U.S. Black TV shows (since 2010)
These are the Black shows that I know about. There might be a few that I've missed. They are listed in chronological order (for the most part). Some I didn't even know about until I started compiling this list. I define a black TV show as having a predominately African-American cast. I didn't include shows whose main character was Black but was part of a mostly non-Black cast.
Why did I make this list? Partially because I wanted to know how many Black shows were on TV and then I figured maybe some other people were wondering the same thing. Also, I like making lists (and Excel spreadsheets).
Also, also when I set up this list, it was just going to be for shows that are still in production, but I've decided to leave shows that have been cancelled (or whose fates are unknown) on the list.
P.S. This list is (always) slightly out-of-date, but I will take care of it...soon...They're adding new shows left and right. I can't keep up.
P.P.S. I've decided to change my algorithm, so to speak, and am now including shows whose main character is Black as well as shows that I think are targeted toward a Black audience. I'm also working on a list of Black shows starting around 1970 up to 2009. That is coming soon.
Why did I make this list? Partially because I wanted to know how many Black shows were on TV and then I figured maybe some other people were wondering the same thing. Also, I like making lists (and Excel spreadsheets).
Also, also when I set up this list, it was just going to be for shows that are still in production, but I've decided to leave shows that have been cancelled (or whose fates are unknown) on the list.
P.S. This list is (always) slightly out-of-date, but I will take care of it...soon...They're adding new shows left and right. I can't keep up.
P.P.S. I've decided to change my algorithm, so to speak, and am now including shows whose main character is Black as well as shows that I think are targeted toward a Black audience. I'm also working on a list of Black shows starting around 1970 up to 2009. That is coming soon.
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- CreatorBentley Kyle EvansStarsMark Adair-RiosBresha WebbAlphonso McAuleyA young woman looks for a second chance at life by obtaining her real estate license, but when her brother moves in, her whole life is turned upside down.TV One
- StarsWillie MaccKairon JohnBrandon DeShazerAs usual our group of four misfits finds themselves swimming in drama filled situations that bring big laughs. It's clear that Corey still has secrets to hide; as usual Omar seems oblivious to what's happening around him.
- CreatorAli LeRoiStarsShad MossTerry CrewsEssence AtkinsBased on the hit film, centers on the blended Kingston-Persons of Seattle facing the challenges of everyday life in a new blended family.
- CreatorJacque EdmondsStarsBert BelascoJoyful DrakeNadine EllisCouples navigate the highs and lows of modern relationships in this romantic-comedy series.
- StarsNoree VictoriaRickey SmileyAjiona AlexusThe inner workings of how cool Rickey and his gang can be.
- StarsCocoa BrownMichael Jai WhiteTasha SmithFollows the ups-and-downs of married life for Marcus and Angela.OWN
- CreatorKellie R. GriffinStarsMalcolm-Jamal WarnerNadji JeterZoé HendrixPsychologist Carla Reed and Professor Alex Reed balance their professional lives as doctors and personal lives in a blended family with three kids.
- CreatorStacy A. LittlejohnStarsTravis WinfreyLisaRaye McCoyCharity SheaThree friends from different backgrounds desire success, prosperity, and love in up-and-coming Atlanta, Georgia.
