The announcement of the new animated reboot of the iconic 1970s sitcom “Good Times” from Netflix has sparked controversy and calls for a boycott from members of the Black community after the trailer dropped.

Scheduled to premiere on April 12, the series has drawn criticism for its portrayal of racial stereotypes and its sharp departure from the original show’s themes, The Post Millennial reported.

“Good Times” ran on CBS screens for six seasons, from Feb. 8, 1974, to Aug. 1, 1979. It marked television’s pioneering African American two-parent family sitcom. “Good Times” emerged as a spin-off from the TV show “Maude,” which in turn, originated as a spin-off of the long-running series “All in the Family.”

JB Smoove, Yvette Nicole Brown, Jay Pharoah, Slink Johnson, Marsai Martin, and Wanda Sykes are among the stars voicing the animated characters in the Netflix series.

The trailer’s release on March 27 stirred heated debate across social media platforms. Viewers were outraged at the depiction of characters engaging in criminal activity and perpetuating negative stereotypes of Black Americans.

The 10-episode series on the streaming network is a collaborative production effort involving Norman Lear’s Act III Productions, Sony Pictures Television, Fuzzy Door Productions, and Unanimous Media.

A Change.org petition, initiated by Alistair Fannell of Springfield, Missouri, quickly gained traction as it called for Netflix to halt the series, Urban Hollywood 411 reported. Fannell described the trailer as “stereotypical” and accused the show of promoting violence, cultural destruction, and alcohol abuse within the Black community. At press time, the petition has over 1,300 signatures. It has a goal of 1,500.

Critics argue that the animated reboot fails to capture the essence of the original “Good Times,” which was celebrated for its portrayal of a working-class Black family navigating social and economic challenges.

(Photo: Netflix)