Without a doubt, every generation since the inception of the television has had TV series/sitcoms that have captured the essence and the atmosphere of the time.
Being a black male, growing up shows like "The Cosby Show," "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," "The Wayan Bros.," "Martin," and countless others captured the experience of being black in America.
The black experience in college? "A Different World."
Moving to the suburbs? "Fresh Prince."
The consummate black family? The Huxtables on "The Cosby Show."
There was something for everyone.
As globalization continued to change the landscape of America and the rest of the world, some of the most important pieces of black culture were being cultivated on the small screen.
As the years passed, there continued to be many attempts at encapsulating the black experience, but everything was more of the same.
Outside of black-centric entertainment, the only roles black characters portrayed were as athletes, typical rags-to-riches situations, living in the hood or as the sassy, black lady.
Ironically enough, in today's world, in an era that is affectionately called TV's "golden age" (rightfully so, there are so many good shows), there wasn't a Huxtable family anymore. There wasn't a fresh prince. There seemed to be "something missing."
This is where "Blackish" comes in.
"Blackish" is a show about the Johnson family and their experiences as a successful black family living in an upper-middle class area. The father, played by Anthony Anderson, leads his family across a variety of obstacles in life. Each episode focuses on a certain topic and shows the different perspectives of each family member, ranging from the two little twins all the way up to Andre's father, pops, played by Laurence Fishburne.
Sounds cliche, but the beauty of this show is in the representation.
Yes, the show has all the usual suspects and the classic sitcom make-up.The innocent twins, the mother-father debates throughout the episode, the older kids -- one usually popular and one usually an oddball. The list goes on and on. To sum it up, on the surface, the entire breakdown of this show isn't in the least bit original, but there is something empowering about seeing a black family living comfortably. There is an overwhelming joy in seeing so many different characters lead their own personalities while still paying homage to the black experience in America.
In a world where everything under the sun is debated upon in the deep, dark corners we call Facebook comments, the importance of hearing many of the topics surrounding the black community being touched upon in a humorous, but an informing manner is so important.
Name an issue and there is bound to be an episode that focuses on it. From public protests, this year's election and it's emotional aftermath, all the way to mass incarceration, Blackish has yet to miss a beat. Judging on the show's great job thus far, the discussions of so many important issues that affect not only the black community but the entire country will continue.
Other than "Blackish" the dynamic of the black family on television is "Empire" and shows like "Power." The hustler and the lifestyles of the rich and famous are glorified and the essence of family and personal growth aren't seen as important when in reality the black community needs messages of hope, growth, and positivity.
"Blackish" has all these things and more going for it and has been such a refreshing and important experience for TV.
Representation matters.
No matter how you want to term it, the need for positive black family-oriented shows is always important. Maybe now more than ever. The world we are living in is changing but many of the experiences we share as black people still remain the same. This is why shows like "Blackish" are needed. This is why this show is so important. The more ways these issues are discussed and the more positive role models that are present, especially in something as influential as the media, is of the utmost importance.
"Blackish" has done an excellent job in its first three seasons and only continues to grow and mature into a better iteration of itself. I'm excited for what's to come, but also very grateful for the excellent job the show has done thus far. Thank you to the Johnson family for helping spread positive messages through their respective medium and hopefully, a place in black TV history will be awaiting them when their run is over.
