Season 3 Discussion

[Traveller519]

Charlie is just fantastic, poor Eustace though!

I was starting to worry Junior was going to slip into a pretty bad depression.

[anna0852]

My heart nearly broke for Eustace. Whatever happened to that budding friendship between him and Junior? 

[ari333]

38 minutes ago, Traveller519 said:

Charlie is just fantastic, poor Eustace though!

I was starting to worry Junior was going to slip into a pretty bad depression.

I know it's just a sitcom, but I wondered the same thing about the joke going too far, too long,  in that Jr may become so depressed or suicidal or something

Love Charlie. "Am I dead?"

[meep.meep]

1 hour ago, anna0852 said:

My heart nearly broke for Eustace. Whatever happened to that budding friendship between him and Junior? 

I admit that I worry about Eustace.

Loved Charlie hanging from the ceiling!

[peeayebee]

3 hours ago, ari333 said:

What s 16 chapple? (chapel?) Im a doofus

He said 16 chapel instead of Sistine Chapel. 

I liked all the stuff with the pranks. I didn't like The Purge. The only thing I liked (and REALLY liked) about it was when Bow cursed at the paint gunner, and Jack said, "Good lord, Mommy!"

The beginning with Dre being such an ass was kind of hard to watch, but then I knew that he would get his comeuppance. I did like the elaborateness of his trying to trick Junior with the Dead Charlie prank. And, yes, Charlie on the ceiling was fantastic.

I LOVED when Junior knocked down Dre as he slam-dunked (the first time), then stared at him and said, "WHAT?"

[fishcakes]

So many good moments in this episode.

Junior's quiet, "enh!" when Dre wouldn't let him stop pouring milk on his cereal.
Dre's quiet, "foul" when Junior dunked on him.
Eustace's quiet, "dad?" while sitting there forgotten at the soccer field.
Bow's LOUD, "this is cashmere!"
Charlie eating the Luna Bar.
Charlie repeatedly asking if he was dead.
Charlie trying to return the Asian woman's gun, which was actually his gun.

I don't get too bothered by what would in the real world be bad parenting because the comedy is meant to be over the top. I didn't watch much the first season, so I don't know if it started out that way, but it certainly seems to have settled there.
 

[Dee]

Andre being way more gracious about his life lessons is a nice bit of character development.

In the past, he would've caused a huge drama about being in the wrong and/or not getting his way.

This season he's been fairly chill about the world changing and the things he can't control.

It's nice that the character, and the show, can acknowledge that he remains a Small Petty Man, without watering him down or making him into a buffoon.

[LJonEarth]

6 hours ago, Empress1 said:

I think they're going too far with Diane. A child smiling at a funeral and knowing what a Molotov cocktail is and how to use it is cause for extreme concern at the very least.

Ruby cracked my shit up though, with the purging. That was the right amount and use of Ruby. And the prank stuff was very well done.

I know a lot of cartoonish stuff happens on this show, but I hope they stop right about here with Diane and don't keep adding this trend, similar to what people have said about Ruby.

[Empress1]

1 hour ago, fishcakes said:

Bow's LOUD, "this is cashmere!"

That was a nice sweater. I'd have been pissed.

[Madding crowd]

I worried about Bow's baby being hurt when she was getting shot with the paintballs. The prank was funny but not the Purge. Diane holding the Molotov cocktail was scary. And I could just watch Charlie all day long; the actor is a gem.

[RedHawk]

20 hours ago, Empress1 said:

I think they're going too far with Diane. A child smiling at a funeral and knowing what a Molotov cocktail is and how to use it is cause for extreme concern at the very least.

Ruby cracked my shit up though, with the purging. That was the right amount and use of Ruby. And the prank stuff was very well done.

That's why Diane is taken to a therapist every Saturday. ;-)

[charmed1]

On October 23, 2016 at 7:56 PM, Raja said:

They are set in Los Angeles

Ha ha! That reminds me of my favorite scene in LA Story where everybody leaves the party and gets in their car, only to drive 30 feet to their driveway next door.

