Season 2 Discussion

[Irlandesa]

Snorted water through my nose at Dre's crack regarding Law and Order cops.

I loved that little nod to his previous job.

 

That's how season one of blackish came off to me: more careful about what a white audience would think and/or get and less concerned about the black viewers who would (very likely) get the references in the show.

The Carmichael Show was more aggressive in how they dealt with these topics in that five of their first six episodes aired last summer dealt with serious topics. I really liked The Carmichael Show and their approach a lot.  But I do think using the first season to set up this family is paying dividends in the second, especially when it wants to tackle more serious subjects.  They don't have to be as concerned with finding an appropriate joke but rather they can lean back on the fact that they can use our expectations of how characters will react to elicit laughs. 

[possibilities]

The Carmichael Show will be back on the air in March. I'm guessing their success over the summer helped give Black-ish the guts to do what they did tonight. I was worried the show would cover the same ground, but loved that even though they were talking about the same subject, they managed to approach it in totally different ways. This is an area where lots needs to be said, so not repeating each other is awesome.

 

That moment when Ruby dropped her rancor towards Bow and agreed with her-- urgently-- about how the kids should talk to police? Whether you agree with her or not (and Dre and Pops didn't), I think this is the first time she's dropped her feud and sided with Bow, and that made it all the more significant-- it showed how very serious the issue was to her, and really got my attention.

 

I think they did a good job of showcasing the fear, not just the anger, that the situation generates. So often, anger is how things get framed in the media, but seeing the fear as well is important. Anyone with any empathy would know it's there, but lots of people lack that insight, and showing it I think was a brave and very helpful choice the show made. I think people get worried that showing fear will interfere with showing strength and having dignity, but I think she show did a great job of avoiding those pitfalls.

[teebax]

This was me of my favorite episodes of the series. Well done, show. I'm going to rewatch at least once.

[SmithW6079]

I hated Bow's joy that Zoey exhibited "depth." She's as bad as Dre is about Junior.

Being happy your daughter cares about more than clothes and make-up and popularity is a lot different from denigrating your son because of his "nerd" hobbies and that he's not the "man" you think he should be.

[monakane]

I enjoyed watching Anthony Anderson stretch his dramatic muscles a bit.  I always enjoyed his dramatic roles.  One thing that stood out for me in the episode was the lack of any mention of MLK either in the assassination references or the discussion of individuals who brought hope.  I found that odd.

[peeayebee]

I loved when Bow said she was so happy that Zoe showed depth. I was happy Zoe showed depth.

 

Great ep. There was humor, but the ep was obviously going to be more serious than usual. That's fine with me. It's an important subject and one that this family is obviously going to be concerned with. I remember when Obama was walking down the street after his inauguration, and I was on edge. I can't imagine how he and Michelle felt.

 

I don't remember how old Jack and Diane are supposed to be, or how old the actors are, but I wondered if there was always a black President as far as they knew. I mean, they learned about George Washington and other Presidents in school, but in their experience, it must not have been all that remarkable for the country to have a black President.

 

I loved when Diane ranted about being able to hear them, esp when they weren't that far away (which Fresh Off the Boat also made a joke about), and then Diane looked from one person to the other with that face of hers. Cracked me up.

[tominboston]

Today's New York Times has an interview with showrunner Kenya Barris in which he talks about this episode:

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/25/arts/television/blackish-kenya-barris-police-brutality-episode.html

 

I thought it was well done... it's a sitcom, but it's OK to make people think now and then.

 

 

[Mozelle]

I loved that little nod to his previous job.

 

The Carmichael Show was more aggressive in how they dealt with these topics in that five of their first six episodes aired last summer dealt with serious topics. I really liked The Carmichael Show and their approach a lot.  But I do think using the first season to set up this family is paying dividends in the second, especially when it wants to tackle more serious subjects.  They don't have to be as concerned with finding an appropriate joke but rather they can lean back on the fact that they can use our expectations of how characters will react to elicit laughs. 

 

I keep hearing good things about The Carmichael Show. I'll have to check it out. 

 

I loved when Bow said she was so happy that Zoe showed depth. I was happy Zoe showed depth.

 

Great ep. There was humor, but the ep was obviously going to be more serious than usual. That's fine with me. It's an important subject and one that this family is obviously going to be concerned with. I remember when Obama was walking down the street after his inauguration, and I was on edge. I can't imagine how he and Michelle felt.

