Season 4 Talk

[StatisticalOutlier]

3 hours ago, MaryMitch said:

This was an important episode. Type 2 diabetes is a huge problem in the African American community (and the white community too!), and I'm glad they addressed it. It's easy to deny you have a disease when there are no real symptoms in the short term, and there ARE scam cures out there. I'm glad they showed that if even Dre can learn to manage it, anyone can.

I understand product placement, and know they do a lot of it on this show (because it's so obvious), but this one made me uncomfortable in its obviousness.

Also, they mentioned diet and exercise, but that's it--a mention.  Instead, the two "choices" were medication or a quack cure.  I'm no diabetes expert, but I'm pretty sure there is room between whatever medication was being advertised and a quack cure, but you'd have to be paying pretty close attention to get it.

[peeayebee]

1 hour ago, tennisgurl said:

Hey, I actually laughed at some Conner jokes this week! "You look like the lady the Charlie has pictures of on his phone, so you must be Dres wife!"

I too actually thought he was pretty funny. "Who wants to kiss me?"

I liked the fake-out with the champagne glasses, first that Dre had fallen on them, then that Charlie was going to topple them -- and loved the look on Charlie's face as he walked away from the champagne tower -- and finally Connor knocking them down.

I didn't mind that this was a big PSA for diabetes awareness and treatment. It's a good thing. And I thought the ep was pretty funny. The dream was the best.

I liked the stuff with the kids. Nobody likes when Jack dances? Au contraire. 

[mtlchick]

Rick Fox can still get it.  

I think this was an important episode.  My Indian dad (God rest his soul) was also type 2 but didn't bother with checking his blood sugar even though his toes were in bad shape and even when he was diagnosed with cancer, we had to plead with him for us to take his levels because he refused.   Was it preachy? Yes.  Could have it better? Yes.  But if it had a few people say "Well damn, I better do this" then the show did its job.

[BoogieBurns]

13 hours ago, teebax said:

Despite having been out as lesbian since 1996, Rick Fox still makes me swoon.

Sexuality is a spectrum. Rick Fox is like the last dude on the end of the spectrum. No one needs to miss out on ogling Rick Fox. 

[possibilities]

I had an A1C of 7.4 and I control my diabetes using no drugs (A1C is now 5.5-- which I managed to achieve within 6 months of diagnosis). So I agree it's very important to deal with it, but the idea that type 2s need pharmaceuticals is weird to me. Neither of my doctors suggested I go on medication. Of course, TV is paid for by ads, and the drug companies buy a lot of them. So....

[In2You]

I was happy to see Rick Fox as Bow's new husband.

I understand the importance of this episode. Diabetes runs in my family and my father is terrible at managing his and just refuses to eat better so now he's on medications and dialysis. I don't think they gave enough info on managing your diet.

[xander874]

19 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

Also, its always nice to see Paul F. Thomkins, even in a minor role!

He was on Blacklist last week too!

As someone who has recently been diagnosed with D2, I appreciated this episode, even if it was a bit heavy-handed. It seems odd they went straight to injections for medicine as opposed to pills, but I'm no expert for sure.

I liked the B-plot, even if it was silly. I enjoy when the kids get along and aren't ganging up on one (usually Jr.). And it was weird for Zoe to only be in the dream sequence. Not the character, the actress. Seems odd to bring her in for that scene only. Maybe she wanted to meet Rick Fox?

[attica]

12 minutes ago, xander874 said:

Maybe she wanted to meet Rick Fox?

Shhhyeah!

[qtpye]

2 hours ago, In2You said:

I was happy to see Rick Fox as Bow's new husband.

I understand the importance of this episode. Diabetes runs in my family and my father is terrible at managing his and just refuses to eat better so now he's on medications and dialysis. I don't think they gave enough info on managing your diet.

Not to mention Rick Fox also explains all those pretty babies instead of potato faced Dre...you go Pops.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Near the end of the episode, Mr. EB and I said that all Dre needed to motivate himself into taking care of his diabetes was Bow telling him that after he died, she would marry Charlie. But Rick Fox is even better! Loved that callback to Dre's suspicion way back in S1.

[jhlipton]

On 12/13/2017 at 5:17 AM, teebax said:

What happened to Wanda Sykes? Did I miss her in this episode? 

She has been dropped like a hot rock for the most part.  I think she may have been in one episode this season, if that.

On 12/13/2017 at 11:44 AM, StatisticalOutlier said:

I understand product placement, and know they do a lot of it on this show (because it's so obvious), but this one made me uncomfortable in its obviousness.

