Season 1 Talk

[Shermie]

Yeah, that was pretty funny. I love it when Bow laughs; she laughs with her entire face, it's so genuine.

Just curious, wouldn't it be easier to let Diane's hair be natural than spend time straightening it every day?

[roseslg]

You wouldn't straighten it, unless you washed it.  Most black folks I know don't wash their hair daily.  Once a week is when it's usually done, so they would only need to press it once a week.  

 

I am trying to remember what else I've seen his mother in. 

[mtlchick]

Charlie has 2 families. I wish I can sayI'm surprised.

This wasn't a favourite, but I did enjoy it. "We only need Jesus and baths" was worth the chuckle.

(Edit: roseslg, Jennifer Lewis was one of Will's aunts on Fresh Prince.)

Where can I start the write in Emmy campaign for Tracee?

Edited November 20, 2014 by mtlchick

[Eegah]

Odd casting note: Jennifer Lewis played Tina Turner's mother in What's Love Got To Do With It, where Laurence Fishburne played Ike Turner. Shame they couldn't actually be together. I'm assuming Fishburne needed time to film Hannibal.

[LJonEarth]

Just curious, wouldn't it be easier to let Diane's hair be natural than spend time straightening it every day?

 

No. Depending on your hair type, natural is as much work as straightened hair. It's pretty fragile curly. And the straightening probably isn't done but one or twice a week. I loved that they included that she needed to old enough to take care of it properly in its natural form. The writer really get it

 

Speaking of writers, this felt like the most quotable episode to date. Over the covers biscuit nap?

 

Jenifer Lewis just doesn't seem old enough. She's perpetually in sassy aunt territory in my mind.

[Mozelle]

I am trying to remember what else I've seen his mother in.

 

If you watched Girlfriends, you'd recognize her as Toni's mom. I think that Jenifer Lewis is destined to play the momma to momma's boys. We can add Dre to the list, but on Girlfriends, Toni's brother was a momma's boy and in Think Like a Man (don't judge me!) she played mom to a momma's boy, too.

 

No. Depending on your hair type, natural is as much work as straightened hair. It's pretty fragile curly. And the straightening probably isn't done but one or twice a week. I loved that they included that she needed to old enough to take care of it properly in its natural form. The writer really get it

 

I did like that line, as well. It's little moments like that where I think the show thrives.

Edited November 20, 2014 by Mozelle

[bentley]

I have to say I didn't like this episode so much, as Dre's passivity and refusal to see his wife's side was irritating the hell out of me. The most annoying thing was Dre treating his mom and his wife like they were having a catfight over him. and all he needed to do was bring them together and bond. In reality, his mom was passively aggressively baiting his wife from the get go and should have been told to step back. I thought Bow was way too understanding of her husband's refusal to stand up for her.

 

Love Dre and his co-workers. Those scenes are always good.

[Racj82]

I swear Jennifer Lewis has been playing the character for over 25 years. I say that to throw shade. But, there is nothing here to tell me that this character isn't also Dean from the last season of "A Different World". Lewis is nearly sixty so her being aged a little bit isn't an issue for me.

[PRgal]

Maybe it's because I haven't seen too many episodes, but I was under the impression that Pops was a widower until last night's episode.  

[Racj82]

I have to say I didn't like this episode so much, as Dre's passivity and refusal to see his wife's side was irritating the hell out of me. The most annoying thing was Dre treating his mom and his wife like they were having a catfight over him. and all he needed to do was bring them together and bond. In reality, his mom was passively aggressively baiting his wife from the get go and should have been told to step back. I thought Bow was way too understanding of her husband's refusal to stand up for her.

 

Love Dre and his co-workers. Those scenes are always good.

That would bother me if they never bothered to explained it. Knowing his history with his parents explains why he's so attached to his mother. His mother gave him all the love he needed and felt he wasn't given by his dad. It explains why they are so close and why he goes overboard with making her happy. What she did for him means so much to her. That and there was an honest struggle to keep the both of them happy. Obviously, Bow wasn't in the wrong at all but that never stops in-laws from being a pain in the ass. He thought getting them to be friends would solve it but got it together in the end. No complaints here. All of the story beats were logical. Dealing with relations between in-laws and spouses can be tricky.

