Season 3 Discussion

[GHScorpiosRule]

11 minutes ago, topanga said:

Bow needing constant reassurance that Vivian isn't having an affair with Bow.

 

Eh? Bow needing reassurance Vivian isn't having an affair with her? I think you meant Dre??

[topanga]

1 minute ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

Eh? Bow needing reassurance Vivian isn't having an affair with her? I think you meant Dre??

LOL. Exactly

[OnceSane]

Quote

Dre is jealous of his sister Rhonda's close relationship with Pops; Zoey is urged to take Junior to a high school party; the twins decide to live life to the fullest.

[GHScorpiosRule]

18 minutes ago, OnceSane said:

Quote

Dre is jealous of his sister Rhonda's close relationship with Pops; Zoey is urged to take Junior to a high school party; the twins decide to live life to the fullest.

OOOOHHHH!!!! Dare I hope this means we get Pops in tonight's episode???!!!!! Pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease.

[mtlchick]

Chris Brown automatically makes it the worst episode of the season by default.  The episode itself was ok (I had to laugh that Dre's song of choice of Blackonia was Girlfriend by Pebbles) but my GOD I can't stand that idiot. 

[msani19]

2 hours ago, mtlchick said:

 

Chris Brown automatically makes it the worst episode of the season by default

 

 

Yup. This times a million, maybe worst episode of all time. As soon as I saw him, I turned the channel. He's a horrible person and revels in his awfulness. I'm appalled they had him on the show. Sadly, I can not speak to the episode. 

Edited March 30, 2017 by msani19

[Happytobehere]

I deleted it the minute I realized this was the episode Brown was in.  I usually watch right after Empire, but no this week.

[Dancingjaneway]

When I found out that Chris women beater Brown was going to be on tonight I knew that I was out. I love Blackish but I'm disgusted that they gave him airtime and a check. I can't imagine Tracey Ellis Ross was too happy about the decision. 

[Jodie Landon]

I hate Chris Brown, but I watched anyway. 

I shared Ruby and Bow's feelings about the commercial, especially the part when the black woman turned white. I was surprised that Dre defended Tyler Perry; I would've thought Bow would be the Madea fan.

Seeing Junior sitting at the table reminded me of my brother growing up, and also of the dinner table scene in the movie, Crooklyn. It was very kind of Bow to call herself a failure to make Ruby feel better. 

I wish they had gone with somebody other than Chris for this role. It ruined what could have been a pretty good episode.

Edited March 30, 2017 by Jodie Landon

[Aileen]

I recognized Brown immediately but thought that there was no way it was actually him...until his second scene when I realized that, yes, they certainly did hire that monster. It was disappointing.

 

TV Line said it well: http://tvline.com/2017/03/29/chris-brown-blackish-review-controversy-season-3-abc/

[Vyk]

I'm sorry.  That was Chris Brown?  Rihanna-beating Chris Brown?  Never knew what he looked like, so I didn't know.

Because I didn't recognize him, I watched easily.  Loved Bow and the kids' storyline.  And I was actually quite surprised that Zoey confirmed Junior's allergy to squash to Ruby, given her prior treatment of him.  Bow burning Ruby with her own hubris later in the episode was great.  But I didn't like her giving in to her at the end, kind though that was.

I didn't get Dre's problem with the initial ad.  A funny ad is a funny ad.

Edited April 3, 2017 by Vyk

[Mama No Life]

You don't see the problem that Uvo "upgraded" a black sassy woman to a docile white woman?  Really?  I'm white and I wouldn't want my kids to see that.  

Disappointed in Chris Brown casting...he wasn't even good.  Surely someone else was available?  That said, Charlie's reactions to him were adorable and hilarious.  WHO IS TRYING TO KILL CHARLIE? haha

[readster]

Yeah, this was a terrible episode, but I did like the dinner scenes. Junior's situation happened to three of my uncles years ago when they were kids. Even my uncle threatened my cousins (they were 15 at the time) on sitting at the table. The problem was at the end with Ruby was too much. The writers have fallen on the TV troupe of taking a character's worst features and making them the focus. I loved when Ruby said that they were going to leave her there to die and Bow saying: "Prove it to us, Ruby!"  When she has to call Bow a failure, it gets too old. I know they were trying to have Bow be the bigger person and letting her have it, but I wanted Bow to reply: "Do you ever get tired of thinking like that?" 