- CreatorCedric The EntertainerSuzanne MartinStarsCedric The EntertainerNiecy NashWesley Jonathan"The Soul Man" revolves around R&B superstar-turned-minister Reverend Boyce "The Voice" Ballentine, who was living the high life in Las Vegas at the top of the music charts when he got the calling to go from soul singer to soul saver. He relocated to St. Louis with his wife Lolli and his daughter Lyric to take over the preaching duties in his father's church, but his family is not exactly eager to give up the fabulous superstar life for a humble one.TVLand (recently cancelled)
- CreatorNuma PerrierDennis DortchStarsShayla HaleAndra FullerYaani King MondscheinBET/Centric
- CreatorBentley Kyle EvansStarsOmar GoodingAngell ConwellClayton ThomasThe Stallworths, a working-class Black family, win the lottery and jump into the middle-class overnight.Bounce
- CreatorByron AllenStarsBill BellamyJon LovitzAlex ThomasThe series centers on movie star Marcus Jackson (Bill Bellamy), who ends up getting sentenced to community service after engaging in an altercation with a paparazzo, forcing Marcus to put his film career on hold. Due to the fact that he has a teacher's license (since he originally aspired to work as a teacher), the judge presiding in his case orders him to serve a six-month stint as a teacher for underprivileged high school kids in Los Angeles' South Central neighborhood. In doing so, Marcus has to deal with his agent Bobby Gold (Jon Lovitz), who constantly attempts to get his client back into film, when he discovers that Marcus has decided that he wants to remain working at the school and help improve his students. Marcus also deals with the mishaps of his best friends and roommates Tony (Tony T. Roberts) and Jamal (Alex Thomas).syndicated
- CreatorByron AllenStarsChristopher B. DuncanKellita SmithJackée HarryCenters on an African-American family in the White House.syndicated
- CreatorShonda RhimesStarsKerry WashingtonDarby StanchfieldKatie LowesA former White House Communications Director starts her own crisis management firm only to realize her clients are not the only ones with secrets.
- CreatorMiguel A. Núñez Jr.Ed. WeinbergerStarsKeith DavidElise NealTami RomanThe Cooper family runs an upscale Southern restaurant after wife and mother, Belle, passes away.TV One
- StarsMaya DunbarRockmond DunbarLeToya LuckettAfter four years of marriage, Aubrey and Kya's relationship undergoes upheaval when Aubrey loses his six-figure job. Kya resents the change in her standard of living and the fact that she is now the breadwinner.Gospel Music Channel (UpTV)
- StarsCharity JordanRoderick ThomasShannon ByrdKaren Wright's uncharted journey through the crazy realities of being a stay at home mom, resulting in her sharing her innermost feelings confessional-style in the one place she can find refuge, her bathroom.
- CreatorTyler PerryStarsTika SumpterCrystal FoxJohn SchneiderCenters on the rich Cryer and Harrington families (the haves) and the poor Young family (the have nots) whose lives intertwine when Hanna Young starts working for the Cryers.OWN
- CreatorWarren BellJessica ButlerHoward Michael GouldStarsTia MowryMichael BoatmanSydney ParkA 25-year-old party girl becomes an instant mom when she marries an older man with three children.Nick at Nite, NickMom, TV Land
- CreatorKevin HartChris SpencerRalph FarquharStarsDuane MartinKevin HartNick CannonKevin Hart and other celebrities play a comic fictionalized version of themselves in this parody of similarly named reality shows. Episodes often feature Kevin Hart's attempts to gain celebrity and his jealousy of his friends.BET
- CreatorTyler PerryStarsJonathan ChaseLeigh-Ann RosePatrice LovelyGun-toting Grandma Hattie from Tyler Perry's plays gets her own sitcom. Managing the Love Train Diner with her brother-in-law Floyd, she dishes out justice in the best way: with love.OWN
- CreatorMara Brock AkilStarsGabrielle UnionLisa VidalRaven GoodwinThe life of a young Black woman, her work, her family and the popular talk show which she hosts.BET
- CreatorCraig WayansDamien Dante WayansStarsTatyana AliDamien Dante WayansCraig WayansDamien Dante Wayans and Craig Wayans, nephews of the famous Wayans brothers, decide to start their own production company after struggling to break through in show business, both in front of and behind the camera. Their partner in the endeavor is "honorary Wayans" family member, actor George O. Gore II.BET
- StarsLaila OdomAndrew DitsKaren ConstantineHigh-strung Chloe from Los Angeles and laid-back Brooke from New York must live together while trying to make it in Hollywood.Bounce
- CreatorTyler PerryStarsEdwina FindleyHeather HemmensApril Parker JonesFollows the lives and relationships of a group of five husbands and wives who live on the same street in the fictional community of Maxine.OWN
- CreatorPeter NowalkStarsViola DavisBilly BrownJack FalaheeA group of ambitious law students and their brilliant criminal defense professor become involved in a twisted murder plot that promises to change the course of their lives.
