| The Crossover | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | |
| Created by | Damani Johnson |
| Based on | The Crossover byKwame 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 (2023-04-05) |
The Crossover is an Americansports drama television series based on thenovel of the same name byKwame Alexander. It was released on April 5, 2023 onDisney+.
It received two nominations at the2nd Children's and Family Emmy Awards, winningOutstanding Young Teen Series.
Brothers Josh and Jordan "JB" Bell are considered basketball phenomena, and navigate their lives entering adulthood as well as the growth of their family.
| 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 (2023-04-05) |
| 2 | "The Cold Streak" | James Roday Rodriguez | Damani Johnson & Kwame Alexander | April 5, 2023 (2023-04-05) |
| 3 | "One-On-One" | James Roday Rodriguez | Valerie C. Woods | April 5, 2023 (2023-04-05) |
| 4 | "Time Out" | Nefertite Nguvu | Jake Lawler | April 5, 2023 (2023-04-05) |
| 5 | "Huddle Up" | Nefertite Nguvu | Jasmine Swift | April 5, 2023 (2023-04-05) |
| 6 | "Full-Court Press" | Erin O'Malley | Ali Kinney | April 5, 2023 (2023-04-05) |
| 7 | "Clutch" | Erin O'Malley | Aaron Carter | April 5, 2023 (2023-04-05) |
| 8 | "Rebound" | Cierra Glaude | Kwame Alexander & Valerie C. Woods | April 5, 2023 (2023-04-05) |
Disney+ 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, withLeBron James' production companySpringHill 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 onDisney Channel, but the show was suddenly removed from their programming schedule for unknown reasons.[10][11]
Joel Keller ofDecider 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 ofThe Hollywood Reporter complimented the performances of the cast and the emphasis onAfrocentric 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 ofCommon 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]
The Crossover was nominated for Tweens/Teens Programming – Best New Series,[15] and won Tweens/Teens Programming – Best Inclusivity at the 2024Kidscreen Awards.[16]
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Children's and Family Emmy Awards | Outstanding Young Teen Series | Kwame Alexander,Maverick Carter,Daveed Diggs, Kimberly Ann Harrison, Todd Harthan, Jamal Henderson, Lebron James, Damani Johnson, Jay Marcus, Erin O’Malley, Robert Prinz, Bob Teitel,George Tillman Jr., Lezlie Wills (executive producers); Valerie C. Woods (co-executive producer); Ali Kinney (supervising producer); Marsha L. Swinton (producer) | Won | [17] |
| Outstanding Writing for a Young Teen Program | Kwame Alexander, Damani Johnson, Valerie C. Woods, Ali Kinney, Aaron Carter, Jasmine Swift, Jake Lawler | Nominated |