“Mike Epps and Family Deliver a Fitting Farewell in The Upshaws Final Season”

The final season of Netflix’s “The Upshaws” has arrived, welcoming back the patriarch, Bennie Upshaw (played by Mike Epps), and his family as they navigate life in the Hoosier state. The series continues to follow a Black working-class family living in Indianapolis. Bennie is a charming and well-intentioned mechanic who wants to provide for his family. Still, his tendency to overthink the simplest situations and to get caught up in chaos often leads to humor.

The Upshaw family includes Bennie’s wife, Regina (played by Kim Fields), their two young daughters, Aaliyah (portrayed by Khali Daniya-Renee Spraggins) and Maya (played by Journey Christine), and their firstborn son, Bernard (played by Jermelle Simon). Also living with them is Kelvin (Diamond Lyons), Bennie’s son, fathered by another woman (Gabrielle Dennis).

The final season picks up with Lucretia (Wanda Sykes) still married to her old flame, Frank (Lamont Thompson). Thompson and Sykes have an organic chemistry as a married couple, and I wouldn’t mind a spin-off solely focused on them. Meanwhile, Bennie has also found a new ally in Spencer (Phil Morris), who is giving Bennie’s shop some much-needed new business.  There’s a great storyline that throws a wrench in their relationship, but it works and adds some meat to the final season.

While Epps has never impressed with his stand-up, he really did excel in this series. His timing is sharp, and the dramatic moments really make me wish that Hollywood would get it together and let Epps play Richard Pryor. Epps has a moment with his one-screen Kim Fields, his wife, in the final episode, which shows just how far he has come as an actor. The Upshaw kids also get some mini-stories: Aaliyah in her senior year, Kelvin and Bernard at crossroads about what to do with their lives, and Maya growing up/dealing with separation from her aunt.

Kim Fields also continues to have some good moments, and her arc as a city council candidate is a strong one. The writers handle the story tactfully, showing how to juggle everyday life while running for office. And while she has a small role this season, I’m always happy to see Gabrielle Dennis on screen.

As with previous seasons, the show can be binged in a day and ends with finality for all the characters.

Final Grade: B

“The Upshaws Season 7” is streaming on Netflix now.