The Neighborhood may be in its final season, but its spinoff, Crutch, is exploring a totally different sense of community.

Starring Tracy Morgan as Fracolis “Frank” Crutchfield, also known as “Crutch,” the new half-hour comedy series is filmed in front of a live studio audience in Queens and captures the essence of what the definition of a neighborhood looks like from a New Yorker’s perspective.

“I’m mimicking my dad. When my older brother came back home, I was there. I remember those battles,” Morgan said during a recent interview with Blavity’s Shadow and Act.

What is ‘Crutch’ about?

Similarly, the series follows as Morgan’s Crutch opens his home back up to his adult children as they navigate the world.

An official logline states, “Set in the world of CBS’s The Neighborhood, Crutch centers on its titular character, Francois ‘Frank’ Crutchfield (Morgan), who goes by ‘Crutch,’ a brash, yet beloved Harlem shop owner whose world is turned upside down when his highbrow son and free-spirited daughter move back into the family home.”

Along with Morgan, the show stars Jermaine Fowler, Kecia Lewis, Adrianna Mitchell, Adrian Martinez, Braxton Paul and Finn Maloney.

There are many similarities between Morgan and his character. Both are New Yorkers, and just like Crutch, Morgan knows what it’s like to mourn the loss of a spouse, as his first wife and high school sweetheart, Sabina Morgan, with whom he shares three children, died in 2016 from cancer.

“When you look at Crutch and I’m talking to that picture, that’s my real wife that passed away,” Morgan said. “As a matter of fact, today is the ninth anniversary [of her passing]. I have flowers in the kitchen. I’m going to take them to the tombstone in a little while. That was my friend before she was my wife. We had three children.”

On fatherhood

In Crutch, the main character will go to any lengths to protect and care for his kids. And for Morgan, being a part of this project is rooted in legacy.

“It’s all about legacy. My legacy is my children. You want to see me? Look at my children,” he said. “My reflection is in them. You’ll see what kind of person I am by looking at my kids.”

In fact, Morgan’s real daughter, Maven Morgan, appeared in the first episode of Crutch as the young girl in the neighborhood looking to sell his character movie butter for a fundraiser.

When asked if she’s following in his footsteps in terms of acting, Morgan said he’s unsure.

“She’s doing a movie right now with me and Michael B. Jordan,” he said. “I still don’t know what she wants to do. She’s only 12. She enjoys it, but I don’t know what she wants to do. She says to me, ‘I’m just in pursuit, Dad.’”

Crutch is now streaming on Paramount+.