 

I don't remember how old Jack and Diane are supposed to be, or how old the actors are, but I wondered if there was always a black President as far as they knew. I mean, they learned about George Washington and other Presidents in school, but in their experience, it must not have been all that remarkable for the country to have a black President.

 

I loved when Diane ranted about being able to hear them, esp when they weren't that far away (which Fresh Off the Boat also made a joke about), and then Diane looked from one person to the other with that face of hers. Cracked me up.

 

Last season they were in second grade, so I'm guessing they're supposed to be in third grade now, around eight or nine years old. As such, they've only known of Barack Obama as president. I feel like there was an episode last season that briefly touched on this point.

[Duke2801]

I have to admit that when I saw they were pushing it as a "very special episode" of Blackish, I cringed a little bit. But you proved me wrong, show. I thought they did a really wonderful job of addressing a very complex and difficult subject matter. And it had just the right amount of humor. I totally felt Bow's dilemma over wanting to be hopeful and optimistic for the sake of the kids, but not being able to ignore reality at the same time.

 

Oh and I legit LOLed at Chipotle as the inevitable go-to because that has happened more times than I can count in this household!

[goldenpuppy]

I think Black-ish is probably one of the best, if not the best sitcom on tv.   I am white, and I am ashamed of some of the comments I see all over social media about this episode.  It was awful to read the racist comments coming from white posters - before the episode was even aired!  

 

I thought that this was handled very well, and although there is no way I can understand how a mom, sister or a grandmother of a young black male feels when they see the videos of a child with a toy gun being killed within seconds of a police car driving up to him, or of many of the other unarmed young men that were killed, I  feel like this episode was very good at showing how it feels to a black family.  

 

I remember my dad telling us how his family was treated as Italian immgrants when the police would abuse them or hurt them, or when churches wouldn't allow them in the door because they weren't the right nationality of Catholic, so they had to start their open parishes.   Now is saddens me that several Italian Americans and children of immigrants who also faced prejudice can not sit and  try to understand and at least just empathize with how it must feel to see black young men being treated this way.

 

This episode should be nominated for an Emmy. Actually, I think this series itself is so well cast, written and acted that it it emmy worthy.   

 

I was so glad to hear them actually address the  feelings that they  had when Obama walked down the street during the inauguration.  I always feel a little worried for all presidents when they do that, but especially for the first black president.

 

I also felt worried for Obama walking down the street during the when he was inaugurated.   I felt sickened when for the first time ever I saw  a president was called  "liar" during the State of the Union,  or when a governor waved her finger in his face on the runway!    I can not imagine being able to handle this with such grace, class and restraint, like President Obama.  Can you imagine if he reacted at all  like Trump? He'd be called a thug!   

 

Sadly, the people who should see an episode like this will never tune in, and will make nasty judgements before the episode ever airs!

[attica]

I think this ep tried to do too much to be 'balanced', and suffered for it. I get why they went that route, but I don't think it was successful. 

 

That said, Anderson in his high flat-top and Malcolm-ian horn rimmed glasses made me laugh hard. I love the flashbacks this show does.

 

Are giant blocks of 'government cheese' still a thing?

[shura]

Being happy your daughter cares about more than clothes and make-up and popularity is a lot different from denigrating your son because of his "nerd" hobbies and that he's not the "man" you think he should be.

 

It is different, sure. But I don't think it's a good reflection on Bow that she is sincerely convinced her sixteen(?)-year-old daughter is a shallow bimbo and then is pleasantly shocked when Zoe shows depth. This is really not the first sign of Zoe being a good, thoughtful person we've ever seen. And Bow is acting like she's never seen those signs before? It's not good.

Edited February 25, 2016 by shura

[GHScorpiosRule]

Well, DUH. I am a maroon. Of course the paper would be about Mohandas Gandhi, who was the Civil Rights Leader! Since this episode was about Civil Rights' leaders.

 

I also laughed hysterically at the flashback of Dre during the Malcom X conversation.  

 

And Pops as a Bobcat, not a Panther with that pose in front of the Hollywood sign!

 

Though, I couldn't tell...did Dre believe OJ was guilty? Because his last remark about how the "gloves didn't fit" made me think that though he thought OJ was an idiot, but that he wasn't guilty?

