Season 4 Talk

[mtlchick]

With the music they were REALLY veering towards This Is Us territory.

 

I get that this is an important topic to explore and if this was a drama series, I would say Tracee and Anthony are owning their scenes.  The problem is, this is not what I tuned in for and I'm not interested in what I'm getting from this show.  And the muted palate and camera filters they used did not help.  

Two more episodes of this?  I really can't wait for this season to this over and that's disappointing to say.

[readster]

3 minutes ago, mtlchick said:

With the music they were REALLY veering towards This Is Us territory.

 

I get that this is an important topic to explore and if this was a drama series, I would say Tracee and Anthony are owning their scenes.  The problem is, this is not what I tuned in for and I'm not interested in what I'm getting from this show.  And the muted palate and camera filters they used did not help.  

Two more episodes of this?  I really can't wait for this season to this over and that's disappointing to say.

I have no problems when even comedies want to deal with real situations, but this is going too far. Seriously, this show went from funny, to a bit too much to... this! I mean, how these two have not ran into these problems over the course of the series, makes no sense. I do agree that both Tracee and Anthony are killing it, but after all the way word, weird ideas from Bow quitting her job, Demonte being forgotten half the time to Jack being more stupid that Junior. This seems like they just said: "None of these stories have been working, let's deal with divorce!" 

[Mu Shu]

This is the first time I’ve seen this show.  I thought it was a comedy.

[readster]

2 minutes ago, Mu Shu said:

This is the first time I’ve seen this show.  I thought it was a comedy.

Yeah, that's what it's suppose to be. 

[Mu Shu]

I don’t watch much in the way of sitcoms.  So i decided to try some sitcoms.  So now it’s not funny?  Damnit.

[ItCouldBeWorse]

16 hours ago, RedHawk said:

23 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. 

Well . . .  it's Devante.

[Irlandesa]

27 minutes ago, Mu Shu said:

I don’t watch much in the way of sitcoms.  So i decided to try some sitcoms.  So now it’s not funny?  Damnit.

Well there is something funny about it--that you decided to jump into sitcoms with one of the most unfunny dramatic sitcom arcs.  Ha ha.

Is this Kenya's revenge for having the football episode pulled?  Here are four unfunny episodes?  (Spoiler: I've only watched one.  I doubt I'll watch the rest.)

Edited May 2, 2018 by Irlandesa

[Court]

I decided to read here before watching hoping there would be laughs and it wouldn't be as depressing as the last episode. 

 

Looks like I'm out for the next two. 

[bybrandy]

I thought it was really, really painful in a way that felt really real.. but not in a way that I particularly wanted to watch.   

[Traveller519]

I can't believe I stuck with it through the end, but I guess it was really more background noise while I made dinner. 

What I was afraid of happening, happened. Dre has become such an unsympathetic character inside the house, that in order to try and put the "struggle" on equal footing they had to knock down Bow's character, so they're both joyless and undeserving of any empathy from the viewers. 

The closing scene summed it up though. "How did we get here?" Neither of these characters give any thought to long-term problems or issues, and now they face the consequences

[ItCouldBeWorse]

Too bad there's not an available pool house for Dre to live in.

Edited May 2, 2018 by ItCouldBeWorse

[JasmineFlower]

This is one of my favorite shows, and it is a chore to watch at the moment because I'm not here for this. This is not a light-hearted break from life. Like yeah, they keep it real, but they always bring the jokes or make a situation humorous so it's still an escape and that's not happening right now. The attempts at lighter moments are not working for me at all, they might as well not even be there. 

I literally watched this episode as I did work, which I never do. This story arc has relegated it to essentially background noise I'm just trying to get through. So I'm getting the gist but hopefully not walking away completely depressed like I might if I really paid attention. I do appreciate what Tracee and Anthony are doing with the material, they really are nailing it, but that really doesn't help at the end of the day because this comedy has suddenly become a melodrama. And even if this is the route they wanted to do down, I'm really not on board with the decision to finish out the season in this manner.

[Dee]

Tracee & Anthony knocked it out of the park.

