No one can deny the impact that Black-led shows have had on the history of television. Black Hollywood has gone through several golden ages over the years, from trailblazing sitcoms of the '70s to the UPN comedies that dominated the '90s and early aughts to the genre-defying influx of prestige series like Insecure, Queen Sugar, and Scandal in more recent years. Every year, Black creatives debut new shows that highlight the variety of the Black experience, while proving that the culture and community is not a monolith. (Just look at 2023’s buzziest shows and try to compare Abbott Elementary and Swarm.) Whatever the genre you prefer, there’s no shortage of excellent television to check out for your latest dose of Black excellence.
Many of the best TV shows of all time have found a second life on streaming, so we created a list to highlight some essential picks. Read on for a primer of the best Black TV shows to watch and where to find them.
'Insecure'
Original run: October 9, 2016 — December 26, 2021
Starring: Issa Rae, Yvonne Orji, Jay Ellis, Natasha Rothwell, Amanda Seales, Lisa Joyce
Premise: Best friends Issa and Molly aren't as confident as everyone makes them out to be, but they know how to fake it 'til they make it. Part comedy, part drama, Issa Rae writes a world that accurately mirrors the Black woman experience, no sugarcoating needed.
'Sister, Sister'
Original run: April 1, 1994 — May 23, 1999
Starring: Tia Mowry-Hardrict, Tamera Mowry-Housley, Jackée Harry, Tim Reid, Marques Houston
Premise: Twin sisters separated at birth wind up meeting each 14 years later by chance at a Detroit mall. Not wanting to separate the twins any longer, their (conveniently) single adoptive parents agree to move in together so they can be a family. It's as lovely as well as laugh-out-loud funny as it sounds.
'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'
Original run: September 10, 1990 — May 20, 1996
Starring: Will Smith, James Avery, Alfonso Ribeiro, Tatyana Ali, Karyn Parsons, Joseph Marcell
Premise: If you know the famous theme song, you kinda already know what this show is about. But if you've been hiding under a rock, we can break it down for you. A kid (Smith) from West Philadelphia moves in with his wealthy uncle Phil (James Avery) and crew in California at his mother's request. He has a hard time adjusting to the new lifestyle, but with the help of his new family, he'll figure things out.
'Black-ish'
Original run: September 24, 2014 — April 19, 2022
Starring: Anthony Anderson, Tracee Ellis Ross, Marcus Scribner, Miles Brown, Marsai Martin, Yara Shahidi
Premise: Family man Andre "Dre" Johnson (Anthony Anderson) awakes one day with the fear that his family could be getting too used to their lives in their very white, upper-middle-class neighborhood. Not wanting his family to lose their cultural identity, Dre sets out to teach his children various aspects of Black culture.
'A Different World'
Original run: September 24, 1987 — May 8, 1993
Starring: Lisa Bonet, Kadeem Hardison, Jasmine Guy, Darryl M. Bell, Charnele Brown, Dawnn Lewis, Jada Pinkett Smith
Premise: This spin-off from the world of The Cosby Show followed Denise Huxtable (Bonet) and her times at Hillman College. It was one of the first shows to accurately portray historically Black fraternities and sororities, while covering topics from HIV to the 1992 LA riots.
'I May Destroy You'
Original run: June 7, 2020 — August 24, 2020
Starring: Michaela Coel, Weruche Opia, Paapa Essiedu, Stephen Wight
Premise: Londoner Arabella (Michaela Coel) arrives back in town with an inbox full of messages from her publisher on her book's status and tempting texts from her friends to go out for the night. She chooses the latter, and something happens that changes her forever.
'Family Matters'
Original run: September 22, 1989 — July 17, 1998
Starring: Reginald VelJohnson, Jaleel White, Kellie Shanygne Williams, Darius McCrary, Jo Marie Payton, Rosetta LeNoire
Premise: It's the show that gave us the infamous nerdy next-door neighbor Steve Urkel (Jaleel White) that America couldn't get enough of, yet the Winslow family wished he and all his silly antics would just go away.
'Atlanta'
Original run: September 6, 2016 — November 10, 2022
Starring: Donald Glover, Brian Tyree Henry, LaKeith Stanfield, Zazie Beetz
Premise: This two-time Emmy winner tells the story of cousins Alfred "Paper Boi" Miles (Brian Tyree Henry) and Earnest "Earn" Marks (Donald Glover). With the help of their friend Darrius (Lakeith Stanfield), they'll set out to try and make their way to the top of the Atlanta rap scene.
'Moesha'
Original run: January 23, 1996 — May 14, 2001
Starring: Brandy Norwood, William Allen Young, Marcus T. Paulk, Lamont Bentley, Terrance Harvey, Shar Jackson
Premise: South Central Los Angeles teen Moesha (Brandy Norwood) is used to being the head of her household. That all changes when her father remarries, leaving her and her little brother to adjust to the new addition. Thankfully, they have a great group of friends to help them along the way.