 

I don't know if Bow's idea to shelter the kids so they don't know the kind of world we're living in was a good idea or not..I mean, when I was a few years younger, I got a FAST education at an early age on racism--being told, while with my grandma, to get out of the pool (in our apartment complex), and find a pool where my "own kind" could swim. I was five. I'm not Black, but East-Indian. And we've had our issues of being treated as sub-human, fourth-class citizens in our own country for decades.

 

But in light of what's going on in our society these days? I do think she was being naive, even though her heart was in the right place.

[peeayebee]

I am white, and I am ashamed of some of the comments I see all over social media about this episode.  It was awful to read the racist comments coming from white posters - before the episode was even aired!  

I'm white too, and I would never check out comments on other sites about this ep. Too ugly. I keep wondering if my right-wing BIL will read a story about this ep and make some denigrating comment about a show he has never watched and never would. But as I watched, I kept thinking how informative it would be for people who just don't get it, if only they'd listen with an open mind. Some people -- mostly conservatives, frankly -- don't know how or don't want to put themselves in a different viewpoint. There have been a few stories about Congressmen and politicians who suddenly change their minds about something like gay marriage once they actually have a gay person in their lives.

 

I also felt worried for Obama walking down the street during the when he was inaugurated.   I felt sickened when for the first time ever I saw  a president was called  "liar" during the State of the Union,  or when a governor waved her finger in his face on the runway!    I can not imagine being able to handle this with such grace, class and restraint, like President Obama.  Can you imagine if he reacted at all  like Trump? He'd be called a thug!

And why can't people see this? You really can't deny that black people can not act the same as white people and get the same response.

 

And Pops as a Bobcat, not a Panther with that pose in front of the Hollywood sign!

 

Black Panther-adjacent. Hee.

 

Though, I couldn't tell...did Dre believe OJ was guilty? Because his last remark about how the "gloves didn't fit" made me think that though he thought OJ was an idiot, but that he wasn't guilty?

 

I didn't hear what exactly Dre said about the glove didn't fit, but I did think that he and the rest of the family felt that OJ was guilty, but they just had to defend him.

[GHScorpiosRule]

I didn't hear what exactly Dre said about the glove didn't fit, but I did think that he and the rest of the family felt that OJ was guilty, but they just had to defend him.

 

Dre started off saying how Blacks wanted a win so much, they acquitted OJ, who he called an "idiot." Something about 10 million..and then ended with "And let's not forget, the gloves didn't fit."  

 

Hence my confusion.

 

I'll go back and rewatch and type the dialogue, so maybe someone can clarify for me? Normally, I'm not that stupid or clueless. But that last statement really had me going, huh?

[mikem]

Nice job, show.

 

The one part that I found very strange is when Jack and Diane said that Zoey was the only person in the house they can trust and count on.  I'm surprised that they think they can't trust and rely on their mother.  Rainbow has certainly done a lot of silly sitcommy things over the course of the show, but she's also consistently portrayed as very good at her job and a very good mother.  She is a very capable woman.  It was a completely bizarre thing for the twins to say.

 

On a completely unrelated note, this is probably old news, but how did Jeff Meachem (who plays Josh) get his name in the opening credits when Peter Mackenzie (who plays his boss) didn't?  Mackenzie needs to find a better agent.

Edited February 25, 2016 by mikem

[BoogieBurns]

Dre started off saying how Blacks wanted a win so much, they acquitted OJ, who he called an "idiot." Something about 10 million..and then ended with "And let's not forget, the gloves didn't fit."

 

I'm pretty sure he's saying that OJ obviously did it. But, there was a reason he defended him at the time. The gloves didn't fit. 

 

I feel like it's the same thing I'd say about OJ. Like, hindsight says he was guilty the whole time. But in the heat of the trial, the gloves didn't fit, so we weren't sure of the whole story. 

[Trace]

Worst show ever. I watch this show to laugh (it's a comedy after all).  I will watch CNN if I want this type of thing shoved further down my throat.

[attica]

Dre started off saying how Blacks wanted a win so much, they acquitted OJ, who he called an "idiot." Something about 10 million..and then ended with "And let's not forget, the gloves didn't fit." 

Hence my confusion.

 

I agree with BoogieBurns about the meaning of this exchange. I'd add only that the gloves would have been viewed at the time as another cheap and dishonest prosecutorial ruse* to convict a black man since they obviously didn't fit, and what a relief it must have been to see it backfire on the prosecutors.

