Why #BlackAF Has Been So 'Rewarding' For Kenya Barris
Kenya Barris found mainstream success when his family comedy Black-ish premiered on ABC in 2014, and that positive reception has mostly carried over to the show’s spinoffs. Barris’ latest show, #blackAF, has managed to find an audience but hasn’t received the level of acclaim that his original show received when it debuted. Still, it looks like Barris is still enjoying the experience.
Kenya Barris enjoyed making #blackAF and considers the show to be one of the most “rewarding creative experiences” he’s been a part of. In addition, he told Gold Derby that he enjoys the polarizing nature of the series and admits to closely watching social media’s response to it:
#blackAF created quite a stir when it initially debuted, with many taking to social media to voice their opinions on the streaming comedy. This led to a number of discussions across the internet in which viewers debated the merits of the show.
Some viewers and critics have praised the show for its humor and social commentary. Meanwhile, others have critiqued it for retreading ground that’s been covered on Black-ish. Having watched social media’s response to the show, Kenya Barris is aware of the criticisms and didn’t hold back when addressing them.
For those who haven’t seen #blackAF, the show stars Barris as a fictionalized version of himself who along with his wife (played by Rashida Jones), is raising a family within the Hollywood landscape. Throughout its first season, the show also featured guest stars in the form of Ava DuVernay, Tyler Perry and Issa Rae. This week, Netflix renewed the show for a second season, though it has yet to announce a release date.
Regardless of how #blackAF has been received thus far, it would appear that Kenya Barris is more than satisfied with how things have panned out. With a second season on the way, it’ll be interesting to see if he makes any changes to the show. But judging by his reactions to the criticism, he’ll likely keep to his vision moving forward.
The first season of #blackAF is now streaming on Netflix.
CINEMABLEND NEWSLETTER
Your Daily Blend of Entertainment News
Erik Swann is a Senior Content Producer at CinemaBlend. He began working with the publication in 2020 when he was hired as Weekend Editor. Today, he continues to write, edit and handle social media responsibilities over the weekend. On weekdays, he also writes TV and movie-related news and helps out with editing and social media as needed. He graduated from the University of Maryland, where he received a degree in Broadcast Journalism. After shifting into multi-platform journalism, he started working as a freelance writer and editor before joining CB. Covers superheroes, sci-fi, comedy, and almost anything else in film and TV. He eats more pizza than the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.