Up and Coming

This was an excellent show. It came on PBS back home in Chicago and I remember Cindy Herron (From EnVogue) played the teen aged daughter. The show dealt with subjects such as sex, peer pressure and puberty. IT was about a middle class black family who had a teen aged daughter and son who moved to a middle class neighborhood from Oakland or somewhere (I can't remember). I remember several episodes but the one I remember most was when their cousin got her period for the first time. I was probably 7-8 when I first watched it and I was able to keep up with the program. This was a great show. I can't remember the name of the guy who played the son on the show, but I always got him confused with Kevin Hooks.

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.

HA HA! So at least I know I wasn't dreaming. I finally remembered the name of this show. I used to love it!

I remember Larry Fishburne being the boyfriend of one of the characters (who could forget that jawline). I think he got her pregnant, but was trying to be a real father by staying by her side. I also remembered the En Vogue girl playing one of the parts. This was good TV that sadly didn't last very long. It would come on my local PBS station.

Thanks IMDb for your wonderful website. You truly list most everything that has ever aired in movies and TV! Does anyone know if this is available for home purchase?

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!

I echo the comments about Up & Coming that are listed before. I absolutely loved the show and still remember its them song/// The most you can ever do is the best you can//// words I have applied to life since. Would love to see this on DVD..... this show helped shape my young adulthood. Glad to see others feel the same... Do you guys think this is a realistic possibility? Also another life changing program was Fame the TV series, which has recently been released on DVD (first season). I have already exhausted ever episode from those discs.... I also remember the Righteous Apples and DeGrassi Jr High, then DeGrassi High. Now I see on the N cable network they have continued the DeGrassi series with DeGrassi: The Next Generation. Excellent programming and content here.