- CreatorKenya BarrisStarsAnthony AndersonTracee Ellis RossMarcus ScribnerA family man struggles to gain a sense of cultural identity while raising his kids in a predominantly white, upper-middle-class neighborhood.ABC
- CreatorMike ClattenburgAaron McGruderStarsGerald 'Slink' JohnsonJohn WitherspoonCorey HolcombThe hijinks of a street-smart savior living in modern-day Compton, on a mission to spread love and kindness throughout the crime-ridden L.A. neighborhood with his small group of followers.Cartoon Network
- CreatorMike O'MalleyStarsRonReaco LeeJessie T. UsherErica AshCam Calloway and Reggie Vaughn gained fame and fortune that no one could have imagined growing up in one of Boston''s most infamous neighborhoods.Starz
- CreatorCourtney A. KempStarsOmari HardwickLela LorenNaturi NaughtonJames "Ghost" St. Patrick, a wealthy New York nightclub owner who has it all; dreaming big, catering to the city's elite, and living a double life as a drug kingpin.Starz
- CreatorJerrod CarmichaelWillie HunterAri KatcherStarsJerrod CarmichaelAmber Stevens WestLil Rel HoweryStand-up comedian Jerrod Carmichael navigates through life with his therapist-in-training girlfriend and his heavily-opinionated family.NBC
- CreatorRanada ShepardStarsDanielle NicoletMeagan HolderEva MarcilleJenna (Danielle Nicolet), a 34 year-old up-and-coming blogger, decides to become celibate.TV One
- CreatorLee DanielsDanny StrongStarsTerrence HowardTaraji P. HensonJussie SmollettA hip-hop mogul must choose a successor among his three sons who are battling for control over his multi-million dollar company, while his ex-wife schemes to reclaim what is hers.Fox
- StarsDorien WilsonDorion RenaudKen LawsonA well-renowned barber meets the son he never knew he had, thirty years after his birth. Work, love, and life collide as they adjust to life as a new family.Bounce
- CreatorNuma PerrierEster Lou WeithersLeah A. WilliamsStarsLina GreenGabrielle MaidenKhalilah JoiA group of friends, composed of two adult virgins and two celibate women, navigate maintaining their intimate relationships while abstaining from sex.BET/Centric
- StarsDavid MannTamela J. MannTony RockReal-life married couple David and Tamela Mann star in this comedy series revolving around the sometimes tricky and often humorous situations that arise when two separate families are blended together and must learn to navigate a new life under one roof.Bounce
- CreatorCraig WrightStarsMerle DandridgeKim HawthorneDesiree RossThe unscrupulous world of the Greenleaf family and their sprawling Memphis megachurch, dark secrets, and lies.OWN
- CreatorGrits CarterAntonia MarchJacqueline McKinleyStarsAndra FullerTravis WinfreyMonique ColemanMaddy Walker is convinced there is a "Walker Woman's Curse" after being born to her mother at the age of 16, and having a child herself at the same age.TV One
- CreatorErica Montolfo-BuraStarsBrandy NorwoodDorian MissickIgnacio SerricchioZoe Moon a newly single mother wants to start a cosmetics business.BET
- CreatorTy ScottTy Swaggalee ScottRi-Karlo HandyStarsVanessa Bell CallowayClifton PowellJasmine BurkeA Southern Baptist church and its surrounding community are entrenched in a world of crime, lust, deceit, and greed.Bounce
- CreatorMisha GreenJoe PokaskiStarsJurnee SmollettAldis HodgeJessica De GouwWith the country on the brink of Civil War, the struggle for freedom is more dangerous than ever. Underground follows the story of American heroes and their moving journey to freedom.WGN America
- CreatorDonald GloverStarsDonald GloverBrian Tyree HenryLaKeith StanfieldEarn and his cousin, Alfred, try to make their way in the world through Atlanta's rap scene. Along the way they come face-to-face with social and economic issues touching on race, relationships, poverty, status and parenthood.FX
