What's Happening!!
Updated: Wikipedia source
What's Happening!! is an American sitcom television series that first aired on ABC from August 5, 1976, premiering as a summer series. Thanks to the show's popularity, and with the failure of other shows, it eventually returned as a weekly series, that later aired for the rest of the three seasons, from November 13, 1976, to April 28, 1979. Created by Eric Monte (of Good Times), What's Happening!! was loosely based on the film Cooley High. It was television's first African-American show that dealt with teenagers, which was also a groundbreaking sitcom. From September 7, 1985 to March 26, 1988, a sequel series titled: What's Happening Now!!, aired in first-run syndication, with some of the major cast members reprising their roles. What's Happening!! was Bud Yorkin's second series after he ended his partnership with Norman Lear and Tandem Productions. The show was produced by TOY Productions, which was formed by Yorkin, Saul Turteltaub and Bernie Orenstein, after their split. Compared to many other popular sitcoms of the 1970s, What's Happening!! was the first non-Norman Lear sitcom to also have tackled some challenging and complex issues such as: friendships, communication, obesity, divorce, financial struggles, unemployment, poverty, racism, gambling, dating, education, teen pregnancy, babysitting, stealing, adolescence, controlling and marriage.