[vadare]

I usually don't watch this show, but happened to catch this episode.

ITA that Tracee and Anthony are both killing this, but it almost feels like they are just daring the Academy to overlook them come Emmy time and give yet another Emmy to a show few people watch because few people get HBO (I'm looking squarely at you, Veep).

In other words:

Dear Cast and Crew of Black-ish,

My husband created and wrote a great series that was edgy & compelling.

Our cast and crew were top-notch.

He put my character front and center and gave me plenty of scenery to chew on.

My character even got gang raped.

But at the end of the day, the Academy plays favorites and, in this day and age, unless you're wearing a white bonnet or your name is Julia Louis-Dreyfuss, you aren't their favorite.

I should know...I've been there.

Signed,

Katey Segal

Edited May 2, 2018 by vadare
This grammar geek missed a few things.

[ItCouldBeWorse]

I don't know how they had the money for a complete kitchen renovation, which probably cost around $50,000, with only one of them employed.  I guess they'll get it back if they decide to sell the house . . . .

[NUguy514]

I loudly groaned when that Coldplay song (which I actually love) started playing.  Like, WE GET IT, guys.  I mean, I just can't with anything about this show right now.

Also, that new kitchen is fucking ugly.

[Marley]

The new kitchen does not suit their house. Major dislike.

Also wtf there is 2 more depressing episodes? I thought there was gonna be one maybe 2 dramatic episodes but 4? No no..

I watch this show to laugh. It’s not a drama and never has been. If they were gonna divorce wouldn’t it have happened a while ago. Dre has always been a childish over the top guy why would all of a sudden this be a big thing.

[ItCouldBeWorse]

1 hour ago, Marley said:

The new kitchen does not suit their house. Major dislike.

Also wtf there is 2 more depressing episodes? I thought there was gonna be one maybe 2 dramatic episodes but 4? No no..

I watch this show to laugh. It’s not a drama and never has been. If they were gonna divorce wouldn’t it have happened a while ago. Dre has always been a childish over the top guy why would all of a sudden this be a big thing.

Because he is now apparently tired of her.

[In2You]

I felt like I was watching This Is Us which is a show I don't care for.

[Empress1]

That new kitchen is ugly, and that episode was depressing as hell.

[Johnny Dollar]

I find it difficult to accept a “Very Special Episode” of a show like this that has always been so unrealistically wacky in its tone and so extreme in its characters. I’d believe this plot more on Big Bang Theory than a show like this. 

[KateeBar]

Wow. On the one hand, this show is doing a bleak, unhappy couple story very, very well. On the other hand, I miss laughing at this show. I just don't want a show that was one of the best sitcoms in years to end on a sour note, and it feels like we are headed that way.

[qtpye]

7 hours ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

I don't know how they had the money for a complete kitchen renovation, which probably cost around $50,000, with only one of them employed.  I guess they'll get it back if they decide to sell the house . . . .

 

7 hours ago, NUguy514 said:

I loudly groaned when that Coldplay song (which I actually love) started playing.  Like, WE GET IT, guys.  I mean, I just can't with anything about this show right now.

Also, that new kitchen is fucking ugly.

 

6 hours ago, Marley said:

The new kitchen does not suit their house. Major dislike.

Also wtf there is 2 more depressing episodes? I thought there was gonna be one maybe 2 dramatic episodes but 4? No no..

I watch this show to laugh. It’s not a drama and never has been. If they were gonna divorce wouldn’t it have happened a while ago. Dre has always been a childish over the top guy why would all of a sudden this be a big thing.

 

1 hour ago, Empress1 said:

That new kitchen is ugly, and that episode was depressing as hell.

Like most of you, I watch this show for a funny and smart look at some serious issues, but this was totally depressing. Also, if after all this Bow and Dre do not divorce, it will feel like a waste of time and if they do, then it will change one of my favorite shows forever in a way that I do not like.

Great job with the material by the actors...surprised Dre likes Coldplay.

