1.0The Representation Projecthttps://therepproject.orgThe Representation Projecthttps://therepproject.org/author/representation/rich600338<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="ZkeZRBUFVl"><a href="https://therepproject.org/black-sitcoms-on-netflix-and-why-you-should-watch/">BLACK SITCOMS ON NETFLIX AND WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH</a></blockquote><iframe sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" src="https://therepproject.org/black-sitcoms-on-netflix-and-why-you-should-watch/embed/#?secret=ZkeZRBUFVl" width="600" height="338" title="“BLACK SITCOMS ON NETFLIX AND WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH” — The Representation Project" data-secret="ZkeZRBUFVl" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" class="wp-embedded-content"></iframe><script type="text/javascript"> /*! This file is auto-generated */ !function(c,l){"use strict";var e=!1,o=!1;if(l.querySelector)if(c.addEventListener)e=!0;if(c.wp=c.wp||{},c.wp.receiveEmbedMessage);else if(c.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if(!t);else if(!(t.secret||t.message||t.value));else if(/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/.test(t.secret));else{for(var r,s,a,i=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),n=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),o=0;o<n.length;o++)n[o].style.display="none";for(o=0;o<i.length;o++)if(r=i[o],e.source!==r.contentWindow);else{if(r.removeAttribute("style"),"height"===t.message){if(1e3<(s=parseInt(t.value,10)))s=1e3;else if(~~s<200)s=200;r.height=s}if("link"===t.message)if(s=l.createElement("a"),a=l.createElement("a"),s.href=r.getAttribute("src"),a.href=t.value,a.host===s.host)if(l.activeElement===r)c.top.location.href=t.value}}},e)c.addEventListener("message",c.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",t,!1),c.addEventListener("load",t,!1);function t(){if(o);else{o=!0;for(var e,t,r,s=-1!==navigator.appVersion.indexOf("MSIE 10"),a=!!navigator.userAgent.match(/Trident.*rv:11\./),i=l.querySelectorAll("iframe.wp-embedded-content"),n=0;n<i.length;n++){if(!(r=(t=i[n]).getAttribute("data-secret")))r=Math.random().toString(36).substr(2,10),t.src+="#?secret="+r,t.setAttribute("data-secret",r);if(s||a)(e=t.cloneNode(!0)).removeAttribute("security"),t.parentNode.replaceChild(e,t);t.contentWindow.postMessage({message:"ready",secret:r},"*")}}}}(window,document); </script> https://therepproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/sitcoms-559x310-1.png559310The 1990-2000s garnered influential Black sitcoms, with humor so funny there was probably no need for the cheesy laugh tracks in the background. Not only were these shows hilarious, they broke ground during a time when diverse representation was few and far between. However, while these shows are heralded as classics in the Black community, they rarely gained the mainstream recognition they deserved. Before there was Friends, there was Living Single–a show about six Black 20-somethings living in Brooklyn. With plotlines so similar, many even believe that Living Single actually inspired Friends, Living Single never gained that same attention as its white counterpart–yet provided real-life breakthroughs for women and girls. We don’t have a time machine, but there’s still an opportunity to give these shows their justified recognition.