`Grown-ish’ moves `Black-ish’ to college

Rachel Stofanak, Staff Writer

“Grown-ish,” a spinoff of ABC’s sitcom “Black-ish” that focuses on the first college experiences of the family’s oldest daughter, Zoey, debuted Wednesday on Freeform.

While the new series has the same sense of humor and focus on black culture that “Black-ish” has, it revolves around less family-friendly topics than the original show: In her first days at college, Zoey experiences drugs, drinking, and difficulty adjusting to independence and a new environment.

Zoey meets a completely new, zany cast of characters: her roommate, Ana, a conservative Catholic; Vivek, a drug dealer who introduces Zoey to college culture, and Aaron, an avid protester who catches Zoey’s eye as a romantic interest.

The new series, while still having the same meaningful themes and humor, is aimed toward an audience of millenials. It is meant to be a relatable story that captures the experience of starting college, while also using slang and jokes that millenials can appreciate.

Zoey’s dilemma of succumbing to peer pressure versus being her own person, however, provides a theme that anyone can relate to, as well as creating a meaningful commentary on the new pressures of college.

The premiere of this spinoff was promising, and hopefully the rest of the series will deliver the same humor and meaningful moments.