The Carmichael Show follows Jerrod Carmichael (playing a fictionalize version of himself) and his live-in girlfriend Maxine (Amber Stevens West) and their interactions with Jerrod's older brother Bobby (Lil Rel Howery) and his ex-wife now roommate Nekeisha (Tiffany Haddish) as well as Jerrod and Bobby's very opinionated parents Joe (David Alan Grier) and Cynthia (loretta Devine). Their interactions are often dictated by the presence of a controversial topic including but not limited to general inequalities, gun violence, gentrification, politics, usage of racial slurs, and other topics that make for delightfully uncomfortable hilarity.
Running for three seasons from 2015 to 2017, the series was developed by lead Jerrod Carmichael as well as Ari Katcher, Willie Hunter, and Nicholas Stoller the latter of whom had directed Carmichael in a supporting role in the 2014 comedy Neighbors. Filmed live in front of a studio audience and using the multi-camera format, The Carmichael Show was unique in that not only was it a break from the norms of NBC, but unlike most current multi-camera sitcoms seen on outlets like CBS or TBS, the Carmichael Show received considerable acclaim throughout its run despite infighting between the various production companies and only "okay" TV ratings making its future and renewal prospects uncertain. The show takes the well worn sitcom format and makes it feel fresh and relevant with its well defined characters and brave approach to taboo subjects.
Much like TV sitcom benchmark All in the Family, the Carmichael Family are not only well defined characters unto themselves, but also serve as a microcosm of American political and social stances at large with each family member emblematic of a different point on the political spectrum with Jerrod himself being center-left, Jerrod's girlfriend Maxine being left leaning, Bobby and Nekeisha being relatively apolitical, and Cynthia a moderate (albeit with strong religious views) and Joe a right leaning conservative. There's no sense that any of the characters are being "straw-manned" even in the cases where Bobby and Nekeisha don't really take any defined stance on an issue. Every viewpoint regardless of its position is treated on the spectrum is treated with validity and is given the space it needs for a point and then the floor opened for a counter point. At its core it's about a family who are all very opinionated and dug in with their stances trying to find that common ground because regardless of their differences they do still like each other as family even if they disagree.
The show does a good job of being character based as well as tackling a different controversial issue. The controversial episode Shoot-Up-Able which dealt with the all too common occurrences of mass shootings where Jerrod was at a mall during one such event and its more a focus on Jerrod denying any trauma than about the shooting itself with the presence of a live audience contributing the unnatural quiet when Jerrod gives his statement to the police officer asking follow-ups from witnesses. Despite being a comedy, The Carmichael Show often goes for dramatic moments with revelations about certain character histories carrying dramatic impacts that are often heartbreaking.
The Carmichael Show is an example of just how strong the sitcom template can be when it's out of the hands of Chuck Lorre and CBS with its willingness to tackle charged subject matter and developed characters. Many critics have favorably compared the show to the works of Norman Lear, and it's pretty hard to disagree with them on that point.
Favorite episodes: Gender, Fallen Heroes, The Funeral, Porn Addiction, Cynthia's Birthday, Shoot-Up-Able, Morris, and Evelyn and Vernon.
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