Edited November 20, 2014 by Racj82

[Empress1]

I adore Jenifer Lewis. I loved her as Dean Davenport in A Different World and as Toni's mom on Girlfriends.

Thought the subplot with the two older kids was weak. Did enjoy the natural/pressed hair bit - liked that Bow stressed that she loved the Afro, but that it was easier for HER to deal with Diane's hair pressed and she was the one taking care of it.

[roseslg]

Ah, that's where I know her from.  God knows I've seen all the Girlfriends episodes and Think Like a Man,  I blame it on old age.  

[Writing Wrongs]

Bow's whole "Is my house dusty?" thing cracked me up.

[MelsW]

I loved Bow's "Winter is coming"!

 

I really enjoyed this episode and it had a lot of funny and quotable moments. However, Dre was aggrivating the crap out of me. I get that he feels he owes his mother but at the expense of your wife? Even Bow getting "riled up" was way more calm than I would have been if my husband informed his mother about all of our private conversations, took her side in all matters, was blind to her passive and not so passive-agressive ways, etc.

 

I did love Bow getting Dre back by telling her about his coughing comment.

[ribboninthesky1]

I have to say I didn't like this episode so much, as Dre's passivity and refusal to see his wife's side was irritating the hell out of me. The most annoying thing was Dre treating his mom and his wife like they were having a catfight over him. and all he needed to do was bring them together and bond. In reality, his mom was passively aggressively baiting his wife from the get go and should have been told to step back. I thought Bow was way too understanding of her husband's refusal to stand up for her.

 

Agreed. Dre's mom was out of line from the jump - this wasn't about a meeting of the minds.  It's about not allowing your wife to be continually disrespected and betraying her confidence.  It's funny - in the media thread, I expressed concern about the showrunner, Kenya Barris, doing the latter with his wife.  Makes me wonder if puts his wife's business out there as much in real life.  It's nice and pat that Dre came to the right conclusion 16 years later, but I also thought "old habits die hard.  Mama will pull the same mess next time she visits because she's gotten away with it for so long."  

 

I can appreciate that Zoey is too cool for school, but she annoyed me in this episode.  She has a mean girl vibe that I'm not feeling.  It started last week, but I thought it was a one-off thing and as such, it was funny.  But nope, it continued into this week.     

Edited November 20, 2014 by ribboninthesky1

[dusang]

Jenifer Lewis just doesn't seem old enough. She's perpetually in sassy aunt territory in my mind.

 

The first time I heard the phrase "black don't crack" was Jennifer Lewis singing it Broadway-stylez on a late-night talkshow (I want to say original Arsenio?).

 

I loved Bow's "Winter is coming"!

 

However, Dre was aggrivating the crap out of me. I get that he feels he owes his mother but at the expense of your wife? Even Bow getting "riled up" was way more calm than I would have been if my husband informed his mother about all of our private conversations, took her side in all matters, was blind to her passive and not so passive-agressive ways, etc.

 

Stupid and annoying?  Yes.  Realistic?  Sadly, yes.  I know couples who have been driven to the brink of divorce because the guy would or could not put up appropriate boundaries with his parents.  

[jumper sage]

People my love for this show is waning.  I love all the actors.

[swimmyfish]

I enjoyed this episode, but I thought the subplot with the older kids felt a little out of place. What was going on with the grown-ups was so much more interesting that I got a little annoyed when it would cut back to Junior and Zoey.

 

On the plus side, I always like a visit to Dre's workplace. He really does need to get some friends, but those coworkers are hilarious.

 

Additionally,  I wouldn't have had any idea why Bow was freaking out (or, rather, riled up), about how the grandmother changed Diane's hairstyle, so I really appreciated how seamlessly they worked in how big of a deal that actually is. Educational, and entertaining.

[Dancingjaneway]

This was not one of my favorite episodes but it wasn't horrible either. I really hate when shows do the whole Mother in law vs wife story. The husband never gets it right and the wife usually ends up having to settle and be the good person. I liked both Bow and Dres wintertime/summertime scenes in their heads. As always the co-workers crack me up. Personally I really like the kids and their b-plot. It saved me from getting too annoyed and bored with the mother in law plot. I like that the oldest daughter was trying to help Junior and then went to help her sister get the brushes out of her hair. It's nice to see kids that are a nice balance of being well behaved and acting like kids. Junior I think is a character who if he was in another writers hand would have ended up being a horrible character(ie Junior on My wife and kids) just too stupid and not funny. All in all not a horrible half hour of television but I hope next week they bring something fresh to the table. 

