Diksha Sundriyal
Created by Regina Hicks and Wanda Sykes, Netflix’s multi-camera comedy series, ‘The Upshaws’ follows the story of a working-class family in Indiana. The main characters are Bennie and Regina Upshaw, who have been together for decades, but still have ups and downs in their marriage. The story also focuses on their children —Bernard, Aaliyah, Maya, and Kelvin, Bennie’s son with Tasha. Another important part of the story is Lucretia, Regina’s sister, who doesn’t like Bennie.
The fourth season continues the family’s journey, taking them on another chaotic and fun ride. The final episode ends with a cliffhanger, leaving the characters at a crossroads. If you loved this season, you might want to know what happens next for the Upshaws. Will there be a fifth season to continue their journey? Let’s find out. SPOILERS AHEAD
Will There Be The Upshaws Season 5?
‘The Upshaws’ Season 4 premiered on Netflix on Aug 17, 2023. It consists of six half-hour episodes which were released simultaneously. Like its previous seasons, this season too received critical acclaim, with the critics praising the series for remaining relevant while not compromising on the humor.
As of now, Netflix has made no official announcements about the return of ‘The Upshaws’ with a fifth season. The streamer usually takes a month to gauge the audience’s response before deciding on the fate of a series. Considering the quick renewals that the show received in the past, we expect a similar thing this time as well. However, despite an early renewal, we might have to wait a while before the new season is released.
In May 2023, NPR reported that ‘The Upshaws’ went on a hiatus due to the writers’ strike. Sykes, who executive produces the show while staring in it, has been a member of the WGA union and has stood with her fellow writers in their previous strikes as well. This time, too, she has been on the front lines and talked about the importance of paying the writers their due share. “Right now … there’s no way [a staff writer] can survive unless they have another job, something to supplement their income. I’m praying and hoping [for an agreement], but … we can’t back down. This is the line in the sand,” she said.
In July, the actors joined the writers on the strike, which led to a halt in the production of many movies and TV shows. Until this issue is resolved, it cannot be confirmed when the work on the new season will resume and when the show will go into production. Considering the previous pattern of release, we can say that ‘The Upshaws’ will land on its feet quicker than most TV shows. Part 4 of the series premiered around six months after it was greenlit. This confirms that work will proceed swiftly on the fifth part as well.
The fourth season ends with Lucretia revealing that she will sell the garage to save her building from being taken by the IRS. She lost all her money because the person who was supposed to file her taxes pocketed it and ran away with it. Lucretia has no option but to sell the garage, which puts the Upshaw family in a bind. The next season will focus on them trying to bounce back from the loss of the shop.
We expect the entire main cast, which includes Mike Epps, Kim Fields, Wanda Sykes, Jermelle Simon, Khali Spraggins, Journey Christine, and Diamond Lyons, to return for the next season. Considering that the actors cannot join the production under the SAG-AFTRA strike is over, it’s hard to put a date on when we’ll see them again. With all these factors in mind, we believe that ‘The Upshaws’ Season 5 will release sometime in late 2024.
Read More: What Happened to Tasha in The Upshaws? Did Gabrielle Denis Leave the Show?
