Pour a Glass of Wine and Check Out Phil Augusta Jackson’s Series, ‘Grand Crew’

May 31, 2023

The Hub Entertainment Watch List: Grand Crew

It’s not just any crew, it’s the grand crew. The Grand Crew consists of the fictional characters Noah, Sherm, Wyatt, Anthony and Nicky as they navigate the complexities of life with each other. The series first debuted in December of 2021 and returned for its second season this March.

The friends often meet up to unpack their problems at a local Los Angeles wine bar, Cru, and it becomes a central part of their hangouts. The series was made by Phil Augusta Jackson who credits a local bar in his own community as a catalyst for the show’s creation. Jackson viewed the development of “Grand Crew” as a good opportunity to explore important societal concepts and peel back some of the layers of being a Black man in America.

All but one of the main crew members are men and Nicky (Nicole Byer), who serves as the only source of estrogen, is the sister as well as the best friend of crew members Noah and Sherm. Noah (Echo Kellum) is the hopeless romantic of the group, hoping to settle down and star in his own version of a rom-com film while Sherm (Carl Tart) serves as the cool kid of the crew. Viewers also get to know Anthony (Aaron Jennings) who is a health-conscious accountant and the roommate of Sherm. The final original member, Wyatt (Justin Cunningham), serves as the mature married voice of the group.

However, as the series progresses, the friend group makes a new edition by adding Fay (Grasie Mercedes). Fay is newly divorced and happens to work at the group’s local meet-up spot. While the series may focus on a predominantly male friend group, it still manages to be relatable regardless of gender. Whether the episode depicts the group navigating a new boo (or a breakup), family issues, work or intra-group tension, viewers are likely to feel a sense of familiarity with the crew.

Interested viewers can watch the show on NBC or by having a Peacock or premium Hulu subscription. Grand Crew is a fairly easy show to binge-watch as both seasons have 10 episodes that are only approximately 20 minutes each. With season two recently ending, the network has not announced if fans can expect a season three of the series at this time

Post written by: Shayla Farrow

Shayla Farrow is a multimedia journalist with a Media, Journalism and Film Communications degree from Howard University and a master’s degree in management from Wake Forest University. Shayla discovered her passion for journalism while working as a reporter with Spotlight Network at Howard University. She worked with other campus media, including NewsVision, WHBC 96.3 HD3, WHUR-FM, 101 Magazine, and the HU News Service. Her reporting abilities earned her opportunities to interview industry professionals including Cathy Hughes, movie director Malcolm D. Lee and creator of “David Makes Man,” Tarell Alvin McCraney. Shayla intends to leave her mark in journalism by broadcasting radio and television shows that cover a wide array of topics ranging from politics and social justice issues to entertainment and pop culture. She has worked on a variety of shows, including the Wendy Williams Show, The Joe Madison Show, and The Karen Hunter Show as well as worked as a producer for the NBC News Channel. However, her ultimate career goal is to own a television and audio entertainment platform that provides quality content to viewing and listening audiences.