Entertainment

The 'black-ish' Cast Has Been Working Overtime

by Kayla Hawkins
Ron Tom/ABC

black-ish Season 3 finale may feel unexpected, but that's only because the show managed to make every week feel fresh, even after premiering all the way back in September 2016. The turn to warmer weather and vacation time means that the 2016-2017 TV season is coming to an end. So now, after 20-plus episodes, it's time to start wondering whether black-ish will return for Season 4. Surprisingly, as of May 10, the series has been neither cancelled nor renewed for an additional season, even though the second and third seasons were renewed early, and black-ish is still one of ABC's most-discussed and well-written comedies. At this point, it seems easy to assume that black-ish will return, and given that ABC usually brings back the majority of its series in early fall, sometime around the last few weeks in September, that's when you should expect more episodes.

UPDATE: On July 25, ABC announced that black-ish Season 4 will premiere on Oct. 3.

EARLIER: And while that may seem premature given that ABC hasn't announced anything, the cast of black-ish and the writers behind it are still in high demand, from this network and many others. In fact, pretty much everyone behind black-ish has become a household name, the star of some hilarious GIFs, and/or picked up some exciting new projects in the last year. Here's just some of the places and projects where you can expect to see the black-ish crew before the series returns for a possible fourth season.

Kenya Barris

The creator and executive producer of black-ish, Kenya Barris, signed another four-year deal with ABC to continue working on black-ish (another sign the show is returning) and, to work on creating new series for the network. Barris wrote several pilots that could be picked up for fall 2017, including "Libby and Malcolm, starring Felicity Huffman and Courtney B. Vance; [and] Unit Zero, starring Toni Collette," according to Variety.

Anthony Anderson

In addition to an Emmy, Critics' Choice, SAG, and Golden Globe nomination for playing Dre, Anthony Anderson has also become a reliable host, on ABC and beyond. He's the host of game show To Tell the Truth, guest-hosted on Jimmy Kimmel Live, and emceed VH1's Dear Mama, a special celebrating Mother's Day.

Tracee Ellis Ross

Ross may not have as many new projects lined up as she should right now, but she has been cleaning it up on red carpets, interviews, and attended the Met Gala for the first time and managed to find the perfect Comme de Garcons look. She also had a Golden Globe win that marked the first time a black woman has taken home the prize for Best Actress in a Comedy in decades.

Yara Shahidi

One of Kenya Barris' possible new series is a black-ish spinoff about Zoey going to college. You may remember that the third season's penultimate episode was a backdoor pilot for the spinoff — a self-contained episode about Zoey's first weekend at college. And, in real life, Shahidi is also preparing to attend college — Michelle Obama wrote her recommendation letter, so it's no surprise that she was accepted into every school she applied to.

Deon Cole

Charlie had to take a brief hiatus when Cole was cast on Angie Tribeca on TBS, but thankfully he's back.

Marcus Scribner

He's hilarious as the most under-appreciated member of the Johnson family, so surely he'll get more roles in the future, but for now Scribner's main new role in the YouTube series Alexander IRL.

Marsai Martin

Martin starred in An American Girl Story — Melody 1963 in 2016, and she went viral when an adorable, old video of a six-year old Marsai trying valiantly to keep up with Beyoncé's "Love on Top" keychanges resurfaced.

Miles Brown

Brown nabbed a tiny cameo in The New Edition Story, BET's three-part retelling of the history of the R&B group. And he's also a pretty great amateur NBA reporter and has some incredible dance skills.

Overall, the black-ish cast and crew have always been incredibly talented, and the show is undoubtedly one of the best sitcoms on TV right now. But in the 2016-2017 season, these stars proved even more emphatically how talented they are, making it a no-brainer to renew black-ish for Season 4.