[charmed1]

Is Bow pregnant or not? Because paintballs, though mostly harmless, do not feel like cotton balls being shot at you. Those suckers hurt. That's why they give you the gear to protect your eyes and body at those paintball places. That was an odd scene.

Everything else was hilarious. Charlie, especially. Those flashback scenes reminded me of how fast the kids are growing up.

[Runningwild]

I don't usually watch this show, so is this how Jr. always treats his father? There were some funny parts, but I find it disturbing that everyone was laughing and enjoying the kid belittling his father. Of course what the father did was horrible, but the son wasn't great either. Is this what we teach nowadays? Be a sore winner and a sore loser?

[Racj82]

2 hours ago, Runningwild said:

I don't usually watch this show, so is this how Jr. always treats his father? There were some funny parts, but I find it disturbing that everyone was laughing and enjoying the kid belittling his father. Of course what the father did was horrible, but the son wasn't great either. Is this what we teach nowadays? Be a sore winner and a sore loser?

The whole point of this episode was to give junior a bit of comeuppance towards his father who usually mocks him or treats him like crap. A lot less than they used to but still. That was the whole point of them showing you all of that in the beginning. I was going to say that maybe this episode would work without seeing their dynamic over time but they laid their dynamic out pretty clearly in the beginning. It was also just over the top sitcom style pranks. Nothing serious. I'm not going to take people creating a fake funeral and the faking of breaking two legs very seriously.

I can't subscribe to all of Diane hand wringing. Her evil ways Crack me up. Her feud with Charlie cracks me up. Another thing I just don't take seriously because it's so ridiculous.  It's just comedy. It also reminds me of the many irrational feuds we always get in sitcoms. Martin/Pam on Martin will always be my favorite.

[peeayebee]

This ep also showed that Jr is growing up. Of course subsequent eps might forget that. I hope not.

[mojito]

Quote

 Is this what we teach nowadays? 

Hopefully, no one is looking at a silly comedy for instruction on how to raise children. 

Sometimes this show is incredibly juvenile and slapsticky for my taste, but I understand that it's reaching a broad range of people and can't always hit the mark for all of us.

I understand some people's concern for some of the characters' actions and dialog, but I also feel that what makes so many things comical is that they're unrealistic and a bit harsh and even forbidden. Through it, we can vicariously satisfy and/or humor the little bit of wickedness inside us.

[Tiger]

While Ruby and Diane are usually my favorite parts of an episode, and I definitely do not subscribe to the hand-wringing over Diane's and to a lesser extent Ruby's behavior, I do think neither character would work without Jenifer and Marsai in the respective roles.

[mansonlamps]

8 hours ago, mojito said:

Hopefully, no one is looking at a silly comedy for instruction on how to raise children. 

Lol, this x 1000.

[Perfect Xero]

Somehow in an episode where Diane is a murderous psychopath ready to burn down a neighbor's home, Ruby led a Purge, and Dre and Bow both pulled off hugely elaborate pranks involving their entire work staffs, Junior dunking a basketball was still the most over-the-top thing to happen.

[Michel]

On Friday, October 28, 2016 at 7:01 AM, RedHawk said:

That's why Diane is taken to a therapist every Saturday. ;-)

But it is not working.  At all.

[peeayebee]

22 hours ago, mojito said:

Hopefully, no one is looking at a silly comedy for instruction on how to raise children. 

Sometimes this show is incredibly juvenile and slapsticky for my taste, but I understand that it's reaching a broad range of people and can't always hit the mark for all of us.

I understand some people's concern for some of the characters' actions and dialog, but I also feel that what makes so many things comical is that they're unrealistic and a bit harsh and even forbidden. Through it, we can vicariously satisfy and/or humor the little bit of wickedness inside us.