 

*I'd recommend the recent HBO/Vice documentary Fixing the System, wherein incarcerated men talk about 'phantom witnesses' lined up against them to railroad them into guilty pleas as another example of this.

[LydiaMoon1]

I thought that this was handled very well, and although there is no way I can understand how a mom, sister or a grandmother of a young black male feels when they see the videos of a child with a toy gun being killed within seconds of a police car driving up to him, or of many of the other unarmed young men that were killed, I  feel like this episode was very good at showing how it feels to a black family

 

Just wanted to emphasize that it's not just black men/boys.  The system zealously targets black women and girls as well.

[angelamh66]

I thought the episode was well done too.  I was, however, uncomfortable with Pops and Dre saying that the police are thugs and confirming to young Jack that the police are the bad guys.  I just can't get behind that kind of generalization because it is largely not true.  No more true than saying all young black men are criminals. All that said, I think it was fine that they had statements like that in the episode because some people really do feel that way and maybe I am meant to feel uncomfortable during parts of this episode.  

 

And I loved the OJ thing.  So desperate for a win that that idiot got acquitted. 

 

Finally, Dre and Bow discussing being afraid someone would try to kill Obama, that was moving.  And true. It really took me back.  

[Duke2801]

Trace, on 25 Feb 2016 - 12:48 PM, said:

Worst show ever. I watch this show to laugh (it's a comedy after all).  I will watch CNN if I want this type of thing shoved further down my throat.

 

It was made pretty clear from the get-go what the episode was going to be about.  And it still was funny at times.

 

angelamh66, on 25 Feb 2016 - 1:14 PM, said:

I thought the episode was well done too.  I was, however, uncomfortable with Pops and Dre saying that the police are thugs and confirming to young Jack that the police are the bad guys.  I just can't get behind that kind of generalization because it is largely not true.  No more true than saying all young black men are criminals. All that said, I think it was fine that they had statements like that in the episode because some people really do feel that way and maybe I am meant to feel uncomfortable during parts of this episode.  

 

And I loved the OJ thing.  So desperate for a win that that idiot got acquitted. 

 

Finally, Dre and Bow discussing being afraid someone would try to kill Obama, that was moving.  And true. It really took me back.  

 

Much like the gun episode, I felt like they presented 2 sides of the issue. You had Dre and Pops feeling a certain way about the police, but then you had Bow there to remind him that he's on a first-name basis with their local cops and very friendly with them. I don't think they made it a black/white issue, but a grey area.

[Grundoon59]

I somehow missed most of the first season of the show (would hear about it and forget to watch) but am very glad I found it and now watch regularly.  I am white and 56 years old.  I was raised in a suburb of Detroit which was hostile to people of color all the time I was growing up although my parents made clear to me that we lived there because they were employed by the school system and that we in no way agreed with the attitudes that many of my neighbors had.  I was regularly taken to church and other events in Detroit so I would meet and grow with people of all races.  My work life for nearly 30 years has been in predominantly African-American environments.  But I know that my experiences will never be the same as theirs.  All I can do is try to be honest and empathetic.

 

I can still clearly remember trying to comfort my African-American college roommate in Virginia in the early 80s when she was unfairly stopped by the local police.  She was the most together person I know and to see her brought to tears by how she was treated was heartbreaking.  Too many times in the years since, I have had to try to be there for other friends and colleagues knowing I can never completely understand.

 

Last night's episode seemed very well done to me, trying to cover a necessary subject with a wide variety of opinions with humor and grace.  I loved that it stayed in the house - the family alone but together.  I know there are undoubtedly some ugly opinions being expressed out there. But I was pleased to see that several media outlets (NYT, Chicago Tribune, Christian Science Monitor) are praising the episode. 

 

Sorry if I rambled a bit in this post that this episode touched my heart (as did the comments here) and I wanted to be part of the discussion. 

[AuntiePam]

I went round and round with a family member after Beyonce's Superbowl half-time performance.  He thinks everything's "okay" with race relations -- we have a black President, black entertainers, black millionaires, black TV shows, black superstars, athletes, he has black co-workers, black friends, etc.  "Why are they still angry?  Get over it already!"  He thinks the cops are always right and that if black people just behave themselves -- Ruby's seven words? -- everything should be fine.  He just doesn't get it. 

 

I felt so bad for Dre and Bow's kids, especially Jack and Diane.  Their sense of security in this world must have been rocked.

