Hey Black Twitter, you’ll be thrilled to know that the “Zoom Where It Happens” series will finally be featuring a Black-led show!
Episode 3 of the popular “Zoom Where It Happens” series will be a live table reading of the beloved ‘80s sitcom 227! Actors Keke Palmer, Wanda Sykes, Loretta Devine, LaTanya Richardson-Jackson, and Blair Underwood will be reenacting an episode of the iconic sitcom. The reading will be hosted by OG 227 co-star Jackée Harry, directed by Christine Swanson and produced by Emmy nominee Stephanie Allen.
More info via the press release sent to The Root:
For the third installment of “Zoom Where It Happens,” Palmer will play Sandra, Sykes will portray Pearl, Richardson will portray Mary, Devine will assume the role of Rose Lee, and Underwood will appear as multiple male characters. The production team of this series also includes Richardson-Jackson, Ryan Bathe, Aisha Hinds, Cynthia Erivo, Tessa Thompson, Kerry Washington, Rashida Jones, Stefanie and Quentin James, Channing Dungey, Karen Richardson, Issa Rae and Ava DuVernay.
First off, I find it hilarious that Underwood will be portraying multiple male characters because it just reiterates the fact that he was the quintessential handsome Black actor of his era. He was “Morris Chestnut Fine” before Morris Chestnut. He still is!
This series, spearheaded by Black women artists, has been a hit since premiering on Sept. 8—the virtual “reimagining” of Golden Girls starring Tracee Ellis Ross, Regina King, Alfre Woodard and Sanaa Lathan racked in 100,000 viewers. The series followed that one with a live table reading of Friends with Gabrielle Union, Uzo Aduba, Sterling K. Brown and Jeremy Pope along with Ryan Bathe, Aisha Hinds and Kendrick Sampson (and organizers had to set up a livestream YouTube to supplement the Zoom broadcast since it had reached the maximum capacity).
While this series does provide a nice moment of nostalgic entertainment, it was designed to “raise awareness, intention and activation around voting rights.” This upcoming episode will specifically connect viewers to PushBlack, the nation’s largest nonprofit media group for Black Americans.
The 227 episode of “Zoom Where It Happens” will debut Oct. 6 at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT. You can RSVP for the virtual show here.