[Mozelle]

People my love for this show is waning.  I love all the actors.

 

I think the show is slowly slipping into this bland, pale shell of what it started out as. It could very well be because ABC has put some constraints on the show, but it feels like they're being so broad, for lack of a better word, because they're more concerned with "This is soooo universal" kinds of reactions. 

[Primetimer]

When Dre's mother comes for a visit, Diane's scalp is but one battleground. Fortunately, everyone's looking cute.

Read the story

[buckboard]

The MIL vs. wife conflict is such a staple of sitcoms - "Everyone Loves Raymond" particularly comes to mind - but I've never found the storyline amusing when a grown man lets his mother treat his wife so badly.
 

[rubyred]

Yeah mom vs. MIL is pretty tired, but at least they did add some detail that gave it a little freshness, like the battle over Diane's hair. And the use of the word "tenderheaded" -- awesome little detail.

Overall this has become a solid sitcom. Whenever it starts to feel too rote, there's a twist or a line that cracks me up. Also Dre's boss - that dude is a straight up nutjob, and the actor does an amazing job with the deadpan.

Even though I wasn't amused by Zoey's plot, the kid who plays Dre Jr. sold it well, as usual.

[Mrs OldManBalls]

After seeing this last night: 1) I dusted

                                            2) I called my mom-in-law and told her I love her and she is awesome

                                            3) I called my mom and thanked her for my easy to straighten and easy to curl hair ( it has a mind of it's own on humid days, but otherwise I got the best of both my parents races hair-wise) 

 

The gift that the kids got from grandma were wonderfully inappropriate! Nunchuks?!? A thong?!?

[Rinaldo]

Just about every sitcom story is well-worn by 2014, so I don't hold it against a show for doing a premise that's been done before. It's all in the freshness of the execution. In this case, I did find that Dre's preparations for his mother went into hokey-exaggeration-land. All the special touches to her bedroom? No relationship to life as I know it. (Their diametrically opposed fantasies about her arrival were fine, because those aren't supposed to be real. I'm talking about what actually happens.) And some of his reactions to Mom's passive-aggression (concurring that the house needs better dusting) were likewise too oblivious to be believable: we've seen that Dre is a sharp, perceptive man.

 

That said, it remains a very agreeable, fun half hour. But this is not, I think, the highest level on which it operates. And it's shown that it can hit the peaks.

[mjt626]

I'm surprised that there was no mention of Dre's over fawning of his mother, being in part, because his father gets to live in a guest house on the property.  How did he end up in the guest house?  Is Grandma Johnson jealous?  Does she blame Bow?

 

Even though Junior got played, I think the date will be a useful learning experience for him in the future.  He did spend an evening with an attractive girl and apparently was able to compose himself through the date.  With that face and eyes, the tide should be turning soon for him. 

[ribboninthesky1]

I think the show is slowly slipping into this bland, pale shell of what it started out as. It could very well be because ABC has put some constraints on the show, but it feels like they're being so broad, for lack of a better word, because they're more concerned with "This is soooo universal" kinds of reactions. 

 

Funny you should mention this, as I was wondering when the show would slide into this inevitable place.  There's only so much of the "Black-ish" theme you can explore before it starts to feel redundant.  I don't think it's an inherently bad thing to go broad, as I'm beginning to think the theme might have been a bad idea.  What happens in season 2 or 3 of this show?  The dual-identity aspect of living black in the US is real, but is there enough material to mine for more than a season?

 

Also, the show centers around Andre for the most part, but I think the supporting cast garners most of the laughs.  At least for me.  I've never found Anthony Anderson funny, and Tracee Ellis Ross is stealing the show right from under him.  As are the actors playing Junior, Charlie, Josh, and Diane.  I'm not sure if my issue is lack of interest in sitcoms compared to 10-15 years ago, or that Andre's schtick is already getting old for me. 