[Dee]

Chris looked terrible. Drug abuse is no joke.

[MadyGirl1987]

I don't really care too much about the music industry and don't pay too much attention to celebrity gossip so I didn't know that was Chris Brown. That said, I didn't like the character and found something "off" about the performance. He just came off as overacting and smarmy. Kinda lessens the whole be a good example and role model for kids aspect of Dre's story when the actor is known for beating his girlfriend...

That said, the episode still had some funny moments. Anything with Charlie is gold and loved both Junior and Ruby at the table alone pouting in their own way.

Edited March 30, 2017 by MadyGirl1987
Spelling

[mtlchick]

Quote

 WHO IS TRYING TO KILL CHARLIE? haha

Charlie was the real saving grace in the Chris Brown scenes.  I did laugh loudly at the way he bounced down the table to sit right next to Rich and of COURSE the first person who wanted to kill him was "Girl twin."

 

Quote

Kinda lessens the whole be a good example and role model for kids aspect of Dre's story when the actor is known for beating his girlfriend...

 

And for me, the show in general.  For a series that wants to explore black culture and wanting to instill good values in today's black youth, Chris Brown is probably the WORST example to get as a guest star.  While I was heading off to bed, I was thinking "Was Chance the Rapper not available?" I thought he was charming in his SNL appearance and doing good things for the city of Chicago. 

[MadyGirl1987]

I also find it telling they didn't, at least as far I can remember seeing, promote Chris Brown as a guest star like they usually do with their guest stars. People in charge definitely wanted to distance themselves from Brown...

[monakane]

31 minutes ago, mtlchick said:

Charlie was the real saving grace in the Chris Brown scenes.  I did laugh loudly at the way he bounced down the table to sit right next to Rich and of COURSE the first person who wanted to kill him was "Girl twin."

Charlie is always made of gold.  I loved the scene on the table.  I knew that the person playing the rapper looked familiar, but I didn't realize it was Chris Brown. Using Chris Brown kind of negates the message of the show.  Very odd choice.

[Cattitude]

Not going to lie I thought he really was some rapper I didn't know named Rich Youngsta(sounded like a valid rap name to me.) So I really didn't know it was Chris Brown. I didn't really care for that part of the show anyway but not just him the Uvo executives being carbon white guys also annoyed.

I actually agreed with the underlying message Ruby was pushing the show just took it a little to the extreme with the allergy and forcing Junior to eat something he was allergic to. Growing up a knew many people who made one dinner but if you didn't like it you could make a PB&J instead. I thought the Johnson kids came off very annoying about all the separate dinners and also the way they disrespected their grandmother with the taunting. I'm a southern woman and family meals together are important and you don't do that to your grandmother. Of course Bow's middle ground was the best answer a home cooked meal they all liked so again they pushed too far with Bow having to grovel to Ruby at the end.

Edited March 30, 2017 by Cattitude

[shura]

2 hours ago, MadyGirl1987 said:

I don't really care too much about the music industry and don't pay too much attention to celebrity gossip so I didn't know that was Chris Brown. That said, I didn't like the character and found something "off" about the performance. He just came off as overacting and smarmy.

Same here. I had no idea who that was, but found the character pretty repulsive and the actor annoying. I did like the scene where they were coming up with the "Put some Uvo on it" slogan, it felt organic, as if they were actually doing it right there rather than acting out a script.

I have to wonder if Josh and Stevens actually really liked Dre's commercial or thought "this is stupid, but it looks like something black people might like, so I'll act super enthusiastic about it." There was this racist ambiguity about it somehow. Btw, why exactly was this Uvo targeted at the "urban market" specifically?

1 hour ago, Cattitude said:

I actually agreed with the underlying message Ruby was pushing the show just took it a little to the extreme with the allergy and forcing Junior to eat something he was allergic to. Growing up a knew many people who made one dinner but if you didn't like it you could make a BP&J instead. I thought the Johnson kids came off very annoying about all the separate dinners and also the way they disrespected their grandmother with the taunting.

I agreed with Ruby too. The kids shouldn't be expecting that others will cater to their every wish. They shouldn't even expect to be asked what they want for dinner. This is how a sense of entitlement happens and grows. Bow shouldn't be enabling that.

Edited March 30, 2017 by shura

[charmed1]

Blackonia apparently has a colony in my car because "Girlfriend" and "Mercedes Boy" are on constant rotation. 