'Scandal'
Original run: April 5, 2012 — April 19, 2018
Starring: Kerry Washington, Tony Goldwyn, Darby Stanchfield, Katie Lowes, Bellamy Young, Guillermo Diaz
Premise: Hollywood queen Shonda Rhimes does it again, this time about a former White House communications director who opens up a crisis management firm to make sure what secrets happen in Capitol Hill stay there. All hail Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington).
'Everybody Hates Chris'
Original run: September 22, 2005 — May 8, 2009
Starring: Terry Crews, Tichina Arnold, Tequan Richmond, Imani Hakim, Vincent Martella, Tyler James Williams, Chris Rock
Premise: Comedian Chris Rock brings his childhood in Brooklyn's Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood to the small screen. Its ability to tackle race and class in America through comedy earned the show Golden Globe and Emmy nominations.
'One on One'
Original run: September 3, 2001 — May 15, 2006
Starring: Kyla Pratt, Robert Ri'chard, Flex Alexander, Kelly Perine, Sicily Johnson
Premise: When her mom accepts a job out of the country, teenager Breanna Barnes (Kyla Pratt) has to move in with her former athlete-turned-sportscaster dad. She has bigger problems, though, like her relationship with her boyfriend Arnaz (Robert Ri'chard) and dealing with the pain that is high school.
'Girlfriends'
Original run: September 11, 2000 — February 11, 2008
Starring: Tracee Ellis Ross, Golden Brooks, Persia White, Reginald C. Hayes, Jill Marie Jones
Premise: Before Black-ish, Tracee Ellis Ross played California girl Joan. She and her close-knit girlfriends went through their 20-somethings problems together, tackling issues from interracial relationships to parenthood all while wearing elite '00s fashion.
'That's So Raven'
Original run: January 17, 2003 — November 10, 2007
Starring: Raven-Symoné, Orlando Brown, Anneliese van der Pol, Kyle Massey, Rondell Sheridan, T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh
Premise: The ability to have brief psychic visions of the near future was every kid's dream because of this show. If you grew up watching Disney Channel, you wanted to be Raven Baxter (Raven-Symoné). PERIOD!
'Living Single'
Original run: August 22, 1993 — January 1, 1998
Starring: Queen Latifah, Kim Coles, Erika Alexander, John Henton, Kim Fields, Terrence 'T.C.' Carson
Premise: A group of six 20-something friends trying to make it in the hustle and bustle that was New York in the '90s? Sign us up, Also, can't forget to mention it has the best theme song, like, ever.
'Empire'
Original run: January 7, 2015 — April 21, 2020
Starring: Terrence Howard, Taraji P. Henson, Jussie Smollett, Bryshere Y. Gray, Gabourey Sidibe, Ta'Rhonda Jones
Premise: When hip-hop artist and CEO of Empire Entertainment Lucious Lyon (Terrence Howard) finds out his days are numbered, his three sons battle for control over his multi-million dollar company. Another problem? His ex-wife Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) is back in town, and she's out for revenge for taking the fall for the drug-running that financed his early career.
'The Jeffersons'
Original run: January 18, 1975 — July 2, 1985
Starring: Isabel Sanford, Sherman Hemsley, Marla Gibbs, Roxie Roker, Franklin Cover, Paul Benedict
Premise: After coming into a lot of money, the Jeffersons ditch Queens for a space in a high-rise in Manhattan. Isabel Sanford, who played Louise Jeffersons, became the second Black actress to win the Emmy for Best Actress.
'Dear White People'
Original run: April 28, 2017 — September 22, 2021
Starring: Logan Browning, Brandon P Bell, DeRon Horton, Antoinette Robertson, John Patrick Amedori, Ashley Blaine Featherson
Premise: Based on the 2014 film of the same name, this Netflix original focuses on a group of students of color at the prestigious Winchester University as they try to make their predominantly white Ivy college more inclusive.
'Martin'
Original run: August 27, 1992 — May 1, 1997
Starring: Martin Lawrence, Tisha Campbell-Martin, Thomas Mikal Ford, Carl Anthony Payne II, Tichina Arnold
Premise: Martin Lawrence plays Martin Payne, a DJ for Detroit radio station WZUP. His on-off relationship with Gina Waters (Tisha Campbell-Martin) proved that true love does exist, but it doesn't come without a couple of mishaps.