[Duke2801]

Yeah it wasn't my favorite episode, but I still find it amusing.  I agree that the older kids' B plot was kinda weak.  And didn't they say that the girl he asked out was a senior? Like, why would Zoe think he should ask out a girl 5 years older than him?

 

Ok I did LOL at his co-worker's face when they were side-eyeing his "separate but equal" solution to dealing with Bow and his mom.  And the whole "tub lovin" scene was hilarious. 

[Mozelle]

Funny you should mention this, as I was wondering when the show would slide into this inevitable place.  There's only so much of the "Black-ish" theme you can explore before it starts to feel redundant.  I don't think it's an inherently bad thing to go broad, as I'm beginning to think the theme might have been a bad idea.  What happens in season 2 or 3 of this show?  The dual-identity aspect of living black in the US is real, but is there enough material to mine for more than a season?

 

Also, the show centers around Andre for the most part, but I think the supporting cast garners most of the laughs.  At least for me.  I've never found Anthony Anderson funny, and Tracee Ellis Ross is stealing the show right from under him.  As are the actors playing Junior, Charlie, Josh, and Diane.  I'm not sure if my issue is lack of interest in sitcoms compared to 10-15 years ago, or that Andre's schtick is already getting old for me.

I'm working on a response to this in the Social and Race Issue thread. :)

[shera]

Yeah it wasn't my favorite episode, but I still find it amusing.  I agree that the older kids' B plot was kinda weak.  And didn't they say that the girl he asked out was a senior? Like, why would Zoe think he should ask out a girl 5 years older than him?

I think Junior even said she was repeating her senior year. "She votes AND smokes!" LOL. Maybe she was just the first hot/popular girl Zoe saw?

[peeayebee]

I too didn't find this ep to be as good as previous ones, but I certainly wouldn't write it off yet. I still love the characters and actors. I loved how super excited and hyper Jack was. Diane with her half-fro was adorable.

 

I continue to enjoy Dre and Bow's conversations. Even here when they were arguing, they didn't make me wonder why they were married like some sitcom couples.

[20PearlGirl]

There were some funny lines. It's a sitcom so the MIL plot was bound to pop up. I was expecting Jennifer Lewis to pop in the bathroom with them.

The whole thing with Diane's hair was too funny.

And the grandmother gifts were PERFECT. You know they give your kids stuff they would have never given you and they would have given their parents the side eye too.

[nicepebbles]

This episode wasn't as funny to me. It had its moments.

- Making it rain. Just clothes that small on the kids for making it rain. I know they would have clothes that small but that just cracked me up for some reason.

- Make that money, girl. Oh, Charlie. That car accident knocked out the boundaries part of his brain as well as his molars.

- Bow getting the gardener's name wrong. That touch was nice showing people of color can be just as wrong (not to let non-POCs of the hook though.)

I didn't like the neighbors were so quick to assume the worst. True to life I'm sure. My kids would be in so much trouble.

Pops popping in to say something about kids today was missed.

Beef Plantation? I just think of cows working too hard to be someone's dinner for like no money. Had he taken the kids to someplace that was appealing, they wouldn't have acted like that. I'd act like that, too.

I used to love Sizzler. I've seen one in the past few years. I'm not nostalgic for it at all.

[spaceytraci1208]

I've really been missing Laurence Fishburne the last few eps

[Racj82]

Damn, it's been like a couple of months and people are already starting with the this show is in a rut type comments. As I'be said before, this show can't just be about race every week. Every once in a while they will dip into the sitcom plots we know. There is no way for that not to happen. At least we learn more about the characters in the process. This show hasn't had a bad episode yet , imo. So I just can't get with negativity.

[TiffanyNichelle]

Charlie's first episode, I wasn't really a fan but I love how they are using him now. First he gets hit by a car and now he has a secret family? LOL, love it.

[BoogieBurns]

Jennifer Lewis looks too much like a person I know and strongly dislike. So, I was TeamRainbow the whole episode. 

[Mozelle]

Damn, it's been like a couple of months and people are already starting with the this show is in a rut type comments. As I'be said before, this show can't just be about race every week. Every once in a while they will dip into the sitcom plots we know. There is no way for that not to happen. At least we learn more about the characters in the process. This show hasn't had a bad episode yet , imo. So I just can't get with negativity.

