AspireTV is officially stepping into scripted television with Savannah State of Mind, a new multi-camera comedy set at a historically Black college and created by veteran showrunner Bentley Kyle Evans.
The series follows seven first-year students navigating the joys, missteps, ambition and growing pains of college life at Oakwood Heights, a picturesque HBCU campus draped in Spanish moss and steeped in tradition. The school is experiencing a resurgence after receiving a mysterious love offering from an anonymous donor — and students and faculty are determined to protect the institution’s legacy at all costs.
At its core, Savannah State of Mind centers Black students in spaces of intellect, leadership, humor, conflict, romance and growth — not as caricatures, but as layered young adults figuring it out in real time.
And that’s intentional.
“I’m incredibly excited to bring Savannah State of Mind to life because there simply aren’t enough shows that authentically capture this experience,” Evans said. “HBCUs are spaces filled with brilliance, ambition, humor, vulnerability and transformation, and they deserve to be seen in all of that fullness.”
He added: “This series isn’t just about college — it’s about identity, growth, community, and what happens when young Black men and women are given room to evolve, make mistakes and discover who they truly are.”
Evans’ résumé includes serving as showrunner on Martin and The Jamie Foxx Show — two multi-camera comedies that defined eras of Black television. His involvement signals a return to audience-forward sitcom storytelling, but with a generational shift in focus.
The Second HBCU Series in the Pipeline
The announcement also marks the second HBCU-set scripted project currently in development, joining the sequel to A Different World.
The original series, set at fictional Hillman College, remains one of television’s most culturally impactful portrayals of Black college life. A continuation in today’s landscape signals sustained industry interest in revisiting and reimagining the HBCU experience for a new generation.
With Savannah State of Mind, AspireTV enters that conversation from a different vantage point: a fresh ensemble, a multi-camera format, and a network making its first original scripted investment.
A Strategic Shift for AspireTV
The network — founded by Magic Johnson and now owned by Up Entertainment — has largely focused on lifestyle and unscripted programming. Launching its first scripted series signals an expansion of ambition.
“Savannah State of Mind marks an exciting new chapter for AspireTV as we expand into original scripted storytelling,” said Angela Cannon, general manager of AspireTV.
In a media environment where ownership, distribution and narrative control are increasingly central to long-term viability, AspireTV’s move into scripted comedy positions the network to compete in spaces that shape cultural memory.
Why This Moment Feels Intentional
Black college stories have long resonated beyond campus gates. They serve as reflections of community, class mobility, political awareness and generational identity shifts.
With two HBCU-set series now in the works — one rooted in legacy IP and one entirely original — the industry appears to be acknowledging that these institutions remain fertile ground for layered, aspirational storytelling.
Savannah State of Mind is currently in pre-production and slated to premiere later this year.
Whether it becomes a nostalgia play, a generational reset, or something entirely its own will depend on execution. But its arrival alone signals that the HBCU narrative is once again central to the conversation — not peripheral to it.