Season 4 Talk

[Janie430]

I get not wanting to subject her baby to unnecessary tests, but I'm with people who think that she should have been sharing things with Dre (who I don't like that much).  But the tests have a purpose, which Bow would know.  Early intervention matters for kids with mobility issues or developmental delays.  Bow is a great mom, but she has a perfectionist streak.  She takes a lot of pride in her status as a high-earning African American professional woman (and well she should).  She also takes a lot of pride in her achieving children.  So maybe one of the things that they could have explored is that she didn't want to know for sure if DeVante had issues, because then she'd be a parent of a special needs child, and that's not how she wants to see herself. 

[possibilities]

I'd never even heard of "making a plate" for someone until I watched this episode.

[BoogieBurns]

12 minutes ago, possibilities said:

I'd never even heard of "making a plate" for someone until I watched this episode.

It's very cultural, the "making a plate" tradition. I am not going to presume I know which cultures, but there are many people who do it because the women before them did it. 

[CaliCheeseSucks]

12 hours ago, SmithW6079 said:

I stopped watching after season 2 (I think -- Bow has just announced she was pregnant again). I got tired of every plot being Dre's "whatever" is threatened (masculinity, blackness, ability to earn a living), he reacts like a selfish baby, hears some words of wisdom & has an extremely brief epiphany, then next week it's the same old-same old. Lather. Rinse. Repeat ad nauseum.

 

Black-ish has the same issue for me as Fresh Off The Boat: I love everyone (or just about everyone) except the character around whom the show is built. Here, I adore Bow, Jack & Diane, Junior, Ruby and Charlie. Dre's behavior, though, is a reason I tend to watch inconsistently - he's just utterly insufferable, immature and insulting to everyone around him, home and work. I was hoping after season three's "Being Bow-racial" that we might get more Bow-centric POV episodes but alas, that seems to not be in the cards. 

[CaliCheeseSucks]

On 4/18/2018 at 5:07 PM, Deanie87 said:

And the supporting cast is hardly ever funny anymore, they are caricatures.  What happens in nearly every sitcom, and what I feared would happen here, is upon us.  They take what is funny about a certain character (the Boss's privilege/obliviousness, Charlie's weirdness, Diane's mean streak) and have turned them up to 1,000.  "Baby party = cocaine?"  That doesn't even make sense, you stupid racist.  Diane is 1 step from pushing Black Nanny down the stairs a la The Omen and Charlie is like a danger to those around him.  Get it together, show!  Clearly, the answer, as always, is more Junior! :)

I should add that yes, because of my inconsistent viewing habit with the show, I was honestly gobsmacked at how weird/stupid the boss acted when he showed up at the party. I remember him being oblivious in the past but seriously, showing up at a child's birthday rambling about cocaine? I guess they have nothing else they can think to do with him. It was embarrassing.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

14 hours ago, CurlyATX said:

I never liked Allison, especially as it reminds me of Melrose Place.  But I do have a soft spot for "Veronica".  hmm, now I gotta see if Amazon will let me download it for free. 

Same here. Allison is such a whiny sounding song but I've always liked Veronica (both lyrically and aurally) which was played a lot on the alternative station in San Diego (91X!). I also remember the video was played pretty regularly on 120 Minutes (or Alternative Nation?) back when MTV still used to play videos. But those are the only two Elvis Costello songs I know. If you offered me $100 million to name a third song, I'd be at a loss.

Fun fact: Veronica was cowritten by Paul McCartney!

[readster]

7 hours ago, CaliCheeseSucks said:

I should add that yes, because of my inconsistent viewing habit with the show, I was honestly gobsmacked at how weird/stupid the boss acted when he showed up at the party. I remember him being oblivious in the past but seriously, showing up at a child's birthday rambling about cocaine? I guess they have nothing else they can think to do with him. It was embarrassing.

