black-ish

About black-ish

Black-ish is a popular American sitcom that began its run in 2014. It was created by Kenya Barris and follows an affluent African-American family led by Andre 'Dre' Johnson (Anthony Anderson) and his wife Rainbow Johnson (Tracee Ellis Ross). The show is acclaimed for its humor, wit, and handling of poignant cultural and social issues.

Making / Production

The series was created by Kenya Barris and is produced by Khalabo Ink Society, Cinema Gypsy Productions, Artists First and ABC Studios. The crew includes executive producers Jonathan Groff, Anthony Anderson, Laurence Fishburne, Helen Sugland, E. Brian Dobbins, and Corey Nickerson.

Actors

• Anthony Anderson - Dre Johnson: As the patriarch of the Johnson family, Anderson's performance is marked by charm, humor and unique insights into modern parenthood.
• Tracee Ellis Ross - Rainbow Johnson: Ross plays the matriarch of the family, a successful anesthesiologist and mother of five, with a wonderful blend of warmth, humor, and authenticity.
• Laurence Fishburne - Pops: As Dre's father, Fishburne offers a more traditional perspective on life and often provides comic relief.
• Marcus Scribner - Andre Johnson Jr.: Scribner gives a performance as Dre and Rainbow's socially conscious, nerdy elder son.
• Miles Brown - Jack Johnson, and Marsai Martin - Diane Johnson: Both Brown and Martin offer fun performances as the Johnsons' younger twin children, each with their own unique quirks.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The idea of black-ish is loosely based on the life of its creator, Kenya Barris.
• The series has generated two spin-offs: "Grown-ish" and "Mixed-ish".
• Barris makes occasional cameo appearances in the series.
• It was the first network-series with an all-black writer’s room.

Awards

Black-ish has received critical acclaim, earning numerous award nominations including an Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series, a Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy, and a TCA Award for Outstanding Achievement in Comedy. Tracee Ellis Ross won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress.

Quotes

• "I'm just saying, Barack Obama could come in here, kiss my mama, turn all our lights on and I still wouldn't vote for him. He ain't right." - Pops
• "Why can’t we just have stuff, why does it always have to be about race?" - Bow
• "I love being a woman. I just don’t always love everything that comes with it." - Bow

Music, Soundtrack

• The series theme song is performed by Anthony Anderson's son, Nathan Anderson.
• In 2018, an episode called "Please, Baby, Please" featured an original song by The Roots.
• Black-ish often features contemporary and classic licensed music to great effect.