The thing is that it's so easy for this show to do good product placement -- they do it all the time by having their clients be real businesses (like Right Guard in this episode).  This was ham-fisted.

On 12/13/2017 at 1:10 PM, peeayebee said:

I liked the fake-out with the champagne glasses

As soon as Connor talked about how valuable the glasses were, it was inevitable they would get broken.  The two fake-outs were good, but they killed them just after.

On 12/13/2017 at 6:34 PM, BoogieBurns said:

No one needs to miss out on ogling Rick Fox. 

I can.  He's not an unhandsome man, but I certainly don't ogle him.

[paulvdb]

19 hours ago, xander874 said:

And it was weird for Zoe to only be in the dream sequence. Not the character, the actress. Seems odd to bring her in for that scene only. Maybe she wanted to meet Rick Fox?

There had been previous references to Rick Fox possibly being Zoey's real father. So they probably felt that Zoey had to at least be there for the dream sequence with Rick Fox as new daddy. But with the actress also filming Grown-ish she probably did not have time to be in more scenes in this episode.

[Joimiaroxeu]

The other baby that Diane snatched at the park looked a lot like Devante. Is Devante played by twins and the show found a way to have them in the same scene? That was clever.

Quote

I also don't like the writing for Diane lately.

Yeah, I've been complaining about it since they started the "Diane is evil" thing. It looks to me like they're working toward turning Diane into a basic sassy/angry Black girl/woman. I guess it helps that she's quite smart but ugh, maybe we get enough of the throwing attitude behavior with Ruby.

[Quickbeam]

The Sugar! OMG. I've been an RN for over 30 years and the general community's ignorance about diabetes is astonishing. The half baked "alternate" treatment scams are real real real. I liked this episode just for that. I had a school bus driver who tested at 580 (normal is 70-120) who was treating his diabetes with cinnamon. Not very well, I might add. at that level you are drunk on your own blood. 

[jah1986]

It was a bit heavy handed and Dre acting like a baby over testing his levels just had me rolling my eyes.  Having said that, I've had family members die from diabetes complications so it's a real problem and you can't just wish it away.  Never was into Rick Fox during his playing days, mostly out of loyalty to Vanessa Williams, but he has turned into quite the silver fox.

[jhlipton]

BTW -- the best moment for me:  Rick Fox calling Junior "son"!  About time someone did!

[meep.meep]

On ‎12‎/‎13‎/‎2017 at 5:17 AM, teebax said:

Despite having been out as lesbian since 1996, Rick Fox still makes me swoon. 

Rick Fox is a lesbian?  Did I miss something?

[AuntiePam]

On 12/14/2017 at 5:49 AM, In2You said:

I was happy to see Rick Fox as Bow's new husband.

I understand the importance of this episode. Diabetes runs in my family and my father is terrible at managing his and just refuses to eat better so now he's on medications and dialysis. I don't think they gave enough info on managing your diet.

I was disappointed that Bow's response to Dre's fainting was "you should have taken your medicine."  Dre fainted because he was fasting.  Diabetics need to eat! 

Heard on NPR yesterday, studies showing that diabetics on Metformin (glucophage) live longer than people who don't have diabetes.  They're starting to research the possible anti-aging effects of glucophage.

[GHScorpiosRule]

1 hour ago, meep.meep said:

Rick Fox is a lesbian?  Did I miss something?

I think @teebax meant that even though she’s a lesbian, Rick Scott makes her swoon due to his Uber hotness.

[jhlipton]

54 minutes ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

I think @teebax meant that even though she’s a lesbian, Rick Scott makes her swoon due to his Uber hotness.

I'm sure @meep.meep knew that but couldn't resist the joke.  To which I say "You rock, @meep.meep!"

[mansonlamps]

On 12/14/2017 at 8:45 AM, qtpye said:

Not to mention Rick Fox also explains all those pretty babies instead of potato faced Dre...you go Pops.

Only Zoey.  She thanked him for making her the only kid without high risk for type 2 diabetes.

[peeayebee]

8 hours ago, meep.meep said:

Rick Fox is a lesbian?  Did I miss something?

The dreaded dangling participle.

[Dee]

If he's got a dangling participle he's certainly not a lesbian.

[teebax]

11 hours ago, meep.meep said:

Rick Fox is a lesbian?  Did I miss something?

To my knowledge, he only dates women. 

[joanne3482]

On 12/14/2017 at 11:13 PM, jhlipton said:

The thing is that it's so easy for this show to do good product placement -- they do it all the time by having their clients be real businesses (like Right Guard in this episode).  This was ham-fisted.

Even for this epiode... They could have product placed any gym as something Dre needed to go to in order to get his weight down. They'd be the type of family paying for a gym and never using it. 