Completely agree, the show has fallen into the same trap so many other shows do after being on the air a while. They push all the characters' idiosyncrasies to 11. The only person from Dre's office that should had been at the party was Charlie. Then they go acting like Charlie is this home from college kid who has to use Dre's laundry room and obvious shows and tells them he is using their laundry room because he can't afford to go to a laundry mat in general. That doesn't work and isn't funny and I was waiting for either Dre or Bow to say: "Get out!" The entire cocaine talk was not only out of place, but any other parent would be telling them to leave and never be invited to their house again until they learned to "act their age". Even Wanda Sykes character was so off, actually saying that Dre would sleep with white women by just "whipping it out". I'm like: "What?" Even with Junior thinking that Demante called the jumpy company after Jack told him he did. Seriously, that painted Junior as way way too guliable. The more regular stuff reaction even in Junior's case would have been: "Sure he did. Have fun." and then just walk away. 

[Shermie]

Quote

What I found compelling about this was that Bow and Dre are dealing with a real and possibly fundamental change in their relationship that won’t be fixed in a 22-minute episode. You rarely see that in sitcoms, but it's real. I might actually tune back in.

Quote

All I want this show or any show regardless of the genre is be to be true to itself. This show has always been true to itself. It hasn't suddenly gone dramatic. There is no change. They've always had the goal of tackling the hard issues. To not just be a sitcom. To not just be anything. None of this bothers me. I just want good writing.

The writing within this episode was really good. Dre in particular,  has his flaws but the issue in this episode cones from a real place with him. He over worries. He thinks too far into the future. This has always been a issue between them. I'm glad they are attacking it instead of continually brushing it under the rug.

I'm in ththe minority in that I really liked this episode. It was well done. As quoted above, this show is not a constant laugh sitcom; it has addressed many unfunny things over the years - the N word, racist pay scales, cops killing blacks for no reason, and their fear of Obama being assassinated during his post-inaugural walk down the street. That's heavy stuff.

Watching Dre and Bow bicker over stupid stuff, my hub and I just looked at each other knowingly. It was a very real look at how a marriage can hit a wall, and how one extra thing (in this case, Devonte's development) can be the catalyst that might destroy it. I look forward to the next three weeks to see how they work it out.

Is Dre demanding and selfish? Yes. Is Bow condescending and arrogant? Yes. But neither is like that all the time, and the also have a fun and lusty marriage, or at least they did. I'm interested in seeing the show bring them back to that.

[Guest]

I totally agree.  But I'll be happy even to see the show decide to bring them apart, if they go that route.  Divorce in general isn't funny but neither is diabetes or half the stuff they tackle.  I like that it's not all 'happily ever after' on this show. 

[Winston Wolfe]

16 hours ago, readster said:

Even Wanda Sykes character was so off, actually saying that Dre would sleep with white women by just "whipping it out". I'm like: "What?"

And her whole "hey white woman - are you sleeping with Dre?" to any Caucasian female in the vicinity was so OTT that it seemed like a dream sequence.  Seriously, who talks/acts like that in the real world???

Edited April 21, 2018 by Winston Wolfe
Gender is important.

[Fostersmom]

On 4/18/2018 at 2:02 PM, Empress1 said:

Yeah, I used to babysit a kid who didn't walk until he was 17 months. He would stand and then be like " ... Nah." His parents (one of whom was a pediatrician) would joke about it. He's going to Yale in the fall. He turned out fine.

I was born a month early, didn't walk until I was 17 months old, and then briefly stopped a month later after a vaccination. My mom rightly panicked when I stopped, but until then wasn't really freaked out. I was however, talking in full sentences at 1 year. She loves to tell the story of how she told the doctor I was talking in full sentences at my 1 year check up and he didn't believe her. Apparently he picked up my shoe and asked "whose shoe is this?" and I looked at him like he was a flaming moron told him "that's my shoe." Because, yeah, even at 1 I was like, well who the hell would else would it belong to? 

[qtpye]

On 4/18/2018 at 10:03 PM, Racj82 said:

All I want this show or any show regardless of the genre is be to be true to itself. This show has always been true to itself. It hasn't suddenly gone dramatic. There is no change. They've always had the goal of tackling the hard issues. To not just be a sitcom. To not just be anything. None of this bothers me. I just want good writing.