This might be stupid but I was thinking damn, these people have a new baby, one kid in college, another kid going to college (though he might have gotten a full scholarship, I do not remember), two children in private school, and now they can afford a totally new kitchen remodel...all on one income? I really do not know why I even bother thinking about real-world economics on a sitcom, but I am dumb like that.

By the way that kitchen was ugly and it was not in keeping with the style of the house. 

[AuntieDiane6]

I used to love this show -- I saw it as a black Honeymooners with sly political humor thrown in.  The episode where they went skiing on Martin Luther King Day remains one of my all-time favorite episodes of ALL sitcoms ... But once they started bringing in the grandparents and the show became less about the immediate family, I started to lose interest.  Too bad ... it reminds me of COSBY (the show) when it became too serious and unfunny with a patronizing, lecture attitude.

[Aileen]

I don’t watch this show to sob. I bawled during this episode. I honestly don’t know how the show is going to come back from the tone of these past two episodes and it’s not going to get any better any time soon.

[Deanie87]

Yeah I’m with you guys. The actors did a great job. Such a great job that I’m probably out for the rest of the season.  As usual the best part of the episode was Junior, his angry critique of the kitchen was hilarious. And if it’s true that he won’t be back next season then I doubt I will be either.  

 

And yes, that kitchen was hideous and I thought it looked cheap. Not to mention as someone who is dying to redo my 90s era country kitchen, watching them turn a dream kitchen into a bad IKEA nightmare because of one stuck drawer made me hope the do get divorced ?.  If I didn’t know better, I’d say that this was a deliberate ploy to tank the show because everything they’re trying seems to be backfiring. 

[Mr. Sparkle]

5 minutes ago, Aileen said:

I honestly don’t know how the show is going to come back from the tone of these past two episodes and it’s not going to get any better any time soon.

I have the same question. The performances of the leads were great, and I liked the way it was shot, but I don't know how they go back to being a wacky sitcom, especially since there are two more episodes of this. 

That kitchen is hideous and will look dated in 5 years. 

2 minutes ago, Deanie87 said:

And yes, that kitchen was hideous and I thought it looked cheap. 

Jinx! 

[gesundheit]

Gee, that was a fun 22 minutes of hilarity! Can't wait for more! (Ugh.)

[Snapdragon]

2 hours ago, 17wheatthins said:

I think the episode was beautifully filmed, the tight closeups, the color draining out after the children left, having both Bow and Dre’s faces in the same shot but looking in different directions, the music was great and the pacing was on point. The way the argument faded to the background was well done also.

That being said, I miss funny Black-ish. I think I know what they’re going for here, and it’s admirable, but I miss laughing. 

This is how I felt.  In a vacuum, the episode itself was really good well done.  The writing, the acting, the way it was all shot.  If I had never seen this show before and came across this episode, I would be thinking, "Wow, I need to start watching this!"  But as an episode of Black-ish?  It just doesn't fit.  As other posters have pointed out, it felt like an episode of This is Us and while I love This is Us, it's a completely different type of show than Black-ish.  If the creator is looking to exercise his drama chops, then he needs to either create another show or make a movie because what he's doing now is really just disrupting the flow of the series.

Edited May 2, 2018 by Snapdragon

[bybrandy]

I'm thinking they'll either sell the house or re-redo the kitchen because the kitchen turned out ugly because they in such discord when they designed it.

[meirav]

Has this show been renewed for next year? Maybe it's the producer's way of closing it out.

[luckyroll3]

I was so not here for the This Is Us Mini: Blackish.  

12 hours ago, bybrandy said:

I thought it was really, really painful in a way that felt really real.. but not in a way that I particularly wanted to watch.   

Exactly.  It was very real, and very good, but NOT Blackish.  I watch this show because it's a comedy and for the smart AND funny commentary on real issues the black American families face.  There was no funny.  Despite having tears in some of the earlier Very Special Episodes of this show, there was always a chuckle or 4 to be had and that was completely missing from this.  

I tuned in to watch Blackish, not This is Us.  They each have a lane and they should stay the there.  