- CreatorStephen Adly GuirgisBaz LuhrmannStarsJustice SmithShameik MooreHerizen F. GuardiolaA ragtag group of teenagers run wild in the streets of the Bronx in the late 1970s.Netflix
- CreatorCheo Hodari CokerStarsMike ColterSimone MissickTheo RossiWhen a sabotaged experiment gives him super strength and unbreakable skin, Luke Cage becomes a fugitive attempting to rebuild his life in Harlem and must confront his past and fight a battle for the heart of his city.Netflix
- CreatorAva DuVernayStarsRutina WesleyKofi SiriboeOmar J. DorseyFollows the life of three siblings, one of whom moves from Los Angeles to Louisiana to claim a shared inheritance from their recently departed father: an 800-acre sugarcane farm.OWN
- CreatorIssa RaeLarry WilmoreStarsIssa RaeYvonne OrjiJay EllisFollows the awkward experiences and racy tribulations of a modern-day African-American woman.HBO
- CreatorScott Brown'BENCHED' is a one-hour original scripted comedy-drama about a reluctant, recently appointed judge who is not quite ready to give up his life as bachelor to begin a new life as a public servant. Each week, he confronts the underbelly of the criminal justice system that has derailed a generation of African Americans, including those close to him - as he upholds the tenets of the same system.BET (not sure if this ever aired or not)
- CreatorFelicia D. HendersonCharles HollandRob HardyStarsAnika Noni RosePeyton 'Alex' SmithMichelle DeFraitesAs President of Georgia A&M, a Historically Black University, Dr. Eva Fletcher must juggle the responsibilities of the financially-struggling institution with family ties and ambitious students.BET
- CreatorAmani WalkerStarsDanielle Moné TruittAngela KoBrandon Quinn'Rebel' is an extraordinary take on the seminal police drama that examines the unique and conflicted relationship officers of color have with their jobs - at a time when police forces are rife with brutality and misconduct. Oakland police officer, Rebecca "Rebel" Knight, has always excelled by playing by the rules. She has always known that she must be better and smarter on the job because she is both black and female. After her brother is slain by police, Rebel soon becomes disillusioned with the system and is forced to take matters into her own hands and become a private investigator and a champion for her community. Caught between family loyalty and the fraternity in blue, Rebel's actions set in motion a cause-and-effect crisis that can't be undone.BET
- CreatorTom BrunelleBrad WollackStarsTawny NewsomeEddie GriffinSteve BergThe show follows the heavy hitter comedians on their tour "Comedy Get Down". Mostly not active on television, comedians share their backstage struggles to put on the show.BET
- CreatorDan CharnasSeith MannStarsAfton WilliamsonTristan Mack WildsAntoine HarrisThree friends aspire to break into the hip-hop music industry.BET
- CreatorReggie Rock BythewoodGina Prince-BythewoodStarsSanaa LathanStephan JamesStephen MoyerExamines the dangerous aftermath of two racially charged shootings in a small Southern town, providing an explosive autopsy of our criminal justice system.BET
- CreatorTom KapinosBuddy LewisChris SpencerStarsJay PharoahJacob Ming-TrentUtkarsh AmbudkarA young African-American comedian rises among the ranks of the stand-up world and braces for "break-out" fame.Showtime
- CreatorChristopher MoynihanMarlon WayansStarsMarlon WayansEssence AtkinsBresha WebbA loving but immature father with a larger-than-life personality is committed to co-parenting his two kids with his very-together ex-wife. For Marlon, family always comes first--even if he's the biggest kid of all.NBC
- CreatorSpike LeeStarsDeWanda WiseAnthony RamosLyriq BentThe story of one woman and her three lovers. TV series based on the film by Spike Lee.Netlfix
- StarsTika SumpterLarenz TateWren T. BrownChronicles the lives of players in the lottery games while illuminating the self-sustainability of the community's African American residents.