Man, what a waste of some hilarious Charlie moments. Every time I laughed, that rat-faced boy was right back on the screen and my laugh was cut short with disgust. 

I loved Ruby's pot of nothing. I got that speech plenty of times, but with the added piece about all the starving little children in Africa who would be appalled.

This episode reminded me of one of my other favorite shows which also happens to take place in an ad agency. I'm reminded of young Pete Campbell trying to convince the old guard to begin advertising to black consumers. Had they listened, maybe Sterling Cooper wouldn't have gone under.

Edited March 30, 2017 by charmed1

[joanne3482]

1 hour ago, mtlchick said:

of COURSE the first person who wanted to kill him was "Girl twin."

The best part was the next one was Malia Obama.  What? 

1 hour ago, mtlchick said:

While I was heading off to bed, I was thinking "Was Chance the Rapper not available?" I thought he was charming in his SNL appearance and doing good things for the city of Chicago.

As I talked to my coworker about the episode this morning I pondered them not using Chance the Rapper.  The whole episode I kept wondering if it was Chris Brown but then dismissing it because they wouldn't use HIM on this show when there are so many others who could do that same job. 

 

8 minutes ago, shura said:

I agreed with Ruby too. The kids shouldn't be expecting that others will cater to their every wish. They shouldn't even expect to be asked what they want for dinner. This is how a sense of entitlement happens and grows. Bow shouldn't be enabling that.

I have 2 foster kids and there is honestly one meal about every 2 weeks where I make 2 separate meals.  The girls like fish and I don't so I make it for them and make myself something else because fish is healthy and I want to support their love of it. But otherwise I agree, I don't do 2 meals. If they don't like what I'm cooking there's plenty of ramen in the cupboard and usually at least one leftover in the fridge that they can heat up themselves. 

[BoogieBurns]

2 minutes ago, shura said:

Btw, why exactly was this Uvo targeted at the "urban market" specifically?

Dre was saying the buying power of black people (in the US) is enough to make the 15th largest economy in the world. So they weren't making it for only the urban market, but there was money to be made by angling it that way.

As the pickiest eater in a black family, I have fallen asleep at many dinner tables. Rarely at my own house because my mother is a lot like Bow with meals. But my aunts and grandparents didn't believe in allowing kids too many choices. I stopped eating red meat when I was 12 and my uncle made pot roast for my sisters and me, he told me to eat the veggies cooked with the roast. I told him they were covered in "traces" of meat and I would not be eating them. To this day he calls me "traces." I was not one to give in, so I would just fall asleep at the table without dinner. Yet another episode that hit home for me. 

I'm choosing to ignore the stunt casting. 

[Ina123]

1 hour ago, Cattitude said:

Not going to lie I thought he really was some rapper I didn't know named Rich Youngsta(sounded like a valid rap name to me.) So I really didn't know it was Chris Brown.

LMAO. Me either. Loved how the actor who plays Charlie made that move across the table. It was clever.

I was the youngest of 8 children. We had biscuits and gravy for breakfast A LOT. If we complained we got this lesson from my Dad:

"When I was a kid, we complained about biscuits and gravy for breakfast every morning. One time Mom said she'd try something else the next day. Sure enough it was different. We got gravy and NO biscuits."

So I totally got Ruby's empty pot.

[Traveller519]

I hope that those who immediately wrote-off the episode due to the casting give it a chance later on, because I felt it was a good episode with a worthwhile message. And I don't think Brown's appearance affects it. It's not like the character he plays is a pillar of virtue, he's entirely self-focused, looking for an easy payday, and the co-creator of the terrible commercial spot. I worry that too much these days we put our defense mechanisms up instantly, when something we don't like is present. When a show is trying to present the omnipresent "grey" that is race relations in modern society, to wholeheartedly refuse something out of emotional treatment of a component as black or white undercuts the objective.

Charlie is again gold, the "Charlie helped too," Sliding across the table and "I don't have your number" "Yes you do" exchange, the list of people trying to kill him, and finally "Charlie helped too, maybe... we'll see."

I also quite enjoyed the meal time B plot even if it was hitting on old tropes from the show, it showed Bow and Ruby coming together at the end, which doesn't always happen, and Bow got the moral victory. And oh, Jack.... "If you don't like it, you can have what's in the microwave" "Oooo, what's in there?" "NOTHING!"

[Joimiaroxeu]

Loved poor Charlie trying to give himself five because no one else would.

