Season 1 Talk

[Jazzy24]

This episode was awesome!!

But I was spanked. My grandparents raised 11 grandchildren and they whooped our butts sometimes my aunties and uncle spanked us but we was some badass kids so I can understand it. We were never abused though just disciplined.

I'm okay with kids getting spanked but I absoluty believe you can raise a child without spanking them and my sisters who have children do spank their kids but they rarely if ever do it.

I didn't like how Dre was about to spank Jack in anger because no one should be putting their hands on children in anger its scary.

And we're rarely united when we got spanked the older siblings use to laugh as we got whooped.

Edited October 23, 2014 by Jazzy24

[ohjoy]

I felt like that was one of the things that the scene tried to get across in a realistic manner -- that kind of reactionary discipline is not okay, but parents are humans too and sometimes they have to pull back from their own emotions so that they can properly discipline their children instead of damaging them. (That was my takeaway.)

 

I'll add this: I don't believe is specific to African-American culture, or any other minority culture either. I did not grow up in a black community -- the stories I could tell are not just from minority individuals. Part of the reason I like this episode is that, yes this is a black family and the premise is dealing with black family issues, the issues are not always confined to minority culture. The may not be quite as prevalent, but the issues are definitely there, and this show is dealing with them in hilarious yet heartfelt and considerate ways.

[ribboninthesky1]

I forgot to mention my absolute favorite moment of social commentary last night. Rainbow forgot she still had an unpurchased clutch in her hand as she left the store with Jack, the alarm went off, and a whole team of security guards converged.

Rainbow: It takes you two HOURS to find a little black boy and then you're here in two seconds when I accidentally steal a clutch! You know what, I'm keeping it!

Perfection! They actually let her keep it!

 

Yes, that was my favorite. Though my 2nd favorite is the white male co-worker's utter ignorance about his American of Korean descent co-worker.  

 

I was hesitant to watch this show because I don't care for Anthony Anderson, but I'm glad I binge-watched to catch up.  I still don't think he's funny, but the rest of the cast is golden.  Whoever was responsible for casting should be commended, especially the kids. I usually dislike precocious children, but the actress playing Diane is so darn cute and nails the comedic timing.  The writing is really smart, yet the actors are what bring the material to life.

 

As for the controversial topic of spankings/whoopins, while I got them, they are certainly not fond memories and I have no wish to nostalgically bond with others over it.  I don't support the practice, mostly because, in my experience, it was done in anger, not discipline.  I posit that discipline was a side effect, depending on the child.  My mom was the disciplinarian, and she had (and still has) a rather short fuse.  Not a good combination. I'm glad that Andre came to the right conclusion, and HOW he did so.

[Jade Foxx]

I was reading something...I wish I could find it now. It was one of the flurry of articles reacting to the Adrian Peterson case (which I already know was a horrible extreme outlier and not the norm by any definition) and the writer argued that the emphasis on corporal punishment in the black community was a legacy of slavery-that the black parent wanted to discipline their child first and teach their child about boundaries for their own safety in a white supremacist world-where if a black kid acted up like a white kid, the black kid would get killed. The writer also argued that this was a bad thing because it taught black children to sit down and shut up no matter what was being said to them, just because an "elder" or an "authority figure" was speaking.

 

Found it: http://www.salon.com/2014/09/16/the_racial_parenting_divide_what_adrian_peterson_reveals_about_black_and_white_child_rearing/

 

Thank you SO MUCH for posting this. During the Adrian Peterson debacle, I kept hearing people (white and blacks) ridiculously state that black people beat their children simply because "they were mimicking their slave masters." Uh, NO, harsh discipline was used for preventative and corrective actions based on NECESSITY and SAFETY, in order to protect children from a society that would (and still does) kill them for anything outside of outright submission. So it is indeed "cultural," but for a different set of reasons.

 

That said, I adored this episode! I was brought up old school (spankings, lectures, groundings, restrictions, etc), and indeed, that was a different era. I certainly wasn't damaged by "whippings," (not beatings) and thoroughly earned each one. Glad the show approached the topic with humanity, humor, and insight.

 

Truthfully, I still think different methods work for different children/personalities - BUT had it been me, little Dre would've gotten a quick swat on his hiney for that department store stunt. AND I would've yelled at security and kept the clutch, just like Bow!

