Season 4 Talk

[paulvdb]

2 hours ago, meep.meep said:

Were the new twins the same boys who were on Big Little Lies?

According to IMDB the new twins (Nicholas and Cameron Crovetti) were on Big Little Lies.

[AuntiePam]

I was waiting for a reveal about the reason for Diane's refusal to chest bump with Jack.  I figured it was because she's developing and was uncomfortable about her breasts, but at the end, they did the chest bump. 

Sometimes with this show, I look for a hidden message/moral where there isn't one.

I'm another one waiting for Michael K. Williams but I wasn't disappointed that at not meeting Omar.  Did anyone else think, for a second, that the white guy who came in might have been him?  Was he wearing a Members Only jacket?

[sinkwriter]

Forgot to add - I also loved Diane hugging Jack (and Jack's "are you trying to choke me out?" response to it). Diane: "If I were, you'd be choked out already. I'm trying to hug you." LOL.

[peeayebee]

9 hours ago, meep.meep said:

Were the new twins the same boys who were on Big Little Lies?

Good catch! They were creepy in both shows.

 

8 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

I'm not usually in the camp that has problems when sitcoms have things that don't logically make sense--I figure it's a fictional show and give it wide latitude.  But given the revelations/discussions/debate about sexual harassment in the news these days, I have to wonder about if it had been a male character who is missing all the belts from his robes.

It wouldn't have been funny. With Ruby, it's funny.

[OnceSane]

Quote

Dre is chosen to lead Stevens & Lido’s new charity campaign which helps people give back to their community. When Bow advises Dre that there is more to giving back than cutting checks, he decides to donate some of his clothes to a man in need. Meanwhile, Junior fails his driving test, so Ruby offers to chaperone a trip with him and the twins on an informative outing.

 

[DearEvette]

On 11/9/2017 at 10:32 AM, teebax said:

I liked this episode, but I couldn't help but think about how much of my black my mother would have knocked off of me if I'd talked to her the way Diane talked to Rainbow. Seriously, my mama does not play! I'm 45 and still a little afraid of her!

Ha!  I know right?  I am still scared of my mom.  But let's face it, Rainbow is not the 'black mom' of most black mom reminiscences.   I mean, she went to leaf school?  And her own mom blew a horn in a tent during their talk.

I did love Bow's talk with Zoe.  If I had a daughter, my talk would definitely be of the  'power point and sloughing off cells talk'  and less of the 'magical woman making a life' talk.

Count me in as Diane's attitude being more embarrassed than PMS.  She got her period in school and had to be given the back up pants.  That means she had an accident. 

Anyhoo, this was a great episode.  I absolutely enjoyed it, especially how all the prickly relationships between Bow, Alicia and Ruby was put aside and they were all just there hanging out and woman bonding with Diane.

[peeayebee]

I just remembered that when a friend found out I had started menstruating, she grabbed my arm and ran with me to her house to ask why I hadn't told her and that I was now a woman. She was happier for me than my mother was.

[Mrs OldManBalls]

When Pops told Jack he needed deodorant- "and not the all natural, the more-chemicals-the-better to kill that funk dead"? I related. Sometimes they start stinking while they are cute and small.... 

[Iwassterlingarcher]

At least this ep wasn't super heavy on the ra.cis.t angle.....

I did find it very strange that the question of what to do with Dre's newly released brother had very little to say about him being INNOCENT.

Dre did mention it in passing, but the question of having an "ex felon" living in the house and how much support to provide him should have been delivered on the platform that he was wrongfully accused and convicted!  This is an innocent man that lost years of his life incarcerated.....there should have been a huge outpouring of sympathy and support for him instead of what we saw

[AuntiePam]

59 minutes ago, Iwassterlingarcher said:

At least this ep wasn't super heavy on the ra.cis.t angle.....

I did find it very strange that the question of what to do with Dre's newly released brother had very little to say about him being INNOCENT.

 

That didn't help with Bow's concerns, because the man had spent ten years in prison.  Conventional wisdom used to be (maybe still is) that if you weren't a damaged person when you went to prison, for sure you were damaged when you got out.   I think Bow alluded to that -- that even if he was innocent, he wouldn't be the same person Dre had known, because of what he'd been through.  And that he'd be angry at being unjustly convicted and sentenced.