 

I thought it was a brilliant, funny, balanced look at what's going on.  There are no easy answers, but opening people's eyes is a good first step.

[RedHawk]

I'm a white woman and teared up during Dre's speech about Obama's inauguration day. Seems long ago now, when we thought things were going to improve, that reason and justice could prevail. Sadly and sometimes shockingly, I have acquaintances who don't hide their true feelings on social media. Sometimes I marvel at the strength Pres. Obama must have to withstand the psychic onslaught of hatred directed toward him. It's real.

 

I liked the ending with Ruby sitting vigilant in front of the garage door on which she'd sprayed "Black Owned". Something about it was just right. 

 

And on a lighter note:

And Pops as a Bobcat, not a Panther with that pose in front of the Hollywood sign!

 

What did he say was the reason he was a Bobcat? Something like "The Panther uniform didn't suit my Southern California lifestyle."? Hee!

[attica]

That PBS documentary that aired last week on the Panthers gave me a new appreciation for their style aesthetic. :)

[reggiejax]

I liked the ending with Ruby sitting vigilant in front of the garage door on which she'd sprayed "Black Owned". Something about it was just right.

 

it was right on a symbolic level, but in terms of practicality, it was a colossal waste of time. As was the rest of her riot preparation. Believe me, NOTHING was going to happen in Dre and Bow's neighborhood.

 

The way it was promoted, I thought this was going to be a very serious episode, by which I mean the humor would be put aside. But that wasn't the case, they managed to walk the fine line of mixing comedy with serious social issues. Not quite at the level of the Norman Lear comedies of the 70's, but a very good entry nonetheless.

 

In terms of very special episodes maintaining the comedy, I would rank this above the episode of Good Times where JJ was shot, but below the All in the Family episode where someone painted a swastika on the Bunkers front door. (The swastika was intended for a neighbor of the Bunkers, not for Archie and family. But they got the address wrong.)

[goldenpuppy]

Just wanted to emphasize that it's not just black men/boys. The system zealously targets black women and girls as well.

That is true. I think it seems like it is mostly boys and men, but sadly . Black women face the same problems .

[snowydaze]

I liked the episode. I am white, and I also know a lot of white people who want to ignore this issue , which is sad.

The only thing I did not like was how they let the comment that 97% of cops are bad or thugs .

I do not blame anyone for feeling anger and fear, and watching how disrespectfully Obama is treated is just sickening. But , just as Dre realized that they supported an "idiot" like OJ because they were desperate because of the horrible treatment from cops, I thar that making their kids hate all cops, and just keeping the hate on both sides isn't going to help. It's only going to cause the other side to get more nasty and vote in racists like Trump.

I just didn't think that leaving that statement of three was not a great idea. Also, I get wanting to protest, but if there were violent protests, what responsible parents would go out into that with their kids?

I have friends who live in Baltimore, one being a black male, and as much as he feels sympathy for the issue, didn't want to be in the middle of s riot.

I think this overall was very good, but last week we had a marine veteran with 3 Purple Hearts who is Hispanoic being attached , beaten and robbed by a group of young black men, because he wouldn't answer them when they surrounded him in McDonalds and asked him if black lives matter. They appears thought he was white . The media never reported this except for online papers. How is that fair?

[BoogieBurns]

I don't think they were going out to the dangerous riot. I assumed there was a non-violent gathering as well. The riots are usually what make the news, but that's not where everyone goes. 

[ShowsILoveToHate]

I think it was very well done. When Dre talked to Bow about being terrified for President Obama as he stepped out of his limo the night of his inauguration...damn, that hit me. They weren't stingy with the funny either. Laughed my ass off when Pops said (paraphrasing) "I ain't worried about the thugs; hell, I married one!(looks over at Ruby)"

 

I'm watching it now; as a white person I didn't realize how scared so many people must've been during the scene they showed of the Obamas walking alongside the limo.  Brought tears to my eyes.  Then when Zoe got upset when Junior said he wanted to go to the riots. 

 

I thought this was an excellent episode.

[Missy Vixen]

The writer of last night's Black-ish did a masterful job. I wondered how many drafts the writing group went through before they filmed the episode.

 

I am a white woman in her fifties that lives in a rural town thirty miles from a large metropolitan city on the West Coast. To say that I am horrified at the daily (DAILY!) displays of racism in my liberal state is an understatement. Instead of any improvement or societal change, I believe things have gotten worse.