 

 

Edited October 23, 2014 by Jade Foxx

[Oscirus]

Ugh, so close. The show was funny and I enjoyed it all the way through but then they copped out on the end. If your ending matches up with "Still Standing," you might want to rethink it.  I also felt they missed a golden opportunity to build on that tension  when Dre told his dad that he wasn't going to let his dad beat his son.  I feel that could have been dragged out a bit more. 

 

That being said, it was hilarious. I especially love Diane. Such a little psychopath. Since Pops and Bow have had their turn, I wonder what Dre's going to do next week to further push her down that path. I love Dre actually having a favorite kid and  they did a good job fostering a parents vs kids environment without it getting too sitcomey. Using the workplace as a way of showing the diverse ways discipline is handled complete with that -itis joke worked as well.

 

On the issue, I'd probably handle it on a case by case basis. Some kids learn one way and other kids learn another way.

 

[HoosierJen]

It's official -- in my home, this show has replaced Modern Family as our Wednesday night must-see! It feels fresh, funny, and smart, and is the show that my two teenagers and I will watch together and all enjoy. I like a show that can be poignant without being preachy, and one that shows positive relationships between different familial generations -- even when they're disagreeing, these people truly seem to like each other. Thank you, writers, for giving me a decent sitcom!

[Turtle]

When I first heard about this show, I was really excited about it, but also worried that it would fall flat, as so often happens with shows I look forward to.  I've been so happy that it's such a great show.  As mentioned above, the casting is excellent, especially the kids (and of course Pops).  And this episode may be their best yet.  They hit so many right notes.  

 

My only issue with it was the belt.  To me, "spanking" is an open hand smack on the butt, not a lashing with a belt.  Although I guess that fits in more with the "whooping".  Maybe it's just semantics, but in my mind, spanking your kid is a lot different than hitting your child with an object that is likely to leave welts/ bruises, and even possibly break the skin.  But again, minor issue, and I figured that maybe they used the terms interchangeably to make it resonate with more people.  

 

Overall, love the show.  And the white russian convo, along with "Dead man walking" killed me.   

[BoogieBurns]

I figured that maybe they used the terms interchangeably to make it resonate with more people.

 

I think that's it. They said spanking, whipping and whooping which covers pretty much everyone's word of choice.

 

It's funny that those three words all mean something so much different to me. Spanking is what you do quickly and possibly in public, maybe when the kid is hiding in a department store. A whoopin(g) is what happens after you parents have decided on a punishment for something bigger like when they catch you lying. A whipping is what happens in Roots. When my aunt-by-marriage threatened our cousins with a "whipping" we got very concerned for their safety. None of them are fun. But spanking is the best option of the three.

[C0mputerGeek]

To add to the spanking discussion: Both my brother and I were spanked. It was one of several disciplinary measures my parents used. IMHO, it was quite effective at punishing bad behavior as well as preventing it. There is plenty of stuff I decided not to do because it was not worth a spanking.

 

When I first heard about this show, I was really excited about it, but also worried that it would fall flat, as so often happens with shows I look forward to.  I've been so happy that it's such a great show.  As mentioned above, the casting is excellent, especially the kids (and of course Pops).  And this episode may be their best yet.  They hit so many right notes.  

 

My only issue with it was the belt.  To me, "spanking" is an open hand smack on the butt, not a lashing with a belt.  Although I guess that fits in more with the "whooping".  Maybe it's just semantics, but in my mind, spanking your kid is a lot different than hitting your child with an object that is likely to leave welts/ bruises, and even possibly break the skin.  But again, minor issue, and I figured that maybe they used the terms interchangeably to make it resonate with more people.  

 

Overall, love the show.  And the white Russian convo, along with "Dead man walking" killed me.   

I think this is just a preference thing. IMHO, the terms spanking and whooping are interchangeable.

[Watermelon]

I was 13 when I started the ninth grade in the Fall of 1985 and 17 when I graduated from high school.

Same, and I was a freshman in 99

[formerlyfreedom]

Dre fears his holiday fun will be ruined when the older kids balk at the glorious Johnson Halloween tradition of seeing who can pull the most outlandish pranks on each other

 

 

[Neeners]

I always thought whipping was much worse than spanking.  

