In the last five years, there are few sitcoms that ride the line between heartwarming and hilarious quite like Black-ish. The series follows the upper-middle-class black family the Johnsons, and revolves around their lives, as they juggle several personal and sociopolitical issues of the day. Despite his wealth, marketing executive Andre “Dre” Johnson (Anthony Anderson) is still trying to instill a respect of black culture to his kids, who are all too cozy to suburbanite life. This comes easy compared to his wife’s, Dr. Rainbow “Bow” Johnson (Tracee Ellis Ross) Herculean task of being the focal point of her growing children’s life. Zoey Johnson, their eldest, is so “too cool for school” that she got her own spinoff. Andre “Junior” Johnson is a self-proclaimed “nerd” and lives up to this title, considering he usually lacks even basic teenage savvy. Twins Jack and Diane may have been born minutes apart, but they couldn’t be more different. Jack is aloof and happy to be Daddy’s favorite, while Diane fancies herself the smartest Johnson going.
Last season, the Johnson’s welcomed another member to the family in DeVante, rounding out the Johnson clan in the cuteness factor. Black-ish returns for its sixth season in late September, where it will continue to cover big issues like police brutality, LGBTQ issues, and racism all with a comedic lens. You know, for levity.
Here’s everything you need to know to watch Black-ish online.
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What is Black-ish?
Created by Kenya Barris, the show premiered in the Fall of 2014. Since then, it’s gone on to six seasons and a spin-off on Freeform called Grown-ish. A prequel spinoff is in development called Mixed-ish, which will focus on Bow’s childhood in the 1980s.
- Launched: September 2014
- Airtime: Season 7 premiers Wednesday, October 21 at 9:30 pm.
- Channel: ABC
- Genre: Sitcom
- Starring: Anthony Anderson as Andre “Dre” Johnson, Tracee Ellis Ross as Dr. Rainbow “Bow” Johnson, Yara Shahidi as Zoey Johnson, Marcus Scribner as Andre “Junior” Johnson Jr., Miles Brown as Jackson “Jack” Johnson, Marsai Martin as Diane Johnson, Austin and Berlin Gross as DeVante Johnson, Deon Cole as Charlie Telphy, Jenifer Lewis as Ruby Johnson, Jeff Meacham as Josh Oppenhol, Peter Mackenzie as Leslie Stevens
- Seasons: 6
- Status: Renewed for season 7.
Black-ish Reviews
What the critics are saying:
- “Black-ish, is fun, cool, and hip. It just so happens to also have a lot going on upstairs.” –LaToya Ferguson, AV Club
- “Yes, Black-ish can be fiercely funny, sharply observed, and unfailingly good-humored about the racial divide. But just beyond that glossy surface is a serious and even compelling undercurrent.” –Verne Gay, Newsday
How to stream Black-ish
All of the following live TV streaming services offer a one-week trial, so you can watch the latest episodes of Black-ish. But they all vary in terms of which local channels they offer and their coverage areas. In some cases, a live version of ABC won’t be available; instead, the service will offer an on-demand version, allowing you to watch the next day. Be sure to use the links below to see exactly which channels you’ll receive with each service.
If you live in New York City, Philadelphia, Chicago, Houston, Denver, Boston, Dallas, or Washington, D.C., you can also try Locast, a not-for-profit service that lets you stream all of your local channels through any web browser. It’s a free service, but donations are encouraged.
Black-ish on Hulu with Live TV
Hulu Live TV is a great way to stream live TV, as it comes with access to Hulu’s massive library of on-demand content. You’ll be able to choose from movies, shows, and Hulu’s original programming, and keep up with what’s new each month. Hulu plans even include a bundle option where you can access Disney+ and ESPN+ along with Hulu.
Hulu Live TV sets you up with local channels and has a broad spectrum of entertainment and sports channels to review, including the full suite of ESPN channels, Cartoon Network, FX, HGTV, and even deep cuts like National Geographic and Syfy. and of course, ABC where you can stream Black-ish.
| Hulu Live TV | $69.99 |
| Hulu Live TV (no ads on Hulu content) | $75.99 |
Black-ish on Sling TV
Sling offers two cable packages, Sling Orange and Sling Blue, each of which costs $30 per month. If you grab them both (Sling Orange + Blue) you can save $15 per month. To be clear, ABC is not normally available on Sling, but through the magic of AirTV, you can get all your local channels in a system that plays nice with Sling. A complete AirTV set up will allow you to get all your local channels and free you up to choose Sling—if a lack of ABC is what’s holding you back.
Here’s the complete guide to Sling TV channels.
| Orange | $35 |
| Blue | $35 |
| Orange + Blue | $50 |
How to use AirTV with Sling
AirTV solves one of the Sling’s biggest problems: The inability to receive all of your local channels. By purchasing a basic AirTV for $79.99 or the AirTV Player for $119.99, you can merge your CBS affiliate and other local channels into your Sling TV, (or on your mobile device if you have the basic AirTV). As the Daily Dot wrote in its AirTV review, “It’s practically magic.”
The basic AirTV is a dual-tuner streaming device, while the AirTV Player is basically an upgraded Chromecast that has Netflix preinstalled. You’ll still need to own an HD antenna because even though AirTV gets you access to your local channels, it doesn’t actually physically show them to you.
But AirTV—which has no monthly fee—gives Sling users the ability to access all local channels to add to whichever Sling package is the best fit for them.
Black-ish on Vidgo
Vidgo offers a package for under $40 a month that pulls together more than 60 English-language channels into its National English Package. Vidgo channels include ABC, Fox, the ESPN family of channels (including ESPN Deportes), and it’s one of the few streaming services that carries BeIN Sports. But it’s like Fubo in that, even though it started out for streaming sports, it carries a lot more now. You might be surprised to know that Vidgo’s an option to stream Black-ish—and then you chat about it online via Vidgo’s Social TV platform.
| English Premium Package | $66.33/ 3 months |
| English Plus Package | $53/ 3 months |
| Spanish Mas Package | $25/ 3 months |
Black-ish on AT&T TV Now
If you’re already looking to AT&T for your wireless needs, you might consider AT&T TV Now to cover streaming for you. AT&T TV Now channels start with Plus and Max, which even include HBO. Then, AT&T plans expand from there, approaching cable selection and pricing with AT&T TV Now’s biggest packages. AT&T streaming also comes with Cloud DVR, letting you record up to 20 hours of TV per month. If you’re looking for Black-ish, get in at the AT&T TV Now Plus tier to stream it.
Black-ish on YouTube TV
The YouTube TV channel list includes local channels, sports options including ESPN, ESPN2, FS1, FS2, and NBA TV, and plenty to keep kids (and kids at heart) occupied, including Disney Channel and its companion channels, Nickelodeon, and Cartoon Network—all in one easy-to-access package. It even comes with a few Spanish-language channels like Telemundo and NBC Universo. YouTube add-ons include HBO Max, Showtime, and Starz. YouTube TV packages have some advantages over their competitors, including a generous DVR and multiple screens package. From one account, each user can create an individual profile to track favorite shows.
If you’re looking for Black-ish, know that you can stream it on YouTube TV.
| 1 Month | $64.99 |
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