The 1990s were such a golden time for Black sitcoms; there was truly something for everyone. As you dig through digital crates, you’ll come across some shows that didn’t last as long, but certainly left an impact. One of those shows was “Smart Guy.” Starring Tahj Mowry as T.J. Henderson, the 1997 show chronicled a 10-year-old boy’s foray into high school — as a child genius. However, he quickly learns that there’s more to this world than just being smart. All sorts of shenanigans ensued, leaving audiences with laughs, and most importantly, lessons. They caught lightning in a bottle with this one, so let’s take a look at what the cast is up to now.

1. Morris L. “Mo” Tibbs (Omar Gooding)

Omar Gooding was synonymous with ’90s sitcoms. He has had a propensity to make any role his own. In “Smart Guy,” The comedian played the role of Morris L. “Mo” Tibbs, Marcus Henderson’s best friend and Tasha Yvette Henderson’s eventual love interest. In the show, Morris reliably provides off-the-cuff humor during some of the most inappropriate moments and is one of the most memorable characters on the show.

Since “Smart Guy,” Gooding continued to work regularly, but his most famed role was his performance in Baby Boy. In the 2001 film, the actor co-stars opposite former “Smart Guy” castmate, Taraji P. Henson.

2. Floyd Henderson (John Marshall Jones)

Floyd Henderson (John Marshall Jones) is the patriarch of the Henderson family. After the unfortunate death of his wife, he takes on the role of the solitary parent figure. One of the main premises of the show is seeing how the single father helped raise his family, including a child genius. Floyd is the sitcom's conscience; he held everyone accountable, and ultimately provided the steadying energy that’s necessary when disciplining young ones.

Jones has continued to thrive in the wild world of Hollywood and landed small roles on “NCIS,” “All American” and “All Rise.”

3. Tasha Yvette Henderson (Essence Atkins)

Essence Atkins played Tasha, the sister of T.J. and Marcus. Tasha is both a beauty and a very intelligent student whose moral compass was constantly on display. She always held her siblings to higher standards. Since no one is perfect, she also had her moments of immaturity but bounced back with grace, showing us what it means to grow from our mistakes.

Atkins made her return to the world of sitcoms, most notably with on Marlon Wayans’ self-titled show, “Marlon.” She has also made appearances on “A Black Lady Sketch Show” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”

4. Monique (Taraji P. Henson)

Henson is a familiar face on “Smart Guy.” The award-winning actress portrays Monique, a friend of Yvette who exuded some of the spunky freedom Yvette wished that she could. Although her time on the show was brief, Henson absolutely killed the role on her way to thriving on the big screen.

Out of the “Smart Guy” cast, Henson has probably been the busiest actress, despite only appearing in a couple of episodes. Her massive filmography includes critically acclaimed films such as The Color Purple, Hidden Figures and Acrimony. We’d truly be here all day if we went through all of her on-screen work since “Smart Guy.”

In addition to all the cinematic work the Academy Award winner has done, she has also had her hand in a bevy of other endeavors as well. She hosted the 2024 BET Awards, is a New York Times bestseller with “You Can Be a Good Friend (No Matter What!): A Lil TJ Book,” and even launched her own hair care line called TPH. The decorated multi-hyphenate has made the most of her time in the business and continues to use her platform for the betterment of Black people.

5. Marcus Henderson (Jason Weaver)

Jason Weaver’s role in “The Chi” spurred a huge TV career resurgence for him. On “Smart Guy,” he played T.J.’s older brother, Marcus, who was pretty much T.J.’s opposite. Not many people would be as smart as the kid genius, but Marcus certainly influenced the mischief on the show. In the sitcom, he is typically someone that T.J. goes to for support, but throughout the seasons, there are some growing pains.

6. Coach Gerber (Dann Florek)

What’s a ’90s sitcom without an airhead-like gym teacher or coach? Coach Gerber (Dann Florek) filled that familiar sitcom role, providing great comic relief. Even in a supporting capacity, he helped round out the balanced environment that was depicted on the show. Ironically enough, Dann’s brother, Dave Florek, played Coach Smiley on “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air."

Dann continues to be a mainstay in the “Law & Order” franchise.

7. T.J. Henderson (Tahj Mowry)

Initially known as the younger brother of Tia and Tamera on “Sister, Sister,” Mowry carved his own lane with his own show. In “Smart Guy,” he played the role of T.J. to a T. Though his character was a genius, his age often was showcased in his naivete. It was a reminder that just because you have a certain level of intellect, there is no substitution for real world experiences. So, T.J. spent a lot of time assimilating to a world he wasn’t familiar with because it was more complex than what existed in a textbook. Mowry’s expert portrayal was the sole reason why audiences kept watching “Smart Guy,” and he deserves to be credited for his captivating talent at such a young age.

Mowry has starred in Freeform’s “Baby Daddy,” lent his voice to “Kim Possible” and even made a cameo in “A Black Lady Sketch Show.”