Get an exclusive first look at black-ish prequel episode

Black-ish type TV Show network ABC genre Comedy

Double Rainbow!

Tracee Ellis Ross’ black-ish character, Rainbow Johnson, is getting a prequel episode— and EW has an exclusive first look at her origin story.

Image zoom Mykal-Michelle Harris, Ethan William Childress, Arica Himmel, and Christina Anthony on black-ish. Richard Cartwright/ABC

The 1980s-set episode — which is assumed to be a backdoor pilot for a potential spinoff series— stars former Champions star Anders Holm and The Haves and the Have Nots‘ Tika Sumpter as the parents of a young Rainbow. (The adult versions of Bow’s parents, Paul and Alicia, are played on black-ish by Anna Deavere Smith and Beau Bridges.)

Image zoom Anders Holm and Tika Sumpter on black-ish. Richard Cartwright/ABC

Young Bow is played by Arica Himmel, who has appeared on CBS’s God Friended Me, recurred alongside Amy Sedaris on Go90’s Thanksgiving, and starred Off-Broadway in Second Stage’s Production of The Layover.

Image zoom Mykal-Michelle Harris, Arica Himmel, and Ethan William Childress on black-ish. Kelsey McNeal/ABC

The episode also stars Veep actor Gary Cole as Bow’s paternal grandfather, as well as Ethan William Childress, Mykal-Michelle Harris, and Christina Anthony.

Image zoom Gary Cole, Anders Holm, and Tika Sumpter on black-ish. Richard Cartwright/ABC

The special episode of black-ish will air Tuesday, May 7 at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.

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