I strongly disagree about forcing kids to stay at the table until they clean their plate. Serving multiple meals is too much but forcing people to eat food they don't want may not be the total answer either. Having so much emotion and drama around meals and eating is probably a big contributor to the eventual development of eating disorders. Bow found a good compromise, I think, and gave Ruby a dose of her own medicine.

[tennisgurl]

Uggg, Chris Brown. Of all the people to stunt cast with, why that idiot? He wasn't even good in this episode. He seemed like he was playing James Franco as a rapper, at his most druggiest. And the commercial Dre created looked really crappy.

I did enjoy the dinner plot, and that Bow managed to get a win. There is middle ground between making a special dinner for everyone, and forcing kids to eat something that will make them sick, or that they really hate. I did like seeing Ruby and Bow on the same side about the commercial, and the discussion of early black entertainers. For a second I was like "does Bow actually know all this, or is she just narrating like Dre does?" only for it be revealed she was just reading Wikipedia off her phone! Hah!

Edited March 30, 2017 by tennisgurl

[KatWay]

I didn't watch this episode and I'm questioning my commitment to a show that gives someone like him a paycheck and exposure to be honest. What always gets brought up is the Rihanna incident, but that's far from the only instance of him showing what he is. And people continue to defend him and are reaching out to help him, apparently SOMEONE in high places on the show is one of his many fans who continue to excuse everything he does. This guy has had every opportunity to change for the better, he was given the benefit of the doubt every time, and he kept screwing up instead. One of his co-workers, someone who liked and defended him, actively said (and keep in mind this was meant as a defense) that he didn't hate women, just liked to bully people sometimes and "women are easy targets". Like...this was coming from someone who was a friend. He beat his last girlfriend too, he's admitted to stalking her, what will he have to do for people to stop giving him chances?

[topanga]

On 3/22/2017 at 8:26 PM, ridethemaverick said:

Unpopular opinion: Boys 2 Men was more pop than R&B to me and wouldn't be in my top 5 at all. I'm definitely with Dre on Jodeci being number 1. *Runs away*

Great episode. My husband and I had similar conversations each time I was pregnant. African American culture is only about 250 years old so it makes sense that we're still working out the kinks in what we consider cultural. What doesn't make sense is the persistent anti-blackness in this country that leads us to have to have these conversations in the first place. There is no real difference between Natasha and Latasha except that the former is Russian (?) and the latter is an African American derivative. Hopefully society where catch up soon so that the Latashas and Devantes aren't penalized for their names. 

Great points. Just out of curiosity, what did you and your husband decide?

[peeayebee]

4 hours ago, shura said:

Btw, why exactly was this Uvo targeted at the "urban market" specifically?

I assume they wanted to break into the black market having already marketed (successfully?) to the white market. 

Every time they mentioned Uvo, I thought about evoo, i.e., extra virgin olive oil. 

Basically I enjoyed the ep. Like others, I don't get why Chris Brown was cast in this. Maybe he loves the show, and he (or his agent) was calling in a favor. Actually, when I realized it was Brown, I thought that the plot might involve Rich Youngsta getting into trouble (or something from his past coming out), so the whole ad campaign would be a disaster.

Loved everything with Charlie. Scooting down the table was so cute, slapping his own palm, saying "Psssssht," over and over in different ways. 

The moment the first ad had the black woman turn into a white woman, my jaw dropped. Then I couldn't understand why the kids, esp Zoey, loved it. I'm glad that Ruby and Bow gave Dre what-for.

Junior cracked me up when he told Dre he didn't like the video, then immediately backtracked when Dre was hurt.

I also loved the scene where Bow tells the kids she was thinking of making pasta for dinner. What kind of pasta? Penne. Not a fan of tubular pasta. And on and on. It moved so fast. Very funny. 

[DearEvette]

OMG.  The Tyler Perry shade.  Ha!

Also, having Chris Brown be the face of a commercial that is the lowest form of black hood stereotyping and had Ruby and Bow in solidarity and comparing it to Steppin Fetchit is almost as shady. 

I loved how real the conversation got between Bow, Dre and Ruby about that commercial.

Charlie of course is totally comedy gold.  Every day.

Stevens feels like he is almost back to his Season 1 self for the entire back half of the season.  Good course correction there.

4 minutes ago, KatWay said:

I didn't watch this episode and I'm questioning my commitment to a show that gives someone like him a paycheck and exposure to be honest.

