Anthony Anderson’s piercing wail kicks off the new Freeform series “Grownish,” a spinoff of ABC’s “Blackish” that premiered Jan. 3 and centers on the college experience of the Johnson family’s oldest child. Zoey (Yara Shahidi) has been at the fictional California University for just three days, but to her father, Dre, it feels like a lifetime.
“It hurts so bad,” he screeches on the phone. An exasperated Zoey asks for clarification and, clutching his chest, Dre replies, “My soul.”
Dre’s parental woes are familiar to many viewers, as is the overall premise of “Grownish.” With any series fortunate enough to be renewed for multiple seasons — R.I.P. “Freaks and Geeks,” you are missed — the teenage characters inevitably grow up and, often, go to college. Some land their own spinoffs, while others inexplicably remain major figures in the original shows. Here’s how several popular comedies have dealt with the transition.
“Blackish” (2014-present) and its spinoff, “Grownish” (2018-present)
Character: Zoey Johnson (Yara Shahidi)
What happened: Much to the distress of her father, Zoey is now navigating an increasingly political world on her own at Cal U. But “Blackish” fans, fret not. The actress recently confirmed that she would still appear on the ABC series from time to time, and her TV parents might show up on Freeform, too. A few of Shahidi’s “Grownish” co-stars include famed Selena Gomez kidney donor Francia Raisa and both halves of the Beyonce-approved R&B duo Chloe x Halle.