The writing within this episode was really good. Dre in particular,  has his flaws but the issue in this episode cones from a real place with him. He over worries. He thinks too far into the future. This has always been a issue between them. I'm glad they are attacking it instead of continually brushing it under the rug.

 

20 hours ago, CaliCheeseSucks said:

I should add that yes, because of my inconsistent viewing habit with the show, I was honestly gobsmacked at how weird/stupid the boss acted when he showed up at the party. I remember him being oblivious in the past but seriously, showing up at a child's birthday rambling about cocaine? I guess they have nothing else they can think to do with him. It was embarrassing.

I really wonder if this arc will end in divorce or Dre/Bow getting closer and maybe Dre actually changing some of his more awful behaviors?

[qtpye]

On 4/16/2018 at 10:17 PM, BoogieBurns said:

 

This plate issue is a huge topic in my extended family during holidays. When we were kids, we used to get so mad that the women (and us girls) cooked the food, made the men's plates, then cleaned the dishes while the men watched the game. We said "when we're adults, it's going to be different," and it is not. My sister and cousin are the only two who are married, and they kiss their husbands asses. I think it's because the husband is spending the holiday with HER family instead of HIS. But it's the worst. So, being an asshole, and single, I decided I like football now. I make the dressing and rolls at my own home in the morning, I bring them over in disposable pans and sit back and relax. 

Seeing my sister make her then-boyfriend his plate at Thanksgiving made me so mad I even called her out. I will not be making anyone a plate, and no one is welcome to make mine. Maybe it's why I'm single, but I don't care. My sister and cousin loved seeing our grandma makes our grandpa's plate. It seemed romantic to them. It seems like the patriarchy to me. I would guess my grandma would have said something similar to what Marla said about making a hard working black man feel special and safe at home. Good for her. Not for me.

I mean if someone is happy to do it go ahead. However, it harkens back to a tradition when men where the primary breadwinners and women waited on them hand and foot. Its weird to me to see a chick who makes more money than her husband still waits on him in the same manner. I mean if she likes it, I love it, but I hope she realizes that grandma probably would not be doing all that fussing if she was bringing home the larger paycheck.

[jhlipton]

22 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

the alternative station in San Diego (91X!).

A little quibble, but 91X wasn't technically a "San Diego station".   XTRA, was from Tijuana Mexico. (I love listening to the call letters).

[ElectricBoogaloo]

50 minutes ago, jhlipton said:

A little quibble, but 91X wasn't technically a "San Diego station".   XTRA, was from Tijuana Mexico. (I love listening to the call letters).

It’s one of many San Diego radio stations with a transmitter site in Tijuana but the days of the DJs having to drive to TJ for their shifts are long gone. The studios are in San Diego and have been for decades. Everyone in San Diego knows that stations like 91X and Z90 are broadcast out of Tijuana but they are still considered San Diego stations. When Mr. EB moved to San Diego, he loved that all the radio stations that are broadcast out of TJ play the Mexican national anthem at midnight. Whenever we go back to visit, he makes sure to tune in to 91X at midnight at least once so he can hear it again for old times’ sake. 91X is one of the few stations in San Diego that hasn’t changed its format. I feel like there’s a Dre-worthy rant about how many of the radio stations in LA have changed their formats over the years that ends with Dre saying that at least Power 106 is still the same (hopefully I didn’t just jinx Power 106!).

[readster]

16 hours ago, Winston Wolfe said:

And her whole "hey white woman - are you sleeping with Dre?" to any Caucasian female in the vicinity was so OTT that it seemed like a dream sequence.  Seriously, who talks/acts like that in the real world???

That's exactly it and that would be grounds for someone filing a grievance over a hostile work environment. Seriously, how this company still has employees or clients is mind boggling. From Wanda Sykes character to the rest of the committee. These people are so horrible at times, it gets to the point where I hate the work scenes, they are getting less and less funny and the people more horrible. 

