Netflix’s upcoming animated reboot of the iconic sitcom “Good Times” is generating considerable buzz, especially with the announcement of its voice cast. The lineup includes JB Smoove, Yvette Nicole Brown, Jay Pharoah, Marsai Martin, Slink Johnson, and Rashida “Sheedz” Olayiwola.
Pharoah is the only voice cast member that has taken on any role within the Evans family as he portrayed original Evans family member J.J. Evans, originally played by Jimmie Walker in ABC’s Emmy Award-winning Live in Front of a Studio Audience: All In The Family and Good Times.
Ranada Shepard, co-creator of the series alongside Carl Jones, is set to take on the role of showrunner and executive producer. This news comes as part of a broader effort by the streaming giant to revive classic content for contemporary audiences.
The animated Good Times series finds the fourth generation of the Evans family living in apartment 17C of the last remaining housing projects in Chicago. It turns out the more things change the more they stay the same and keeping your head above water is as challenging as ever. The only thing tougher than life for this family is love, and there’s more than enough to go around.
The animated “Good Times” series, will comprise of 10 episodes with a 30-minute runtime. The narrative weaves through familiar themes of resilience and love, showcasing that, despite the passage of time, some struggles remain unchanged. Additionally, the decision to feature a two-parent African American family in the animated series is a nod to the groundbreaking nature of the original “Good Times,” which was the first of its kind in television history.
In a poignant development, the late Norman Lear, a legend in the television industry, is set to make a posthumous cameo appearance in the animated reboot. Lear, who passed away at the age of 101, was not only an executive producer for the original “Good Times” but also a trailblazer with influential series like “All in the Family” and “Maude.”
(Originally read on Deadline)