 

I loved this episode, and love this show.  ALL of the kids are wonderful.  I agree, though - that Diane steals the show.

[SpringTulips]

However, I thought it was lame that Bow wanted Dre to handle the spanking, considering that Jack was hiding from her at the mall.  It's clear that she didn't want to be the bad guy.  Lord knows my mother never shied away from doing it!

 

My mother had the same modus operandi.  I don't think it was so much she didn't want to be the bad guy as she she wasn't good at it or couldn't focus.  We never feared her spankings because she would be hitting all over the place, mostly in the air.

But when she told my siblings and me that she was going to have our dad spank us later on...that was a different story.  We would do our best to get on her good side and hope that she would forget. 

I am the youngest, so my siblings would give me tips on the spanking.  To hold your breath or not?  Do you drop down to the floor?

Edited October 24, 2014 by SpringTulips

[Rae Spellman]

Now we know that Junior is 13 years old and in 9th grade. He must have skipped a grade at some point.

 

 

If Junior was 12 when he started his freshman year, he probably skipped a grade. As recently as 2011 California students didn't need to turn 5 until December 2 of their kindergarten year. Due to the Kindergarten Readiness Act of 2010, a  September 1 cutoff date has been gradually phased in over the last few years.

 

Also, private schools don't necessarily have the same cutoffs. 

[C0mputerGeek]

Regarding the age thing, rules were made to be broken. I've already said I started high school in the Fall of 1985 when I was 13. I turned 14 on January 1. Back in the day, you could test into school early. I failed the portion that evaluated my maturity. However, I had a family member that was a Superintendent in the Los Angeles Unified School District. I was in like Flynn anyway.

 

I agree with those that say they enjoy the dynamic between Dre and Rainbow. I love the way the writers have the couple interact with one another.

 

My favorite quote from this episode: "We're not even identical." Said from Diane to Jack when she bailed on backing him up.

 

Laurence Fishburne has been a revelation. I have been loving him on Hannibal. I was not aware he had great comedic chops too.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I know that my dad spanked me a few times, but what kept me in line was the fear of being spanked. My mom never spanked us so her big punishment was telling me I had to go sit in the corner. It wasn't even an actual corner of the room but a corner where the bookcase met the wall. If she told me I had to sit in the corner, I would burst into tears because I knew that meant I was in BIG trouble.

 

Regarding the age thing, rules were made to be broken. I've already said I started high school in the Fall of 1985 when I was 13. I turned 14 on January 1. Back in the day, you could test into school early. I failed the portion that evaluated my maturity. However, I had a family member that was a Superintendent in the Los Angeles Unified School District. I was in like Flynn anyway.

I was also 13 when I started my freshman year in high school. I didn't have to test in. My parents just enrolled me in first grade when I was still 5. I could already read so no one put up a fuss. A few years later, my teachers wanted me to skip a grade (no one told me about this until years later) which would have made me two years younger than everyone in my class so my parents decided to keep me in the same grade. I'm glad they didn't have me skip a grade because it was hard enough to be a year younger than almost everyone in high school and college. I couldn't drive, go to 16/18 year old clubs, drink alcohol in bars, etc.

 

I have mixed feelings about spanking kids and they're pretty much the same as Dre's coworkers - I get it in theory but in practice, I don't think I would ever want to or be able to do it. My huge issue with Jack is not that he necessarily needed to get smacked but that he kept pulling the same shit and there were no consequences for it. Kids need boundaries for their behavior and in the case of hiding, he was scaring his parents to death (and making everyone late for school/work in the morning) so it was also an issue of practicality. Plus he was doing it because he thought he was being adorable when he was actually being a huge pain in the ass. Whether it's a smack on the ass, a lecture, being given extra chores, or having privileges taken away, kids need to learn that there are consequences when they misbehave. I know that eventually he got the big lecture, but still.

 

I get that Dre and Rainbow were struggling with what to do, so I understand that's what caused the delay but as funny as I found the episode, I did find myself getting a little frustrated as the episode went on. Just pick a punishment and get on with it!