 

Dre's referencing President Obama's inauguration and his fear when the new President and First Lady got out of the car to walk to the White House hit me like a fist to the stomach. I was in tears. The news footage and the very few sentences brought back that morning in an instant -- the optimism and hope that surrounded our new President, and the fear that something horrible was about to happen.

 

Black lives matter.

[Mozelle]

I missed the flashback of Dre rocking his Malcolm X gear (I went to the kitchen to forage), but by the time I got back, all of the Twitter timeline that was following along were tweeting about how the show sneaked in Fishburne as Furious Styles in that same flashback. I had planned to re-watch the episode anyway, but now I'll have to specifically to see that moment. A young Laurence Fishburne with that beard? Yum.

 

Worst show ever. I watch this show to laugh (it's a comedy after all).  I will watch CNN if I want this type of thing shoved further down my throat.

 

Was it really shoved down your throat, though?

[Nokids]

I am a white lawyer in Florida who handles delinquency cases. I once told two officers that I wasn't saying there weren't any honest officers, I'd just never met one. Sadly, in my experience this is true.

[fishcakes]

Dre talking about Obama was effective for me because while I remember him and Michelle getting out of the limo and feeling a bit of apprehension that if something was going to happen, that would be the time, and also feeling a little relieved that it was a short walk, I didn't feel terrified. So when Dre said something to Bow like, "tell me you weren't terrified," and her face registered that he was right and she had been, as well as the camera on Ruby who, when Dre started talking about it, had this look of such utter sadness as Zoey looked at her wondering if she was going to break (and as an aside, kudos to all the actors in that scene -- they were all amazing), it really underscored to me that I will never completely understand what it is to be a black person in this country. I can know how it's different, but I can't feel it, if that makes any sense. There's obviously a divide between black people and everybody's racist cousin on Facebook who thinks flying the Confederate flag is about heritage, but I think there's a second unacknowledged divide with people who are, in general, tolerant and fair-minded but who can't admit that they will never fully understand how it's different for black people (or to a different extent, anyone who's in the minority, racial or otherwise) because they think they already do. I feel like it's that second divide that's going to be harder to overcome. All the flat-out racist dinosaurs will eventually die out, but the micro-aggressions of otherwise well-meaning people are forever.

 

But LOL at all the people on twitter who are outraged about this episode. It's just like a couple of weeks ago when they realized Beyonce is black. They are shocked. Shocked! they would like you to know. And not a little disappointed too.

 

My take on the line about O.J. and the gloves is that even if you believe that O.J. is guilty, you can still believe the gloves were planted by Detective Mark Fuhrman, who the defense was able to demonstrate during trial was a corrupt, racist cop. They had audiotapes of him saying that he and other officers would beat the shit out of black men just for fun, and when asked if he'd ever manufactured evidence in any case, he invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.

 

What did he say was the reason he was a Bobcat? Something like "The Panther uniform didn't suit my Southern California lifestyle."? Hee!

 

I think he said the Panther uniform was too hot for southern California. Hilariously, the Bobcat uniform was black vest with plaid Bermuda shorts. Laurence Fishburne looks amazingly young in the flashbacks. I think the only thing that shows his age is the gray in his beard (if that's even real and not dyed gray to make him look older for the show). When they give him a dark beard, he looks a good thirty years younger.

Edited February 25, 2016 by fishcakes

[RedHawk]

I think he said the Panther uniform was too hot for southern California. Hilariously, the Bobcat uniform was black vest with plaid Bermuda shorts. Laurence Fishburne looks amazingly young in the flashbacks. I think the only thing that shows his age is the gray in his beard (if that's even real and not dyed gray to make him look older for the show). When they give him a dark beard, he looks a good thirty years younger.

Yes, that was it, definitely the heat factor out in SoCal, hence the Bermuda shorts! 

[RedHawk]

I liked the ending with Ruby sitting vigilant in front of the garage door on which she'd sprayed "Black Owned". Something about it was just right.

 

it was right on a symbolic level, but in terms of practicality, it was a colossal waste of time. As was the rest of her riot preparation. Believe me, NOTHING was going to happen in Dre and Bow's neighborhood.

 

 

Oh no, of course not, but in her usual over-the-top way, like with the wagon-load of government cheese, Ruby was ready. 

