6 TV Shows to Watch When You’re Caught Up with “Grown-ish”

published Sep 10, 2021
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Credit: Freeform/Eric McCandless

ABC’s “Black-ish” was such a hit that Freeform decided to give viewers a spin-off, which focuses on the eldest Johnson sibling. “Grown-ish” stars Yara Shahidi as Zoey Johnson as she embarks on a new adventure at Cal U.

If you’ve been following the series, you know that the explosive midseason finale just aired, and there will be a break before the second half hits your screen. If you’re looking for something to binge in the meantime, then consider one of these six shows.

“On My Block” offers a similar coming-of-age story, but these characters are a lot less sheltered. The series follows a group of street-savvy friends attending high school in a rough Los Angeles neighborhood. Viewers tag along with the crew — Diego Tinoco as Cesar Diaz, Brett Gray as Jamal Turner, Jason Genao as Ruben “Ruby” Martinez Jr., and Sierra Capri as Monsé Finnie — as they navigate high school, gang violence, and the highs and lows of friendships, romances, and everything in between.

Available to stream on Netflix

If you enjoy the way “Grown-ish” doesn’t shy away from topics surrounding sex and sexual health, then you’ll definitely enjoy some “Sex Education.” The series focuses on a teen virgin who lives with his sex therapist mother and uses his insider information to start an underground sex therapy clinic to help his peers tackle their issues.

Available to stream on Netflix.

Before she was all grown up and off to college, Shahidi’s character, Zoey, was living at home with her family on “Black-ish.” The series focuses on the Johnson family as they deal with holding onto their cultural identity while living in a predominantly white, upper-middle class neighborhood.

Available to stream on Hulu.

It’s no secret that drama and chaos seem to follow Zoey Johnson at Cal U, and the same reigns true for Devi Vishwakumar (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) in “Never Have I Ever.” Vishwakumar is a first generation Indian American teenager trying to juggle dating multiple boys, her friendships, her rivals, and her family, all while dealing with the grief of losing her father.

Available to stream on Netflix.

Unlike Zoey, Emily Cooper (Lily Collins) isn’t in college. Instead, she becomes the girl who went to Paris. Collins’ character gets hired by a marketing firm in Paris to bring a new perspective to their campaigns. Things get complicated when she finds herself in a bit of a love triangle.

Available to stream on Netflix.

Over the years, “Grown-ish” has done an excellent job at highlighting important issues like racism, police brutality, and politics, and “Dear White People” dives even deeper. The series follows a group of Black students as they navigate life and everything that comes with it while attending a predominantly white Ivy League college.

Available to stream on Netflix.