- CreatorEric AmadioJohn SingletonDave AndronStarsDamson IdrisCarter HudsonSergio Peris-MenchetaA look at the early days of the crack cocaine epidemic in Los Angeles during the beginning of the 1980s.FX
- CreatorJustin SimienStarsLogan BrowningBrandon P BellDeRon HortonAt a predominantly white Ivy League college, a group of black students navigate various forms of racial and other types of discrimination.Netflix
- StarsVictoria RowellRobert Ri'chardRichard BrooksMax and Veronica make waves of their own as greedy network executives attempt another dirty deal. Max wants out while Veronica considers jumping the broom.Urban Movie Channel
- CreatorRebecca HuStarsGabriel BrownJJ SanderEric PierceA group of workers at a run-down fast food restaurant in L.A. try to improve their business and their lives.Urban Movie Channel
- CreatorJames BlandStarsJames BlandVanessa BadenSean SamuelsGiants chronicles the journey of three friends who share a firm commitment to living life on their own terms. But, when unable to escape conflicts of identity, sexuality and mental health -- each character reaches a sobering turning point that forces them to either give up or fight for their lives.Cleo
- CreatorTyler PerryStarsCassi DavisLaVan DavisJackée HarryIn this spinoff of the comedy "House of Payne," Curtis and Ella Payne (LaVan Davis and Cassi Davis) are trying to enjoy their retirement in Florida when they get roped into a real-estate deal that will up-end their lives.OWN
- CreatorSalim AkilStarsCress WilliamsNafessa WilliamsChristine AdamsA crusading school principal gets back into action as the original African-American electrical superhero.CW
- CreatorLena WaitheStarsJason MitchellJacob LatimoreNtare Guma Mbaho MwineFrom Emmy® winner Lena Waithe, The Chi is a timely coming-of-age drama series centered on a group of residents who become linked by coincidence but bonded by the need for connection and redemption.Showtime
- CreatorJohn CarcieriJordan PeeleStarsTracy MorganRyan GaulDante HoaglandAn ex-con is shocked to see just how much the world has changed when he is released from prison for good behavior after a 15-year stint and returns to his newly gentrified Brooklyn neighborhood.TBS
- CreatorTerri KoppStarsErica AshChristian KeyesMegan HutchingsWorking for a legal aid office in New York City, Gwen Sullivan fights for clients who can't afford to choose their own attorney.BET
- CreatorJeremy BronsonStarsJoseph SimmonsJustine SimmonsKiana LedéThe wife of a legendary rapper launches her own career, which puts his life into a tailspin.Netflix
- CreatorKevin BarnettLil Rel HoweryJosh RabinowitzStarsLil Rel HoweryJessica 'Jess Hilarious' MooreJordan L. JonesA successful comic tries to put his life back on track after his marriage falls apart.Fox
- CreatorGreg CarterStarsMyaCarl Anthony Payne IIGary Anthony SturgisMina, has been struggling to make ends meet - especially since the death of her husband 2 years ago. Now a single mother of 2 sons, Mina fears for their safety after an argument at a local convenience store leaves a young girl dead.
- StarsValarie PettifordDarrin Dewitt HensonSean RinggoldBy day, the Duncans are an upstanding family who run a thriving exotic car dealership in New York. By night, they live a dangerous secret life. When they come under siege the Duncans will have to stick together or die separately.BET
- CreatorSteven CanalsBrad FalchukRyan MurphyStarsMichaela Jaé (MJ) RodriguezDominique JacksonIndya MooreIn the New York of the late '80s and early '90s, this is a story of ball culture and the gay and trans community, the raging AIDS crisis, and capitalism.FX
- CreatorMara Brock AkilStarsWilliam CatlettMichele WeaverClarke PetersSet in Los Angeles in the 1990s, "Love Is--" follows a young black couple, two people from opposite worlds, as they go through the trials and tribulations of chasing their dreams and learning how to follow their hearts.
