Let's be real for a second. If you grew up watching Florida Evans lose her cool over J.J.’s "Dyn-o-mite!" antics, the phrase "Black Again" probably feels like a fever dream or a very specific piece of Mandela Effect trivia. It’s a messy topic. When people start searching for the Good Times Black Again cast, they aren't usually looking for a 1970s rerun schedule. They’re looking for the Netflix animated reboot that dropped in 2024 and basically set the internet on fire—and not always in the good, nostalgic way.
The original 1974 series was a landmark. It was raw. It showed a Black family in the Chicago projects trying to survive with dignity. Fast forward fifty years, and we get a version executive produced by Steph Curry, Seth MacFarlane, and the late Norman Lear. The cast is stacked. Seriously, the voice talent is top-tier. But the disconnect between the legendary original cast and this new "Black Again" era is where things get complicated.
The Voices Behind the 2024 Good Times Black Again Cast
If you’re looking for who actually voiced the Evans family in this modern reimagining, you’ve got some heavy hitters. JB Smoove takes the lead as Reggie Evans. If you know JB from Curb Your Enthusiasm, you know exactly what he brings: high energy, frantic pacing, and a sort of lovable chaos. He’s the patriarch here, but he’s a far cry from John Amos’s stern, hardworking James Evans.
Then you have Yvette Nicole Brown voicing Beverly Evans. Yvette is a national treasure—think Community or her endless hosting gigs—and she brings a grounded, albeit sharper, edge to the mother figure. The kids? They’re voiced by Jay Pharoah (Junior), Marsai Martin (Grey), and Slink Johnson (Dalvin). It’s a powerhouse lineup. You’ve got a legendary SNL impressionist, the breakout star of Black-ish, and the man who voiced Lamar in Grand Theft Auto V. On paper, this is a dream team.
But here’s the rub.
A lot of fans felt like the Good Times Black Again cast was wasted on a show that leaned way too hard into the "Family Guy" style of shock humor. It’s weird seeing Marsai Martin, who we’ve watched grow up in sophisticated roles, playing a character in a show that uses a talking drug-dealing baby as a central gag. The tonal shift from the 70s show to this one is enough to give you whiplash.
Comparing the New Guard to the Legends
We have to talk about the original cast because that’s who everyone is subconsciously comparing these new actors to. John Amos. Esther Rolle. BernNadette Stanis. Jimmie Walker. Ja'Net DuBois. These people weren't just actors; they were icons of a specific era of Black television.
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John Amos actually left the original show because he felt it was becoming too much of a caricature. He hated that the focus shifted from the struggles of a Black father to J.J.’s catchphrases. It’s deeply ironic, then, that the 2024 animated version leans so heavily into the very caricatures Amos fought against. When people search for the Good Times Black Again cast, they often stumble upon the tension between the old and the new.
BernNadette Stanis, the original Thelma, actually made a cameo in the animated series. It was a "passing of the torch" moment that felt a bit surreal. To see the person who defined Black girlhood on TV in the 70s appearing in a show that features a baby named Dalvin who is essentially a miniature gangster... well, it’s a choice. Honestly, it’s the kind of choice that makes you realize how much the TV landscape has shifted. We went from "struggling to pay the rent" to "meta-commentary on being a cartoon character."
Why the Animation Style Changed the Vibe
You can’t talk about the cast without talking about the look. Produced by Sony Pictures Animation and Fuzzy Door (Seth MacFarlane’s company), the show has that distinct, rubbery, fast-paced animation style. It moves at 100 miles per hour.
This affects the acting.
JB Smoove thrives in this environment. His voice is built for fast cuts and yelling. But for fans who wanted a continuation of the Evans family's heart, the animation made it feel detached. It’s hard to feel the "Black Again" soul when the characters are falling off buildings and surviving explosions like Wile E. Coyote.
The "Black Again" title itself refers to the fourth episode of the animated series, but it has become a shorthand for the entire revival project. It was meant to be a reclamation. A way to say, "We’re bringing this back for a new generation." But the casting of Gerald "Slink" Johnson as the baby is probably the most polarizing part of the whole thing. Slink is hilarious, but his presence automatically brings a Black Jesus or GTA vibe to a show that carries the name of a sitcom about social realism.