I barely paid any attention to him because I got immersed in the message of that first advertisement.  Honestly I have to say those articles did more to amplify his presence than the show itself did.  I mean, when TVline and other tv sites that barely ever cover Blackish on day good day churn out these pearl clutching quick think pieces that are the equivalent of wagging their fingers at the writers and producers I get more aggravated with them than the show itself.  How about instead of raising the profile of the show when you are pissed off  cover it when it is doing its regular comedy thing?

[Traveller519]

48 minutes ago, peeayebee said:

Junior cracked me up when he told Dre he didn't like the video, then immediately backtracked when Dre was hurt.

That was great, I wish he'd held on longer though. "I'm withholding emotional support. It stings, doesn't it?"

[MaiSoCalled]

I think my favorite part of the dinner plot was when the kids and Bow came together. They are capable of enjoying the same meal, but too often they go with the easy option of take-out. It really frustrates me in general when children aren't allowed any agency in their eating habits, particularly when you get teenagers. By now, Junior is old enough to know that he needs to avoid squash and it shouldn't matter if the reaction is as minor as a mild case of hives or an upset stomach. It says a lot about Ruby that she didn't know and didn't care about Junior's allergy. 

I liked the meaning behind Ruby's insecurities. Ruby wanted to cook for the kids and she wanted them to give her food a chance. I'm just not sure I would trust Ruby not to secretly slip squash in a meal to "prove" that Junior isn't really allergic. 

I, also, had no idea that was Chris Brown and assumed he was a musician I was unfamiliar with. I am notoriously out of touch with pop music and am used to not knowing who a musical guest star is. (Except when Daveed Diggs guest stared. What I lack in pop music, I make up for with Broadway). Now that I know it was Chris Brown, I'm surprised, because it seems very unlike this show.

Overall, this was a generally good episode. I was invested in the B plot and I really liked the resolution to the A plot. I hope Chris Brown doesn't keep people away from the episode, but at the same time, I hope the show understands how disappointed people are with the casting of Chris Brown. 

[GHScorpiosRule]

I kinda sorta knew who Chris Brown was only because of the news of Rihanna being beaten up and that being reported on and talked about for days. He also looked...different then? And I could have sworn he was darker and here he looked a few shades lighter in his skin tone, so I totally didn't recognize him. Plus, I was confused-I thought that last night's episode was the one where Dre was jealous of Rhonda's relationship wit Pops and my mind was focused on seeing him and wondering where Pops was and that what I was seeing had nothing to do with jealousy or Pops!? And then I recalled reading other comments about how Chris Brown was cast to appear. Bummer. So my entire brain didn't focus on the actual episode so I will watch it again. Though I did laugh at how Junior said he was reserving judgment and said "it hurts, doesn't it!" to Dre and seeing Dre all teary.? But then Junior caved because he's sensitive like that.

[peeayebee]

2 hours ago, MaiSoCalled said:

I liked the meaning behind Ruby's insecurities. Ruby wanted to cook for the kids and she wanted them to give her food a chance.

I was a little confused here. In an earlier ep, the kids were crazy about Ruby's cooking. I think it was Thanksgiving. IIRC, Bow felt bad because no one appreciated her cooking. Anyway, if Ruby was really hurt by the kids not wanting her food anymore, than why wouldn't she give them food she knew they'd love?

[Tiger]

5 hours ago, KatWay said:

I didn't watch this episode and I'm questioning my commitment to a show that gives someone like him a paycheck and exposure to be honest. What always gets brought up is the Rihanna incident, but that's far from the only instance of him showing what he is. And people continue to defend him and are reaching out to help him, apparently SOMEONE in high places on the show is one of his many fans who continue to excuse everything he does. This guy has had every opportunity to change for the better, he was given the benefit of the doubt every time, and he kept screwing up instead. One of his co-workers, someone who liked and defended him, actively said (and keep in mind this was meant as a defense) that he didn't hate women, just liked to bully people sometimes and "women are easy targets". Like...this was coming from someone who was a friend. He beat his last girlfriend too, he's admitted to stalking her, what will he have to do for people to stop giving him chances?

He's also a homophobic peice of shit.  I stopped and then deleated the ep the second I saw him.  What the hell was ABC thinking?!?  