[snarktini]

16 hours ago, Fostersmom said:

I was born a month early, didn't walk until I was 17 months old, and then briefly stopped a month later after a vaccination. My mom rightly panicked when I stopped, but until then wasn't really freaked out. I was however, talking in full sentences at 1 year. She loves to tell the story of how she told the doctor I was talking in full sentences at my 1 year check up and he didn't believe her. Apparently he picked up my shoe and asked "whose shoe is this?" and I looked at him like he was a flaming moron told him "that's my shoe." Because, yeah, even at 1 I was like, well who the hell would else would it belong to? 

I talked (and read) extremely early but walked very late. To this day I'm highly verbal and physically lazy .... ? 

I felt Bow was wrong to make Dre think he was alone in his concern. Damn this show for making me side with Dre on anything! Because, ugh.

How in the world did Bow get 20 years in without realizing they see the world differently?! That didn't ring true at all. 

Struggling to keep watching for the past 2 seasons. I let the last 5 stockpile on Tivo, and this may be end. Seems like every show I watch is sliding downhill, and that sucks. 

[jhlipton]

I haven't lived in San Diego for about 15 years, so I'm a bit behind the times.  91X and the Russian Spy Station (101 KGB) were my favorites during the 80s.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

14 hours ago, jhlipton said:

I haven't lived in San Diego for about 15 years, so I'm a bit behind the times.  91X and the Russian Spy Station (101 KGB) were my favorites during the 80s.

Yakov Smirnoff had a funny bit about visiting San Diego and freaking out when he was in the car listening to the radio and he heard the KGB call sign!

[jhlipton]

7 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Yakov Smirnoff had a funny bit about visiting San Diego and freaking out when he was in the car listening to the radio and he heard the KGB call sign!

LOL!

[possibilities]

On 4/20/2018 at 10:39 PM, qtpye said:

I really wonder if this arc will end in divorce or Dre/Bow getting closer and maybe Dre actually changing some of his more awful behaviors?

Either way would be good, as far as I'm concerned.

[qtpye]

23 hours ago, snarktini said:

I talked (and read) extremely early but walked very late. To this day I'm highly verbal and physically lazy .... ? 

I felt Bow was wrong to make Dre think he was alone in his concern. Damn this show for making me side with Dre on anything! Because, ugh.

How in the world did Bow get 20 years in without realizing they see the world differently?! That didn't ring true at all. 

Struggling to keep watching for the past 2 seasons. I let the last 5 stockpile on Tivo, and this may be end. Seems like every show I watch is sliding downhill, and that sucks. 

I sometimes have trouble believing that Bow and Dre even got through a first date, let alone 20 years of marriage. They are totally different in worldview and upbringing. I might have chalked it up to opposite attracts.

I will say the one good thing about this storyline is how the idea that having a baby will bring a couple closer together (though that is not why Bow and Dre had the baby). If your marriage is not in a good place having a baby is not going to fix anything, instead a baby will cause a lot more stress in the relationship.

[Black Knight]

On 4/18/2018 at 1:04 PM, incandescent said:

And I don't get why she was so upset by Dre walking Devonte around by the arms; it's a common method to help children learn.

Well, it's Dre. He does everything dialed up to 12. I imagine most parents who try this method are gently holding the child and sloooooooowly walking the kid along while making encouraging noises, but I could easily see Dre practically racing the poor boy over the floor while hectoring him.

I assume Dre and Bow will "work through" their troubles - I put that in quotes because as someone accurately described upthread, there is never any personal growth actually carrying over into the next episode - and still be together when the show ends, but for the last couple of years I've never seen them as anything other than destined for divorce, and I'll just assume after the series finale that they do eventually divorce. It's just a question of who beats the other to the punch: Will Bow's patience run out before Dre has some mega-sized man-child tantrum in which he decides to dump her? Either way, Bow can do much better than Dre.

Bow is not perfect but what it comes down to for me is pretty simple: Dre acts like an asshole 95% of the time while Bow acts like an asshole maybe 20% of the time. In other words, he's an actual asshole who has moments of sanity and decency, while she's an ordinarily decent and sane person who has moments of being an asshole. He's a man-child; she's an adult who's occasionally immature.

