On paper, rebooting a TV series that was already the spinoff from a spinoff to an existing show would reek of creative bankruptcy, but the first trailer for Netflix‘s animated overhaul of Good Times has made it patently clear the project is coming straight from the heart.
The original made small screen history as the first-ever sitcom to air in the United States fronted by a two-parent African-American household, and it was massively popular to boot. Across its six-season run between 1974 and 1979, Good Times regularly averaged over 20 million viewers per week, securing three Golden Globe nominations along the way.
Good Times originated as a spinoff from Maude, where Esther Rolle’s Florida Evans was a supporting character, while the latter was itself born from All in the Family, the all-conquering sitcom favourite that spawned a raft of offshoots that also included The Jeffersons, Archie Bunker’s Place, Checking In, Gloria, and 704 Hauser.
Netflix’s animated iteration will follow the next generation of the Evans clan, comprising of J.B. Smoove’s Reggie, Yvette Nicole Brown’s Beverly, Jay Pharoah’s Junior, Marsai Martin’s Grey, Gerald ‘Slink’ Johnson’s Dalvin, and Rashida ‘Sheedz’ Olayiwola’s Lashes by Lisa.
Cab driver Reggie and his wife will find themselves dealing with the societal and social struggles that come with living in one of Chicago’s last remaining housing projects, with Good Times following the template laid down by its predecessor, which often dealt in resonant themes that were at the forefront of the cultural conversation.
Ranada Shepard serves as the showrunner on Netflix’s incoming animated revival, with Family Guy and American Dad creator Seth MacFarlane’s Fuzzy Door, basketball great Steph Curry’s Unanimous Media, and Sony Pictures Television spearheading the development process. TV icon Normal Lear is also credited as an executive producer, in what sadly marks a posthumous credit following his passing in December 2023 at the age of 101.
All ten episodes of Good Times will arrive at once on Netflix on April 12th, with the release of the first trailer outlining what’s in store for audiences. Seeking to strike the ideal balance between nostalgia and reverence for the original while simultaneously standing out as a distinctly 21st century show, the reboot looks as though it’s got everything required to become a success on streaming.
New animation always tends to perform well among subscribers, and with a talented ensemble cast on board, some recognisable heavy hitters involved behind the scenes, and the potential of capitalising on those who already have soft spot for sitcom classics, it’s time to let the Good Times roll.