[needschocolate]

On 11/14/2017 at 8:01 PM, Jodie Landon said:

I missed Laurence Fishburne. I would have liked to hear Pop's take on the prison system or some of his own personal stories. 

At least we got to see him during his days as a TV "repairman."

On 11/20/2017 at 5:22 PM, AuntiePam said:

That didn't help with Bow's concerns, because the man had spent ten years in prison.  Conventional wisdom used to be (maybe still is) that if you weren't a damaged person when you went to prison, for sure you were damaged when you got out.   I think Bow alluded to that -- that even if he was innocent, he wouldn't be the same person Dre had known, because of what he'd been through.  And that he'd be angry at being unjustly convicted and sentenced.

And Bow would have a better understanding of Omar now than Dre would, since she talked to him so often.  

[RedHawk]

On 11/15/2017 at 7:03 PM, Star Aristille said:

That . . . was something best left private, because . . . damn.  That's biologically possible?!

55-year-old here raising hand that indeed it is. Still mostly regular tho I've miseed a couple tis past year. My gyno is slightly surprised but even more surprising to ME is that he says I'm the only woman he knows who says she doesn't want her periods to stop. I'm like "Seriously, they prefer hot flashes and 'vaginal atrophy'? That scares me a lot more than a little blood each month."

But then, unlike many of my friends, I've been regular and never had much in the way of PMS so I understand those who want to get it over with at last. 

I guess that's the one thing I didn't like about the episode, that they made Diane have PMS/extreme moodiness and it was taken for granted that of course she would because that's how women are, and they need to be avoided or treated gingerly at "that time of the month".

That just reinforces the "she's on the rag so she's acting crazy" stereotype about ALL women. Men used to say a (premenopausal) woman shouldn't be President because she'd be "irrational" 7 days a month. OMG. No wonder women like Bow's mom began to blow horns and celebrate womanhood -- to counteract that bullshit!

[possibilities]

Someone in my doctor's office told me they have a patient who's still cycling in her 60s. Unusual, but apparently not impossible.

[LadyintheLoop]

Quote

The word "sloughing" was not used, but it was definitely clinical, and she even drew a picture of the female reproductive system. 

 

Funny thing is I'm older than RedHawk, and the information we girls all got was about the uterine lining "sloughing off." That's actually the only context in which I can recall hearing that phrase, unless you count "sluffing off" for half-assing it. 

 

Quote

I guess that's the one thing I didn't like about the episode, that they made Diane have PMS/extreme moodiness and it was taken for granted that of course she would because that's how women are, and they need to be avoided or treated gingerly at "that time of the month".

 

I just remembered my brother reporting that his daughter had reached that milestone: "We're all very relieved because she's had PMS for a year."

[anna0852]

As much as I want to criticize for showing Diane dealing with PMS, I also know that at 11 those hormones are seriously out of whack. To me it's actually pretty true to life that she's mood swinging hard at that age. I know mine has gotten much better with age but I was a demon during puberty.

Edited November 28, 2017 by anna0852

[Queena]

On 11/8/2017 at 7:30 AM, charmed1 said:

Mmm. Didn't love this episode. One thing I love about the Black-ish kids and loved about the Cosby kids is that they're funny without sassing and being disrespectful towards their elders. So, I didn't find Diane's smart mouth towards her mother humorous nor endearing. "Don't nobody have time for you to be having conversations, Rainbow?" Nah, Joe. Menstruation or not, that was way out of pocket and not funny at all. I did laugh at Stevens' knowledge of Stevens Jr.'s murder plot, so go figure.

I could've sworn we already had an episode about Junior besting Dre at basketball. Or maybe I'm having flashbacks of Theo and Cliff.

I did like seeing both grandmothers talk about their experiences. I remember being horrified when I found out my mom told everyone in our family that I got my period, plus the people at her job.