She was wrong not to share her concerns with him. But that goes back to her original mistake, that of deciding to marry and have children with this guy. Because, while she should have shared her concerns with him, she's not wrong about how he would have reacted if she had. She'd get to be completely in the right in how she acted, instead of partly wrong as she is, but it wouldn't actually have made the situation any better since the fighting over the tests would have cranked up to DEFCON 1. Dre wouldn't have felt alone in his concerns anymore, but since everything is about validating him, he would have used her admission of concern as incontrovertible proof that he's right, rather than acknowledging her nuanced position that while she did feel concern, she also still judged through her professional experience and knowledge that their son wasn't yet at a point where testing was warranted. She made mention early on in the episode that Davonte was hitting the milestones established by the medical community for a premature baby of six weeks. It isn't like they were flying blind here, with no medical input. But Dre kept insisting on comparing Davonte's progress to those of children born at full term. He couldn't help but be driven by emotion. Bow, as a doctor, is trained not to let emotion drive medical decisions.

[CurlyATX]

On 4/20/2018 at 3:58 AM, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Same here. Allison is such a whiny sounding song but I've always liked Veronica (both lyrically and aurally) which was played a lot on the alternative station in San Diego (91X!). I also remember the video was played pretty regularly on 120 Minutes (or Alternative Nation?) back when MTV still used to play videos. But those are the only two Elvis Costello songs I know. If you offered me $100 million to name a third song, I'd be at a loss.

Fun fact: Veronica was cowritten by Paul McCartney!

I couldn't name another song either... that could be a good Geeks Who Drink trivia question.  

[Joimiaroxeu]

Twenties of dollars.

Devante walking at the end looked like CGI to me. Do the little twin boys who portray him not walk yet?

[GHScorpiosRule]

On 4/20/2018 at 10:39 PM, qtpye said:

 

I really wonder if this arc will end in divorce or Dre/Bow getting closer and maybe Dre actually changing some of his more awful behaviors?

I'm trying to rack my brain, but I can't think of any sitcom in the past, that had their main characters divorce. Gloria and Meathead, Michael, didn't divorce until after they left the show on All in the Family, and they were supporting characters. I can't imagine Bow and Dre divorcing. Well, maybe the show won't do the traditional at its end. Who knows.

I didn't understand Dre's upset at Devonte not walking yet--because he was acting as if this was their first child. They have four other children. Couldn't the show have addressed that--how Dre handled that?

Frankly, I didn't like this, because it didn't feel like a sitcom. It was all gloomy music and drama. And the fact that Diane wasn't caught and punished for the scam and shit she pulled with Jack and his friend.

Edited April 26, 2018 by GHScorpiosRule

[qtpye]

8 hours ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

I'm trying to rack my brain, but I can't think of any sitcom in the past, that had their main characters divorce. Gloria and Meathead, Michael, didn't divorce until after they left the show on All in the Family, and they were supporting characters. I can't imagine Bow and Dre divorcing. Well, maybe the show won't do the traditional at its end. Who knows.

I didn't understand Dre's upset at Devonte not walking yet--because he was acting as if this was their first child. They have four other children. Couldn't the show have addressed that--how Dre handled that?

Frankly, I didn't like this, because it didn't feel like a sitcom. It was all gloomy music and drama. And the fact that Diane wasn't caught and punished for the scam and shit she pulled with Jack and his friend.

This show has always been good at taking very serious situations and issues and spinning them into comedy gold. However, there were no laughs in this episode and it felt really uncomfortable to watch. One problem is that even though Bow is far from perfect, most of us feel like she puts up with way too much from Dre and his mama ( I love the actress but the character is really awful) and should get out of this marriage. I doubt if they will get divorced, but it would be nice if Dre did try a little harder in the future.

[Dee]

The problems in the Johnson marriage aren't just Andre's fault. 

Like another poster recently said, Rainbow is condescending and arrogant. And Rainbow's not just like that with Andre, she's like that with everyone.

Does that make Andre more sympathetic? Not particularly.

But the dysfunction in that household certainly doesn't begin and end with him.

