Credit: Netflix

Tyler Perry’s latest road comedy, Joe’s College Road Trip, debuted with $12.5million views, on top of the weekly movies chart on Netflix this week, underscoring the prolific hype surrounding the Madea universe.

But if you’re someone who has been hesitating to press the play button because you’re new to the Madea universe, or you haven’t watched all the movies, or you think everyone who has watched Joe’s College Road Trip was familiar with every film from the franchise before viewing the road comedy, the good news is that you can still go ahead.

Joe’s College Road Trip is undoubtedly part of the Madea franchise. However, the film is more of a spin-off as it is the first one to focus not on Madea, but her brother Joe and his grandson as they head out on a college road trip.

Essentially, you can definitely watch Joe’s College Road Trip without watching the Madea movies. Although Perry portrays both Joe and Madea in the movie, which is from within the franchise, the story is self-contained. Therefore, it’s not absolutely compulsory to watch the rest of the films or to know Madea, since she only appears briefly in this one.

As for Joe, Joe’s College Road Trip quickly establishes his character alongside his grandson’s, highlighting the former’s old-school, crass, blunt ways and the latter’s sheltered, naïve attributes.

That said, for those looking for the answer to whether watching the previous Madea movies actually helps: well, in a way, it does. Those familiar with the Madea universe and have watched the movies preceding Joe’s College Road Trip would know all about the chaotic energy Joe brings to the play. Similarly, they would also be aware of the tumultuous relationship he shares with his son, Brian, and a biting tongue that doesn’t help.

Additionally, when Madea makes her brief appearance, the sequence feels even funnier when you know their long history of arguments. However, Joe’s College Road Trip doesn’t let those who have yet to watch the entire movie series feel the FOMO by quickly and cleverly introducing the character explanations in its plot so that the backstories come naturally to the audience.

For those curious about the plot, Joe’s College Road Trip, set in the Madea universe, follows her foul-mouthed brother Joe, whose son, Brian, unwillingly agrees to send his father and his sheltered son on a college road trip on the heels of his recent graduation, hoping it would teach him something about the real world and most importantly, his culture and history.

So, if you’re delaying the watch because you think you cannot make sense out of the movie without watching the rest of the Madea films, hope this makes you reconsider, because Joe’s College Road Trip is currently streaming on Netflix as well as storming it.