Plot Synopsis

Loosely based on the life of writer and series creator Kenya Barris, BLACK-ISH is a single-camera comedy that centers on Andre 'Dre' Johnson, an upper middle-class black man, who is determined to find a way for his family to hold onto its cultural identity, while still living the American dream. Dre has a great job at Relevant Advertising, a physician wife Rainbow, four beautiful kids, and a colonial home in the 'burbs, but he's concerned that their success has caused the family to grow out of touch with their heritage. When his son announces he wants a Bar Mitzvah, it hits Dre that it's time to act. Dre's opinionated, old school father, Pops, and his liberal wife have very different opinions about how Dre should handle his personal and professional lives. Ultimately, Dre's family helps him realize that the best way to live is by embracing the new while honoring the past. He decides to throw his son a hip-hop Bro Mitzvah and the successful event inspires him to create a multicultural ad campaign that wows everyone at the office.

BLACK-ISH returned for its second season on Wednesday, September 23, 2015 at 9:30pm ET/PT on ABC. In the season opener, "THE Word," Jack performs the song "Gold Digger" at a school talent show and when he sings a lyric that includes THE word, it leads to his possible expulsion from school. Dre and Bow work together to get him reinstated, and along the way, examine the evolution of THE word through the generations and just who, if anyone, has the right to use it.

Season 3 of BLACK-ISH premiered on Wednesday, September 21, 2016 at 9:30pm ET/PT on ABC. In the season opener, "VIP," Dre decides to take his family to Walt Disney World on the magical, first-class vacation experience he was never able to have as a kid. With the help of a VIP tour guide, Dre and the kids take full advantage of their VIP status. Meanwhile, Bow, Pops and Ruby set off on their own adventure.

The fourth season of BLACK-ISH premiered on Tuesday, October 3, 2017 at 9pm ET/PT on ABC. In the season opener, "Juneteenth," the Johnsons go to Jack and Diane's school play about Columbus Day, and Dre is dismayed by the historically inaccurate way that the holiday is portrayed. He feels like there aren't enough black holidays, so he enlists Aloe Blacc (guest starring as himself) at work to help him create a catchy song to raise awareness for a holiday worth celebrating, Juneteenth.

Season 5 of BLACK-ISH premiered on Tuesday, October 16, 2018 at 9pm ET/PT on ABC. In the season opener, "Gap Year," Dre and Bow are beside themselves after dropping Junior off at college when they find him back at home announcing his decision to take a gap year. Meanwhile, Jack and Diane begin to question whether they should still be sharing a room. On Tuesday, January 8, 2019 at 9:25pm ET/9pm PT, ABC debuted "Wilds of Valley Glen," the mid-season premiere of BLACK-ISH. Dre must take Jack and Diane on a mandatory camping trip for school and hatches a plan for them to escape to a fancy hotel for some pampering. Meanwhile, Bow gets an award at work, but feels undermined after a colleague is surprised to learn that she went to USC for med school.

BLACK-ISH returned for its sixth season on Tuesday, September 24, 2019 at 9:30pm ET/PT on ABC. In the season opener, "Pops the Question," the twins are headed into eighth grade, and Junior is out on his own managing social media for Migos. Meanwhile, Pops reveals that he is getting married. On Tuesday, January 7, 2020 at 9:30pm ET/PT, ABC debuted "Hair Day," the winter premiere of BLACK-ISH, guest starring Jill Scott as Yaya. Bow takes Diane to get her hair done at the salon and wants to spend this time together as a bonding opportunity, but Diane isn't having it. Diane is conflicted about relaxing her hair again and embarks on a hair journey with the help of Bow, Ruby and her hair stylist, Yaya. Meanwhile, Dre and Junior compete to have the best barbecue.

Season 7 of BLACK-ISH premiered on Wednesday, October 21, 2020 at 9:30pm ET/PT on ABC, two-and-a-half weeks after ABC debuted a two-part BLACK-ISH election special on Sunday, October 4, 2020 from 10-11pm ET/PT. In this election special (Oct 4), the Johnsons navigate the upcoming election, with Junior embarking on his journey as a first-time voter and Dre launching an exploration into local politics. The special was presented in part as an animated episode, with Matthew A. Cherry set to direct. Then, the season opener (Oct 21), "Hero Pizza," takes viewers to the beginning of the global pandemic for the Johnsons. As a first responder, Bow receives her family's praise for her work, with Junior being her biggest fan. But over time, the family loses their enthusiasm, and Bow discovers someone in her house is breaking the quarantine lockdown rules. Meanwhile, Dre tries to convince everyone that he too is an essential worker. Judy Reyes and Parminder Nagra guest star as Dr. Laurie and Dr. Wen, respectively. After an eight-week break, BLACK-ISH returned with new episodes on January 26, 2021, moving to a new day and time: Tuesdays at 9pm on ABC. In the winter premiere, "black-out," the power goes out in the neighborhood, and Dre's instinct is to go into survival mode and stockpile on essentials, while Bow focuses on helping their neighbors. Meanwhile, Junior desperately searches for a place to charge his phone to get in touch with Olivia.

BLACK-ISH returned for its eighth and final season on Tuesday, January 4, 2022 at 9:30pm ET/PT on ABC. In the season opener, "That's What Friends Are For," Bow convinces Dre to attend a fundraising event for When We All Vote in hopes to make some new couple friends (and to do their part in increasing participation in each and every election), but Dre is convinced there will be nothing but dud husbands there to befriend. Their expectations are far exceeded when the special guest for the evening is none other than Michelle Obama. To their surprise, the former first lady accepts an invitation for dinner at their house. But on the evening of the special meal, the rest of the Johnsons want to crash the occasion.
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On Tuesday, April 19, 2022 at 9pm ET/PT, ABC premiered "Homegoing," the series finale of BLACK-ISH, immediately followed by a half-hour special:

"Homegoing" (9pm; series finale): As Pops and Ruby prepare to move away, Dre and Bow consider if they should make a big life change as well. Grappling with this idea at work, Dre receives some unexpected advice from Simone Biles, who tells him to follow his heart. The Johnsons prepare for their goodbyes.

"A Celebration: An ABC News Special" (9:30pm; special): Since its debut in 2014, BLACK-ISH has entertained and educated millions of viewers. The series brought audiences inside the difficult conversations and lived experiences many Black families have in America through the comedic lens of the Johnson family. A new ABC News special profiles the making of the groundbreaking show and explores the profound impact it had on society as it concludes its eighth and final season. The special features interviews with the show's all-star cast, including Anthony Anderson, Tracee Ellis Ross, Marsai Martin, Yara Shahidi, Miles Brown, Marcus Scribner, Laurence Fishburne, Jenifer Lewis and Deon Cole -- as well as an exclusive look at the final table read and the cast's original audition tapes. This half-hour special reflects on some of the show's most important episodes, covering topics ranging from Juneteenth to postpartum depression. BLACK-ISH stars and guest stars such as Aloe Blacc also discuss their experience working on set, the comedic genius of the show and how they feel about the series ending. Creator and executive producer Kenya Barris and episodic director Eva Longoria talk about the unique chemistry between the cast and crew over years of filming and what they hope will be the legacy of the show.