Edited October 24, 2014 by ElectricBoogaloo

[Mozelle]

The interesting thing about spanking is what happened in that conference meeting. Most of the members of the meeting had been spanked but had opted not to spank when they had children. I was spanked when I was younger. I think that the last time my mom used physical means for punishment was when I was maybe 11 or 12, and it was a hit to my back.

 

I have a sister who is almost 17 years younger than I am. My mom never spanked her, not once. Mom and I talked about that sometime last year and she confided that it was what she'd known growing up (she's an immigrant from West Africa). She was 22 when she had me, and, of course, there being no manual to raising a child, she just perpetuated what she'd seen and experienced growing up. By the time she had my sister, my mom was in her late 30s and had raised a pretty dutiful (though sarcastic) daughter. She simply made the decision that there had to be a different way to dealing with a child crossing boundaries (because will test boundaries like a muhhhh) and never spanked my sister. 

[MelsW]

And another minority opinion: I think Jack and Diane are too kid-actory and cutesy. The two older kids are great though.

 

I like the kids playing Jack and Diane BUT....I think they are walking a fine line with respect to the quote above. They aren't far off from getting into Olivia/Cosby Show territory. I am putting my trust in the writers that they will use the kids judiciously and not Olivia us.

 

Even though the preview spoiled it, I still loved Diane's "Dead man walking".

[zxy556575]

Something the show didn't address is that children respond differently to punishment. I don't know Jack (heh), but when my nephews were little, all I had to do was give the older, sensitive one the "I'm disappointed" look and he'd start crying. The younger, defiant one did.not.care. His dad would spank him and he'd be all, "Yeah? That all you got?" Both boys are in law enforcement now (like their dad). One is highway patrol and one is a detective. You probably can guess.

Edited October 25, 2014 by lordonia

[PRgal]

I honestly think there are racial and class difference when it comes to views on beatings for white people it seems like they let their children get away with anything . I have witnessed white women getting cussed out and disrespected by their children all the time and all the do is put the child on time out lmaoo. Mom tell daughter she grounded and she walks out the house saying bitch please  lol  only black households you will nonsense like that happening in is probably a upper middle class or upper class but   in most old school households even in single parent households i know the parents spank their kids.

 

 

Growing up in a black household  i got slapped up for the slightest sign of disrespect towards my elders and I would not be alive typing to you if i talked  to my mother the way I see these kids talking towards their parents in 2014. It sure is a sign of the times when a spanking is considered child abuse yet we have 14 yrs old raping and killing people. 10 years old having sex and cussing up a storm and teen girls popping out babies left and right  seems like modern day parents don't have control over their kids like people did in the past.

 

It's not white women/white people.  It's white, Anglo people in North America.  I was at a recent fashion event where the designer, where a (white) Canadian woman who has since moved to France, complained that kids here (in Toronto) get away with just about anything.  There, kids are still taught to respect adults - non-relatives, for example, are still addressed as Monsieur et Madame, kids don't DEMAND, and while she didn't talk about spanking, REAL grounding/punishment is still done (she did not elaborate).  Kids are also taught proper table manners, thanks to the lunch programs schools have there (seriously, I see kids (mostly boys) hold cutlery improperly ALL THE TIME - even if they're older than an age where coordination is still an issue. You see this even in (cereal) commercials.  WTF is with that?) as well.  One thing that really frustrates me to no end is when (white, Anglo) acquaintances of mine tell their (under 12) kids "say hello to Cynthia."  Ummm, when I was little, my parents would have said "say hi to Ms./Mrs. LASTNAME," or if they're more familiar friends/friends of Chinese descent, "say hi to Auntie FIRSTNAME." 

[khyber]

Wait, I just noticed that the twins are Jack and Diane. Is that really a John Mellencamp joke?

[Enjay]

I like the kids playing Jack and Diane BUT....I think they are walking a fine line with respect to the quote above. They aren't far off from getting into Olivia/Cosby Show territory. I am putting my trust in the writers that they will use the kids judiciously and not Olivia us.

 

Nothing turns me off from a show faster than overly precocious children, so I too hope they use them a bit more sparingly.  Both are adorable, but Diane in particular bugs because she's just too cool for school.