[tennisgurl]

Tracee and Anthony are certainly killing it, the cinematography was great at establishing mood, and the deterioration of Dre and Bows marriage is really real in a painful way. 

And yet, this isnt at all what we signed up for. This show has always dealt with real life issues, but usually its only for an episode, or they at least throw some jokes in here and there, or it feels like good commentary. This felt like a full on drama starring the cast of Black-ish. Its not badly done, but it just seems out of place on this show. I miss when this show was funny as well as real. This just feels depressing for the sake of depressing, and we still have two more episodes of this. Anyone wanna pass me a drink? 

And, who in behind the scenes on this show is in love with Coldplay?  

Edited May 2, 2018 by tennisgurl

[qtpye]

5 minutes ago, 17wheatthins said:

Are we going to do a Black-ish drinking "party" for the next two episodes? I'm totally down for that!

All of us might have to drink to stare at that ugly kitchen each week.

[mtlchick]

32 minutes ago, luckyroll3 said:

I watch this show because it's a comedy and for the smart AND funny commentary on real issues the black American families face. 

I still maintain that Lemons  (the discussion of Trump winning) is one of my favourite episodes of ANY series.  The only joy you could get out of this episode (if at all) was when Bow and Dre were playing the guessing game and Dre giving out random answers, but you're so wrapped up in their present problems, I didn't laugh.

 

And I forgot to mention before: da foop is with the new kitchen! I loved the previous one! It's way too dark compared to the rest of the house. 

[CaliCheeseSucks]

14 hours ago, Mu Shu said:

This is the first time I’ve seen this show.  I thought it was a comedy.

Start at the beginning. The first couple of seasons are great. It's now a shell of its former self. 

12 hours ago, vadare said:

I usually don't watch this show, but happened to catch this episode.

ITA that Tracee and Anthony are both killing this, but it almost feels like they are just daring the Academy to overlook them come Emmy time and give yet another Emmy to a show few people watch because few people get HBO (I'm looking squarely at you, Veep).

For what it's worth, Veep isn't in the running this year. That's why Kimmy Schmidt is pushing the minimum six qualifying episodes out before the deadline - they were delayed by the Mean Girls opening on Broadway - because this is genuinely anyone's best shot to get in and win without Veep, Louis-Dreyfus et. al. sucking all the oxygen out of the room. 

[mookster]

I usually DVR this show since my 12yo enjoys it, but I like to be prepared for any sticky stuff I may have to explain. I didn't pre-watch the last episode but I told my daughter I heard it was kind of depressing. So we watched it together and both looked at each other, like what happened to our show? Seems like tonight's viewing is going to be the same. Seriously, what happened to our show? We also watch Kevin Saves the World and that will probably be canceled - guess we have to go back to reading!

[Empress1]

54 minutes ago, 17wheatthins said:

Are we going to do a Black-ish drinking "party" for the next two episodes? I'm totally down for that!

I could get with a Black-ish Very Special Episode drinking game!

47 minutes ago, mtlchick said:

I still maintain that Lemons  (the discussion of Trump winning) is one of my favourite episodes of ANY series.  The only joy you could get out of this episode (if at all) was when Bow and Dre were playing the guessing game and Dre giving out random answers, but you're so wrapped up in their present problems, I didn't laugh.

 

And I forgot to mention before: da foop is with the new kitchen! I loved the previous one! It's way too dark compared to the rest of the house. 

Too dark and too modern. I am not a fan of super-modern kitchens in general (they feel cold and sterile to me), and their house is more traditional than modern. The sleek, dark cabinets don't fit with the rest of the house, especially the first floor, which has a warm feeling and is light and airy (they have a lot of natural light down there). (Also, Bow is right about that sink - it'll stain very quickly.)

[Arcadiasw]

Next week looks like the family and probably Dre's coworkers will know.

So, two sips when Charlie makes a comment on Bow being available.

Two sips when Dre's boss makes a racist comment on black marriage. 

One sip when Ruby makes a snide comment on the separation being Bow's fault.

One sip if Pops blame Dre.