How I take humor in a show sometimes depends on my mood. However, I didn't really like Diane's OTT evilness in this ep. Wanting to set fire to a bunch of people? Grinning at the thought of her nemesis being dead? It was a little much for me

[Cabarb]

I'm so confused about Bow. Is she still pregnant or did I miss something along the way? In some scenes, she's clearly wearing maternity clothes under which you see the bump. But then we see her getting shot in the belly with paintballs (which hurts like crazy!) and then wearing a skin tight Halloween costume with no visible sign of pregnancy at all. 

[RedHawk]

20 hours ago, Michel said:

But it is not working.  At all.

How could it, with Ruby as the counterbalance? We know where Diane gets her evil gene from!

[Madding crowd]

13 hours ago, Cabarb said:

I'm so confused about Bow. Is she still pregnant or did I miss something along the way? In some scenes, she's clearly wearing maternity clothes under which you see the bump. But then we see her getting shot in the belly with paintballs (which hurts like crazy!) and then wearing a skin tight Halloween costume with no visible sign of pregnancy at all. 

I noticed that too-looking pregnant in some scenes and flat stomach in other. I can't imagine a pregnant woman not covering her stomach or at least being concerned about her pregnancy. 

[honeydo7]

Hope the Johnson's got Charlie down off the ceiling, before they went Trick or Treating.   He reminds me of all those laid-back, movie characters played by Dean Martin!  

[DearEvette]

On 10/29/2016 at 11:25 AM, mojito said:

I understand some people's concern for some of the characters' actions and dialog, but I also feel that what makes so many things comical is that they're unrealistic and a bit harsh and even forbidden. Through it, we can vicariously satisfy and/or humor the little bit of wickedness inside us.

Yes.  I agree.  I mean some people are upset about Diane smiling at Charlie's faux funeral.  But very few seem to be upset by Charlie's utter neglect of Eustace.  I personally see both things as just OTT humor and understand that if I took them too seriously I'd be appalled.  But I don't, both things just are presented as too absurd. 

[Dee]

Speaking of Eustace, I hope the show resumes his and Junior's friendship.

Junior could use a BFF, preferably one fluent in Dothraki.

Edited November 1, 2016 by Dee

[teebax]

This season hasn't been great for me, but I really liked this episode. Much like Roseanne before it, this show does Halloween really well.

Diane and Ruby both had me creaking up, as did the rest of the gang. I also love Nicole Sullivan, so any episode she's in is a plus for me. 

Edited November 4, 2016 by teebax

[jhlipton]

On 10/27/2016 at 0:50 PM, Empress1 said:

I think they're going too far with Diane. A child smiling at a funeral and knowing what a Molotov cocktail is and how to use it is cause for extreme concern at the very least.

That's just My Little Psychopath being My Little Psychopath -- I didn't see anything out of the way she usually acts.  And I agree: the actress makes the role work.

[Tiger]

This episode went way too far with Diane, and then bafflingly madr zero attempt to walk it back.

Earl had some really funny lines, but between Diane, Stevens, and Stevens' son, it feels like the writers completely forgot this is a sitcom.

[OnceSane]

Quote

Pops’ older sister Almaviligerais unexpectedly arrives for Thanksgiving, much to everyone’s delight except Ruby, who can’t stand her ex-sister-in-law. While Bow and Dre go on their last vacation before the baby arrives, the kids try to figure out why Ruby hates Almaviligerais so much.

[Madding crowd]

I wish Dre's boss wasn't so racist. People like him exist, but there are a lot of people who just go to work and do their job and don't make stupid remarks all day. l do like the idea that in the end we want our kids to be happy and we shouldn't be hung up on what type of job they are suited for or want to do. But since Jack is only 9, he will no doubt have a million different jobs he likes or is interested in by the time he is grown up. Diane's story is going too far sometimes, why does she have to be evil? I love Pops. 

[Dee]

This episode needs to be Jenifer Lewis submission come Emmy time.

She had me howling all the way through.

[GHScorpiosRule]

I'm going to have to watch again on demand because my local affiliate interrupted to report about protests across the country.

[Michel]

6 minutes ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

I'm going to have to watch again on demand because my local affiliate interrupted to report about protests across the country.

And in many other countries, too.  Damn voters.