 

We had a wooden paddle that hung in our kitchen and my dad used it more often than he should have.  My son (now adult) got exactly one spanking in his life and my husband did it because I just couldn't.  Then we both felt awful and that was the end of corporal punishment in our house.

[LydiaMoon1]

To add to the spanking discussion: Both my brother and I were spanked. It was one of several disciplinary measures my parents used. IMHO, it was quite effective at punishing bad behavior as well as preventing it. There is plenty of stuff I decided not to do because it was not worth a spanking.

 

Not only were there things I decided not to do because it wasn't worth a whooping, there were many things I did in spite of knowing I'd get a whooping.  I quickly learned to weigh the cost of my behavior.  If I thought something was worth getting a whooping for, I didn't let the prospect of physical punishment slow me down one bit.

 

And Pops was right.  When it comes to whoopings, there's really not an age limit.  I have a brother that got a whooping in college.  He was one of those "look how smart my mouth is" freshman that Pops talked about.  He learned.

[Empress1]

My parents (black, born in 1950, raised in urban neighborhoods, middleish class) got spanked. I don't know the extent, but they did. They raised me and my brother (born in the 80s, raised in an urban neighborhood, upper-middleish class) largely without spanking. I can recall a few instances, but it was always one or two open-handed swats on clothed butts, usually to get us focused so we'd stop doing whatever dangerous thing we were doing right then. I remember my brother getting swatted with a spatula when he reached for the stove, which was on, while my mom was cooking - she had it in her hand and reacted instantly. The intent was never to hurt us, I can count the instances on one have for each kid, and they were never premeditated. My friend who comes from a similar background to mine (probably more affluent) has a dad who grew up literally shoeless poor in rural Arkansas (success story - he's a doctor now) and his discipline was of the "get a switch!" variety.

I fully admit that I have thought "S/he needs his/her ass kicked" when I have seen kids behave with blatant disrespect. That girl who sued her parents? Naw, chile. And I overheard a (white) girl of about 17 cussing up a storm on her phone and ended with "Whatever Mom, I'll do what the fuck I want" and I literally gasped out loud. The other black people within earshot looked at each other with a mixture of horror, disbelief, and disgust. Even if your parents don't use physical discipline, talking to your parents that way is Not Done in any black household I've been in.

Tracee's comedic chops are so great. I knew that already as a Girlfriends loyal watcher, but it's nice to see it again. When she's standing in the middle of the store screaming with her eye makeup messed up? Awesome. "He's little! He's black! He's really cute! Who wouldn't kidnap him? It was only a matter of time!" And when she punctuated the "I'm keeping it!" by shaking the clutch? Brilliant.

Edited October 25, 2014 by Empress1

[mansonlamps]

OMG I loved this episode because it addressed the gender inequality instead of just the race inequality. I am in a situation right now in which we are required to work a boatload of overtime to meet a deadline, yet if a male says he has to go to a three day "parents weekend" at college that's absolutely A-OK, but if a female has a two hour doctor's appointment she gets drilled about whether it's really critical. Wow times have changed!

[some1105]

I don't know.  Corporal punishment didn't work on me.  Not that it didn't happen, but when it happened, I identified it as a grave injustice and reacted to it as such, not as something corrective.  The first time my mother hit me with a hairbrush rather than her hand, I tried to report her to CPS through my school.  The last time my mother hit me was the last time because I had grown as tall as her and I looked her straight in the eye and said, "the next time you hit me, I will hit you back."  I meant it, she knew it, and that was the end of that (and to be clear, I never wanted to be in a position of laying a hand on my mother, and never did).  

 

I had been first hand witness to toddlers being lashed with belts (I will go down with the good ship of lashing a two year old with a belt is never ok), and multiple other instances of domestic violence (outside my household) against family members adult and juvenile.  From a very young age, I associated physical discipline with abuse of power over the helpless and afraid, and so, when it was directed at me, even in a much diluted form, that's how I took it.

