Yara Shahidi

Yara Shahidi maturity shows at just 17. Many people already classify her as an adult due to her mature voice and personality. Yara Shahidi transitioning from Black-ish to Grown-ish is a similarity people are hoping to match Lisa Bonet’s transition from The Cosby Show to A Different World.

Yara’s character, Zoey, started on Black-ish as a 14 year old high school student living with her siblings, parents and grandparents. Now, Zoey a 17 year old high school graduate, will be starring in the spin off Grown-ish, where she starts a new journey at college. The show is supposed to narrate the comical but serious issues about self discovery that new college students go through. This modern take on the current issues students and professors face in the world of college and high education is just what we needs.

Transitions from adolescence to adulthood is so important to show in television culture. When Lisa Bonet transferred from The Cosby Show to A Different World, it showed the true and realistic situations a teenager goes through when leaving the nest and entering the real world. A Different World and Grown-ish will be a 25 year gap from when A Different World ended and the premiere of Grown-ish.

Lisa Bonnet (middle)

Will Yara be able to translate to the audience that she can take on a more adult role?

Grown-ish will be airing on a different network, FreeForm. The separation from ABC and Freeform (formerly ABCfamily) can set the atmosphere for independence and growth for Yara Shahidi’s character, Zoey.

Will Zoey go through homesickness and guilt like Lisa Bonet’s character, Denise, did? Or will Zoey keep her same characteristics which is being independent and socially active. Since the main audience range in the demographics of the ages 18-49 years old, we will know from ratings if the college life is actually accurate.