The Crossover is an American sports drama television series based on the novel of the same name by Kwame Alexander. It was released on April 5, 2023 on Disney+.
| The Crossover | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | |
| Created by | Damani Johnson |
| Based on | The Crossover by Kwame Alexander |
| Starring |
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| Narrated by | Daveed Diggs |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 8 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Editors |
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| Production companies |
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| Original release | |
| Network | Disney+ |
| Release | April 5, 2023 |
It received two nominations at the 2nd Children's and Family Emmy Awards, winning Outstanding Young Teen Series.
Premise
editBrothers Josh and Jordan "JB" Bell are considered basketball phenomena, and navigate their lives entering adulthood as well as the growth of their family.
Cast
editMain
edit- Jalyn Hall as Josh Bell (nicknamed Filthy McNasty)
- Amir O'Neil as Jordan "JB" Bell
- Derek Luke as Chuck Bell
- Sabrina Revelle as Crystal Bell
- Skyla I'Lece as Alexis
- Deja Monique Cruz as Maya
- Trevor Raine Bush as Vondie
Recurring
edit- Himie Freeman as Future Josh
- Darone Okolie as Future JB
- Joel Steingold as Basil St. John
- Johnny Cantley as Future Vondie
- Yvonne Senat Jones as Janice
- Brandon Sutton as Gio
- Elijah Jacob as Zuma
- Will Koberg as Coach Howard
Guest
edit- Gabriela Lopez as Future Maya
Episodes
edit| No. | Title | Directed by | Teleplay by [1] | Original release date [2] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "X's & O's" | George Tillman, Jr. | Kwame Alexander & Damani Johnson | April 5, 2023 |
| 2 | "The Cold Streak" | James Roday Rodriguez | Damani Johnson & Kwame Alexander | April 5, 2023 |
| 3 | "One-On-One" | James Roday Rodriguez | Valerie C. Woods | April 5, 2023 |
| 4 | "Time Out" | Nefertite Nguvu | Jake Lawler | April 5, 2023 |
| 5 | "Huddle Up" | Nefertite Nguvu | Jasmine Swift | April 5, 2023 |
| 6 | "Full-Court Press" | Erin O'Malley | Ali Kinney | April 5, 2023 |
| 7 | "Clutch" | Erin O'Malley | Aaron Carter | April 5, 2023 |
| 8 | "Rebound" | Cierra Glaude | Kwame Alexander & Valerie C. Woods | April 5, 2023 |
Production
editDisney+ ordered a pilot for the adaptation of the novel in May 2021, with Jalyn Hall and Amir O'Neil cast to star.[3] In June, Derek Luke, Sabrina Revelle, Skyla I'Lece, Deja Monique Cruz and Trevor Raine Bush were added to the cast.[4] The series was officially greenlit in January 2022, with LeBron James' production company SpringHill Entertainment joining the production.[5] In February, Daveed Diggs was cast to narrate the series.[6] In July, it was announced Darone Okolie, Gabriela Lopez, Joel Steingold, Himie Freeman, and Johnny Cantley were cast in recurring roles.[7] Yvonne Senat Jones would also join in a recurring role in October.[8] Filming began in June 2022.[9]
On January 13, 2023, it was announced that the series would premiere on April 5, 2023 on Disney+. It was originally slated to premiere on April 4, 2023 on Disney Channel, but the show was suddenly removed from their programming schedule for unknown reasons.[10][11]
Reception
editCritical response
editJoel Keller of Decider stated, "The Crossover is a warm family dramedy with just enough of the drama part to keep us interested in following the Bells as they navigate life, school and hoops."[12] Daniel Fienberg of The Hollywood Reporter complimented the performances of the cast and the emphasis on Afrocentric culture, writing, "The Crossover generates some satisfying emotional beats, blends its coming-of-age and adult storylines well and, as derivative as some of its individual pieces may feel, its overall voice is likably distinctive."[13] Joyce Slaton of Common Sense Media gave the series a grade of 4 out of 5 stars, praised the presence of positive messages and role models, citing hard work, family values, and social emotion learning, and complimented the diverse representations, asserting, "Family-friendly sports drama scores with heartfelt emotions."[14]
Accolades
editThe Crossover was nominated for Tweens/Teens Programming – Best New Series,[15] and won Tweens/Teens Programming – Best Inclusivity at the 2024 Kidscreen Awards.[16]
References
edit- ^ "The Crossover". Writers Guild of America West. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
- ^ "Shows A-Z – The Crossover on Disney+". The Futon Critic. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
- ^ Petski, Denise (May 21, 2021). "The Crossover: Jalyn Hall & Amir O'Neil To Star In Disney+ Pilot Based On Kwame Alexander Book". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 8, 2022.
- ^ Petski, Denise (June 9, 2021). "The Crossover: Derek Luke, Sabrina Revelle Among 5 Cast In Disney+ Pilot Based On Kwame Alexander Book". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 8, 2022.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (January 20, 2022). "The Crossover: Disney+ Picks Up Kwame Alexander's Basketball Drama To Series; LeBron James Joins As EP". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 8, 2022.
- ^ White, Peter (February 8, 2022). "Daveed Diggs To Narrate Disney+ Basketball Series The Crossover". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 8, 2022.
- ^ Cordero, Rosy (July 7, 2022). "The Crossover: Darone Okolie, Joel Steingold Among 5 New Recurring Cast Joining Disney+ Basketball Series". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
- ^ Cordero, Rosy (October 14, 2022). "The Crossover: Yvonne Senat Jones Boards Disney+ Basketball Series". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
- ^ Otterson, Joe (January 20, 2022). "Disney Plus Orders Kwame Alexander Basketball Drama The Crossover to Series, LeBron James Boards as Executive Producer". Variety. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
- ^ Rouse, Isaac (January 13, 2023). "Here's Our First Look at Disney's 'Prom Pact,' 'The Crossover,' & National Geographic's 'A Small Light.'". TV Insider. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
- ^ Gilmore, Haylee (March 25, 2023). "Best TV Series Coming to Disney+ in April 2023". MovieWeb. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
- ^ Keller, Joel (April 5, 2023). "'The Crossover' Disney Plus Review: Stream It Or Skip It?". Decider. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
- ^ Fienberg, Daniel (April 4, 2023). "'The Crossover' Review: Disney+'s Coming-of-Age Basketball Drama Is Most Engaging off the Court". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
- ^ Slaton, Joyce. "The Crossover TV Review | Common Sense Media". Common Sense Media. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
- ^ "Kidscreen Awards 2024 NOMINEES". Kidscreen Awards. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
- ^ Dickson, Jeremy (February 5, 2024). "BREAKING NEWS: Announcing 2024's Kidscreen Awards winners". Kidscreen. Retrieved July 6, 2024.