Entertainment TV 'Black-ish' Praised for 'Paving the Way' in Emotional Fan Tributes After Series Finale: 'A TV Gem' The final episode of the ABC sitcom aired Tuesday night and fans were quick to express their heartbreak about having to say goodbye By Julia Moore Julia Moore Twitter Julia Moore is a digital news writer at PEOPLE. A graduate of Northwestern University, she has been working at PEOPLE since 2022. People Editorial Guidelines and Joelle Goldstein Joelle Goldstein Instagram Twitter Joelle Goldstein is the Staff Editor of TV for PEOPLE Digital. She has been with the brand for five years, beginning her time as a digital news writer, where she covered everything from entertainment news to crime stories and royal tours. Since then, she has worked as a writer-reporter on the Human Interest team and an associate editor on the TV team. In her current role, Joelle helps oversee all things TV, and enjoys being able to say she has to watch The Kardashians, America's Got Talent, Love Is Blind and Dancing with the Stars for her "work" responsibilities. Prior to joining PEOPLE, Joelle was employed at The Hollywood Reporter, where she was co-nominated at the 2019 GLAAD Media Awards for Outstanding Magazine Article for feature cover story. She graduated from Ithaca College with a Bachelor's degree in Television-Radio (and an appearance in the NCAA Women's Volleyball Final Four!) People Editorial Guidelines Published on April 19, 2022 10:05 PM Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Richard Cartwright/ABC via Getty Fans are mourning the end of Black-ish. The ABC sitcom aired its final episode on Tuesday night after an eight-year run. The finale was filled with emotional goodbyes, from the Johnsons leaving their Sherman Oaks home to Dre's parents, Pops and Ruby, also moving out of the residence. Fans shared their own emotional reactions to the highly-anticipated finale, expressing their appreciation for the groundbreaking show that gave many a TV family they could see themselves in. "Heck of a run for #Blackish. I'll miss the show for sure," wrote one fan. "Beautifully written! Love, love this show. Can't believe we watched those kids grow up too! Time flies" added another person. Listen below to an interview with Black-ish star Marcus Scribner on our daily podcast PEOPLE Every Day. "I grew up watching shows like Family Matters, Parenthood, The Fresh Prince among other shows. Let me say it's been so great to see a show like @blackishabc showcasing black excellence and a strong black family has been amazing. Gonna miss it #blackish" tweeted someone else. Black-ish: Johnson Family Says Their Final Goodbye in Emotional Series Finale "Devastated that #Blackish is over, but what a perfect ending to an amazing show," wrote another user. "I'm going to miss this show thank you for all the great episodes & seasons #blackish" someone else's tweet read. "Watching the #Blackish final episodes and honestly thank you. Thank you for proving that Black entertainment doesn't have to be painful. Thank you for paving the way for shows like Abbott and Grand Crew," wrote one viewer. "The joy that this family brought me for 8 years cant be summed in 280 characters. So incredibly grateful to have been present for this show. A TV gem #blackish" added someone else. Tracee Ellis Ross Gave Herself 'Permission to Cry' on Her Last Day on Set While saying goodbye to the show has left fans upset, its eight-year run provided many with the chance to see themselves portrayed on screen for the first time. "I think what we created changed my life in that we really changed the landscape of modern prime time television," Tracee Ellis Ross, who played Rainbow "Bow" Johnson, told PEOPLE earlier this month. "I do think we opened a pathway for television that is more reflective of who we are as human beings." Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The sitcom tackled a variety of serious topics during its run, including racism and police brutality. Miles Brown, who started on the show as a 9-year-old, told PEOPLE it was an "honor" to be part of a show that tackled these kinds of real-world issues. "For us to kind of be able to be the voice for a lot of communities that wish TV shows talked about … things that go on in this world that people don't really want to talk about on TV, it's an honor to be a part of something so special to you, to my community, to other peoples that are able to watch it and say, 'Hey, this reminds me of myself,'" Brown, 17, said at the series finale event at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Where to See the Black-ish Cast After the Show Ends The announcement that the eighth season would be the series' last came earlier this month, but not all the Johnson family members were ready for its end. "I want to go on," star Anthony Anderson said at the show's PaleyFest panel. "I think we have more stories to tell. I think the audience wants to see more. But all good things must come to an end." He also appeared on Friday's episode of Good Morning America and shared that he's hoping for a Johnson family reunion. "I've already planted the seed," he told George Stephanopolous. "I would like to do it as a movie and not a television show, and do a Johnson family vacation." Even with Black-ish concluding, fans do not have to say goodbye to all their favorite characters quite yet. Grown-ish, a spin-off that follows Zoey (Yara Shahidi) in college, was recently renewed for a fifth season.