[meep.meep]

On December 16, 2017 at 7:43 PM, peeayebee said:

The dreaded dangling participle.

Don't go all technical on us!

Oddly enough, the man does nothing for me.  And I am straight.

[cakes1975]

On ‎12‎/‎13‎/‎2017 at 9:03 PM, possibilities said:

I had an A1C of 7.4 and I control my diabetes using no drugs (A1C is now 5.5-- which I managed to achieve within 6 months of diagnosis). So I agree it's very important to deal with it, but the idea that type 2s need pharmaceuticals is weird to me. Neither of my doctors suggested I go on medication. Of course, TV is paid for by ads, and the drug companies buy a lot of them. So....

Good for you! I get pissed when I hear the oh just lose weight and you A1C will come down, and you will be cured. A lot of this is sometimes the luck of the genetics draw. On my mother's maternal side, every man in the last five generations have been and died with diabetes; the only women who were diabetic were the daughters of the diabetic men. On my father's side, every generation was diagnosed type two by their forties. My father never had a weight problem, exercised regularly, and ate sensibly, and his held off, until 50; he took care of his but the cancer dropped in and both took him at 66. It was the only thing he warned me to watch out for, and I did. I noticed the signs right after my 43 birthday and started the exercise, eating right plan. When my A1C remained at 7.4 my Doctor and I went over my health history again, and realized that I forgot to mention my history with PCOS, and that my ovaries had been resected twice, and I had to have one removed during a third resection. She was like, "you should have told me this earlier." I was put on Glucovance that day, and twenty years later I am on that and two injectable meds. So far, no complications and I hope to live as long as some of my great uncles who made to their eighties.

I loved that even with the commercials being in poor taste for some, they pointed out that there is no cure. There is management, there is keeping complications at bay for a while; at a medical conference last year, I learned that if you live long enough, you will get diabetes. Apparently your pancreas doesn't process glucose as well after eighty and everybody has a mild form of diabetes as they get closer to the end of life. Most doctors don't treat it aggressively because it is part of the aging process.

Oh, I never told my father I had developed type II, he did not need to process that in his last year of life. 

[jhlipton]

13 hours ago, joanne3482 said:

Even for this epiode... They could have product placed any gym as something Dre needed to go to in order to get his weight down. They'd be the type of family paying for a gym and never using it. 

For real.

[OnceSane]

Quote

Bow struggles to adjust as she returns to work after maternity leave. Meanwhile, Ruby gives the twins a “workaround” plan to get out of doing homework.

[RedHawk]

On 12/16/2017 at 4:44 PM, mansonlamps said:

Only Zoey.  She thanked him for making her the only kid without high risk for type 2 diabetes.

But we can fantasize that Junior is also Rick's son, hence Dre's animosity. When they were hugging I thought, "And he gave Junior the tallness gene." 

And maybe the twins are half and half, thus Jack being shorter than Diane. It can happen...

[ItCouldBeWorse]

3 hours ago, RedHawk said:

But we can fantasize that Junior is also Rick's son, hence Dre's animosity. When they were hugging I thought, "And he gave Junior the tallness gene." 

And maybe the twins are half and half, thus Jack being shorter than Diane. It can happen...

Only if Bow kept dating Rick Fox after she met Dre and had Zoe, but I suppose.

[readster]

Problem with the entire PSA on diabetes is not that Dre hasn't been lead to it for a while. I mean he keeps kitkats in an air sealed bag and hides it in the toilet. The problem is with a lot of shows, they just say: "Lose weight and your life will be great." No, sorry. My own father has diebetes and was diagnoised in his early 30s from heavy drinking for years. Sobered up and has managed it for the last 30 years and recently had triple by pass after spending all these years staying healthy, giving up smoking, ect. I know a few series, including Dirt on FX 10 years ago where they tried to put diebetes in for several side characters who had lack of sex drive, but could cheat on their spouses no problem. Because one of the exec had a similar story. Here is a note for writers, GET OVER YOURSELVES! If you have dealt with it in real life, congrats and if you want to give people awareness of it too, I'm open for that. Hell, I've wished a series would deal with epilepsy in a realistic way instead of: "You have seizures, take your medicine and life is great." Here it just shows that Dre is a man-baby who really can't get a clue on how to help himself. Just like Junior never getting any common sense, or Ruby constantly bashing Bow. It gets old, I'm as much of a fan of Rick Fox as the next person, but here is an idea. Either write a funny and compelling story, or move on and not a string of PSA I felt we have been getting the past 2 seasons. 