It was also a good call-back to the previous episode when she told Dre to call the police about the "stolen" car, but to first "Make sure they know a black man owns this house!" And finally, there was a mixture of pride and vigilance in her pose that said, "Yes, my son owns a house in this upscale white neighborhood. We are here." 

Edited February 25, 2016 by RedHawk

[Skyfall]

Worst show ever. I watch this show to laugh (it's a comedy after all).  I will watch CNN if I want this type of thing shoved further down my throat.

Why can't comedy make you laugh AND think? Older comedies did this all the time and they are considered classics.

[Traveller519]

I enjoyed watching Anthony Anderson stretch his dramatic muscles a bit.  I always enjoyed his dramatic roles.  One thing that stood out for me in the episode was the lack of any mention of MLK either in the assassination references or the discussion of individuals who brought hope.  I found that odd.

I think that was the show giving its audience some credit. In the heart of Black History Month the show is certain that you know the tragic story of MLK, so lets focus on some of the other people who have tried to give us hope and paid the ultimate price for their efforts.

[ridethemaverick]

Amazing episode. I had stopped watching (due to busy-ness, but I had planned to marathon season 2 when I had some downtime) but word of mouth sent me to Hulu and I'm glad I watched. It hit home in many ways.

What's funny is I'm debating whether I want to sit down with my whole family (including two young kids) and watch it together. I TOTALLY get Bow's hesitation on that front. Black children don't really get to be innocent. Either you throw a cold bucket of ice water on their optimism at home or someone will hit them with a lot worse one day in the real world. Either way, it's just a fact of life for us.

Still, this has been a great black history month. Between Kendrick, Bey, this show, and quite a few other things that made me proud, I wouldn't wanna be anything other than what I am. Black is beautiful!

[topanga]

I watched this episode with my two sons, and we had an ongoing discussion about the show, the police, racism, Pres. Obama, etc. (I'd DVRd the episode and could pause it at will). I understood Bow's desire to protect her children, but the truth is that black children have to be raised a little differently than children of other cultures. It saddens me that I have to talk to my 8 and 10 year old boys about how to conduct themselves if confronted by the police. And the sadder reality is that how they behave doesn't always matter.

 

Great episode. Yes, it got a little preachy at times, but Very Special Episodes tend to do that. I like that we heard everyone's different perspectives on the issue. The writers and actors are to be commended. And the jokes, when they were there, were indeed funny.

 

 

I think this overall was very good, but last week we had a marine veteran with 3 Purple Hearts who is Hispanoic being attached , beaten and robbed by a group of young black men, because he wouldn't answer them when they surrounded him in McDonalds and asked him if black lives matter. They appears thought he was white . The media never reported this except for online papers. How is that fair?

That's terrible. I totally agree. Those men were idiots and criminals, as are any people (black, white,or other) who inflict harm on other innocent citizens. But that doesn't take away from the discussion about brutality among the men and women in authority who are sworn to serve and protect all of our communities. 

 

 

I missed the flashback of Dre rocking his Malcolm X gear (I went to the kitchen to forage), but by the time I got back, all of the Twitter timeline that was following along were tweeting about how the show sneaked in Fishburne as Furious Styles in that same flashback.

During the flashback, Pops was holding Chinese stress balls, a.l.a. Furious Styles in 'Boyz in the Hood.'

[mtlchick]

If there is no Emmy nomination, I hope there is a Peabody award nod somewhere.   Furious Styles, balls and all, arrived!

 

Why can't comedy make you laugh AND think? Older comedies did this all the time and they are considered classics.

 

I agree with this.  I don't watch the show Mom as I'm not a Chuck Lorre fan, but last week it dealt with the sudden overdose and death of a character and the fallout of it aired tonight. Some of my favorite episodes of the Golden Girls dealt with serious issues.  In comedy, you have to find humour in the darkness of times.  Some parts were a bit too heavy handed but I think it was well done.  Especially when you have to explain to kids of ANY race why some people do violent things when others think justice was served.

[KateeBar]

Wow, Dre and Bow brought me to tears this week. Really great performances from them. This show has impressed me before with the ability to gracefully blend history, difficult topics and humor, and this week was no different. I distinctly remember Michelle and Obama as seen in that clip, and the dread I had in the pit of my stomach that something was going to happen. 

 

Thank goodness there was government cheese, Black Panther-adjacent uniforms and some Chipotle banter to provide some levity.

 

Masterful work by the writers and the cast this week.

