In August, ABC premiered that “controversial†Black-ish episode the network had declined to air in 2018, allegedly over “creative differences†with creator Kenya Barris. “Some of it resonates even more deeply than Barris could have anticipated in early 2018,†Vulture’s Jen Chaney wrote about the episode, titled “Please, Baby, Please,†last month. “What’s most clear is that it seems even more ridiculous now that ABC didn’t air it back then.†While it might not be a direct result of public response, it seems like the network is giving Black-ish even more room to be creative this fall, announcing a two-episode, partially animated special to air ahead of the 2020 election.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, “the hourlong special will focus on the upcoming election,†following Marcus Scribner’s Junior as he “discovers he’s been purged from the voter rolls†in one live-action episode, and Anthony Anderson’s Dre as he works to prevent his boss from winning a seat in Congress, only to get “caught up with fundraising and interest groups†in an animated second.
Both episodes will be helmed by director Matthew A. Cherry, who won this year’s Best Animated Short Oscar with his massive Kickstarter success story “Hair Love.†The Black-ish special is currently set to air October 4 ahead of the show’s season-seven premiere, which remains unscheduled, along with most of the network’s returning scripted shows.