I saw that and was like, oooohhh Diane about to get a spanking! No way could I say that to my Mom. She would have ended that conversation, and then had a conversation with me.  Having said that, I love Diane!!! My favorite kid out of the whole show. 

[OnceSane]

Quote

Dre is diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes and after talking to Pops, he’s resolved to curing himself. Things come to a head at the Stevens & Lido holiday party. Meanwhile, Jack is convinced that baby Devante hates him, so he enlists Junior and Diane’s help. 

[Traveller519]

After three (four depending on your feelings about the Monopoly episode) very strong episodes this one definitely felt like a filler episode. A casualty of the full episode order. At least we got a bit of Pops and some Ruby brilliance. 

I've always felt like charity is a very personal experience. Some people prefer to donate time, others money. However you chooser to help is a personal decision. Ultimately I think the show tried to express that, even if it took a very strange road to get there. 

[Star Aristille]

Eh.  At least I didn't hate it, though it's not re-watch material for me.  About the only scenes I liked were the Junior/Jack/Diane/Ruby scenes.  Miles and Marsai, in particular, stole the show with their faces upon hearing Francis's call, and then their WTF?! faces when Ruby said she'd call him back after denying she knew him.

Other than that . . . not much noteworthy.  Though someone really needs to put a beat-down on Janine.  I like Nicole Sullivan, but Janine's social cluelessness is wearing on me now.  About the only awesome moment she had was smacking Bow down last season with her insistence that Junior would never curse anywhere by simply showing her and Ruby that recording of him doing just that.  Aside from that . . . she bugs.

Edited December 7, 2017 by Star Aristille

[jhlipton]

Diane would probably like to go to the Science Center (not as much as SeaWorld, perhaps), but she wouldn't be upset about it.  And I think she'd like the Rotting Possum.

[charmed1]

I love any scenes of Ruby with the grandkids. "Like when Jermaine went solo?" LOL!

The fake Charlie had me howling. I know of people who use dummies like those in order to use the HOV lanes. Can't say I blame them either.

[possibilities]

I thought for sure Diane would love the rotting possum-- both twins, actually. It was the perfect thing for big bro to offer the younger sibs, which parents wouldn't take them to see. I hate that the show thinks it's funny to make Junior a punching bag. But I also liked that they got so much out of the "adventure" of being at the gas station, and that Ruby did actually let Junior take the lead, instead of forcing him to do it her way. It was not great that she was insulting him and objecting, but on the other hand I've never seen her stop at complaining and truly let someone else have their way before.

[qtpye]

1 hour ago, possibilities said:

I thought for sure Diane would love the rotting possum-- both twins, actually. It was the perfect thing for big bro to offer the younger sibs, which parents wouldn't take them to see. I hate that the show thinks it's funny to make Junior a punching bag. But I also liked that they got so much out of the "adventure" of being at the gas station, and that Ruby did actually let Junior take the lead, instead of forcing him to do it her way. It was not great that she was insulting him and objecting, but on the other hand I've never seen her stop at complaining and truly let someone else have their way before.

Yeah, Ruby is strangely sweet to Junior. Bow looked fantastic this episode.  I wish I lived in a sitcom world where my hair could effortlessly go from beautiful curls to awesome braids in a matter of minutes.  I actually thought it was nice of Dre to give that guy such fly threads.  The man really did not look homeless anymore.

[Dee]

Total filler ep. However, I lost at "We had to cross a freeway!"

[Jodie Landon]

It was ok. I had high hopes when I saw it was a Junior episode (I love him), so I was disappointed when it turned out to be a filler episode.

I did enjoy Junior's adventure with Ruby and the twins, though. 

I'm ashamed to say it, but I could relate to Dre saying that he just doesn't f@ck with homeless people, but in my case it's the elderly. My church visits a retirement home from time to time, and though I try to be cheery around the residents I dread the trip because it's so damn depressing. When we leave I always find myself praying that I never have to put my parents in one (or at least the one we go to....it's a dump) or that I never end up in one myself. I was glad he got over his fear, treated the man like a human being, and let him keep the clothes.

I really hate that I could identify with Dre, even if for just one episode.

