Fans have been looking out for updates on Black-ish Season 7 since Season 6 ended in May.
The delightful sitcom series by Kenya Barris, which premiered on ABC in September 2014, has received critical acclaim, accolades, and favorable audience response.
Black-ish follows the family of a prosperous business executive, Andre “Dre” Johnson, and his anesthesiologist wife, Rainbow.
The African-American couple is determined to give their children the best upbringing and educational foundation for a secure future. They are also determined to ensure that they instill in them a healthy respect for their cultural identity while being raised in a predominantly white upper-middle-class neighborhood.
Despite the show’s slide in ratings and viewership since Season 1, Black-ish continues to rank well among other scripted shows on ABC. The series has won a TCA Award and received multiple Emmy and Golden Globe nominations.
The success of the Black-ish series has also inspired multiple spin-offs, including Grown-ish and Mixed-ish.
Since Black-ish Season 6 finale, titled Love, Boat, aired in May, fans have been asking what is next for Dre and his family.
Here is everything we know about Black-ish Season 7, including release date, cast updates, and plot.
Is there going to be a Season 7 of Black-ish?
ABC announced the renewal of Black-ish for Season 7 on May 21, 2020, just over two weeks after Season 6 ended on the network.
Season 7, here we come! ? That’s right, the Johnsons are coming back! #blackish pic.twitter.com/CU9yaAvqNO
— black-ish (@blackishabc) May 21, 2020
Release date latest: When is Black-ish Season 7 likely to come out?
ABC originally scheduled Black-ish Season 7 for a midseason premiere, but fans were happy when the network put the series back in the fall schedule shortly after it was released on June 17, 2020.
Black-ish, according to the official fall schedule, will air on Wednesdays at 8:30/7:30c, before The Conners.
American Housewife, which was originally in the 8:30/7:30c time slot, was moved to 9:30 p.m., displacing Call Your Mother, which was moved to the midseason.
Explaining why ABC made the adjustment soon after the fall schedule was released, ABC Entertainment president Karey Burke said that the network was committed to bringing Black-ish back for Season 7 as soon as possible because it has a “long-standing history of shining a light on current events and honoring Black voices through the lens of the Johnson family.”
“… we decided it was important to tell these meaningful stories during this moment in time, so we are adjusting our premiere schedule and are committed to doing whatever it takes to bring this series back as soon as we possibly can.”
However, despite the official fall schedule, the release date for Black-ish Season 7 is expected to be delayed due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
ABC announced the renewal of Black-ish for Season 7 on May 21, alongside several other shows, including American Housewife Season 5, Mixed-ish Season 2, The Conners Season 3, The Goldbergs, Season 8, and The Rookie Season 3.
Burke said at the time that the network remained committed to “ensuring a safe return to production.”
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the renewals would only allow writers rooms to open so that production can start as soon as coronavirus restrictions are lifted.
While a 2020 release date is currently unlikely, we can hope that the show will premiere sometime in 2021.
We will keep you updated on the lastest Black-ish Season 7 release date news, so stay tuned.
A Black-ish episode, titled Please, Baby, Please, was shelved
The Black-ish episode Please, Baby, Please, that was controversially shelved in 2018 due to its political content, was finally released on Hulu earlier in August.
The Season 4 episode was initially scheduled to air on February 27, 2018.
ABC explained at the time that the episode was shelved due to “creative differences” between showrunner Barris and the producers.
A sourced told Variety that ABC was concerned about comments made during the show that referenced President Donald Trump.
Black-ish Season 7 cast updates
The main cast of the series will return for Season 7.
Anthony Anderson will return as Andre “Dre” Johnson, Tracee Ellis Ross as Rainbow, Marcus Scribner as Andre Johnson, Jr., Miles Brown as Jack, and Marsai Martin as Diane.
Others expected to return for Season 7 include Deon Cole as Charlie Telphy, Jenifer Lewis as Ruby Johnson, and Peter Mackenzie as Leslie Stevens.
Laurence Fishburne is also expected to return to his recurring role as Earl “Pops” Johnson.
Yara Shahidi, who plays Zoey Johnson, left the main cast at the end of Season 3 to join the cast of the spin-off series Grown-ish. But she returned in a guest-starring role in Season 6.
She could also appear as a guest star in Season 7.
Black-ish Season 7 plot
The Season 6 finale ended with a bang: Andre walked in on his parents, Ruby and Pops, while they were making love.
Pops and Ruby decided to give their relationship another try, and Ruby bought another boat for Pops to replace the one she blew up.
ABC has not shared any details of the plot for the upcoming season. Still, fans can expect the series to continue delving into personal and social-political issues arising in the lives of members of the Johnson family.
Black-ish is currently on hiatus on ABC with Season 7 release date TBA.