‘Black-ish’ Renewed for Season 6; Spinoff ‘Mixed-ish’ Ordered By ABC

The Johnsons will be back for another go-round. ABC has picked up a sixth season of its hit comedy series black-ish for the 2019-2020 season. In addition, the network has given an early season order to mixed-ish, a spinoff about Rainbow Johnson’s (Tracee Ellis Ross) experience growing up in a mixed-race family in the ‘80s.

The black-ish renewal is not a surprise for the praised single-camera comedy centered on an affluent African-American family struggling to raise their kids in the largely white culture of well-to-do suburbia. Also not surprising was the pickup for mixed-ish, which had emerged as ABC’s strongest comedy pilot.

ABC had intended to air a “Becoming Bow” episode of black-ish on May 7, which could have become a backdoor pilot for a potential prequel series. With the mixed-ish series order, that episode will now be held for next season, ABC says. Bless This Mess, “The Predators” episode will now air in the 9-9:30 PM time slot that night.

Written by Peter Saji and Kenya Barris, in mixed-ish, Rainbow Johnson (Ross) recounts her experience growing up in a mixed-race family in the ‘80s and the constant dilemmas they had to face over whether to assimilate or stay true to themselves. Bow’s parents Paul and Alicia decide to move from a hippie commune to the suburbs to better provide for their family. As her parents struggle with the challenges of their new life, Bow and her siblings navigate a mainstream school in which they’re perceived as neither black nor white. This family’s experiences illuminate the challenges of finding one’s own identity when the rest of the world can’t decide where you belong.

The series stars Arica Himmel as young Bow Johnson, Tika Sumpter as Alicia Johnson, Christina Anthony as Denise, Mykal-Michelle Harris as Santamonica Johnson and Ethan Childress as Johan Johnson.

Saji and Barris executive produce with Ross, Randall Winston, Artists First (Brian Dobbins), Cinema Gypsy (Laurence Fishburne and Helen Sugland) and Anthony Anderson. This series is produced by ABC Studios.

Mixed-ish is the second black-ish spinoff. It joins the successful grown-ish, on Freeform, which originated as a backdoor pilot episode of the mothership series featuring Yara Shahidi’s character, Zoey Johnson, as she goes to college. Grown-ish, which received an early Season 3 renewal, returns for the second half of Season 2 this summer on Freeform.

Created by Kenya Barris, black-ish stars Anthony Anderson as Andre “Dre” Johnson, Tracee Ellis Ross as Rainbow Johnson, Laurence Fishburne as Pops, Yara Shahidi as Zoey Johnson, Marcus Scribner as Andre Johnson Jr., Miles Brown as Jack Johnson, Marsai Martin as Diane Johnson, Jenifer Lewis as Ruby, Peter Mackenzie as Mr. Stevens and Deon Cole as Charlie Telphy.

Black-ish is executive produced by Barris, Jonathan Groff, Kenny Smith, Gail Lerner, Courtney Lilly, Lindsey Shockley, Peter Saji, Anthony Anderson, Laurence Fishburne, Helen Sugland and E. Brian Dobbins. The series is produced by ABC Studios.