# #blackAF (2020)

> A father takes an irreverent, candid approach to parenting, marriage, and his family's place in modern America.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/84939

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 8
- Episode runtime: 35 min
- Status: Canceled
- Genres: comedy
- Created by: Kenya Barris
- Network: Netflix
- Cast: Kenya Barris, Rashida Jones, Iman Benson, Genneya Walton, Scarlet Spencer, Justin Claiborne, Ravi Cabot-Conyers, Richard Gardenhire Jr.
- TMDB rating: 6.8/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10311562/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: none
- Tone: irreverent, candid, comforting, breezy, sharp

## What critics say

Critics found the show candid and often funny, with Rashida Jones and the family dynamic as highlights, though its frankness sometimes felt uneven.

## Synopsis

#blackAF (2020) is a US Netflix single-season sitcom created by Kenya Barris, a single-camera family comedy with an irreverent, candid voice. Kenya Barris plays a version of himself, a television writer and father trying to be honest with his children and his wife Joya Barris (Rashida Jones) about parenting, marriage, and the realities of raising a Black family in contemporary America. Iman Benson plays eldest daughter Drea Barris, and Genneya Walton plays daughter Chloe Barris, while Justin Claiborne plays the family patriarch Pops Barris, whose blunt views add friction to every gathering. The engine of each eight-episode season is a run of domestic dilemmas, from awkward dinners and sibling rivalries to friction over friends and ambitions, that the household talks through in direct, unfiltered terms. Race, class, and identity surface through everyday moments rather than lectures, giving the comedy a pointed but warm edge. Viewers who enjoy Black-ish, Modern Family, or the sharper social comedy of Atlanta will recognize the same blend of sitcom warmth and frank commentary. The tone is breezy and talky, comforting at its core yet willing to cut deep, and the show runs on rapid-fire dialogue and a close-knit ensemble.

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