[jhlipton]

11 hours ago, Joimiaroxeu said:

Devante walking at the end looked like CGI to me. Do the little twin boys who portray him not walk yet?

Getting a baby to walk like he did, at just the right time, may have been too hard.  The boys may not be walking enough, or may be walking too much, so they had to fake it.

[Guest]

On 4/25/2018 at 10:22 AM, GHScorpiosRule said:

I'm trying to rack my brain, but I can't think of any sitcom in the past, that had their main characters divorce. Gloria and Meathead, Michael, didn't divorce until after they left the show on All in the Family, and they were supporting characters. I can't imagine Bow and Dre divorcing. Well, maybe the show won't do the traditional at its end. Who knows.

I didn't understand Dre's upset at Devonte not walking yet--because he was acting as if this was their first child. They have four other children. Couldn't the show have addressed that--how Dre handled that?

Frankly, I didn't like this, because it didn't feel like a sitcom. It was all gloomy music and drama. And the fact that Diane wasn't caught and punished for the scam and shit she pulled with Jack and his friend.

The Real O’Neals and Splitting Up Together have divorcing couples.   HBO’s Divorce, too, but that’s more a dramedy.   And only in the first one is the divorce more incidental than the whole premise.  

I don’t mind the Johnsons’ marriage because it’s a sitcom and it’s not supposed to be realistic.   Probably for that reason,  I don’t see Dre as the monster others do.   There is no actual child abuse or hostile workplace antics occurring.  The whole premise is to lampoon the things they portray, not to encourage people to be like them.   It’s supposed to be ridiculous.  

Edited April 26, 2018 by Guest

[RedHawk]

On 4/20/2018 at 4:58 AM, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Same here. Allison is such a whiny sounding song but I've always liked Veronica (both lyrically and aurally) which was played a lot on the alternative station in San Diego (91X!). I also remember the video was played pretty regularly on 120 Minutes (or Alternative Nation?) back when MTV still used to play videos. But those are the only two Elvis Costello songs I know. If you offered me $100 million to name a third song, I'd be at a loss.

Fun fact: Veronica was cowritten by Paul McCartney!

I think they chose “Alison” because it IS such a whiny white-guy song and very white geeky British Elvis Costello, who was indeed in the early New Wave along with Nick Lowe and Squeeze, was beloved by collegiate white boys in the late ‘70s to mid ‘80s era. Stevens, who is probably around 53-55, would be from that demographic. EC remained very popular for many years after that through college radio and alternative rock channels. 

Edited April 28, 2018 by RedHawk

[meirav]

I guess I'm alone in this, but I'm happy they're splitting up, not because I dislike the couple, but because I think it will make much more interesting future episodes. Zoey and Junior will be off at college, so they're off the show for the most part. That leaves shows revolving around Dre's parents; Dre; Bow; the twins, who are not yet adolescents; and Devante. With Dre and Bow separated/divorced, the show can explore the things separated couples deal with: custody, special events, first time holidays. It will be much more interesting.

[CurlyATX]

I wish more sitcoms added the "we have nearly grown kids and now are divorcing" vs the "we have nearly adult kids and now are expecting a baby".  The fact that Bow's pregnancy wasn't a breeze (which given her age wouldn't necessarily be even though every sitcom has a 40+ year old popping kids no problem).  

I guess I'm not aware of how invasive tests are because if Mr. Curly feels like one of the kids is behind, we always make an appointment and get a test.  We did it for Kid1 and now will test Kid2 for Dyslexia.  Parents talk to each other... you'll be parenting even if you get a divorce!  How hard would it have been for Bow to say "you know, I think he's in the milestones for a preemie but let's see Dr. Pediatrician since she's the expert".  

Bow also needs to go back to work.  She gets too much of her identity from being a doctor.

[CurlyATX]

I remember very vividly as a kid we spent the summer visiting my family in India.  My uncle used to sit in the freaking living room and my auntie would run over with a spatula holding a hot dosa (it's like a savory indian pancake/naan sort of thing) and give them.  And she was the breadwinner.  Something about how he didn't even sit in the dining room like the rest of us or was willing to walk to the kitchen to grab these really grossed me out.  

