One of the most beloved sitcoms of the 1970s is returning in a surprising way, as Good Times is returning to television with a raunchy television reboot. Originally co-created by Norman Lear, Mike Evans, and Eric Monte, the original Good Times captured all the warm wholesomeness that was a consistent hallmark in other sitcoms of the era. In addition to plenty of likable characters and a lot of laughs, Good Times also pushed barriers by being unflinchingly afraid to focus on more serious issues.
A more serious tone seems to be the name of the game for the upcoming animated reboot, which is technically a continuation of the 1970s original. Instead of being live-action, the new Good Times series will be brought to life with 2D animation. Instead of being family-friendly, the new show is clearly geared toward a more adult audience. These are some pretty significant changes, and suffice it to say, it’s generated a fairly divided response from fans of the original series. Still, before you dismiss the series as another Velma, the reboot does feature an incredibly reputable and talented cast and crew that is certainly nothing to scoff at.
To find out more about this creative overhaul of a beloved sitcom, as well as its cast, trailer, release date, and more, here is everything we know so far about the animated Good Times reboot.
Does the Animated ‘Good Times’ Reboot Have a Release Date?
The “good times” will come once again when the complete first season of the animated Good Times reboot premieres on Friday, April 12, 2024.
The animated Good Times reboot will be making its exclusive streaming home on Netflix, adding yet another installment to the platform’s vast repertoire of adult animated television shows. This includes similar raunchy sitcoms like Big Mouth and F is for Family. There are also plenty of other facets of adult animation on the service, such as Love, Death & Robots, and Blue Eye Samurai. Later this May, another fan-favorite show in the diverse genre will return with Season 2 of Blood of Zeus.
Watch on Netflix
Does the Animated ‘Good Times’ Reboot Have a Trailer?
The main trailer for Good Times was released by Netflix on March 27th, officially introducing audiences to the next generation of the Evans family. The family’s patriarch (J.B. Smoove) hopes to live up to the legacy of his grandfather James, who is presumably James Evans Sr. (John Amos) from the original series. All the family members are trying to make ends meet and dealing with life in Chicago, and it’s sadly a reality that has plenty of drugs, crime, and racism on the streets. It’s also one that has evil superheroes and a talking drug-dealing baby, so the new interpretation of Good Times is not exactly going for realism.
Who Stars in the Animated ‘Good Times’ Reboot?
The cast of the animated Good Times reboot is led by J.B. Smoove as the family’s father figure. Smoove has just wrapped up his incredibly iconic role as Leon in Curb Your Enthusiasm, which just had its series finale after 24 years on the air. Smoove is joined by another comedic television veteran with Yvette Nicole Brown, who has starred in everything from Drake & Josh to Community. Yvette Nicole Brown is also set to star in the upcoming animated adaptation of Among Us.
Good Times will also star Invincible star Jay Pharoah, Grand Theft Auto V star Gerald ‘Slink’ Johnson, Black-ish star Marsai Martin, and Star Wars: The Bad Batch star Wanda Sykes. It has also been confirmed that the show’s original creator, Norman Lear, will have a posthumous cameo in the new series. The rest of the cast is rounded out by Venus DeMilo Thomas (Family Matters), Rashida Olayiwola (Jury Duty), and Jessica Mikayla (Diary of a Future President).
What Is the Animated ‘Good Times’ Reboot About?
The official synopsis of the animated Good Times reboot reads as follows:
In this edgy, irreverent reimagining of the TV classic, a new generation of the Evans family keeps their heads above water in a Chicago housing project.
Who Is Making the Animated ‘Good Times’ Reboot?
This “irreverent reimagining” of the classic series is created by Ranada Shepard and Carl Jones. Shepard has previously worked on Born Again Virgin and Jones helped develop the animated spin-off of Black Dynamite. Before his passing in 2023, Norman Lear was also producing the sequel series to the show he helped create. Along with him, also producing the series is one of the titans of adult animated television – Seth McFarlane. It’s a fitting choice to produce the show, given that Family Guy is a direct parody of one of Norman Lear’s most popular shows, All in the Family. Also executive producing along with Lear and McFarlane is NBA all-star Stephen Curry.
Other Shows Like the Animated ‘Good Times’ Reboot You Can Watch Right Now
‘Good Times’ (1974-1979)
Obviously, many may want to revisit the show that started it all ahead of the dramatically overhauled reboot. One of the most beloved sitcoms of all time, the show is just as funny as it is culturally relevant, even to this very day. Over the course of five years on the air, the Evans family etched their names into history as some of the most iconic names in history. Good Times is available to stream on Peacock.
Watch on Peacock
‘Big Mouth’ (2017-2024)
Big Mouth is set to conclude later this year, officially ending one of Netflix’s longest-running animated shows. While it’s absolutely exclusively for adults, Big Mouth primarily follows a group of teenagers as they deal with the dreaded woes of puberty. At the center of these woes are two best friends, Nick (Nick Kroll) and Andrew (John Mulaney), as well as a perverted puberty monster (Nick Kroll). Big Mouth is available to stream on Netflix.
Watch on Netflix
‘F Is for Family’ (2015-2021)
Much like Family Guy, F Is for Family is clearly drawing inspiration from the classic family sitcoms of old, but with an adult twist. Starring beloved stand-up comedian Bill Burr and set during the 1970s, the Murphy family navigates family life to mixed results. Still, they somehow manage to keep things together. F Is for Family is available to stream on Netflix.
Watch on Netflix
