Anyone familiar with ABC’s black-ish is well aware that every Halloween episode features the Johnson family dressed in a theme costume. Previous years include the Jackson 5, the Incredibles, and Stars Wars, the latter two examples great corporate synergy for the House of Mouse.

This year is no different and features yet another bit of corporate crossover that is still works pitch perfectly for the show—Black Panther! It’s a true testament to the lasting power of Black Panther that almost a year later people are still showing their Wakandan pride. If convention cosplay is any indication, you can expect quite a few Panther trick or treaters showing up at your doorstep tomorrow.

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I’m actually a bit surprised Disney is only now doing a Black Panther/black-ish tie-in instead back in February like it had for Speechless and The Last Jedi. But hey, better late than never. If Marvel Studios wants to cast Tracee Ellis Ross as a Dora Milaje in the sequel, she has my vote.

As entertaining as both the show and episode will likely be, Black Panther being continuously embraced by mainstream America is a tremendous milestone. It wasn’t too long ago when toy companies refused to make Static Shock action figures due to the false misconception that minority characters aren’t able to have wide appeal. As sad as the world has become lately, moments like this make me hopeful for the future and wish the late/great Dwayne McDuffie was alive to see change in pop culture landscape he helped create.

“Scarred for Life” – The twins opt out of the family Halloween costume for fear it will hurt their social status in middle school. Dre and Bow take it upon themselves to protect them from bullies by putting together the best haunted house and invite the whole seventh grade. Meanwhile, Junior starts spending time with a girl from Ruby’s choir and Ruby doesn’t know how to feel about it, on “black-ish,” TUESDAY, OCT. 30 (9:00–9:30 p.m. EDT), on The ABC Television Network, streaming and on demand.

ABC’s “black-ish” stars Anthony Anderson as Andre “Dre” Johnson, Tracee Ellis Ross as Rainbow Johnson, Laurence Fishburne as Pops, Yara Shahidi as Zoey Johnson, Marcus Scribner as Andre Johnson Jr., Miles Brown as Jack Johnson, Marsai Martin as Diane Johnson, Jenifer Lewis as Ruby, Peter Mackenzie as Mr. Stevens and Deon Cole as Charlie Telphy.

Guest starring is Jeff Meacham as Josh and August & Berlin Gross as Devante.

“Scarred for Life” was written by Yamara Taylor and directed by Linda Mendoza.

The series was created by Kenya Barris and is executive produced by Barris, Jonathan Groff, Kenny Smith, Gail Lerner, Courtney Lilly, Lindsey Shockley, Anthony Anderson, Laurence Fishburne, Helen Sugland and E. Brian Dobbins. The series is produced by ABC Studios.

 

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