 

On what seemed like another planet, my farm cousins grew up getting "whooped" for various infractions (many having to do with outrageously unsafe underage operation of farm equipment), and we all sit around and laugh about it now.  At least as they talk about it, they knew there was a code of behavior, they broke it for all manner of reasons having to do with childish recklessness and rebellion, and they took their punishments.  All of us consider ourselves to have been raised to be respectful.  They get less teasing in the midwest than I do in New York for still, in our 30s, addressing our elders as sir and ma'am, erring on the side of Mr. and Ms., and we all hop to in waiting on everyone else at family gatherings--including the next generation of their kids, who as far as I can tell have been raised with whoopings and still range from angels to brats in no discernible pattern.

 

I have no answers, and I really responded to this episode because I didn't have to.  As it was going on, I realized I would not be upset with the show or Dre or Bow whether or not Jack got whooped, because no matter how it turned out, I was going to understand where they were coming from, why they did it.  Now that's a good half hour of comedy.

Edited October 25, 2014 by some1105

[backformore]

It was a good episode, but I was uncomfortable about the whole concept of using a belt for a spanking. A swat on the behind AT the store, followed by removal of a privilege, is a better option. Plus, if a kid shows up to school talking about getting hit with a belt, the parents can expect a visit from Child Protective Services. Using a belt is never a good option. Better to take away phone, video games, iPad, or give them extra chores. (Pulling weeds is my favorite).

[ribboninthesky1]

That felt authentic to me because getting a whoopin' usually involved something like a belt (or a switch).  The goal was to inflict direct, and sometimes extended, physical pain as a measure of discipline.  To me, getting popped on the back of your hand or quick swat on the butt is very different, and not what Bow and Dre were debating.  Since this show is Black-ish, I interpreted it through that lens. Doesn't mean that all or only American black parents used corporeal punishment, but there's a particular experience that the writers are intentionally tapping into.

Edited October 25, 2014 by ribboninthesky1

[sonyab]

Kenya Barris did an interview with Vulture just before the premier episode. 

 

Oh wow!! Thanks for the interview. :)

[sonyab]

 

ETA I see this was already covered above.

Well, thanks for wanting to help. :)

[sonyab]

Something the show didn't address is that children respond differently to punishment. I don't know Jack (heh), but when my nephews were little, all I had to do was give the older, sensitive one the "I''m disappointed" look and he'd start crying. The younger, defiant one did.not.care. His dad would spank him and he'd be all, "Yeah? That all you got?" Both boys are in law enforcement now (like their dad). One is highway patrol and one is a detective. You probably can guess.

 

The one with the attitude became a highway patrol, and the one who you just give a disappointed look and he cries, became a detective?

[zxy556575]

The one with the attitude became a highway patrol, and the one who you just give a disappointed look and he cries, became a detective?

 

Yes. The younger one loves riding that motorcycle. :)

[sonyab]

Yes. The younger one loves riding that motorcycle. :)

Hahaha. Awesome. :)

[pookat]

... the black parent wanted to discipline their child first and teach their child about boundaries for their own safety in a white supremacist world-where if a black kid acted up like a white kid, the black kid would get killed.

Found it: http://www.salon.com/2014/09/16/the_racial_parenting_divide_what_adrian_peterson_reveals_about_black_and_white_child_rearing/

 

Thank you for this link. That article was eye opening. Although I've noticed similar things (a certain freedom to explore and misbehave among children of privilege), I had never connected safety and survival to the emphasis on following rules for children of color and particularly black children. It makes a lot of sense.

It actually gave me a whole new perspective when a friend was telling me yesterday how worried she gets when her son misbehaves in public.

[pookat]

ETA: Reading the article linked by yourstruly above and thinking about how some children of privilege seem to have the freedom to misbehave, I remembered the international incident that came about as a result of a caning sentence from 20 years ago that involved an American teenager who committed theft and vandalism in Singapore.

http://mindontravel.com/2013/05/21/the-story-of-michael-fay-and-how-to-not-get-caned-in-singapore/

For the record, I am against corporal punishment for kids and criminals (and torture for that matter). I had forgotten about this incident, but the recent discussion made me think of the intersection of discipline, privilege, fear of repercussion and freedom to do as one pleases.