Who's saying that it needs to be about race every week?

[twoods]

Bow continues to be awesome. I want to be married to her. I don't understand how Dre's mom won't be happy with him marrying a freaking doctor, with how poor they grew up. It's probably more the mama's boy thing but still.

Junior continues to steal the show, getting excited about gum wrappers and then getting more upset about his math test than getting used.

[Mrs OldManBalls]

And the grandmother gifts were PERFECT. You know they give your kids stuff they would have never given you and they would have given their parents the side eye too.

You should see my husband's face when his parents come over with treats for the kids. He didn't get any of that stuff growing up, and it drives him insane. 

Edited November 21, 2014 by Mrs OldManBalls

[Racj82]

Who's saying that it needs to be about race every week?

I'm talking about fans in general. This isn't the only the place that talks about the show. There are certain fans that seem to think the show is weak when it decides to not focus on race related issues/topics. The minute they a general family sitcom spot, people starting labeling it just another sitcom. It's not what they signed up for, blah blah blah. My thing is that that the show shouldn't be about BLACK PEOPLE and their lives. It should be about a family that happens to be black. I do like that the show puts things in like Diane's hair to make it unique. I just don't need to be hit over the head with it is what I'm saying (like what the pilot sort of did).

[kia112]

Jenifer Lewis also plays Whoopi Goldberg's sister in my favorite movie, Corrina, Corrina.

 

I love the natural hair education in this episode.  The first time I straightened my hair after I went natural, you would have thought that I performed wizardry by the reactions of some people at work.  And the second, and the third, and the fourth... (it got old after awhile).  The fact that you see this little girl with half straight hair and half curly like it wasn't no thang and just something that is was awesome.  Also, looked like Ruby can press hair better than Bow, 'cause Diane's half head was laid out better than it was in the beginning of the episode.

[Driad]

About Dre's mother saying she was Zulu and Native American -- didn't Oprah Winfrey say she thought she had Zulu ancestry but the DNA test showed she doesn't? Henry Louis Gates, on his "Finding Your Roots" show, has said that many African Americans think they have Native American ancestry but most do not actually have it according to DNA tests.

Edited November 21, 2014 by Driad

[ridethemaverick]

About Dre's mother saying she was Zulu and Native American -- didn't Oprah Winfrey say she thought she had Zulu ancestry but the DNA test showed she doesn't? Henry Louis Gates, on his "Finding Your Roots" show, has said that many African Americans think they have Native American ancestry but most do not actually have it according to DNA tests.

This is true. Most African Americans have some European ancestry but it is my opinion that many claim NA because they don't want to claim white with all the pain and baggage that that carries.

[jhlipton]

- Bow getting the gardener's name wrong. That touch was nice showing people of color can be just as wrong (not to let non-POCs of the hook though.)

 

The best part was that the gardener didn't even have a Hispanic name: Eric!

[mtlchick]

 

There are certain fans that seem to think the show is weak when it decides to not focus on race related issues/topics.

If someone is saying that, they clearly didn't watch the Halloween episode.  

[Joimiaroxeu]

Most African Americans have some European ancestry but it is my opinion that many claim NA because they don't want to claim white with all the pain and baggage that that carries.

I think it's also probably because Native Americans weren't enslaved (at least not to the degree Black Africans were) and were here before the slaveholders gained a major foothold. It would be sort of a one-up to "my ancestors came over on the Mayflower".

[Driad]

AIUI, many NA groups took in non-NAs, ranging from children captured in raids to people escaping from slavery. So it was possible to be culturally NA without being genetically NA.

[kia112]

AIUI, many NA groups took in non-NAs, ranging from children captured in raids to people escaping from slavery. So it was possible to be culturally NA without being genetically NA.

 

Responded in Social Issues and Race thread.

[OnceSane]

Dre wants the family to feel more connected so he encourages "Team Johnson" to embrace what it means to have each other's backs. But Dre creates trouble for himself when he falls short of Bow's expectations. Meanwhile, Bow and Dre invoke "Team Johnson" and put the less-than-enthusiastic Zoey and Andre Jr. in charge of babysitting the twins.