[ItCouldBeWorse]

14 hours ago, Cattitude said:

I thought the Johnson kids came off very annoying about all the separate dinners and also the way they disrespected their grandmother with the taunting. I'm a southern woman and family meals together are important and you don't do that to your grandmother. Of course Bow's middle ground was the best answer a home cooked meal they all liked so again they pushed too far with Bow having to grovel to Ruby at the end.

I think they learned the disrespect from listening to the way she talks to their mother!

On the other hand, if I worked full time, had 4 kids and was hugely pregnant, and was stuck with my obnoxious mother-in-law,  I would gladly let her cook dinner, despite the insults. I would do it even if I weren't pregnant!  Let her be useful (assuming she cooks reasonable food and avoids to put putting the children into anaphylatic shock.)

The less said about the guest star, the better.

So that's twice that Dre has changed his ads recently due to family input.

13 hours ago, BoogieBurns said:

Dre was saying the buying power of black people (in the US) is enough to make the 15th largest economy in the world. So they weren't making it for only the urban market, but there was money to be made by angling it that way.

Did Dre really think that the "urban" market would be ok with the original ad?  Especially women? I expect there would be a huge backlash.

[ItCouldBeWorse]

5 hours ago, peeayebee said:

I was a little confused here. In an earlier ep, the kids were crazy about Ruby's cooking. I think it was Thanksgiving. IIRC, Bow felt bad because no one appreciated her cooking. Anyway, if Ruby was really hurt by the kids not wanting her food anymore, than why wouldn't she give them food she knew they'd love?

It turned out that Ruby had Thanksgiving dinner catered.

[LydiaMoon1]

22 hours ago, shura said:

23 hours ago, Cattitude said:

I actually agreed with the underlying message Ruby was pushing the show just took it a little to the extreme with the allergy and forcing Junior to eat something he was allergic to. Growing up a knew many people who made one dinner but if you didn't like it you could make a BP&J instead. I thought the Johnson kids came off very annoying about all the separate dinners and also the way they disrespected their grandmother with the taunting.

I agreed with Ruby too. The kids shouldn't be expecting that others will cater to their every wish. They shouldn't even expect to be asked what they want for dinner. This is how a sense of entitlement happens and grows. Bow shouldn't be enabling that.

Agree with all but the bolded.  My mama cooked dinner every night, but she didn't believe in arguing with children.  You ate what she cooked or you didn't.   She never made us sit at the dinner table until we ate.  We could choose to eat what she cooked........or not.  There was no substitutes though.  You miss a meal, you had to wait until the next one.  After a few meals passed you by, you'd eat whatever was on the table. 

 

17 hours ago, peeayebee said:

The moment the first ad had the black woman turn into a white woman, my jaw dropped.

Tell me about it.  I was truly appalled.

8 hours ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

The less said about the guest star, the better.

Between the continued colorism, the blatant misogynoir, and guest stars like Chris Brown, Raven Symone and Amber Rose, it's obvious that either Kenya Barris or someone at the ABC fell several times and bumped their heads each time. Their judgment is waaaay off.

[DarkRaichu]

9 hours ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

Did Dre really think that the "urban" market would be ok with the original ad?  Especially women? I expect there would be a huge backlash.

I did not really get that either.  Perhaps Dre was banking on the slogan being so catchy, the men and teenagers would gloss over that detail?  Zoey and Junior did not see anything wrong with that ad, for example.

21 hours ago, Traveller519 said:

Charlie is again gold, the "Charlie helped too," Sliding across the table and "I don't have your number" "Yes you do" exchange, the list of people trying to kill him, and finally "Charlie helped too, maybe... we'll see."

That slide was smooth and effortless too, it looked like a dance move.

I like the B plot with Bow+kids giving Ruby a taste of her own medicine.  Although I had to agree that 4 different take-outs for 4 kids was a bit much too.  The kids should have been asked to compromise on 1.

[peeayebee]

9 hours ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

It turned out that Ruby had Thanksgiving dinner catered.

Oh right. I forgot. But weren't there other references to the family liking her cooking, esp Dre?

[Zeebreezy]

I can not stand Chris Brown so I agree with everyone that felt he wasn't needed in this episode or the show period.  I do want to chime in on the one meal for dinner discussion.  When I was very young my mom tried that sit at the table until you eat at least a few bites of what I put in front of you.  Well after throwing up everything on the plate, table, floor and myself that method of forcing me to eat ended that day.  LOL So she always made me a separate yet easier meal for me.   I am an only child so I'm not sure if that matters but it might have played a role. 