Edited October 26, 2014 by pookat

[DollEyes]

 With this episode, Black-ish has become the best sitcom on television, whether it's network, cable or streaming video. The more episodes, the better it gets. I've revealed more about myself writing about this show than any other because this show hits closer to home than any other, for better and for worse and this episode is no exception. Like almost every Black child in the U.S., if not the world, I've been on the business ends of both belts and lectures and while they both suck in different ways, the lectures were worse because emotional scars take way longer to heal than physical ones-if  they heal, that is.  This is the best episode about corporal punishment I've seen since the episode of Good Times from 40 (!) years ago,

when James wanted to spank Michael for being suspended from school because he insulted the teacher and called George Washington "racist," but Florida was against it. However, when James learned the reason why Michael was upset, he changed his mind about spanking him, which prompted Michael to change his mind and apologize to the teacher

. On the Johnson front, spanking is a very tender subject, just like Jack, the child who was the intended recipient of said whooping, which IMO he deserved for scaring the shit out of his parents with his disappearing acts not once, but twice-first on Bow at the mall, then on Dre at home, when he tried to hide from his whooping. Both times, Jack had made his parents assume the worst, but he didn't seem to care until Dre said that he was "disappointed" in him, proving that when it comes to discipline, shame can sometimes be a more effective weapon than the belt-or Hot Wheels tracks, for that matter.

 

  Pops would definitely disagree. To him, spanking is like the Honey Badger-it don't care. It doesn't care about age, race or feelings, as proven by Pops spanking Dre even when he was in college, hence the nickname "Pops,"  because of his tendency to pop someone at even the slightest provocation. Dre's co-workers were no help at all. They were pro-spanking until they found out it was Jack, then they changed their tunes in record time because Jack's their favorite kid. Then again, since Jack's my favorite kid too, I didn't blame them. However, their becoming so obsessed with protecting Jack that they were willing to put a multi-million dollar account in jeopardy was ridiculous; otoh, that probably wouldn't have happened if Dre hadn't taken his post-lunch nap. Even wardrobe is a factor when it comes to spanking. According to Pops, there are two color choices: black for the occasion and while if it's "virgin ass," but my suggestion would be red because it's symbolic and when worn properly, can act as a deterrent against future beatings. As for the kids, they tried to save Jack, but when Dre threatened to beat their asses next, they threw him under the bus, like any smart siblings would. In the end (pun intended), while Dre didn't spank Jack, his being disappointed in him was punishment enough. While I believe in discipline, I agree with Dre and Bow that they shouldn't spank the kids. However, I also agree that if one of them acts up at least as badly as Jack did in this episode, their ass(es) should be lit up like Broadway on Opening Night.

Edited October 29, 2014 by DollEyes

[romantic idiot]

My concern about this episode is that I had the weirdest deja vu thing watching it - it felt like spanking has been brought up in other comedies before? Or other serials before? 

 

I got both the lectures and the beatings, but only for a short time.  There was also no mouthing off.   A couple of surprised slaps by my grandmother, taught me to keep my thoughts to myself.  I am liking the show more and more.  I look at my brothers and me and since the youngest is 22 years younger than I am, he's being raised a lot differently.  I told my mom that I wasn't allowed to get away with half the stuff that he does/says.  He's a great kid, but still.  I wasn't allowed to snark while he is allowed to snark away.   Times they are a changing. 

 

Yeah, my brother is 10 years younger and he gets away with a lot more things than I ever did. Here's another funny thing - for the non Americans in the audience, I'm wondering if the spanking (= slapping one's behind) thing also is an American thing? I can't imagine our parents touching our bottoms. We'd normally get open slaps on our shoulder blade or slaps in general. And teachers would use rulers on our hands (not too many, one or two). The spanking thing always feels icky to me (=born and brought up Bengali Indian). *shrugs* re: corporal punishment in general, I daresay opinions are just as divided along socio-economic lines as anywhere. 

[PRgal]

My concern about this episode is that I had the weirdest deja vu thing watching it - it felt like spanking has been brought up in other comedies before? Or other serials before? 

 

 

Yeah, my brother is 10 years younger and he gets away with a lot more things than I ever did. Here's another funny thing - for the non Americans in the audience, I'm wondering if the spanking (= slapping one's behind) thing also is an American thing? I can't imagine our parents touching our bottoms. We'd normally get open slaps on our shoulder blade or slaps in general. And teachers would use rulers on our hands (not too many, one or two). The spanking thing always feels icky to me (=born and brought up Bengali Indian). *shrugs* re: corporal punishment in general, I daresay opinions are just as divided along socio-economic lines as anywhere. 