[mtlchick]

Charlie's prolonged "biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitch" had me rewinding from crying...from laughing.  I do like Yara, but I'm tuning in for grown-ish more for Deon Cole. 

[TiffanyNichelle]

I was enjoying the episode and hoping that Bow would switch it up and keep her job. But why bother when the show treats like an aftershock and uses it to mock and disrespect her. No one cares that she's a doctor. Ugh.  I also wish the twins had actually learned a lesson but they're back to where they started.

 

I do like the idea of a "war" between Junior and Ruby.

[Dee]

"Rules are for ugly people!"

I LOVE Ruby.

[OnceSane]

Quote

Dre’s sister Rhonda is in town and Ruby has a talk with them about her inheritance. Meanwhile, Bow’s sister Santamonica is also in town and she hires Junior to become her assistant.

[Irlandesa]

On 1/2/2018 at 9:15 PM, TiffanyNichelle said:

I was enjoying the episode and hoping that Bow would switch it up and keep her job.

Every year or two a study is performed that looks at things like how many male characters are there compared to female characters and one of the things they look at is a) do the characters have jobs that are specified and b) how often are the characters shown actually doing their jobs.  It may come as no surprise to discover that women fall behind men in all categories but especially the last category where, even if they have a defined job, we're less likely to see them actually doing it. 

For all the "I'm making this choice-go me" couching of it, I still find it disappointing that one of the shows that does have a professional working woman* that we see work, as little as we see it, is heading towards showing her there even less, if ever again.

*ETA: professional working black woman.  While I don't think the stats in this one survey that I read broke it down to race, other surveys have looked at minorities and how they aren't proportionately represented either.

[Marley]

This show has been really dissapointing me lately. I just don’t find it that funny for the last few episodes.

Also what happened to that friend that was getting out of prison that was going to stay with them? Was that just dropped? So weird.

How much does Dre make that he can support them all perfectly fine. They live in a nice area in a nice house. Their daughter is going to college and Junior is right behind her. I just wonder. 

Definitely not watching Grownish. Zoey is good in small doses.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I don't understand how Dre can say he makes enough for Bow to stay home with a straight face. Wasn't it just last season that they had to see a financial planner about tightening up their budget because Dre was spending too much money on clothes and shoes? Now they have a new baby, a kid in college, another who is a year away from college, two kids in private school, and a baby. How can they afford all those expenses with one less income?

I thought that Bow's solution would be to work part time instead of taking another few months off.

7 hours ago, mtlchick said:

Charlie's prolonged "biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitch" had me rewinding from crying...from laughing. 

Heh, I also loved the follow up of Daphne walking by a few minutes later on the phone and saying, "All the men I work with are biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitches." No lies here!

Edited January 3, 2018 by ElectricBoogaloo

[Sparger Springs]

I thought they had financial problems. How is Bow going to stop working. Few episodes ago they had Ruby sending Dre to private school  and now she is helping the twins cheat.

[possibilities]

And Dre feels no conflicts about "having it all." This show is turning into the 1950s with better clothes. Which reminds me: him not thinking Bow is a "fashion icon" is just another reason he doesn't deserve her. Why do they think it's funny to degrade her and Junior all the time? Junior at least is starting to fight back, but they're doubling down on the bad writing for Bow.

[atlantaloves]

Okay, I am about through with this show, it is only funny when the guys are having their work round table discussions, Oh, and Bow needs to work, but that doesn't work for a sitcom anywhere in America does it? 

[readster]

2 hours ago, possibilities said:

And Dre feels no conflicts about "having it all." This show is turning into the 1950s with better clothes. Which reminds me: him not thinking Bow is a "fashion icon" is just another reason he doesn't deserve her. Why do they think it's funny to degrade her and Junior all the time? Junior at least is starting to fight back, but they're doubling down on the bad writing for Bow.

That's what I hate too. Especially with Dre, he acts like this is just how it has to be. Ok, Dre, you made it out of the poor house, got a great job, make good money, married a doctor. But oh have kid 5 in your mid 40s and you think Bow has to stay home now. Even more, I hate not only Bow but also how Dre are so disrespected at their jobs. Bow more than Dre, but it has gotten old. In fact, I'm surprise at this point that Bow has not moved farther ahead at the hospital. She has been there long enough and really, so all the kids are going on in their lives. Now, let's have Bow be a stay at home mom? I mean really writers? It's like Ruby's constant put down of Bow or even how her co-workers act like Bow became a doctor by sending in a mail-in-rebate. Seriously, I hate how the show has gone down to this. 