- StarsBrian WhiteDenise BoutteShanti LowrySpecial Investigations Unit, focuses on an elite task force, based out of The Bronx.Urban Movie Channel
- StarsVictoria RowellRichard BrooksDaphne ReidOver-achieving daughter, Jilly, has long felt the neglect of her wealthy family. After a fall from her thoroughbred, Jilly develops a growing addiction to prescription painkillers, which she can no longer hide. As the family unravels in the face of this addiction, long-held secrets are unlocked that test each generation of this "perfect" family.Urban Movie Channel
- StarsJohn SavageLeonVanessa WilliamsA bisexual, mixed race, single bridal fashion designer maneuvers life and business in post colonial Africa.Urban Movie Channel
- StarsK.D. AubertGolden BrooksMelissa De SousaA hilarious examination of love, life, and litigation through the eyes of four gorgeous go-getters running their own personal injury law firm in Inglewood, California.Urban Movie Channel
- CreatorBen Cory JonesLena WaitheStarsTetona JacksonTequan RichmondLeland B. MartinBased on the 1992 American romantic comedy film, this new series will follow the lives of Jacqueline Boyer's son and Marcus and Angela Graham's daughter as they try to step out of their parents' shadows and make a legacy of their own.BET
- CreatorJordan CahanDavid CaspeStarsDon CheadleAndrew RannellsPaul ScheerA group of outsiders takes on the 1980s old-boys club of Wall Street.Showtime
- CreatorJamey GiddensStarsBrian WhiteRobin GivensKendrick CrossA woman moves to a new city and starts going head-to-head with the town's most powerful and deceitful players.OWN
- StarsDemetria McKinneyPaula Jai ParkerBrad JamesThe wealthy Sanders family deals with the loss of their matriarch while uncovering and facing a variety of secrets and scandals.Urban Movie Channel
- CreatorTarell Alvin McCraneyStarsAkili McDowellAlana ArenasTravis ColesA young prodigy living in Florida looks for a way out of his poor neighborhood.OWN
- CreatorKenya BarrisTracee Ellis RossPeter SajiStarsTika SumpterMark-Paul GosselaarChristina AnthonyFollows Bow's parents, Paul and Alicia, who are forced to move from a hippie commune to the suburbs to better provide for their family after the dissolution of their cult.ABC
- CreatorChris BrancatoPaul EcksteinStarsForest WhitakerIlfenesh HaderaLucy FryA gangster named Bumpy Johnson makes his way in Harlem during the 1960s. A TV prequel to the 2007 film, 'American Gangster', which centered on the criminal enterprise of Frank Lucas.Epix
- CreatorFelischa MaryeStarsTanisha LongTristen J. WingerChase AnthonyA woman living in East Atlanta wonders if there is something bigger and better in life.
- CreatorTracy OliverStarsJill ScottMichelle ButeauRonReaco LeeTV adaptation of the 1996 comedy about about three divorced wives who share a common past.
- CreatorTyler PerryStarsBrad BenedictEd QuinnKron MooreNewly-elected U.S. President Hunter Franklin and his family move into the White House.BET
- StarsKaren ObilomSarunas J. JacksonJackie LongThree ambitious women navigate the highly competitive world of professional sports.BET
- CreatorTyler PerryStarsKj SmithEbony ObsidianMignonA group of single black females from different walks of life who bond over their one common thread: why am I single?BET
- CreatorRobin ThedeStarsRobin ThedeGabrielle DennisAshley Nicole BlackA half-hour sketch comedy written by and starring Robin Thede.
- CreatorTyler PerryStarsMahdi CocciPhillip Mullings Jr.Monti WashingtonThe lives of a group of 30-something Black men as they explore the world of dating, careers, and friendship in today's society.BET+
- CreatorDiallo RiddleBashir SalahuddinSultan SalahuddinStarsSultan SalahuddinKareme YoungChandra RussellA pair of recent community college graduates look to become entrepreneurs in Chicago's South Side.Bounce
- CreatorDaniel ArkinAaron KorshStarsGina TorresBethany Joy LenzSimon KassianidesAttorney Jessica Pearson enters the complex and seedy world of Chicago politics.
- StarsLinara WashingtonApryl JonesSiena GoinesCassie, Holly and Sharice are three talented actresses who just can't seem to make it in Hollywood.Urbanflix TV
- StarsCJ ObilomD. WoodsArthur ClarkCelebrity couple Candace and Luvell's model marriage falls apart, but they decide to try to protect their brand and status by holding off on divorce while living separate lives.Urban Movie Channel
- CreatorLena WaitheStarsJojo T. GibbsChristina ElmoreGabrielle GrahamHattie, Marie, and Nia are all navigating life in their twenties in L.A. Juggling budding careers and uncertain love lives, the three take on the daunting tasks ahead of them one step at a time, and with each other.BET
- StarsAnthony S. GoolsbyAfter losing his job, Jeremy, a patriarch of a young family with teenage children, decides to move to the backwoods of Georgia to help his crazy grandfather. Grandpa Vinny has foolishly purchased a terribly run-down home for the elderly and he is in way over his head, but comedy ensues as Mr. Brown and Cora show up at the right time as needy investors.BET