[ItCouldBeWorse]

34 minutes ago, peeayebee said:

10 hours ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

It turned out that Ruby had Thanksgiving dinner catered.

Oh right. I forgot. But weren't there other references to the family liking her cooking, esp Dre?

They love her sweet potato pie.

[teebax]

I didn't know that was Chris Brown. If I did, I probably wouldn't have watched it. I couldn't place him at all, and I am pretty hip. At least I used to be hip.

Anyway, the original commercial was appalling, and I'm glad Bow and his mama called him out on that bullshit. Charlie is always hilarious, and the kids cracked me up. Diane really is growing faster than Jack.

[GHScorpiosRule]

I loooved how Ruby, behind the magazine? Whispered "Faaailuuuuure!" to Bow and Bow's reaction. And Bow's revenge with the vegetable lasagna with mushrooms! ???

Yeesh, that was the worst sound of auto-tuning while "singing" I've heard in a long time. If this is how Brown actually sounds, I'm shocked he's even a success.??

Charlie was hilarious as always and made this episode worthwhile, along with the food plot with Bow, Ruby and the kids. But what really stuck out was the lack of Pops! Especially when Dre in his voiceover said how he was now going to show the commercial to his family-yet Pops was missing. I know I would have LOVED to hear what Pops would have to say about it.

Poor Jack. But girls always go through puberty first and grow faster than boys. Until around 13, I think. At least that was the case with me and my contemporaries growing up. I was taller than my classmates from third to seventh grade, when the boys started "catching up."?

[DarkRaichu]

2 hours ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

Yeesh, that was the worst sound of auto-tuning while "singing" I've heard in a long time. If this is how Brown actually sounds, I'm shocked he's even a success.??

 

I thought he was more infamous due to abusing his girlfriends? Although he did have 1 hit that everyone seemed to use in their weddings at 1 time.  IIRC that song was heavily autotuned as well.

[jhlipton]

I liked the slogan "Put some Uvo on it" -- it was cool.  And the first ad was fine until it came to a screeching halt.  Geeez!!!  I don't think Zoey would have liked that either.  The second ad was, in my opinion, just as bad at stereotypes.

[Traveller519]

I just remembered the best scene, and I can't believe I forgot it. That Strut Bow has going when she walks into the Kitchen proclaiming her win followed by Ruby's Response. "Winning's an ugly color on you, Rainbow. <beat> So is red."

[Irlandesa]

On 3/30/2017 at 11:37 AM, Traveller519 said:

I hope that those who immediately wrote-off the episode due to the casting give it a chance later on, because I felt it was a good episode with a worthwhile message. And I don't think Brown's appearance affects it. It's not like the character he plays is a pillar of virtue, he's entirely self-focused, looking for an easy payday, and the co-creator of the terrible commercial spot. I worry that too much these days we put our defense mechanisms up instantly, when something we don't like is present. When a show is trying to present the omnipresent "grey" that is race relations in modern society, to wholeheartedly refuse something out of emotional treatment of a component as black or white undercuts the objective.

I get that this show has good messages.  I often admire how they treat them. I also get that black men who do awful things get punished more than white men who do those things.  It's unfair. 

But the thing I didn't like here wasn't an actor who was annoying or something silly like that.  It's a man who beat his girlfriend and has shown very little to zero remorse.  So when TPTB at this show decided to cast this role, they could have gone after a black actor who doesn't have that in his background (as far as they knew) and potentially given him a career boost.  Instead, they went with a singer, inexperienced in acting and who beat his girlfriend to boot.

I'm sick of the normalization of the violent people.  Hate that it's not a dealbreaker.  I know deleting this episode without watching is nothing in the scheme of things but dammit, I would feel worse for watching and show any support for the decision to cast him.  I like this show and I was looking forward to this episode but not enough to look past the issue of his past.

Edited April 1, 2017 by Irlandesa

[BoogieBurns]

22 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

Instead, they went with a singer, inexperienced in acting and who beat his girlfriend to boot.

Far be it from me to defend CB, but he has been in several feature films (This Christmas, Stomp the Yard). His lack of acting experience isn't the reason they should have gone with ANYONE else. I personally would have loved Donald Glover since he was an actor in Community and also has an amazing rap career. Plus, he's scandal-free. But that's if I had a genie.