Two sips if Pops appears in the episode.

Three sips if a member of Bow's family appear in the episode

[Shermie]

I thought the episode was amazing.

It's black-ish, this is the show. It tackles some serious shit, and what's more serious - and worthy of a multi-episode arc - than the disintegration of a long term marriage, the basis of the show? 

Maybe the darker kitchen is just representative of the darker stage they're in. I didn't think it was ugly; frankly, I'm so tired of all-white kitchens anyway. 

I thought they did a great job of one person misinterpreting the other's reaction (Bow laughing at the one rose) and then it becomes a long term thing (Dre never gets her flowers again) can blow up out of control. It happened several times in this ep and the previous one. It's happened with my husband and me too; so easy.

I'm sad that more viewers don't appreciate the importance and the brilliance of this type of storytelling, and that it all has to be viewed through the lens of behind-the-scenes producer and cast plans.

[woodstock]

Shermie, you're not alone. I'm enjoying this arc as well. Its breaking my heart to watch but as a never married 40 something I'm thinking really hard about whether or not I ever want to tie the knot! To think you can be with someone that long and then things start unraveling. However, I do understand the backlash against the current story-line.

I'm still thinking about Ruby's line to young Dre about marriage means two people have to keep choosing each other.

[greekmom]

17 hours ago, DanaMB said:

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

I agree. This is a comedy not a drama.  This episode was a downer. 

7 hours ago, Empress1 said:

That new kitchen is ugly, and that episode was depressing as hell.

Agreed. 

[KateeBar]

54 minutes ago, Shermie said:

I thought the episode was amazing.

It's black-ish, this is the show. It tackles some serious shit, and what's more serious - and worthy of a multi-episode arc - than the disintegration of a long term marriage, the basis of the show? 

Maybe the darker kitchen is just representative of the darker stage they're in. I didn't think it was ugly; frankly, I'm so tired of all-white kitchens anyway. 

I thought they did a great job of one person misinterpreting the other's reaction (Bow laughing at the one rose) and then it becomes a long term thing (Dre never gets her flowers again) can blow up out of control. It happened several times in this ep and the previous one. It's happened with my husband and me too; so easy.

I'm sad that more viewers don't appreciate the importance and the brilliance of this type of storytelling, and that it all has to be viewed through the lens of behind-the-scenes producer and cast plans.

I think it is one of the best depictions of the disintegration of a marriage I've seen. And it's well-acted and well-shot and well-written. It's just hard to watch one of your favorite comedies go so bleak when it kind of feels like a lot of the outside world is bleak. I won't quit the show, because I appreciate the effort going into all of this, but I still want it to be sharply incisive comedy for my own selfish reasons, I guess. 

[Irlandesa]

I'll say this for  Veep and JLD's wins, at least that's an unabashed comedy winning in the comedy category. 

I've rooted for Tracee before but won't if she uses these episodes.   So if an Emmy is what they're going for, I hope it doesn't work.

 

 

Quote

I'm sad that more viewers don't appreciate the importance and the brilliance of this type of storytelling, and that it all has to be viewed through the lens of behind-the-scenes producer and cast plans.

This show has always been able to tackle serious issues with comedy.   I would be very much in favor of a whole divorce if they could keep the comedy.  The blend is what makes this show special and good.  It's its brand.  Unfunny drama is not. Other shows do it better.  I think a wide tonal shift for the last four episodes is going to be hard for many to enjoy.

Edited May 2, 2018 by Irlandesa

[peeayebee]

17 hours ago, Mu Shu said:

This is the first time I’ve seen this show.  I thought it was a comedy.

You picked a helluva episode to start with.

 

4 hours ago, Snapdragon said:

This is how I felt.  In a vacuum, the episode itself was really good well done.  The writing, the acting, the way it was all shot.  If I had never seen this show before and came across this episode, I would be thinking, "Wow, I need to start watching this!"  

 

I could barely get thru it. Ingmar Bergman Kenya Barris ain't.

 

3 hours ago, luckyroll3 said:

I was so not here for the This Is Us Mini: Blackish. 