I'm a bit torn on this.  Some people's love language is act of service (both receiving and giving).  For me, I tend to fall into that camp but need the recipient to acknowledge how much he loves that I did this.  I usually only make plates for my kids since it helps avoid waste.

[GHScorpiosRule]

1 minute ago, CurlyATX said:

run over with a spatula holding a hot dosa (it's like a savory indian pancake/naan sort of thing)

It's a savory crepe! Bad @CurlyATX! for not knowing that!*

*I'm also of East Indian descent and we ate dosas All.The.Time.

[CurlyATX]

Another time I'm forced to agree with Dre?! What the heck.  I didn't grow up with pets.  My parents were poor immigrants and animals just sort of hung around but were never given any status that was close to human.  My mom had 8 siblings plus rando cousins who lived with them.  Food was always scarce.  No "pet" was given anything- dogs or cats hunted for food and just hung.  My dad grew up the same and also had strong feelings that animals should be captive.    I can understand the love many feel for their pets but sadly haven't fallen into the camp where the pet gets comparable resources as a child.  Now, maybe when both my kids are grown I will finally adopt that black rescue pug.  I feel that if I'm not willing to treat that pet like a child (vet visits, food, boarding him, caring), then it's really not right for me to have one. 

We have a dog friendly work atmosphere and I must be the only one who hates it.  I don't like really big dogs- big ones scare me.  My boss's dog visited and pooped/peed in the office!  Once I offered to dog sit my friend's Chihuahua and that thing bit the crap out of my hand when I tried to put his dog diaper (since he liked to mark things).  She had never gotten the dog shots and I was freaking out.  I kept thinking what could have happened to my kids who were trying to snuggle with the thing.  Lots of stories of kids' faces being bitten by a dog who just "snapped".  

As for "emotional dogs" sheesh! I've seen people bring these big pit bull mixes onto flights at Southwest.  I'm not sitting next to that thing.  It's always the "my dog never bites" who suddenly freaks out.  Why it is that dog owners don't seem to get that maybe some people are genuinely scared?  I'm not trying to be mean, but when a dog that's as big as me starts jumping on me with these giant jaws I get  nervous (even if he's just "giving me kisses")

[gingerella]

This show seems so silly now, like a shadow of its former self.

[Dee]

2 hours ago, CurlyATX said:

Bow also needs to go back to work.  She gets too much of her identity from being a doctor.

Which speaks to how ashamed she is of her own childhood.

[readster]

2 hours ago, gingerella said:

This show seems so silly now, like a shadow of its former self.

Why a lot of people are hoping that Dre and Bow split now, because they feel the show has ran it's course and having kid #5 and Bow quitting her job have made it hit an even bigger wall and yes, Junior isn't returning next season. The twins can't carry the show if they want to continue with "Evil Diane" and "Too stupid to breath Jack". 

[Dee]

I wonder how many of the problems with the show stem from Kenya's impending exit and/or the current political regime change.

[RedHawk]

On 4/18/2018 at 9:59 AM, readster said:

I have no problem with the show dealing with real issues like this, but Dre has been portrayed as such an ass the last two years. I get Bow's point, but at the same time, she could have simply said: "Demante has his check up next week, let's wait until then." Because when you have a kid born 6 or more weeks early, they want to keep regular check ups and see where they are. Especially after a year. Also, Charlie and his co-workers were at their worst, I was wondering outside of Charlie why the rest were there. Then to add in Wanda's character of saying Dre was having an affair because of "planned sex". I was like: "Who wrote this episode?" I'm happy it wasn't all resolved, but really, Dre and Bow's problems are from not only them not communicating, but Dre mostly being a big baby in general that Bow hit on the nose. The entire bouncy house went no where and when Junior got tricked by Jack saying Demonte ordered it. I just wanted to go: "Oh come on, that was too stupid even for Junior." Jack using the excuse, yes. Also, so happy that neither Bow or Dre didn't go: "Ok, get that out of here." 

I think you mean Durante. ;-)

I hope to see an episode pitting Diane and Ruby against Jack and Mason. I'm Team Jamason! Or Team MaJackson...

