Up and Coming

As another review pointed out this was a PBS show that was very good. It has been over 20 years since I have seen it. When I was in high school, I remember going to a department store in Berkeley, Ca, where I saw a classmate working there and she introduced to me to Yule Caise, who played the youngest son on this show. I remember it also having a nice theme song. I liked it because it was realistic and did not demean the black family as some are stereotypically depicted. It depicted the sons and the daughter as having the ability to be able to make the right choices and if they didn't, the ability to talk to their parents about what they did wrong and go on from there. At least two of the actors were well known, Robert DoQui who played the father and Gammy Taylor who played the mother. Another one would become well known as an actress and more so as a singer, her name, Cindy Herron of En Vogue who played the daughter. PBS made a wise choice in airing this show and "Righteous Apples" another good program but that's another story!!!!

This was a family drama that ran on PBS stations in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The focus was on a middle class African-American family. The dad owned a small construction business, and his wife held a management position at a bank. They had two teenage kids, a girl and a boy. Also in the cast was a teenage girl who was a cousin to the kids. I remember that most of the episodes focused on challenges that the teens faced, such as interracial dating, drugs, peer pressure, etc. Other issues dealt with on the show included poverty, broken family relationships, and racism. The show didn't run for a long time, but it stood out as an good early attempt at an African-American dramatic TV series.

This was such a great series for Black folks at the time. We loved it so much. It was the only show about Black middle class families on t.v. at the time. Please release this on DVD. I know many...many people who still talk about the show. If it its released i am certain that many black youth will find this enlightening as well as interesting. The show addressed many topics from racism, intra-race discrimination, teen pregnancy, sibling rivalry, single parenting, peer-pressure and much more. The show ended in such an abrupt way and left it's fans speechless and wondering why it was taken off the air. Since then we have only seen a few of the actors and actresses. Please release it on DVD ASAP.

Can I start off by saying, "I USED TO LOVE THIS TV SHOW"!!!!!! I can't scream that loud enough. I was only about 10 years of old when this show aired on TV, but I was hooked on it like it was a drug. I used to run home from school so that I could do my homework before "Up And Coming" came on. This show made a very big impression on me and my family. I remember we used to sit and watch this show together sometimes, like it was church...LOL. What I remember most about this show is that the characters had integrity. Regardless of any pitfalls and challenges the faced at school, or even at home for that matter, they still managed to display integrity and showed others love. They remained positive despite the obstacles they had to overcome. Also, the theme song spoke volumes. As a kid, I really didn't know just how inspiring and power that song was, but it continues leaves a lasting mark in my mind. I still remember the chorus of the song: "The most you can every do is the best you can". It's to bad we don't get to watch great television shows like this one any more. Anyway, "Up And Coming" was a great TV show. Godspeed to the makers of this show. Cheers!

Before The Cosby Show, there was Up and Coming. I was only 12 years old when this series first aired. I vaguely remember the details about the show but I do remember always looking forward to catching it on PBS. It was the only show like it at the time and I remember being glued to my 12" black and white TV. It was nice seeing a middle class Black American family on TV. For some reason, after all these years, this show came to mind tonight and I was wondering if IMDb had any information about it. I would love to see these episodes again. From the earlier comment, I don't recall Lawrence Fishburne being on the show but wonder what his thoughts are today about the show and how it may or may not have had an impact on his career.