A number of viewers have been alarmed by the swift cancellations of shows across network TV and streaming. And some have paid particular attention to the number of predominantly Black TV series leaving the air, such as Max’s Rap Sh!t, which came down as producer Issa Rae shared candid thoughts about the industry. The return of ABC’s Abbott Elementary is definitely a bright spot during this period of time. Now, the workplace sitcom’s showrunners are calling out "copycat" Hollywood over the assumption that African American casts can't generate tons of money.
While most don’t seem to view Abbott as a strictly Black show, it does indeed still feature an ensemble made up of mostly Black talent. And, historically, series that are in its position are treated somewhat differently from their white counterparts. THR got into this while speaking with the ABC comedy's showrunners, Justin Halpern and Patrick Schumacker. The trade posed a question about Hollywood’s apparent habit of not seeing as much value in African American-led shows, leading to mass cancellations like the ones we're seeing now. While admitting that he and Schumacker may not be the most equipped to speak on the matter, Halpern did offer up the following thoughts:
That’s really interesting. He and I probably aren’t the best people to speak on this, but what I will say is that I hope that to executives and to businesspeople across our industry we have destroyed the fallacy that a show with a majority Black cast can’t be a four-quadrant hit and can’t make a ton of money for the company that is producing it.
The EP's words are refreshing, especially since he's someone who’s worked in mainstream Hollywood for years. Sadly, there have been cases, over time, in which multiple Black actors have revealed the less-than-stellar support their shows received from studios. Casts of classic sitcoms like Martin, Living Single and Girlfriends mentioned poor set conditions, pay inequity and lack of awards show love during their time on the air.
Justin Halpern wasn’t done speaking about the topic during his interview. He called out Tinseltown’s "copycat" nature while expressing his hope that Abbott Elementary’s success would spark a change in attitude toward majority Black TV shows:
That is such a pervasive thing that has been throughout our business since the dawn of the business, and I hope that that is the lesson that they take away. There’s so much copycat shit in this business where it’s like, ‘Oh, Friends is a big hit, we have to go make the next Friends.’ So I hope that the copycat shit that people take from this is that you can make a show with a majority Black cast and it can be a giant hit that will make you tons.
Hopefully, Justin Halpern’s prediction will ring true, and more shows with all or mostly Black casts will get the same treatment as the teacher-centric comedy. The series has helped to further prove that audiences can relate to any characters no matter their race or social standing. Abbott has garnered high ratings and notched numerous awards, including creator Quinta Brunson’s historic Emmy wins. And much of its positive reception can be attributed to ABC having faith in the sitcom. Let's hope that more productions are well-treated like Atlanta and Insecure.
Still, the numerous cancellations of mostly Black TV series continue to be discouraging. Notable shows like A Black Lady Sketch Show, Legendary and Winning Time were axed and arguably didn't get the kind of promotional visibility they deserved, despite having amassed solid fanbases. At the same time, series like Grand Crew and The Wonder Years weren’t afforded the chance to show their full potential. It's great that Abbott has been able to shine, but there's certainly room for improvement when it comes to Hollywood's handling of such shows.
There are still TV series with all or majority African American casts gearing up to premiere this year, including Bel-Air and grown-ish. If you want to keep up with those premiere dates, be sure that you're checking out our 2024 TV schedule. In the meantime, check out Abbott Elementary’s game-changing Season 3 premiere using a Hulu subscription. And watch new episodes of the show on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.