[peeayebee]

I also would expect Diane to enjoy looking at a rotting raccoon. Maybe she could have made a comment like, "Been there, done that. What else ya got?" Still, for some reason my heart grew a little after seeing that Diane and Jack had fun wandering around at the gas station. The simple pleasures.

I also liked that Dre sat with the homeless guy in the coffee store and just talked. That was nice to see. I loved when they both did that short laugh in unison.

[tennisgurl]

Yeah, I totally thought that Jack and Diane would think watching a raccoon rot was cool, especially Diane. Thats the kind of weird crap kids love! Oh well, it still worked out for Junior, even if he keeps his status as resident Butt Monkey of the Johnson family. I do enjoy his interactions with Ruby though. Much more than when she`s with Bow. 

I actually liked the Dre plot pretty well. Giving back is a personal thing, and you shouldn't be forced to do it. Really, Dre actually talking with and connecting with the homeless guy was much more meaningful than just passing out soup in a line or donating his stuff. Granted, thats important too, but I feel like that would be something that would make him feel like he made an actual difference. As opposed to being guilted into donating stuff. 

That Charlie dummy cracked me up every time he showed up. Please let that be a reoccurring thing! 

Also, I've been watching a LOT of Freeform lately (I love Christmas movies, dont judge me), and I've seen so many commercials for Grown-ish new show, and it looks so...Freeform. its weirding me out. 

[Racj82]

On 12/6/2017 at 1:15 PM, Dee said:

Total filler ep. However, I lost at "We had to cross a freeway!"

I'm still trying to figure out why the term filler is used for shows with no over arching plots. It's a sitcom. They aren't working towards anything. It's just another bunch of days in their life. No forward momentum was stopped to stretch time.

Good episode overall. Veered a little too close to Dre at his worse but I liked the resolution. 

I hope wherever Junior goes for college it's nearby. He would be too big of a loss for the show.

[Guest]

I just watched a season 1 ep last night and it was Janine bringing them casseroles, thinking they're poor.  It was funny enough to do twice, I guess.  Or maybe it's a very recurring joke.  I'm not the most regular watcher.  

[AlleC17]

I love Junior and could definitely relate to not passing the driving test the first time.  lol  Poor boy!  I rescheduled and passed the next week, so hopefully he will not have to wait long either.

[A.Ham]

I must be the outlier because I really liked this episode (minus Dre’s attempt to steal the clothes back from the homeless man-not cool, Dre).

Charlie’s reaction to seeing Dre’s twin was the best. The looks he gave back and forth had me howling. Good times.

[jhlipton]

22 hours ago, Racj82 said:

I hope wherever Junior goes for college it's nearby. He would be too big of a loss for the show.

Junior is my favorite character.  As a watcher, I hope he stays close.  For the character, I hope he goes far, far, FAR away!

[msrachelj]

On 12/6/2017 at 1:44 PM, Jodie Landon said:

It was ok. I had high hopes when I saw it was a Junior episode (I love him), so I was disappointed when it turned out to be a filler episode.

I did enjoy Junior's adventure with Ruby and the twins, though. 

I'm ashamed to say it, but I could relate to Dre saying that he just doesn't f@ck with homeless people, but in my case it's the elderly. My church visits a retirement home from time to time, and though I try to be cheery around the residents I dread the trip because it's so damn depressing. When we leave I always find myself praying that I never have to put my parents in one (or at least the one we go to....it's a dump) or that I never end up in one myself. I was glad he got over his fear, treated the man like a human being, and let him keep the clothes.

I really hate that I could identify with Dre, even if for just one episode.

interesting episode. i love junior. i think ruby can be funny at times but i don't like her. some of the things they have shown her doing were terrible. didn't she even steal mail when she worked at the post office. she rubs me the wrong way.

i donate to the animals. i have found after living so many years, that way too many people are anything from evil and heartless to just plain annoying. i'd rather help the homeless cats and dogs. and the elderly thing scares the shit out of me too. i have heard that if this stage of life frightens you, the thing to do is see it up close and come to terms with it. didn't work for me. after seeing what an elderly relative went thru in the last years of life i am a now terrified of getting there , every single day. 

