36 Black TV Shows We Keep Running Back
Updated as of 5/20/2023 at 9:45 a.m.
Everything about Black television is legendary. We had the hottest R&B singers making our theme songs, the humor made you bend over laughing and the drama was so juicy, you had to come back next week for more. Talk about competition.
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Our scripts were so good, Friends tried to duplicate Living Single but couldn’t master our authenticity and humor. Even when we got cheated out of some awards and nominations, everyone we saw on television growing up kept a place in our heart.
From animation to soapy dramas, there are some shows Black folks from any generations will remember - whether they grew up watching it themselves, snuck into their siblings’ room to see what was on or put it on for their children years later.
Either way, you MUST remember watching these 36 Black TV shows.
That’s So Raven
Theme Song 🎶 | That’s So Raven | Disney Channel
And to think they tried to make her the sidekick... She MADE this show.
Cory in the House
Theme Song 🎶 | Cory In the House | Disney Channel
Everyone who loved That’s So Raven naturally gravitated to this show.
Just Jordan
Who remembers just jordan on nick😂 #shorts #justjordan #teennick
TeenNick had some bangers. Where did Lil’ JJ even go from here???
Romeo!
Romeo Intro
My sister wanted Bow Wow growing up... I wanted Romeo.
Wild ‘N Out
Best Of Wild ‘N Out (Season 1) ft. Katt Williams, Kanye West & MORE! 🔥 | MTV
The latest seasons are fire but first few will bring a different kind of laugh out of your belly.
Thugaboo
Wayans Bros. Thugaboo
Aht aht! Don’t forget this animated classic.
My Wife and Kids
My Wife & Kids Best Moments
The joy of waking up in the middle of the night to this show and laughing myself back to sleep.
Cousin Skeeter
Cousin Skeeter
Bring back R&B television theme songs!
Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids
Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids go to Prison
The OG rendition of the 2004 live action movie (and a personal favorite).
The Nick Cannon Show
Nickelodeon Snick Promo: The Nick Cannon Show - Nick Cannon Mixing it Up (2002)
Short lived but never forgotten. After this, his comedy went to another level.
The Wayan’s Bros.
The Wayans Bros Marlon’s Impersonation Of Macho Man Randy Savage
Name a funnier group of siblings... quickly.
Famous Jett Jackson
The Famous Jett Jackson Theme Song
One of Disney Channel’s first fictional original series.
Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper
Theme Song | Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper | Warner Archive
One of Raven-Symoné’s earliest roles.
What’s Happening!!
What’s Happening!! (Intro) S1 (1976)
Now let’s really go down memory lane...
Smart Guy
Smart Guy - First Theme Song
A cast FULL of gems.
The PJs
The PJs intro 1999
A favorite among my cousins and me (who were oblivious to the references in this show by the way).
Family Matters
Family Matters Theme Song: Season Two
A bonafide classic.
Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Fresh Prince of Bel-Air - White Boyfriend
Even though the Aunt Viv replacement was controversial, it didn’t change the quality of this show.
Sister, Sister
Sister, Sister - This is an Emergency | Jackée Harry
Many girls learned so much about being a young Black woman from this show. Plus, who didn’t want to have side by side twin beds?
Moesha
moesha theme season 1
So... were those 1,000 microbraids a wig or no?
Girlfriends
Girlfriends Intro
Everyone could identify their girlfriend in this show.
The Game
The Game Intro
One thing this show was always going to deliver was the DRAMA.
Kenan and Kel
Dan Schneider | “Kenan & Kel” | Kenan & Kel Season One Theme Song
No one could compete with this sketch show on Nickelodeon. No one!
All That
“All That” Season One Theme Song! | Dan Schneider
It wasn’t an all Black cast but come on, this was a Black show.
Gullah Gullah Island
Gullah Gullah intro
Did we just pull this from the depths of your subconcious? Yes, yes we did.
The Cosby Show
Cosby Show
One of the most relatable depictions of a Black family.
The Boondocks
The Boondocks Season 1 Intro
The Black anime (arguably) that you couldn’t always watch when parents were around.
The Proud Family
The Proud Family Theme Song | Disney Channel
*Sigh* The amount of blackness compacted into this show was record breaking for Disney Channel.
Little Bill
Little Bill Intro
Before Caillou, there was Bill.
In Living Color
In Living Color Intro - Season 1 (1990)
The point of reference of so many music videos, movies and other forms of Black entertainment.
A Different World
A Different World: 5x25 - Dwayne interrupts Whitley and Byron’s Wedding
Talk about a show that didn’t hold back on tough topics, while also making you bend over laughing.
The Parkers
The Parkers Theme Song (Season 2)
Professor Oglevee didn’t even deserve Nikki Parker. We did, though, and her wardrobe!
Living Single
Living Single - Season 1 intro
Who else will never get tired of these reruns? This cast was naturally goofy.
The Jamie Foxx Show
Traffic School Days, Jamie Foxx Show
You know the script was fire when the entire cast was trying not to laugh.
Bernie Mac Show
The Bernie Mac Show Intro
A genuine classic. We will truly never have another Bernie Mac.
Martin
Martin - Jerome’s In Da House
If someone starts randomly singing this or “You gotta getcha groove onnn!” please believe I will join them.
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