36 Black TV Shows We Keep Running Back

36 Black TV Shows We Keep Running Back

If it wasn't for streaming platforms, we couldn't watch Martin or Living Single with the click of the remote.

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Updated as of 5/20/2023 at 9:45 a.m.

Everything about Black television is legendary. We had the hottest R&B singers making our theme songs, the humor made you bend over laughing and the drama was so juicy, you had to come back next week for more. Talk about competition.

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Our scripts were so good, Friends tried to duplicate Living Single but couldn’t master our authenticity and humor. Even when we got cheated out of some awards and nominations, everyone we saw on television growing up kept a place in our heart.

From animation to soapy dramas, there are some shows Black folks from any generations will remember - whether they grew up watching it themselves, snuck into their siblings’ room to see what was on or put it on for their children years later.

Either way, you MUST remember watching these 36 Black TV shows.

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2 / 38

That’s So Raven

That’s So Raven

Theme Song 🎶 | That’s So Raven | Disney Channel

And to think they tried to make her the sidekick... She MADE this show.

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3 / 38

Cory in the House

Cory in the House

Theme Song 🎶 | Cory In the House | Disney Channel

Everyone who loved That’s So Raven naturally gravitated to this show.

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4 / 38

Just Jordan

Just Jordan

Who remembers just jordan on nick😂 #shorts #justjordan #teennick

TeenNick had some bangers. Where did Lil’ JJ even go from here???

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Romeo!

Romeo Intro

My sister wanted Bow Wow growing up... I wanted Romeo.

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6 / 38

Wild ‘N Out

Wild ‘N Out

Best Of Wild ‘N Out (Season 1) ft. Katt Williams, Kanye West & MORE! 🔥 | MTV

The latest seasons are fire but first few will bring a different kind of laugh out of your belly.

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Thugaboo

Wayans Bros. Thugaboo

Aht aht! Don’t forget this animated classic.

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8 / 38

My Wife and Kids

My Wife and Kids

My Wife & Kids Best Moments

The joy of waking up in the middle of the night to this show and laughing myself back to sleep.

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9 / 38

Cousin Skeeter

Cousin Skeeter

Cousin Skeeter

Bring back R&B television theme songs!

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10 / 38

Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids

Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids

Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids go to Prison

The OG rendition of the 2004 live action movie (and a personal favorite).

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11 / 38

The Nick Cannon Show

The Nick Cannon Show

Nickelodeon Snick Promo: The Nick Cannon Show - Nick Cannon Mixing it Up (2002)

Short lived but never forgotten. After this, his comedy went to another level.

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12 / 38

The Wayan’s Bros.

The Wayan’s Bros.

The Wayans Bros Marlon’s Impersonation Of Macho Man Randy Savage

Name a funnier group of siblings... quickly.

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13 / 38

Famous Jett Jackson

Famous Jett Jackson

The Famous Jett Jackson Theme Song

One of Disney Channel’s first fictional original series.

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14 / 38

Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper

Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper

Theme Song | Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper | Warner Archive

One of Raven-Symoné’s earliest roles.

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15 / 38

What’s Happening!!

What’s Happening!!

What’s Happening!! (Intro) S1 (1976)

Now let’s really go down memory lane...

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16 / 38

Smart Guy

Smart Guy

Smart Guy - First Theme Song

A cast FULL of gems.

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The PJs

The PJs intro 1999

A favorite among my cousins and me (who were oblivious to the references in this show by the way).

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18 / 38

Family Matters

Family Matters

Family Matters Theme Song: Season Two

A bonafide classic.

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19 / 38

Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

Fresh Prince of Bel-Air - White Boyfriend

Even though the Aunt Viv replacement was controversial, it didn’t change the quality of this show.

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20 / 38

Sister, Sister

Sister, Sister

Sister, Sister - This is an Emergency | Jackée Harry

Many girls learned so much about being a young Black woman from this show. Plus, who didn’t want to have side by side twin beds?

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Moesha

moesha theme season 1

So... were those 1,000 microbraids a wig or no?

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22 / 38

Girlfriends

Girlfriends

Girlfriends Intro

Everyone could identify their girlfriend in this show.

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23 / 38

The Game

The Game

The Game Intro

One thing this show was always going to deliver was the DRAMA.

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24 / 38

Kenan and Kel

Kenan and Kel

Dan Schneider | “Kenan & Kel” | Kenan & Kel Season One Theme Song

No one could compete with this sketch show on Nickelodeon. No one!

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25 / 38

All That

All That

“All That” Season One Theme Song! | Dan Schneider

It wasn’t an all Black cast but come on, this was a Black show.

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26 / 38

Gullah Gullah Island

Gullah Gullah Island

Gullah Gullah intro

Did we just pull this from the depths of your subconcious? Yes, yes we did.

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27 / 38

The Cosby Show

The Cosby Show

Cosby Show

One of the most relatable depictions of a Black family.

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28 / 38

The Boondocks

The Boondocks

The Boondocks Season 1 Intro

The Black anime (arguably) that you couldn’t always watch when parents were around.

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29 / 38

The Proud Family

The Proud Family

The Proud Family Theme Song | Disney Channel

*Sigh* The amount of blackness compacted into this show was record breaking for Disney Channel.

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30 / 38

Little Bill

Little Bill

Little Bill Intro

Before Caillou, there was Bill.

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31 / 38

In Living Color

In Living Color

In Living Color Intro - Season 1 (1990)

The point of reference of so many music videos, movies and other forms of Black entertainment.

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32 / 38

A Different World

A Different World

A Different World: 5x25 - Dwayne interrupts Whitley and Byron’s Wedding

Talk about a show that didn’t hold back on tough topics, while also making you bend over laughing.

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33 / 38

The Parkers

The Parkers

The Parkers Theme Song (Season 2)

Professor Oglevee didn’t even deserve Nikki Parker. We did, though, and her wardrobe!

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34 / 38

Living Single

Living Single

Living Single - Season 1 intro

Who else will never get tired of these reruns? This cast was naturally goofy.

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35 / 38

The Jamie Foxx Show

The Jamie Foxx Show

Traffic School Days, Jamie Foxx Show

You know the script was fire when the entire cast was trying not to laugh.

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36 / 38

Bernie Mac Show

Bernie Mac Show

The Bernie Mac Show Intro

A genuine classic. We will truly never have another Bernie Mac.

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Martin

Martin - Jerome’s In Da House

If someone starts randomly singing this or “You gotta getcha groove onnn!” please believe I will join them.

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