Smart Guy

T.J. is a boy genius who gets bumped up from the fourth grade to high school. T.J. tries to adjust to his new life, but he shares some classes with his 14 year-old brother Marcus, the school jock, and his clueless and self-absorbed 16 year-old sister Yvette.

Smart Guy (1997-1999) is a American family sitcom created by Danny Kallis for The WB, running three seasons and 51 episodes. Tahj Mowry plays T.J. Henderson, a boy genius bumped up from fourth grade into high school, where he shares classes with his 14-year-old brother Marcus, the school jock played by Jason Weaver, and his clueless, self-absorbed 16-year-old sister Yvette, played by Essence Atkins. John Marshall Jones plays their widowed father Floyd, and Omar Gooding plays Mo Tibbs, a friend whose schemes often pull T.J. off course. The engine of each episode is simple: T.J. wants to fit in with older students and keep his academic edge, while his intellect, his siblings' rivalries and the everyday chaos of a single-parent household get in the way. Stories unfold in standalone, case-of-the-week episodes built around school embarrassments, family squabbles and small social crises, so the show is easy to dip into. The tone is bright, gentle and warmly comic, with a wholesome, uplifting core about family loyalty and belonging. Its TV-G rated humor and classic late-nineties sitcom rhythm place it among fans of Malcolm in the Middle, The Hughleys and Gifted Hands, a Disney-backed family comedy for all ages.

• Malcolm in the Middlefamily sitcom with precocious youngster navigating older peers, light comedic tone
• Gifted Handsgifted child sitcom, family comedy with sibling dynamics
• The Hughleysfamily sitcom built on a single household's everyday comedy and sibling friction

Created by

Danny Kallis

Release Date

1997-03-26

Episode runtime

22 min

Rating

7.4 / 10 (44)

What is Smart Guy about?

A boy genius skips ahead to high school and must survive it alongside his jock brother and self-absorbed sister.

What is Smart Guy like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Smart Guy as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as simple.

Is Smart Guy violent?

No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Smart Guy.

Which shows are like Smart Guy?

Shows with a similar feel include Malcolm in the Middle, Gifted Hands, and The Hughleys.

How long is Smart Guy?

Smart Guy: 3 seasons, 51 episodes.

Is Smart Guy still running?

No, Smart Guy has ended.

Where can I watch Smart Guy?

In United States, Smart Guy streams on Disney Plus.