S04.E12: My Successful Lawyer Son

[jewel21]

Quote

As Bob gears up for delivery day at the new sock factory, he struggles to put his foot down with his opinionated family. Also, Abishola gets a taste of Kemi’s new personality when her successful lawyer son comes to visit.

Airdate: 02/06/2023

[AnimeMania]

Joshua Echebiri as Funmbi

[DanaK]

Funmbi was a stuck up jerk. I’m glad Kemi stood up to him

[shapeshifter]

Better episode than recent ones.

[Harvey]

Abishola being there at just the right moment to snap at Funmbi was so cool 😆.

I really like the way they are building Kemi and Chukwuemeka's relationship. I wish there were more episodes focused on them.

[greekmom]

10 hours ago, DanaK said:

Funmbi was a stuck up jerk. I’m glad Kemi stood up to him

Soooo interesting.  Abishola and to an extent Kemi always go on and on how the mom has absolute control over the children in the household but it looks like Kemi was all talk because Funmbi wears the pants in that situation.

Nice that the writers/producers didn't have Christina acting as a janitor this week. Maybe they are finally listening.

So Chukwuemeka and Kemi won't be marrying?  I mean they have been dating a long time. 

[floridamom]

I agree with the notice that Kemi's children do not fear her or treat her with any respect as they say Nigerian custom goes. This doesn't jive with things. I'm a bit confused here. I enjoyed this episode.

[Harvey]

3 hours ago, greekmom said:

Soooo interesting.  Abishola and to an extent Kemi always go on and on how the mom has absolute control over the children in the household but it looks like Kemi was all talk because Funmbi wears the pants in that situation.

 

2 hours ago, floridamom said:

I agree with the notice that Kemi's children do not fear her or treat her with any respect as they say Nigerian custom goes. This doesn't jive with things. I'm a bit confused here.

It makes sense to me. Yeah they are overbearing, strict parents but at the cost of their relationship with their children. Those who do not fall for the traditional notion of "respect your elders" cut ties with their parents and they don't have much of a relationship with their kids once they are not financially dependent on them. This was touched on by the show many times, Kemi previously mentioned that her son doesn't speak to her but at least he is successful, and Bob often tries to get Abishola to be a nicer mom to Dele so he doesn't despise the time he spends in the US instead of Nigeria and they remain on good terms.

Funmbi is independent of Kemi and clearly he doesn't want much to do with her so the relationship they do have will be on his terms.

Edited February 7, 2023 by Harvey

[HurricaneVal]

That was a nice scene between Bob and Chukwuemeka.  Not a usual pairing for this show, and it worked very well.

I liked that Abishola was 100% supportive and easily affectionate with Bob during this episode.  We haven't seen a lot of that lately, so it was a nice callback to why they're really together.

While Abishola's character seemed pretty softened for most of this episode, her smackdown of Kemi's pretentious son was a refreshing use of her often harsh personality.

[EtheltoTillie]

3 hours ago, HurricaneVal said:

That was a nice scene between Bob and Chukwuemeka.  Not a usual pairing for this show, and it worked very well.

I liked that Abishola was 100% supportive and easily affectionate with Bob during this episode.  We haven't seen a lot of that lately, so it was a nice callback to why they're really together.

While Abishola's character seemed pretty softened for most of this episode, her smackdown of Kemi's pretentious son was a refreshing use of her often harsh personality.

I also liked Bob's final line, "Use that brain, Harvard." 

[SnarkySheep]

Loved how Chukwumeka kept mistakenly thinking Bob was Jewish...he was so polite in inquiring about "unwrapping day".

"Mazel tov!"

Edited February 8, 2023 by SnarkySheep

[Yeah No]

On 2/7/2023 at 2:56 AM, Harvey said:

I really like the way they are building Kemi and Chukwuemeka's relationship. I wish there were more episodes focused on them.

Me too, I especially like the realistic way Kemi's character has taken shape.  I felt more empathy for her now that I know the reasons behind her behavior.  I also now have a potential reason for her being attracted to Chukwuemeka since he is almost as young as her son.  She is seeking out a romantic partner that can fill the emotional hole left by her son's rejection.

[Johannah]

On 2/7/2023 at 8:32 AM, floridamom said:

I agree with the notice that Kemi's children do not fear her or treat her with any respect as they say Nigerian custom goes. This doesn't jive with things. I'm a bit confused here. I enjoyed this episode.

Could just be the Americanization of the youth.  (Not that all American kids don't respect their parents, but it certainly isn't ingrained in most not to question.)

[HurricaneVal]

I forget.  Is Kemi widowed, or divorced? 

If she's divorced, it was obviously a bitter one (I'm not sure Kemi would have any other kind), and the dad may have done an excellent job of poisoning the kids against Kemi.  If she was widowed, then perhaps Kemi had to throw herself into supporting the family all while reeling from grief and that certainly could have affected the mother/child relationship(s).  The son was certainly a prig, that's for sure.  Maybe this free-wheeling, fun Kemi only came about after the estrangement, to fill the vacuum in her life?  And before that, she was just like Ebun, or worse, and that caused the estrangement?  (Something Bob is actively trying to prevent between Abishola and Dele without stepping on cultural toes.)

[greekmom]

17 hours ago, HurricaneVal said:

I forget.  Is Kemi widowed, or divorced? 

If she's divorced, it was obviously a bitter one (I'm not sure Kemi would have any other kind), and the dad may have done an excellent job of poisoning the kids against Kemi.  If she was widowed, then perhaps Kemi had to throw herself into supporting the family all while reeling from grief and that certainly could have affected the mother/child relationship(s).  The son was certainly a prig, that's for sure.  Maybe this free-wheeling, fun Kemi only came about after the estrangement, to fill the vacuum in her life?  And before that, she was just like Ebun, or worse, and that caused the estrangement?  (Something Bob is actively trying to prevent between Abishola and Dele without stepping on cultural toes.)

Widowed. She said something about after her husband died and later on she went for tea with some gentleman which her son disapproved of her going.

[joanne3482]

I wonder if it is a gender thing, the treatment of Kemi by her son. Abishola is a daughter. Of course she has to treat her mother with respect etc because that's what the dutiful daughter does. Dele is still a child so of course he still respects/fears Abishola. Kemi's boy has the arrogance of a son of a severely patriarchal society.  I can't remember if Kemi has a daughter too or not. But his attitude is somewhat reminiscent of Dele's father's attitude. 

[Harvey]

2 hours ago, joanne3482 said:

I wonder if it is a gender thing, the treatment of Kemi by her son. Abishola is a daughter. Of course she has to treat her mother with respect etc because that's what the dutiful daughter does. Dele is still a child so of course he still respects/fears Abishola. Kemi's boy has the arrogance of a son of a severely patriarchal society.  I can't remember if Kemi has a daughter too or not. But his attitude is somewhat reminiscent of Dele's father's attitude. 

She does have a daughter, but she is unsatisfied with her because she is a musician in a band.

[Keywestclubkid]

I actually really liked this episode.. good flow.. Abishola and Bob being affectionate and showing a connection.. a great moving forward for Kemi