T.V. Review: Grown-ish
Freeform premiered its newest show “Grown-ish” on Jan. 3rd and has since released four episodes encompassing college life and adventures, as well as the struggles of being an adult still trying to find a sense of place in the world. It follows the story of a young, straight, black, college student, Zoey (Yara Shahidi) and her life at a liberal arts college in California. The show is a spinoff of the show “Black-ish”, which employs its television comedy platform to shed light on racial and political topics. Like “Black-ish”, “Grown-ish” also has a lot to say. The show’s college setting furthers its characters’ immersion in political discord and impels them to define their identities and stances on political issues.
The first episode begins with Zoey being forced to take a midnight Digital Marketing Strategies class taught by her father’s co-worker Charlie, an eccentric college professor. Aside from the course’s unusual meeting time, its roster is filled with prostitutes, meth addicts and a host of other misfits, among them Nomi, Vivek, Luca, Aaron, and twin sisters Skyler and Jazlyn. Despite their very different personalities, these group of young college students become best friends. Nomi is an empowered, sexually liberated woman, Vivek is a first-generation American and aspiring rapper, Luca is a pothead, Aaron is a social activist, and Skyler and Jazlyn are track stars. It is the interactions of this unique group of people that make “Grown-ish” so compelling.
If you’ve watched “A Different World”, you can’t help but draw parallels between the two shows. Both are incredible shows narrating young adulthood, college and ascertaining identity. Additionally, they both focus on the experience of being young and black in America. “Unlike A Different World”, however, “Grown-ish” is not set in a historically black college. This changes the story to incorporate black identity in the larger picture of a multidimensional and diverse college culture.
“Grown-ish” delves into topics interesting and relatable to all young adults, including hookup culture and drug usage. Like “Black-ish”, “Grown-ish” covers these hot topics through comedy. The show also expands upon its predecessor by fleshing out Zoey’s character, who was originally underdeveloped. Her fight to stay true to herself in the wildly diverse college setting acts as one of the show’s primary themes, creating a deep relatability for the viewer.
“Grown-ish” maintains the perfect balance of social commentary and comedy. Viewers are taken on a journey with Zoey through this show, learning from her struggle to embrace her own identity while interacting with those who harbor more differences than similarities. “Grown-ish” is a distinctly poignant marriage of sitcom and advocacy; it is the must-watch show of 2018.