Here are some of the Black positive sitcoms that we loved, but that didn’t last nearly as long as we wanted them to. How many of these did you watch?
#1: Roc (1991-1994)
Garbage collector Roc Emerson proved that “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” Roc’s widowed father Andre, his wife Eleanor, and brother Joey were a working-class Baltimore family that squabbled constantly but loved each other through it all.
#2: Thea (1993-1994)
Cashier by day and hairstylist by night, Thea Turrell was a supermom raising four children on her own. This show helped launch the careers of Brandy and Jason Weaver.
#3: Smart Guy (1997-1999)
We all know someone who skipped a grade, but 10-year-old TJ leapfrogged from fourth grade right into high school. TJ taught teenagers a lesson or two about being cool.
The 90s had many Black sitcoms that conveyed positive images of our people whether they were being serious or funny. Now more than ever, they remind us of how impactful it is to see ourselves represented in mainstream media and of how our shared experiences bring us together. What was your favorite Black sitcom from back in the day?