BlackAF

#blackAF is an American sitcom created by Kenya Barris. It premiered on Netflix on April 17, 2020. The title derives from Internet slang, where "AF" is a term of emphasis, meaning "as fuck". In June 2020, the series was renewed for a second season. A year later, the renewal decision was reversed and the series was canceled after one season.

Premise
The series stars Barris as a fictionalized version of himself. The official synopsis reads: "#blackAF uncovers the messy, unfiltered, and often hilarious world of what it means to be a 'new money' black family trying to 'get it right' in a modern world where 'right' is no longer a fixed concept."

Main

 * Rashida Jones as Joya Barris
 * Kenya Barris as Kenya Barris
 * Iman Benson as Drea Barris
 * Genneya Walton as Chloe Barris
 * Scarlet Spencer as Izzy Barris
 * Justin Claiborne as Pops Barris
 * Ravi Cabot-Conyers as Kam Barris

Recurring

 * Richard Gardenhire Jr. as Brooklyn Barris
 * Gil Ozeri as Danny
 * Bumper Robinson as Broadway
 * Nia Long as Lavette
 * Angela Kinsey as Leeza
 * Doug Hall as Marquise

Ava DuVernay, Will Packer, Tyler Perry, Issa Rae, Tim Story, Scooter Braun, Lena Waithe, Jay Rock and Steven Levitan made appearances as themselves in the series.

Development
Netflix ordered #blackAF (originally titled Black Excellence) as the first series under Barris' deal with them. Announcing the production of the show, Netflix said, "Inspired by Barris' irreverent, highly flawed, unbelievably honest approach to parenting, relationships, race, and culture, Black Excellence looks to pull the curtain back and reboot the 'family sitcom' in a way we've never seen before." On June 23, 2020, Netflix renewed the series for a second season. A year later, on June 23, 2021, the renewal decision was reversed and the series was canceled after one season, but may return as a standalone film franchise.

Casting
On May 10, 2019, Kenya Barris and Rashida Jones were cast in starring roles. On December 20, 2019, Genneya Walton, Iman Benson, Scarlet Spencer, Justin Claiborn, Ravi Cabot-Conyers, and Richard Gardenhire Jr. were announced as additional cast members.

Reception
On Rotten Tomatoes, the series has an approval rating of 46% based on 24 reviews, with an average rating of 6.97/10. The website's critical consensus states: "Solid one-liners and some sharp social critiques can't save #blackaf from feeling more like a stale retread than a fresh step forward for creator Kenya Barris." On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 61 out of 100, based on 18 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".