.
Apart from the fantastic acting (Tracee Ellis Ross, in particular, is a dependable riot every single week), what is truly responsible for Black-ish's brilliance is the whipsmart writing. Led by creator Kenya Barris, the show's writers are adept at creating 22 minutes of crackling dialogue, rife with sharp observations, witty one-liners and broader truths that elevate each episode to a cultural masterpiece. It is a show that you cannot tire of watching and it offers up new "I can't believe they went there" moments with shocking regularity. So start watching Black-ish reruns and get all caught up. I guarantee you'll find something that speaks to your own personal experiences, and even if you don't, you're going to have a hilarious and eye-opening time.
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