[GHScorpiosRule]

23 hours ago, RedHawk said:

I think you mean Durante. ;-)

 

His name is actually Devante.

Edited May 2, 2018 by GHScorpiosRule

[RedHawk]

6 hours ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

His name is actually Devonte.

Yes, I’m just joking because Readster got it wrong twice (with two different spellings)  and I thought that might have been intentional, as a callback to the cake with the wrong name. 

Edited May 1, 2018 by RedHawk

[RedHawk]

On 4/19/2018 at 5:24 PM, possibilities said:

I'd never even heard of "making a plate" for someone until I watched this episode.

I never realized it was a thing that might be controversial until this episode. Looking back, it was not done in my family or that of my grandparents on either side, but I’ve often done it for my husband. He works later than I do, so I often reheat food for him when he comes in and while he’s in the shower. It’s never been a big deal, just something I do (if I’m home) and he thanks me for it. This episode made me recall when we went to visit his family who used to live nearby. They are of a different culture so he would make a plate for me and explain to me the different foods.

[qtpye]

23 hours ago, CurlyATX said:

I remember very vividly as a kid we spent the summer visiting my family in India.  My uncle used to sit in the freaking living room and my auntie would run over with a spatula holding a hot dosa (it's like a savory indian pancake/naan sort of thing) and give them.  And she was the breadwinner.  Something about how he didn't even sit in the dining room like the rest of us or was willing to walk to the kitchen to grab these really grossed me out.  

I'm a bit torn on this.  Some people's love language is act of service (both receiving and giving).  For me, I tend to fall into that camp but need the recipient to acknowledge how much he loves that I did this.  I usually only make plates for my kids since it helps avoid waste.

 

23 hours ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

It's a savory crepe! Bad @CurlyATX! for not knowing that!*

*I'm also of East Indian descent and we ate dosas All.The.Time.

I have some of that heritage in my family. My mother was a very strong and independent woman who really did not do this for my dad, but she would always cook his meals. I do remember parties where aunties would rush to bring food to their husbands who lounged around like kings and these aunties were doctors and engineers. I actually do make a plate for my husband, but it is because he works longer hours than I do. I guess it really depends on the dynamic of the couple who is doing it. 

[GHScorpiosRule]

1 minute ago, qtpye said:

 

I have some of that heritage in my family. My mother was a very strong and independent woman who really did not do this for my dad, but she would always cook his meals. I do remember parties where aunties would rush to bring food to their husbands who lounged around like kings and these aunties were doctors and engineers. I actually do make a plate for my husband, but it is because he works longer hours than I do. I guess it really depends on the dynamic of the couple who is doing it. 

The only thing my mom did, was make sure the hot dosa, or batura, or naan was put on my dad's, mine, and my sister's plates; and then hers. The different vegetable dishes, salad or raita would already be on the table, where we used are own hands to serve ourselves. 

As for parties? Pfft. We each plated our own.

[qtpye]

1 minute ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

The only thing my mom did, was make sure the hot dosa, or batura, or naan was put on my dad's, mine, and my sister's plates; and then hers. The different vegetable dishes, salad or raita would already be on the table, where we used are own hands to serve ourselves. 

As for parties? Pfft. We each plated our own.

I do that too, with my own husband and kids, but never really thought twice about it. I guess Blackish really can make you think sometimes.

[OnceSane]

Quote

The Johnson kids attempt to keep their emotions in check after an estranged Dre and Bow try “nesting,” taking turns living in the family house separately to give each other space. But tensions mount as the family gathers together for Junior’s high school graduation.

[CurlyATX]

On ‎4‎/‎30‎/‎2018 at 11:11 AM, GHScorpiosRule said:

It's a savory crepe! Bad @CurlyATX! for not knowing that!*

*I'm also of East Indian descent and we ate dosas All.The.Time.

CREPE! That's the right word- forgive my poor word choice.  I always assume no one knows of that.   And yeah for all the Indians!  

[DanaMB]

I don't think I'm going to make it through the whole ep. Fucking depressing.