TV Review: Grownish Returns Strongs For Season 2
I loved Grownish Season 1. It was, instantly, one of the freshest shows to enter the tv sphere, and one of the most distinct voices in representing youth, particularly of color, LGBT, and varying class/political views. In essence, it showed that being young is a blissful unison between being absolutely self-absorbed and also brilliantly generous towards others.
Balancing sweetness with selfishness, Yara Shahidi’s Zooey leads the cast in feeling completely settled in their characters and storylines. The season premiere, along with its next episode, are perfect in simply flowing the audience into these college kids’ lives. Shahidi’s Zooey feels like the Mindy Lahiri of university life. At times, you want to shake her being so unaware of others’ feelings, but then she becomes the most thoughtful, loyal person in the room. In essence, she is a perfect representation that flaws are apart of being good because they are the launchpads to being better.
Seeing the old gang back, for Grownish Season 2, was like watching Different World and Friends smash together. You watched as friendships, particularly between the ladies, solidified. I am ALL FOR IT WOMEN SUPPORTING WOMEN ON SCREEN! When the young ladies unite to help Zooey analyze her relationship with Luka, I, literally, wanted to send a mass text to my bffs saying, “I love you!” Each woman adds a dynamic to their character that gives them a distinct personality. Emily Arlook’s Nomi Segal is snarky, tough, and oddly wise for everyone but not herself. Francia Rose’s Ana Torres could be annoyingly OCD, but then she softens, with such a kind vulnerability, that you love her. Chloe Bailey’s Jazz Forster and Halle Bailey as Sky Forster add a solidity/ stability to the group that, in total, involves a bunch of gals that are crazy, wonderful, and bright. As for the guys, they are not falling behind in being young and, occasionally, smart.
The crazy thing about being young is that, for however intelligent you are, somehow, relationships make you dumb. Twenty-somethings hold some of the most innovative, phenomenal minds, but in being within the first instances of creating true, independent relationships for ourselves can leave us in mishaps. Starting Season 2 strong, Grownish makes the guys lost and oblivious over how to place their heart. Trevor Jackson, as Aaron Jackson, is so tender and politically savvy, but heartbreak leaves him jaded and confused. Luka Sabbatas Luca Hall is charming, cool, but also oblivious on how to display a private relationship in public. Moreover, Jordan Bahut’s Vivek, my fave, is always creating an unwise scheme to climb the social ladder. I do not know why I love this character, but Bahut always makes him Vivek gleefully wrong.
As each character goes on to build relationships with each other and new characters, the main focus, at least in the beginning of Season 2, is Zooey and Luca. Seeing them together is, initially, not as satisfying to shippers because there is a spark missing. It is an interesting take to show that flirtations and likings of another does not, necessarily, translate into a romance. Yet, by the end of Episode 2, you are back to cuddling over them cuddling (lol!).
Ultimately, created by Kenya Barris and Larry Wilmore, Grownish’s charisma is showing television how diversity is done. You simply represent. It is not a burden or even an action-planned initiative. You simply create characters that are human beings, and hire a diverse set of actors, from all genders, races, and creeds to represent them. Grownish is On Wednesdays At 8 On Freeform.
