The animated reboot of the late Norman Lear’s classic TV sitcom Good Times is trucking along. Ranada Shepard (Lizzie McGuire, Family Affair) has been announced as the series’ new showrunner, replacing Carl Jones (The Boondocks, The Jellies!, Young Love).
The adult-targeted toon will follow events for the Evans family in the present day, as they navigate contemporary social issues and life in the 21st century. The update will strive to “remind us that with the love of our family, we can keep our heads above water.”
The voice cast will be led by Emmy winner JB Smoove (Mapleworth Murders, Harley Quinn) and Yvette Nicole Brown (Pupstruction, My Dad the Bounty Hunter) as couple Reggie and Beverly Evans and Jay Pharoah (SNL, Family Guy) Junior, one of their sons. According to Deadline sources, Marsai Martin (Black-ish, PAW Patrol movies), Slink Johnson (Black Jesus, Grand Theft Auto V) and Rashida “Sheedz” Olayiwola (South Side, Jury Duty) will also be providing voices for the series. Lear recorded a Season 1 cameo as well.
Jones announced as the project’s creator back in 2020, part of a core creative team that also includes executive producers Lear (who passed away Dec. 5) and Brent Miller for Act III Productions, Seth MacFarlane (Family Guy) and Erica Huggins for Fuzzy Door and Steph Curry’s banner Unanimous Media. Sony Pictures Television is the producing studio, under its overall deal with Act III.
