Kenya Barris, the creator of the ABC sitcom “Black-ish,” is rumored to be the “next prolific producer to move from the broadcast studio system to Netflix,” according to The Hollywood Reporter. If that bears out, he will be following in the footsteps of both Shonda Rhimes and Ryan Murphy, who both recently signed multi-million dollar deals with the streaming network.
Barris might have some good reasons to get out of his deal with ABC Studios. More on that in a moment.
What I want to focus on is what gets lost when executive producers — like Barris, like Rhimes, like Murphy — who have specifically focused on bringing diversity to their shows, both on camera and off, move from broadcast television (free if you access it with an antenna) to a subscription streaming service.
Broadcast TV is available to everyone, regardless of income. Enough people still watch — millions actually — that this feels important. And when shows are only available behind a paywall, it cuts off viewers who can’t afford to spend money on a Netflix account.
Will broadcast networks seek out new creators who have the same kind of hiring philosophy as Barris, Rhimes and Murphy? So much in Hollywood is based on past success. It’s even harder to get opportunities if you are not a straight white man.
Here’s why Barris is rumored to be eyeing a move. Per The Hollywood Reporter: “The news comes after a series of tough breaks at ABC. Last month, for instance, ABC yanked a politically themed episode of ‘Black-ish’ following creative differences between ABC and Barris. At the time, ABC called the decision to scrap it a mutual one between the network and Barris, though sources say otherwise.” The episode purportedly addressed the issue of NFL players kneeling during the national anthem, among other topics.
And it couldn’t have helped that a joke on an episode of “Roseanne” this week was a direct shot at “Black-ish” and another ABC comedy, “Fresh Off the Boat.”
After falling asleep in front of the TV, Roseanne and husband Dan try to get their bearings.
Her: “We slept from ‘Wheel’ to ‘Kimmel.’”
Him: “We missed all the shows about black and Asian families”
Her: “They’re just like us. There, now you’re all caught up.”
Variety critic Sonia Saraiya’s has a smart take on that here.
It’s the kind of thing that might have left Barris with a sour taste in his mouth. It’s frankly just weird to see one show ding other shows that air on the very same network.
nmetz@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @Nina_Metz