 

It might be an Anglo thing.  I'm pretty sure the belt/strap at British boarding schools were done on the behind.  I know that Hong Kong families (perhaps due to British colonialism/influence) also spanked on the bum back in the day.  They also slapped on the palm.

[MyLisa]

I just spent the weekend with my sister and her family and introduced them to the show.  We watched all 5 episodes and they are hooked.  This episode, especially, grabbed my sister.  Once the kids got past the confusion over Blacklist/Black-ish (the first being something my nephew's friends watch), they were on board as well (my niece especially enjoyed the "hand-to-gland combat" episode!)  This is the first show in a while that I've actively recruited others to watch.

[fantique]

I loved the line about Jack being so cute it was only a matter of time before he was kidnapped. LOL

I also loved the perspective of the colleagues at work who also had experience with spanking and had bravado about "the better days" but can't actually follow through just like Dre.

Am I the only one worried that Diane is a genius serial killer in the making? The kind that never gets caught. Between her enthusiasm for dying patients in "The Nod" and her freaking out Pops with the frying pan...

[peeayebee]

I wouldn't say serial killer, but she definitely has an interest in the macabre. I think lots of kids are fascinated by stuff like that, but it's usually boys not girls.

[peeayebee]

Ah. I never thought about 'Blacklist' and 'Black-ish.' They even sound similar.

[formerlyfreedom]

[OT]

Ah. I never thought about 'Blacklist' and 'Black-ish.' They even sound similar.

 

Try being lead mod on both of them! Totally. Different. Shows.

 

[end OT]

[mtlchick]

I have GOT to find out what Tracee uses on her hair.  

 

"Sophie, really calling you? Why would she even have your number?!"  So mean.  And yet I cried laughing. 

 

The down side: no Pops. He could have been Joseph Jackson for the family Halloween outing! 

[SimoneS]

Another great episode. I am just loving this show. There are so many funny lines. 

 

I knew they were pranking Dre as soon as the twins said that they did not want candy, but I did not realize that Dre figured it out. The camera in fridge and faking the shotgun sound cracked me up.

 

Bow was bad ass taking on Josh, the intruder. She does not play. No wonder Dre told her to go look when they thought they heard an intruder.

 

Great to see Charlie again. I chuckled when he punched Josh, and then asked Dre didn't he know JayZ and Dre replied a little. Then it turned out that they both knew RuPaul, "cool chick." The ending was funny when it turned out that they both knew lots of black celebrities and Charlie said that Dionne Warwick was a generous lover.

 

The Jackson Five costumes were great at the end.

[Rinaldo]

One of the signs of a series that's alive and growing is seeing it build up a larger community of people that you're glad to see return. Josh and especially Charlie were valuable contributors this week. And Charlie is just as much of a no-boundaries mooch as ever!

 

All the kids were valuable contributors. Though, aren't the twins more than a bit old to think that wetting the bed is within the bounds of fun pranking?

[Iamsweetdee]

My favorite part was Dre trying to murder the waving man thing. When it popped back up with the scary face I howled laughing and woke the dogs.

[Cattitude]

Great episode so many good funny times. As someone in healthcare who has to tell people of the dangers of diabetes all the time I particularly loved all the diabetic humor, especially Jack and Diane not wanting to lose their feet or eyes. LOL

 

And Dre saying who needs 10 toes!

[TiffanyNichelle]

I almost died when, after Dre popped out of the chair, Junior was like, "I wasted my life. I need to do more." So serious. Tonight was hilarious. Loved Charlie punching the guy in the trash. That's what you get dude.

 

Charlie and Dre knowing every black person was too funny but Dionne Warwick as Charlie's lover was the topper.

[teebax]

Junior's delivery of "I have to do more" had me howling.

That was a really great episode. I think the Rainbow is my favorite, but they're all great. The part in which she's telling Dre how she saved someone's life and he's too wrapped up in his own drama was another favorite scene. I love her facial expressions and her saying her patient drove himself home and only had a little brain damage.

Did they say where Pops was?