'Half & Half'
Original run: September 23, 2002 — May 15, 2006
Starring: Rachel True, Essence Atkins, Telma Hopkins, Valarie Pettiford, Chico Benymon
Premise: Estranged half sisters Mona (Rachel True) and Dee Dee (Essence Atkins) start bonding after they move in to the same apartment building, to the dismay of their moms, single Phyllis (Telma Hopkins) and second wife Big Dee Dee (Valarie Pettiford).
'When They See Us'
Original run: May 31, 2019
Starring: Asante Blackk, Jharrel Jerome, Michael Kenneth Williams, Niecy Nash, John Leguizamo, Felicity Huffman
Premise: Ava DuVernay's miniseries tells the true story of the Central Park Five, a group of kids who were wrongfully convicted for attacking a female jogger in late '80s New York.
'Blood & Water'
Original run: May 20, 2020 — Present
Starring: Ama Qamata, Khosi Ngema, Thabang Molaba, Natasha Thahane, Dillon Windvogel, Arno Greeff
Premise: At a party, South African teen Puleng (Ama Qamata) runs into Fikile, a rich girl whom she believes to be her long-lost older sister, who was abducted at birth. She then transfers to the ritzy high school Parkhurst College to get closer to Fikile and uncover the truth.
'A Black Lady Sketch Show'
Original run: August 2, 2019 — May 19, 2023
Starring: Robin Thede, Ashley Nicole Black, Gabrielle Dennis, Quinta Brunson, Laci Mosley, Skye Townsend
Premise: Think Saturday Night Live for Black women. A Black lady sketch troupe, led by Robin Thede and produced by Issa Rae, acts through several hilarious sketches with guest appearances by stars including Angela Bassett, Gabrielle Union, Patti LaBelle, and more.
'The Underground Railroad'
Original run: May 14, 2021
Starring: Thuso Mbedu, Aaron Pierre, William Jackson Harper, Chase Dillon, Joel Edgerton, Sheila Atim
Premise: This gorgeous adaptation of Colson Whitehead's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel follows Cora (Thuso Mbedu), who escapes from slavery aboard a literal underground train system.
'P-Valley'
Original run: July 12, 2020 — Present
Starring: Brandee Evans, Elarica Johnson, Nicco Annan, Shannon Thornton, J. Alphonse Nicholson, Parker Sawyer
Premise: Based on creator Katori Hall's play of the same name, P-Valley follows the workers at Mississippi strip club The Pynk, showing the glamour and hard work that fuel the stripping industry.
'The Proud Family'
Original run: September 15, 2001 — August 19, 2005
Starring: Kyla Pratt, Jo Marie Payton, Tommy Davidson, Karen Malina White, Alisa Reyes, Paula Jai Parker
Premise: This early-aughts cartoon is beloved among '00s Black kids for showing a family that looked familiar to them, while also airing episodes about Black history traditions like Kwanzaa and the Tuskegee Airmen. (The updated Disney+ revival Louder Than Prouder is also great.)
'Abbott Elementary'
Original run: December 7, 2021— Present
Starring: Quinta Brunson, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Tyler James Williams, Janelle James, Lisa Ann Walter, Chris Perfetti, William Stanford Davis
Premise: The best new comedy of 2022 is this mockumentary comedy about the staff at an underfunded Philly public school, that makes us want to give all teachers their much-deserved flowers.
'Queen Sugar'
Original run: September 6, 2016 — November 29, 2022
Starring: Rutina Wesley, Dawn-Lyen Gardner, Kofi Siriboe, Omar J. Dorsey, Nicholas L. Ashe, Tina Lifford, Bianca Lawson
Premise: The second Ava DuVernay series on this list, this melodrama follows three siblings from rural Louisiana who all have very different ideas on how to run their family's sugarcane farm after their father falls ill.
'227'
Original run: September 14, 1985 — May 6, 1990
Starring: Marla Gibbs, Jackée Harry, Hal Williams, Alaina Reed-Hall, Regina King, Curtis Baldwin
Premise: This iconic comedy expands the idea of a family sitcom to include all of the zany members of a Washington, D.C., apartment building, dealing with issues that affected middle class families across America at the time.
'Snowfall'
Original run: July 5, 2017 — April 19, 2023
Starring: Damson Idris, Michael Hyatt, Emily Rios, Angela Lewis, Amin Joseph, Carter Hudson, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, Isaiah John, Devyn Tyler, and Gail Bean
Premise: Boyz in the Hood director John Singleton helmed this crime drama about the Saint family, who navigate ways to make money during the 1980s crack epidemic in South Central LA.
'Blindspotting'
Original run: June 13, 2021 — May 26, 2023
Starring: Jasmine Cephas Jones, Jaylen Barron, Candace Nicholas-Lippman, Benjamin Earl Turner, Atticus Woodward, Margot Hall, Rafael Casal, and Helen Hunt
Premise: This continuation series of the 2018 movie of the same name, starring Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal, takes place six months later. When Miles (Casal) is suddenly incarcerated, Ashley (Jones), his partner of 12 years, has to navigate a chaotic new environment as when she and her son Sean (Woodward) are forced to move in with Miles' mother (Hunt) and half-sister (Barron).