[atlantaloves]

I agree Readster.  This show use to be so wonderful, I think I am really through. But I have been saying that about Young Sheldon for a while, but I can't help myself, that kid is so CUTE.  With Blackish I'm all about those "twins".  They really have some zingers. 

[monakane]

4 hours ago, possibilities said:

And Dre feels no conflicts about "having it all." This show is turning into the 1950s with better clothes. Which reminds me: him not thinking Bow is a "fashion icon" is just another reason he doesn't deserve her. Why do they think it's funny to degrade her and Junior all the time? Junior at least is starting to fight back, but they're doubling down on the bad writing for Bow.

I hate the way they treat Bow and her career.  I thought I was watching a 1950s sitcom.  In real life, if you want a successful career as a doctor, you can't be away from your job for long periods of time.  Things change quickly in the medical field and it's a constant learning curve.  Somewhere, Claire Huxtable is weeping.

[attica]

15 hours ago, Dee said:

"Rules are for ugly people!"

I LOVE Ruby.

I sorta feel she's not wrong here, you know?

Charlie's hastily uttered "Bow should be my wife" made me snort.

Edited January 3, 2018 by attica

[tennisgurl]

Yeah, this was not a favorite episode for me. I dont judge women (or men) who want to stay at home and take care of their kids, even leaving behind big careers, but I do think that this is a TV show and that there need to be more women (especially POC women) on TV who are shown working and succeeding in their careers, and having Bow stay home is rather backward looking. I mean, really, how much money does Dre make? Bow is a surgeon, maybe she makes more money, and Dre should stay home? Of course that wont every happen, both because the shows funniest scenes now are with Dres co-workers, and because Dre is such a man baby who seems to live in a separate 1950s universe that the idea of not being the provider would make his dick fall off. Even from a story stand point, I hate that we dont get more stories about Bow as a doctor, there was lots of potential there. Besides, Bow is a doctor, its not like a job she just took to make ends meat, it was years of schooling and hard work! I can see her wanting to take some time off, but this is too much. Its like those I Love Lucy episodes where Lucy kept trying to get jobs, and it was hilarious that she tried not being a housewife, except, unlike Lucy, Bow actually has years of schooling and work experience, and also unlike Lucy, it isn't funny! Or the 1950s!

Why do all of the Dres "this is how I made it" stuff have to be so selfish? Yeah they had Bow make the choice, but Dre just wanted Bow to stay home to validate his own success, even though he knew she loved her job. Besides, as others have said, dont they have financial problems because Dre is awful with money? And now they have a baby, one kid in college, another will be going soon, plus two kids in private school who will also probably go to college. Did their financial planner win a lottery or something? 

I hope that Ruby vs Junior becomes a thing soon. I loved Ruby's expression when Junior rose to her threat. Get her Junior! I also love how much Junior seems to be taking care of his baby brother now, and seems to really like it.

Bye Zoe, see you in Grownish! I watched a lot of Freeform the last month (all Christmas all the time) and I watched SO MANY previews for that show, I think I know every trailer by heart now. 

[Risha17]

4 hours ago, possibilities said:

And Dre feels no conflicts about "having it all." This show is turning into the 1950s with better clothes. Which reminds me: him not thinking Bow is a "fashion icon" is just another reason he doesn't deserve her. Why do they think it's funny to degrade her and Junior all the time? Junior at least is starting to fight back, but they're doubling down on the bad writing for Bow.

I don't get why the writers think it's funny for Junior and Bow to be humiliated and abused, either. Maybe they watched Family Guy and found amusement in Meg Griffin being mistreated and decided to take a leaf outta of Family Guy's book. Whatever their reasons are, I'm done with this show. I didn't watch this episode, but reading that Bow, once again is disrespected and becomes a stay-at-home mom while her obnoxious manbaby husband gets to have his cake? Ugh. And Junior vs. Ruby? What? As much as I dislike Ruby, I did appreciate she was one of the few characters who didn't treat Junior like crap. Now she's joining in with the rest of the family to bully him? Christ. 

Bye, Black-ish. It was nice knowing you when you used to be a show that didn't rely on mean-spirited characters and outdated beliefs to get laughs. 

[Madding crowd]

And not all white teachers are morons. Most of us really care about all of our students and want them to do well.

[peeayebee]

19 hours ago, TiffanyNichelle said:

I do like the idea of a "war" between Junior and Ruby.

Oh yes. I hope that isn't dropped. I was worried that Junior would back down, but he didn't, and I loved it.

I too was disappointed that Bow decided to stay home some more. I understand that she misses her baby, and with Zoe leaving she sees all the kids growing up too quickly, but I think it's a good thing for the wife to be working as well. 

Charlie's biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitch was hilarious.