I prefer Sterling K Brown's version from his SNL monologue about a black family that adopts a white kid: This Us?

So, I thought this was awful. It was painful to watch. Yes, I suppose that could be the point, that the disintegration of a marriage is painful, but this all just came out of the blue. I like movies that are serious dissections of bad marriages, but these dramas start with a foundation where we see the problems building, or see them in flashbacks. Since in previous eps we've seen Bow and Dre deal with any problems in a jokey way, it was whiplash to see the meanness, selfishness, sniping, and so forth.

As far as the kitchen goes, I get the metaphor, but the old kitchen was gorgeous. I didn't mind the new one in and of itself, but I wonder if the show will keep it. Seems very unrealistic for the characters to pay to have everything put back. Eh. This is a minor complaint. I just don't like this serious arc.

Edited May 2, 2018 by peeayebee

[CaliCheeseSucks]

36 minutes ago, peeayebee said:

I could barely get thru it. Ingmar Bergman Kenya Barris ain't.

 

 

The whole episode reminded me of "The Annie Of It All" montages in the Community episode, "Paradigms Of Human Memory" (both the Annie/Jeff and Abed/Pierce ones) - which in themselves were making fun of shows/movies using musical cues, cinematography tricks and flashbacks to construct a narrative memory that the writing didn't support. With "Blue Valentime," I just could not stop rolling my eyes at the showy and obvious staging, dark lighting and almost endless instrumental pop songs in lieu of actual dialogue. 

ETA: Here's the clip I am referring to.

Edited May 2, 2018 by CaliCheeseSucks

[chaifan]

25 minutes ago, peeayebee said:

So, I thought this was awful. It was painful to watch. Yes, I suppose that could be the point, that the disintegration of a marriage is painful, but this all just came out of the blue. I like movies that are serious dissections of bad marriages, but these dramas start with a foundation where we see the problems building, or see them in flashbacks. Since in previous eps we've seen Bow and Dre deal with any problems in a jokey way, it was whiplash to see the meanness, selfishness, sniping, and so forth.

 

I'm glad someone else saw this, because I was thinking I had missed something major along the ways.  We've got 2 episodes of "problems" and now Dre is moving out.  Wha the What???  And also to have absolutely no reaction from the kids is just weird.

My guess - and this is just total speculation - is that we'll see a family disaster of some sort.  Ruby or Pops getting gravely ill or dying, or something with one of the kids, and that will bring Dre and Bo back together. 

[Winston Wolfe]

4 hours ago, Arcadiasw said:

Next week looks like the family and probably Dre's coworkers will know.  So, two sips when Charlie makes a comment on Bow being available.  Two sips when Dre's boss makes a racist comment on black marriage. One sip when Ruby makes a snide comment on the separation being Bow's fault.  One sip if Pops blame Dre.  Two sips if Pops appears in the episode.  Three sips if a member of Bow's family appear in the episode

Four sips if Wanda Sykes' character asks Dre if he's going to get a Caucasian woman on the side now.

[Deanie87]

This kind of reminds me of how I felt when the baby was announced. I mean, of course I didn’t want Bow to have a miscarriage but...I also didn’t want Cousin Oliver showing up and messing with the family dynamic.  Now, I don’t necessarily want them to get divorced, but...I kind of want to see Bow getting some attention from a hot young thing. And Ruby’s reaction.

Also drink when Diane doesn’t care at all that her parents are in pain and separating and only cares about the fact that she’ll get two Christmases. (Seriously, I had a friend whose kids said that very thing. Yikes)

[ichbin]

19 hours ago, vadare said:

ITA that Tracee and Anthony are both killing this, but it almost feels like they are just daring the Academy to overlook them come Emmy time and give yet another Emmy to a show few people watch because few people get HBO (I'm looking squarely at you, Veep).

Have you ever seen Veep?  Regardless of how many people are watching, the show is stellar in writing and acting.  It is both funny and smart and entirely deserving of any awards it has received...as the comedy it is and stays true to.