SPOILER ALERT: Reading further will reveal key plot points from the series finale of “Black-ish”.
“Black-ish” ended its eight-season run with a series finale that hit all the right notes.
According to Deadline‘s recap of the finale, the episode began with Pops (Laurence Fishburne) and Ruby (Jenifer Lewis) announcing that they’re moving away, leading Dre (Anthony Anderson) and Bow (Tracee Ellis Ross) to consider making a big life change themselves.
READ MORE: TV’s ‘Black-ish’ Ends 8-Season Run With Legacy, Fans Secure
As a result, they wind up deciding to move from their predominantly white suburb to an all-Black neighbourhood, ending the series with the Johnson family literally dancing in the street as they hold a New Orleans-style jazz funeral to celebrate the end of their old life and the beginning of their new one.
According to “Black-ish” showrunner Courtney Lilly, discussions about the finale began last season, given that it wasn’t clear at that time how many more seasons the show would run.
“We had early conversations about where the Johnson family would go. And if I remember correctly, I believe one of our executive producers, Laura Peterson, who talked about the family moving back to a Black neighbourhood,” she said. “That was completing the circle.”
READ MORE: Tracee Ellis Ross ‘Had A Lot Of Tears’ While Wrapping Final Season Of ‘Black-ish’
Meanwhile, series creator Kenya Barris admitted that a lot of thought went into how to end the show, given the intense judgment that’s typically placed on series finales.
“I didn’t want it to be saccharine. I didn’t want it to be like sad,” said Barris.
“We wanted to end on a high note,” he explained. “We didn’t want Tony Soprano to get shot as it goes black or wonder if he got shot or not. We wanted to celebrate the family as best we could.”