[GHScorpiosRule]

Another hilarious scene was when Junior was crediting someone else about how today, there's all this social media that "reports" all the news/events and Dre says he said it first! We get a flashback of Dre actually saying it, but both Junior and Pops' faces are deep into whatever books they were reading and clearly ignoring Dre's rant. Back to the present, both Pops and Junior say they don't recall Dre saying any such thing.

 

Well, it made me laugh.

[teebax]

Why can't comedy make you laugh AND think? Older comedies did this all the time and they are considered classics.

Some people just refuse to think, as evidenced by the current GOP front runner.

[HoosierJen]

As a white person, I hope what I'm about to say doesn't come off as condescending or offensive in any way, but....I truly appreciated this show giving me a black perspective on police violence against young black men. And to be honest, I was watching and listening and I felt like I understood where all of the characters were coming from until about halfway through. At that point I kind of caught myself thinking along the lines of "okay, come on now, it's not that bad and maybe you're overexaggerating a bit...", but I kept listening. And then they came to the part about President Obama, and I remembered that feeling that Dre was talking about....how I literally yelled at the tv "Don't get out of the car!"...and I had kind of forgotten about that - how I had this deep fear for our president simple because of the color of his skin.

Anyway, when Dre brought that up it made my eyes well up....I guess because I had allowed myself to think that things were getting better. And honestly, it made me think about my own son - he's 21 and away at college and I worry about him daily...but I never have worried about him being stopped because of his race or being treated unfairly by the police. I can't imagine how heartbreaking it would be to have those conversations with your kids.

Kind of on a related note.....I was in a classroom with a group of seniors this week discussing the presidential race and we talked about important issues facing our country....somebody said racism and a girl spoke up and said that wasn't an issue anymore. A boy then spoke and told the class that yes, it was still a huge issue, we've just gotten a lot better at hiding it. This episode made me think a lot about that classroom conversation.

I don't know.....sometimes I watch something that really makes me think and sometimes I watch things that make me think "what the hell kind of world are we living in?". This episode was both.

[Tikichick]

Very well done episode with lots of layers.  This is another episode that shines a light on how talented every member of the cast is.  Even the laughs sprinkled through generally have another element underneath to make you think.

 

Hadn't caught the nod to Anthony Anderson being on Law and Order until I read it here.  It did take me a while to shake his performance in Shameless and accept him on a humorous level here.  Although if you think about it, the entire premise of the show, and its humor, is layered and generally designed to make you think.  Anthony Anderson is proving himself to be one of those other level talents like Bryan Cranston, capable of selling you whatever drama he brings and then taking your breath away with the laughs. 

[Joimiaroxeu]

Brilliant episode. I hadn't been thrilled with this season so far (because I think it had become a bit too basic sitcom-ish) but this one turned out to be a mic-dropper. I hope they get some Emmy recognition for it.

I also continue to be amazed at how utterly unabashed this show is about having blatant product placement. IMO, the only way they could've been more obvious is if they'd shown the whole family eating Chipotle burrito bowls while sitting in Zoey's Buick Encore.

Edited February 26, 2016 by Joimiaroxeu

[Cattitude]

As a white person I hope this doesn't come off wrong I truly mean it to be curious.

 

I understand the feeling Dre was trying to get across with the Obama thing, but in the end NOTHING has ever happened to Obama so isn't that saying he is a lot safer than everyone thought initially?

I know the worry was there but reality is nothing have ever happened.

 

Second I wanted to listen to JR point of view but that outfit looked so distracting I could not take him seriously. Donuts on a show about police. Really?

 

I was also wondering about all the the slightly racist digs with the food menus. What is the big thing with Asian food and Chipotle?

 

Maybe I'm overthinking it.

[Joimiaroxeu]

in the end NOTHING has ever happened to Obama so isn't that saying he is a lot safer than everyone thought initially?

Nothing ever does happen until it happens. His presidency isn't over yet, plus there may have been threats that the public hasn't been told about. Note that there are official things about the Kennedy assassination that will never see the light of day in any of our lifetimes and pretty much everyone has seen the Zapruder footage from over 50 years ago.

 

I personally have shared Dre's anxiety about potential danger to President Obama because of the huge, almost unparalleled historical significance (in the US) it would have. There's a lot of real, visceral, racist hate out there for him and I can imagine there's no shortage of nutbags who would eagerly give up their lives to achieve a particular horrific place in history.