I liked this episode, but getting Bow to the point where even she's scared of Diane might've been a bit too much.  And now her being possessed?  Yeah.  Not crazy about that.

[sassykattt]

The premise that only stupid people are blue collar,  A lot of the people with Bachelor degrees whining about how they can't get a decent job would have been a LOT better off learning a trade. RE: the protests, I've been avoiding any kind of news since my heart was broken and I cry again

[Arcadiasw]

Wrong post

Edited November 10, 2016 by Arcadiasw
Added comments to wrong show

[Joimiaroxeu]

Agree with comments upthread and think this "Diane is evil" stuff has gone too far, especially now that they've got Bow in on it too. The audience needs to be told what that's all about and/or we need to see some indication that Diane's been running a long con on everyone for some silly reason and is just a regular but perhaps extra smart child.

This may be a comedy but I think it's dangerous to paint Black children as inherently bad and who should be feared. Diane has the advantage of a well-to-do family that will probably always be able to protect her but many Black kids don't. We're already seeing how these kinds of negative presumptions are playing out for Black children across the nation. It's gone from excessive school suspensions to actual death. I hope the producers and writers of Black-ish consider this when they're taking Diane's characterization to such an extreme.

Jenifer Lewis is a treasure.

Edited November 10, 2016 by Joimiaroxeu

[Dee]

For someone who prides herself on her cultured upbringing, Rainbow sure can be a snob.

[Arcadiasw]

I applauded Pops when he called out Dre on not knowing blue collar work but thinks he’s better than blue collar people because he has a degree and a well-paying job. It’s really an insult to think blue collar is beneath white collar. True white collar people can make more than blue collar but there are blue collar people that have their own businesses and make a good living.  These same blue collar people can make a killing overcharging white collar people who don’t know how to do the jobs they are paying blue collar to do.

Ironic Pops criticizing Youtube generation don’t know how to do simple things like unclogging a toilet. Yet they can find out how by going on Youtube.

I got annoyed at Bow and Dre not liking Jack showing excitement learning how to unclog a toilet or fixing the steps for the baby. As a woman, I appreciate a man who can fix things and when something small breaks or stop working, his first instinct isn’t to call a guy. His initial thoughts are, “I know what to do.” There's nothing downgrading about it.

I shook my head at the scene of Dre and his coworkers freaking out over the leaking faucet. What Jack is wanting to learn are basic skills we should all know just in case we are alone, we cannot reach anyone or we can’t afford the service. I don’t know everything about a car but I do know how to change a tire and the oil. My Dad initially thought a woman shouldn’t have to worry about changing tires and doing small fix its around the house. “That’s what your husband is for,” is what he told me. Working with single mothers with sons who often asked my Dad or other males how to fix things, my Dad realized there will be men I will date that won’t know how to change a tire, unclog a toilet, change a ceiling fan, replacing a faucet, etc and he taught me these things.

I really like the conversation with Dre and his Dad at the end but I agree with others they are going too far with Dre’s boss being blatantly racist. I can imagine how the writers will apply the current Election results to future episodes. They are pushing the evil portrayal of Diane. The Diane is evil scene would work for the Halloween show but not the regular ones.

[ItCouldBeWorse]

I think the white collar snobbery is funnier at work, because everything there is absurd, including some of the clothing Dre wears, although I realize that his shredded sweatshirt might cost thousands.  In reality I believe that most upper middle class parents who have a kid who is interested in how things work and who is able to fix things automatically think "engineer!" and are thrilled.  That doesn't mean that being a mechanical/electrical/chemical engineer is intrinsically better than being a licensed mechanic/electrician, welder or plumber, but that's where their minds go first.

The fact that Jack's evaluation concluded with "unionized group of skilled laborers" influenced their opinion, but that's more absurdity, because how would that ever be evaluated for?  If they even had career tests for 9 year-olds, perhaps Diane indicated that she likes to be in charge, and Jack indicated that he like to be hands-on, and voila!, the reported-upon results appeared.

