Freeform’s latest original series, Grown-ish and Alone Together introduce a new wave of programming for an older audience. Here’s our review of the new shows!

In two years since Freeform’s launch in place of ABC Family, the network has said goodbye to network staples Pretty Little Liars and Baby Daddy. Since then, the network hasn’t lost steam, keeping The Fosters and introducing new hits Shadowhunters, The Bold Type, and Beyond.

Tonight, the ABC spinoff Grown-ish premieres. Another new comedy, Alone Together is available a week ahead of its premiere on the Freeform Go app. Both have their kinks to work through, but are strong additions to the Freeform original programming lineup!

’Grown-ish’ Review

Grown-ish’s pilot cannot bank on its audience jumping from ABC to premium cable to tune in for the eldest daughter’s adventures. Nor can it hang its hat on the backdoor pilot Black-ish spent sending Zoey off to college for a weekend.

The pilot spends a majority of its time riding on the Black-ish construct. Voiceovers, introductions, and nods to the original series, complete with Anthony Anderson and Deon Cole cameos (the latter of which will appear regularly) round out a strong introduction to the series. Anthony Anderson’s cameo at the start of the pilot might be one of his best comedic performances across both series.

But when the Breakfast Club vibes fade, the series is left to unpack the best and worst college and the show has to offer.

Yara Shahidi proves in the first episode that she cannot only handle leading her own show, but that she was underutilized on Black-ish. Grown-ish offers the gross and sometimes taboo side of college that most networks opt to include in most high school dramas.

Around Shahidi is an ensemble cast who play more than love interests. The ensemble is the group you mess up in front of, but never leave. The oddball combination that cannot exist in high school. They make all the difference to a college freshman.

Going into Grown-ish I feared the series would opt for caricatures over characters, and that is true for some of the first three episodes made available for review.

But this is Zoey Johnson’s story and, luckily, she is well-rounded enough to pull these stories together. Watching her flounder over crushes instead of papers and grapple with drugs and the confusing “U up?” texts, felt realer than any other teen drama across TV.

Grown-ish has some growing to do, but the potential is all right there for the series to run with. The mishmash of cuts to speaking directly to the camera in a scene, plus voiceover feels a bit uneven. But the dorm setting, perks and downfalls of technology, and random classes at midnight on drones, set the series up as a fresh hit for the network. It made me nostalgic for all the mistakes that ultimately turned into great lessons from college.

’Alone Together’ Review

Freeform has a strong streaming following. With an audience more prone to watch on an app, whether on their TV, phone, or tablet, it’s no surprise that the network produces digital only content in addition to their original television series.

Alone Together is a digital series that found a way out of isolation. The series follows two platonic, no seriously they are just friends, did you hear me THEY’RE JUST FRIENDS, Esther and Benji. Living in Los Angeles, adjacent, but not necessarily in the standup comedy scene, the two mid-20s singles embrace their oddities and ultimately isolate themselves from the world.

Marketing the series as starring “two millennial misfits” and “platonic friends” tries to be vague enough to capture the attention of its audience. But it fails to elicit the “that’s me” specificity. Unless, of course, you are from enough money to afford enough $10 green juice while also claiming poverty. But we all know someone who is “just doing it for the likes.”

In terms of casting, the leads are excellent at setting themselves up as both likeable and hateable at the same time. Their friendship is one to both dismiss and root for, making it impossible to tell if the series is enjoyable or not.

Having watched five episodes, the series is bingeable and not just because you want to the leads to kiss and be together. In fact, it’s the opposite. If the show cools down on the “just friends” dialogue, the series might grow into a more relatable show with more room for character work.

The strongest episodes, “Road Trip” and “Fertility,” do just that. In them, Esther and Benji show why they work together, not in romance, but in friendship. (If you caught any of the final Harry Potter Weekend, feel free to skip the sugar cookie/snickerdoodle scene like I did.)

Though not necessarily a bad thing, the program fits better on the small screen than in a weekly time slot. Luckily, Freeform has the already established digital platform that may better suit the series in the long run.

Grown-ish premieres tonight, January 3 on Freeform. Alone Together is available on the Freeform Go app and will premiere January 10 on Freeform.