Tracee Ellis Ross Is Starring in a Brand-New ‘Daria’ Spin-off

Brush off your combat boots and sarcastic attitude, because one of our favorite ’90s series is returning with a really refreshing update.

MTV just announced it’s developing a Daria spin-off centered on her best friend, Jodie. But that’s not the best part. The series, which is fittingly called Jodie, will feature Tracee Ellis Ross as the voice of Jodie.

The 46-year-old Blackish star, who will also executive produce the new series, expressed her excitement about her new endeavor on Instagram with a slideshow. She caption the photo series, “COME THRU JODIE ~ @mtv studios and @gracyact. I am thrilled to bring this project to life with Grace Nkenge Edwards and MTV Studios, both as executive producer and by voicing Jodie’s character.”

She went on to explain the magnitude of the show, saying, “Being able to give voice to fresh, feminist and unexplored stories about women of color excites me. Jodie will spin-off from the cult classic Daria with the brilliant, sweet and sarcastic black girl magic that is Jodie Landon.”

Ross also took a moment to meditate on the cultural significance: “To have the sidekick character move to the forefront is a real metaphor for what is happening in our culture. There hasn’t been an adult animated show centered on an African American female character for more than a decade (BET’s short-lived series, Hey Monie!),” she explained. “Allowing in those voices that have been pushed to the fringes, that have lived full and extraordinary lives on the edges of what culture has deemed as popular—it feels exciting and apropos.” We couldn’t agree more.

Daria aired for five seasons on MTV from 1997 to 2002 and told the very ’90s story of Daria and her group of similarly over-it high schoolers as they tolerated life among the less than intelligent students of Lawndale High.

Jodie will explore the protagonist’s trials and tribulations as a recent grad entering the workforce. A statement from MTV calls the series a “workplace comedy full of commentary about everything from gentrification to sex to tech to call-out culture.”

Needless to say, we can’t wait to watch.