Edited November 10, 2016 by ItCouldBeWorse

[Dee]

Ruby trying to cajole Earl and Rainbow into eating monkey pox ice cream had me in tears.

[ItCouldBeWorse]

22 minutes ago, Dee said:

Ruby trying to cajole Earl and Rainbow into eating monkey pox ice cream had me in tears.

What was the deal with the ice cream?  Why was Ruby afraid to eat it?

[Dee]

Ruby wasn't afraid to eat the ice cream.

She coated the ice cream with a contagious disease (now you see where Diane gets it) and coaxed them to eat it.

[ItCouldBeWorse]

1 hour ago, Dee said:

Ruby wasn't afraid to eat the ice cream.

She coated the ice cream with a contagious disease (now you see where Diane gets it) and coaxed them to eat it.

I guess I didn't get it because it made no sense (Ruby has access to monkey pox?), but thanks!

Why is (drunk) Earl driving the kids to after-school activities?  Where is Black Nanny? Too many conflicting activities for one driver?

Edited November 10, 2016 by ItCouldBeWorse

[tennisgurl]

So, this is actually a topic that kind of drives me nuts, so I might not be totally objective about this, but I`m in higher education (just got my degree in student affairs), and we are having tons of issues with young adults who think that they only way to be successful is to go to a traditional four year school and get a degree, and that if they dont, no matter what they do, they're a "failure". This is leading to tons of unhappy kids who are stuck with degrees in things they have no real interest in, talent in, or have no real job prospects. There is nothing at all wrong with getting a blue collar job! I was totally with Pops and Ruby for most of the episode. Dre and Bow (especially Bow) were pretty snobby in this episode, although I guess they learned a lesson by the end. On the other hand, there is nothing wrong with Dre working a white collar job. Some people are good at blue collar jobs, some people are good at white collar jobs, its just how people are. It has nothing to do with intelligence. Hell, Jack could probably find a BETTER, more well paying job, with longer term prospects, being a mechanic or a plummer, than with a lot of white collar jobs. Sorry if that got ranty, but this really bugs me! Its not the generations going back, its just people doing what they're good at. Plus, as others have said, Jack is freaking 9. Give him some time. 

I still really like this show, I really do, but I feel its falling into the sitcom cliches of everything being taken up to 11. Especially with Diane and Dre`s co-workers. Diane used to be a pretty diabolical and snarky kid, but she wasn't devil possessed or a future serial killer. Dre`s boss and co-workers were clueless privileged jerks, but they weren't so blatant, and Stevens whole wasn't "OMG racist!" as his whole character. I also miss his female co-worker. At least Dre had someone a little more sympathetic in meetings with him, who wasn't totally off his nut like Charlie. 

[mojito]

Quote

I really like the conversation with Dre and his Dad at the end but I agree with others they are going too far with Dre’s boss being blatantly racist.

I agree. I can handle most of the OTT comedy on this show (although I think Ruby is a spin on old stereotypes of black women). Didn't mind the Diane stuff because it was absurd and sort of in keeping with her character. But Dre's boss' comments were flat-out offensive. I mean, sometimes people say stupid things because they're ignorant. He was just downright hateful, though.

I was kind of disappointed in the beginning with Dre and Bow's feelings about blue-collar work. I'm well-educated and worked professional jobs, but admire people who are skilled in the trades. I would just let Jack be Jack and I, as a parent, would encourage him to do well in school, but not brainwash him into thinking that he must attend college.

Imagine what this show might've been like if Diane had been the one who tested to be of the blue collar persuasion. 

Edited November 10, 2016 by mojito

[Driad]

The future career stuff puzzled me because my school had something that I think made more sense.  There were fields like medicine, construction, etc.  Each student (in grade school, IIRC) was encouraged to choose a field to learn more about.  Later they could look into various levels of education within that field.  So a student who was interested in medicine might later decide to become a doctor or an X-ray technician.

[Dee]

It was quite telling neither Andre nor Rainbow considered Jack opening his own business after mastering a trade.

Their idea about potential roads to success are as limited as Earl and Ruby's.