'Bel-Air'
Original run: February 13, 2022 — Present
Starring: Jabari Banks, Olly Sholotan, Coco Jones, Adrian Holmes, Cassandra Freeman, Akira Akbar, Jimmy Akingbola, Jordan L. Jones, and Simone Joy Jones
Premise: This drama series inspired by the Fresh Prince has become another must-watch show, following teenage Will Smith (Banks) as he adapts to life in Bel-Air while staying true to his West Philly ways and his pro basketball dreams.
'Rap Sh!t'
Original run: July 21, 2022 — December 21, 2023
Starring: Aida Osman, KaMillion, Jonica Booth, Devon Terrell, RJ Cyler, Amandla Jahava, DomiNque Perry, Brittney Jefferson, and Jaboukie Young-White
Premise: Issa Rae's follow-up to Insecure takes place among the emerging rap scene in Miami, FL, starring Osman and KaMillion as childhood friends Shawna and Mia, who become a rap duo after their freestyle goes viral.
'I'm A Virgo'
Original run: June 23, 2023 — Present
Starring: Jharrel Jerome, Mike Epps, Carmen Ejogo, Brett Gray, Kara Young, Allius Barnes, Olivia Washington, and Walton Goggins
Premise: A 13-foot-tall boy (Jerome) is raised in secret in Oakland, CA, until he turns 19 and is accidentally discovered by a group of teenage political activists. What happens next is a wild, surrealist, anti-capitalist adventure from the mind of Sorry to Bother You director Boots Riley.
'Grand Crew'
Original run: December 14, 2021 — April 28, 2023
Starring: Echo Kellum, Justin Cunningham, Grasie Mercedes, Carl Tart, Aaron Jennings, and Nicole Byer
Premise: This unfortunately short-lived (unless someone renews it!) sitcom follows a hilarious crew of young friends living their best lives as young Black professionals in LA.
'The Chi'
Original run: January 7, 2018 — present
Starring: Alex Hibbert, Jacob Latimore, Tyla Abercrumbie, Luke James, Birgundi Baker, Yolonda Ross, Curtiss Cook, Iman Shumpert, and Michael V. Epps
Premise: This long-running ensemble drama follows the day-to-day lives of residents of Chicago's Southside, from a trio of best friends pulled in different directions in the aftermath of police brutality to the machinations of city government.
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'Good Times'
Original run: February 8, 1974 — August 1, 1979
Starring: Esther Rolle, John Amos, Ja'Net DuBois, Ralph Carter, Bern Nadette Stanis, Jimmie Walker, Johnny Brown, Janet Jackson, and Ben Powers
Premise: The first-ever sitcom to center on a large, working-class Black family and the source of countless references passed down over 50 years (from "Dy-no-mite" to "Damn, damn, damn!")
'Survival of the Thickest'
Original run: July 13, 2023 — present
Starring: Michelle Buteau, Tone Bell, Tasha Smith, Taylor Selé, Garcelle Beauvais, Marouane Zotti, Liza Treyger, Anissa Felix, Anthony Michael Lopez, Peppermint, and Nicole Byer
Premise: After a devastating breakup, fashion stylist Mavis (Buteau) has to rebuild her life as a newly single woman. As she deals with demanding jobs and heartache, she's determined to thrive with the help of her besties (played by Bell and Smith).
'Power'
Original run: June 7, 2014 — February 9, 2020
Starring: Omari Hardwick, Lela Loren, Naturi Naughton, Joseph Sikora, Rotimi Akinosho, Michael Rainey Jr., La La Anthony, Larenz Tate, and Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson
Premise: This 50 Cent-produced crime series kicked off the Power television universe (a.k.a three spin-offs and counting). It follows a NYC nightclub owner and kingpin (Hardwick) as he reconnects with his high school girlfriend Angela (Loren), who's now a criminal prosecutor investigating his drug empire.
'The Upshaws'
Original run: May 12, 2021 — present
Starring: Mike Epps, Kim Fields, Wanda Sykes, Jermelle Simon, Khali Spraggins, Journey Christine, Diamond Lyons, and Gabrielle Dennis
Premise: Bennie (Epps) and Regina Upshaw (Fields) are a working-class couple raising a blended family. That includes their two young daughters, their grown-up, eldest son the couple conceived when they were teenagers, and Bennie's son from a years-ago affair with now co-parent Tasha (Dennis). It's complicated, but they make it work, with the help of Regina's sister Lucretia (Sykes).
