With Kenya Barris’ hit ABC comedy series “Black-Ish” officially renewed for a 4th season, and also moving to Tuesday nights starting in the fall, a question that remained unanswered until today has been whether the previously discussed potential spinoff series would eventually become a reality.
The answer is yes, it will; although not at ABC.
Freeform has officially ordered the “Black-ish” spin-off starring Yara Shahidi to series. It’ll be titled “College-ish,” and will unfold over a 13-episode first season.
“College-ish” will follow Zoey Johnson (Shahidi), Dre (Anthony Anderson) and Rainbow’s (Tracee Ellis Ross) 17-year-old daughter – the popular, entitled, stylish, and socially active member of the Johnson family. She is typically apathetic to any dealings with her family and is treated as the most perfect teenager, despite her generally shallow personality. She leaves home for college and arrives at University where she quickly discovers that not everything goes her way once she leaves the nest. She is joined by Charlie (Deon Cole), who moonlights as an adjunct professor as well as new characters both in administration and student body, who all reflect the complex and hilarious points currently populating college campuses, the press release states.
Talks of a potential spin-off were in very early stages when the idea first became public 3+ months ago, but the series is now officially becoming a reality at the millennial-skewing Freeform network (the retooled ABC Familiy channel).
The backdoor pilot which aired earlier this moth tested well with ABC’s audience, but was “deemed too young” and so it was decided that it would be a better fit for Freeform’s demographic.
In addition to star Shahidi, the spinoff series cast includes Trevor Jackson (ABC’s “American Crime”), Chris Parnell (“Saturday Night Live”) and Matt Walsh (“Veep”), playing a college freshman (and classmate to Zoey/Shahidi), and a pair of college administrators, respectively.
All three appeared as guest stars in the backdoor pilot episode of “Black-ish.” So I’m assuming they’ll also be part of the series; although that hasn’t been confirmed by the network yet.