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The Impact of Norman Lear’s Final Project
It’s easy to forget that Norman Lear was involved in this before he passed away at 101. He was the king of the "relevant" sitcom. He gave us All in the Family, Sanford and Son, and the original Good Times. He always wanted his shows to reflect the world.
The 2024 Good Times Black Again cast was his final attempt to see how the Evans family would navigate the 2020s. Think about it. The original show dealt with the Nixon era, the end of the Vietnam War, and the Civil Rights movement's aftermath. The new show tries to tackle social media, modern poverty, and systemic issues through a satirical lens.
Whether or not it succeeded is up for debate. Most critics were... let's say, "unkind." The show currently sits with some of the lowest audience scores on Rotten Tomatoes for a major animated release. People felt it was "trauma porn" wrapped in a cartoon. Others argued it was just a satire that people were taking too seriously.
Real-World Reactions from the Original Actors
How does the original cast feel about being "Black Again"?
John Amos, before his passing, was notably quiet about the specifics of the reboot, but his history of advocating for "positive" imagery is well-documented. Jimmie Walker, on the other hand, has always been a bit of a contrarian. He’s often said that Good Times was just a job and that people shouldn’t read too much into it.
The fans, however, were not so quiet. On TikTok and X (formerly Twitter), the backlash was loud. People were upset that the Evans family—a symbol of Black resilience—was being used for "low-brow" humor. The cast of the animated show had to defend their work constantly. Yvette Nicole Brown, who is very active on social media, often pointed out that the show is a satire. It’s meant to be uncomfortable. It’s meant to be loud.
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What You Should Actually Know Before Watching
If you’re going into this looking for the Good Times Black Again cast because you want a hit of nostalgia, stop. Just stop.
This isn't a "Where are they now?" special. This is a total "multiverse" style reimagining. Reggie Evans isn't James Evans. He’s a different guy in a different version of the projects. The show uses the names and the setting, but the DNA is pure Seth MacFarlane.
If you like The Boondocks, you might find some of the social commentary interesting. If you like Family Guy, you’ll probably laugh at the cutaway gags. But if you’re looking for the warmth of Florida Evans’s kitchen, you aren't going to find it here. You’re going to find a show that is trying very hard to be edgy.
Key Takeaways for the Curious Viewer
- The Lead: JB Smoove is the energy source. If you don't like his style of comedy, you won't like the show.
- The Controversy: Most of the hate stems from the "gangster baby" character and the perceived lack of respect for the original show's tone.
- The Connection: It’s produced by Steph Curry and Seth MacFarlane, which explains the mix of "preachy" and "profane."
- The Availability: It's a Netflix original. Ten episodes. One season (so far).
How to Approach the Show Now
The dust has mostly settled on the initial 2024 release. Now, people are looking back at it as a weird cultural artifact. It’s a snapshot of how Hollywood tries to "reboot" IP that is perhaps too sacred to touch.
If you want to dive into the Good Times Black Again cast work, I’d suggest watching an episode of the original 70s show first, then watching the animated version. The contrast is the point. It shows how much our collective appetite for "realism" has been replaced by a desire for "hyper-reality."
The best way to appreciate what the new cast did is to view it as a completely separate entity. Forget the title. If this show was called "The Evans Family in the Chi," people probably would have liked it more. The weight of the Good Times name is a heavy thing to carry, and even actors as talented as Yvette Nicole Brown and Jay Pharoah struggled under that burden.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Critics:
- Check the Cameos: Look for the original cast members who pop up in voice roles. It’s a fun "Easter Egg" hunt that bridges the fifty-year gap.
- Contextualize the Humor: Understand that this show was made in the era of "adult animation." It’s meant to offend. That doesn't mean you have to like it, but it explains the creative choices.
- Support the Actors Elsewhere: If you liked the chemistry between the 2024 cast, check out Jay Pharoah’s stand-up or Marsai Martin’s production work. They are brilliant performers who were working with a very specific, polarizing script.
- Revisit the Original: If the reboot leaves a bad taste in your mouth, the original series is widely available on streaming platforms like Peacock and Amazon Prime. There is nothing wrong with sticking to the classics.
Ultimately, the Evans family is about survival. Whether they’re in a 1974 sitcom or a 2024 cartoon, the core theme is a family trying to keep their heads above water in a world that doesn't always want them to. That part, at least, stays the same.