Today marks the 35th anniversary of the groundbreaking sketch comedy series In Living Color, which debuted on April 15, 1990, on Fox, launching a cultural juggernaut that reshaped television humor. Created by Keenen Ivory Wayans, the show introduced a stellar ensemble—including Jim Carrey, Jamie Foxx, and siblings Damon, Marlon, and Shawn Wayans—while spotlighting Black voices and hip-hop culture. Thirty-five years later, its influence echoes in modern comedy.
Sadly, the show is not streaming at this time, but it is available on DVD.
Aired at 8:30 p.m. as Fox’s edgy answer to Saturday Night Live, the pilot episode drew 22.7 million viewers, per Nielsen, with sketches like “The Homeboy Shopping Network” and performances by the Fly Girls, choreographed by Rosie Perez. Shot in Hollywood for $500,000 per episode, the series ran five seasons and 127 episodes, peaking at 11 million weekly viewers. Its raw satire tackled race, politics, and pop culture—parodies like “Men on Film” and “Fire Marshal Bill” became instant classics—while launching stars like Carrey, who earned $25,000 per episode by 1993, and Foxx, a breakout in drag as Wanda. The show’s Def Jam vibe, with music by DJ Premier, gave it a pulse NBC’s offerings lacked.
In Living Color was a game-changer, earning eight Emmy nominations and a 1990 win for Outstanding Variety Series. It diversified comedy, with 70% of its cast and writers non-white, rare for network TV, per a 1991 Variety report. Fox, then a scrappy fourth network, used it to build cred alongside The Simpsons, hitting 30 million weekly viewers combined. The show birthed catchphrases like “Homey don’t play that” and inspired films like I’m Gonna Git You Sucka. Its censorship battles—Fox cut sketches for being “too Black,” Wayans later said—underscored its boundary-pushing ethos, leading Keenen to exit in 1992.
Thirty-five years on, In Living Color is a time capsule of ’90s swagger and a testament to risk-taking TV. As streamers chase nostalgia—Hulu revived Futurama last year—its fearless humor and diverse lens remind us why comedy needs edge, not just laughs.
You can find In Living Color on DVD HERE.
Please follow us on Facebook and X for more news, tips, and reviews. Need cord cutting tech support? Join our Cord Cutting Tech Support Facebook Group for help. You can find Luke on X HERE.