Consider yourself a “Friends” or “Happy Endings” fanatic? Then “Grand Crew” is the show you need to binge-watch next.
With a bunch of 30-something friends from Los Angeles discussing the ups and downs of life and career in a local wine bar called ‘Wine Down,’ “Grand Crew’s” plot will have you rolling on the floor with laughter.
The show also touches upon some serious themes that men in America face, but it never fails to keep you laughing. It depicts how men can be dismissive of exploring or showing their vulnerabilities; be it therapy, father/son issues, or even bad breakups. Each episode deals with one issue with plenty of doses of wine and humor.
About the Makers of “Grand Crew”
This friendship comedy premiered on December 14, 2021, and is created by writer and producer Phil Augusta Jackson (who also created “Insecure” and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”). Dan Goor is the executive producer.
For inspiration, Jackson, the creator of “Grand Crew,” didn’t have to go too far. He found it in a wine bar. “It’s about a group of friends that hang out at a wine bar and, in real life, I hang out with my friends at a wine bar,” he says.
When asked about his favorites, Jackson said “One of my favorite episodes is ‘Wine and Headlines, ’ which shows how each of the characters deals with an avalanche of bad news cycles.”
Even though the show is geared towards joy and trauma, there’s a lesson hidden for all of us — to live life to the fullest, no matter what.
“Grand Crew” is a light-hearted, feel-good, and humble TV show with a bunch of quirky friends at its center whose friendship only gets better with time, just like wine.
We see Echo Kellum (as Noah Koles), Justin Cunningham (as Wyatt Fields), Carl Tart (Sherm Jones), Aaron Jennings (Anthony Holmes), Nicole Byer (as Nicky Koles), and Grasie Mercedes (as Fay) all starring as the main cast of the series. Guests like Maya Lynne Robinson, Garrett Morris, and Alim Kouliev as Oleg also join the stellar cast.
Main Characters of “Grand Crew”
The cast of TV show “Grand Crew” takes you through a hilarious ride as they goofily explore themes like therapy, casual sex, cryptocurrency, and more at the wine bar. Here’s taking a look at the comical cast that makes up this show.
Echo Kellum:
Echo plays the role of Noah Koles and Nickey’s brother and is portrayed as a hopeless romantic. In the show, Noah’s friends try to console him when his engagement goes awry. Born August 29, 1982, Echo Kellum was first seen in Fox comedy’s “Ben and Kate” and is best known for his role as Curtis Holt in “Arrow,” as well as Hunter in “Sean Saves the World.”
Nicole Byer:
Nicole plays the role of Nicky Koles, an eccentric realtor, and Noah’s sister. Born August 29, 1986, Nicole is an American actress, comedian, TV host, author, and podcaster. She is best known for hosting the reality baking competition “Nailed It!” Nicole has also been a part of MTV’s “Girl Code,” NBC’s “30 Rock,” ABC’s “Home Economics,” and TBS show “Angie Tribeca.” She also lent her voice to popular shows like “BoJack Horseman,” “The Simpsons,” “American Dad,” and “Family Guy.”
Justin Cunningham:
Justin also starred in “When They See Us,” “Hide,” and “Blue Bloods.” Justin Cunningham plays the role of Wyatt Fields, the only married man in the hilarious bunch celebrating eight years of his marriage. We see him as a sanguine and curious guy. Often, his friends reach out to him for a dose of optimism when the ups and downs of life are difficult to tackle.
In an exclusive interview, Justin talked about his favorite episode from the show “Grand Crew.”
“For me, it was therapy. It was the therapy episode where my character Wyatt was trying to get Echo Kellum’s character, Noah, to go to therapy because Noah’s character was having a lot of trouble in the dating scene. He was experiencing these sorts of subconscious ticks. My character suggests that he go to therapy.”
Justin continues, “That’s a taboo subject in Black culture. There’s a distrust of mental health and health professionals in general because there is a long history of that mistrust and for good reason. But I really enjoyed getting to tackle talking about mental health and showing that it’s okay to break down the stereotype and the taboo surrounding that.”
Grasie Mercedes:
Grasie plays the role of recently divorced Fay, a free-spirited server at the local bar ‘Wine Down.’
Before joining the NBC comedy sitcom, we’ve seen Grasie in “Masters of Sex,” “Good Trouble,” “Criminal Minds,” “Southland,” “The Affair,” and more. Grasie, a later addition to the show, sprinkles extra feminine energy in the cast.
Carl Tart:
Carl plays the role of Sherm Jones, who is a journeyman. Born January 7th, 1989, Carl is a TV writer and actor. He has played roles in great TV shows and movies like “Party Over Here,” “It’s A Party,” “Rob Riggle’s Ski Master Academy,” “HarmonQues,” and “The Coach Who Clothes Them,” to name a few.
Aaron Jennings:
Aaron plays the role of a happy-go-lucky Anthony Holmes, an accountant, and a vegan. Throughout the show, we witness his strong commitment to his work. Anthony and Sherm share the same room. Aaron has been previously seen in “Stumptown,” “Pure Genious,” “Movie 43,” and “Bones.”
“Grand Crew” Recurring and Guest Characters
We get to see some guest appearances in this trending television gem as well.
- Maya Lynne Robinson: Maya plays the role of Kristen Fields, who is Wyatt’s wife in the hangout sitcom “Grand Crew.” Robinson is an American producer, writer, and actress. She is best known for portraying the role of Geena in “The Conners” and as Michelle on the CBS series called “The Unicorn.”
- Garrett Morris: Garret is seen as the narrator in the first episode “Pilot.” Actor, writer, and comedian by profession Garrett played roles in TV shows and movies like “Two Broke Girls,” “The Jamie Foxx Show,” “Martin,” and “Cooley High.”
- Alim Kouliev: Alim appears in the episode “Wine and Pie” as Oleg. Born June 24th, 1956, Alim is an actor, screenwriter, and theatre director. This Russian-American actor has appeared in some incredible movies including “A glimpse inside the mind of Charles Swan III,” “The Americans,” and “Bridge of Spies.”
Where Can You Watch “Grand Crew?”
You can stream or watch the first season of “Grand Crew” across multiple platforms.
Currently, the comedy series show is not available on Netflix. However, BuddyTV will keep you updated if this changes. Make sure you subscribe to BuddyTV’s newsletter.
How many episodes are in “Grand Crew”?
American television sitcom “Grand Crew” has a total of 10 episodes, about 22 minutes each. Here’s a list:
- Pilot
- Wine & Serendipity
- Wine & Fire
- Wine & Therapy
- Wine & Hip Hop
- Wine & Pie
- Wine & Headlines
- Wine & Wages
- Wine & Vineyards
- Wine & Art
With wine and laughter at its heart, the TV series “Grand Crew” keeps you hooked till the end. NBC quite recently communicated that “Grand Crew” will return for the second season. However, the exact release date has not been announced yet. BuddyTV will keep you updated as and when the release date is announced.
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Similar to “Grand Crew,” there are other marvelous TV shows casting incredible Black actors and brimming with laugh-out-loud moments, like “Kenan.” Never miss out on the important details of your favorite sitcoms when you subscribe to our newsletter.
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Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
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