[Court]

On 12/6/2017 at 1:44 PM, Jodie Landon said:

It was ok. I had high hopes when I saw it was a Junior episode (I love him), so I was disappointed when it turned out to be a filler episode.

I did enjoy Junior's adventure with Ruby and the twins, though. 

I'm ashamed to say it, but I could relate to Dre saying that he just doesn't f@ck with homeless people, but in my case it's the elderly. My church visits a retirement home from time to time, and though I try to be cheery around the residents I dread the trip because it's so damn depressing. When we leave I always find myself praying that I never have to put my parents in one (or at least the one we go to....it's a dump) or that I never end up in one myself. I was glad he got over his fear, treated the man like a human being, and let him keep the clothes.

I really hate that I could identify with Dre, even if for just one episode.

I agree. I just can't do nursing homes. It's the smell. They make me so anxious. I think I'm traumatized by the many days spent there visiting my Great Granny when I was a child.

[Dee]

This was a fairly meh episode. Anthony was overly shrill and there was way too much focus on the Stevens & Lido bunch.

The B story with Diane kidnapping a baby, Jack yelling at DeVante and the brilliant Rick Fox callback saved the episode for me.

Edited December 13, 2017 by Dee

[ItCouldBeWorse]

13 minutes ago, Dee said:

This was a fairly meh episode. Anthony was overly shrill and there was way too much focus on the Stevens & Lido bunch.

The B story with Diane kidnapping a baby, Jack yelling at DeVante and the brilliant Rick Fox callback saved the episode for me.

He's making the rounds.  He was on Major Crimes last week.

[charmed1]

ABC ran at least two diabetes medication commercials during this episode. Ha! And that one that Pops was showing Dre is so similar to the ones that run on the television in my mom's doctor's waiting room. I've lost way too many family members to The Sugar. I hate it.

I'm really not feeling how they're writing Diane's character. I'm ready for another Charlie episode. He clears credit now. That has to appeal to Ruby.

I wonder if they gave Miles the high-top faux hawk to keep up with Marsai's growth spurt. 

And I know I'm late, but when did Anthony Anderson fix his gap? 

[dirtypop90]

I don't like Dre. I also don't like the writing for Diane lately. Episode was meh except for RICK FOX! 

[sheetmoss]

Strangest Christmas  storyline on a series that  I think I've ever witnessed.

Meh overall

Edited December 13, 2017 by sheetmoss

[Traveller519]

Mannnnn, Diane is like an inch shy of Zoe. She is going to be TALL. I wonder if they'll do a show of her getting recruited for a basketball team stealing some of Jack's thunder. 

Run, Bow. Run to Rick Fox! Imagine your life! Children are capable of monitoring their own blood sugar for goodness sakes! 

[readster]

5 hours ago, Traveller519 said:

Mannnnn, Diane is like an inch shy of Zoe. She is going to be TALL. I wonder if they'll do a show of her getting recruited for a basketball team stealing some of Jack's thunder. 

Run, Bow. Run to Rick Fox! Imagine your life! Children are capable of monitoring their own blood sugar for goodness sakes! 

But that's the point, Dre isn't a man-child, he is a man-baby. I agree with Diane, they are going to have to get some points with Jack's character because who knows when he will finally grow. 

[teebax]

Despite having been out as lesbian since 1996, Rick Fox still makes me swoon. I agree his appearance helped an otherwise meh episode. What happened to Wanda Sykes? Did I miss her in this episode? 

[Madding crowd]

Charlie is always my favorite part of an episode "Don't talk about bears in public". He is one weird dude. Didn't like the commercials for diabetes medicine during the show- crosses a line somehow. And having Jack yelling at a baby was over the top for me- I hate it when people, even kids think babies are doing things in purpose. Guess I'm being cranky-but loved Rick Fox appearing at Dre's work. 

[jmonique]

I totally respect that this is Anthony Anderson & Co.'s platform.

But every episode turning into a Civics class -- even Christmas episodes -- is a lot.

[attica]

The way TER laughed at Bow's bad Dia-beat-us! joke? Was everything to me. (I love puns, I don't care if all my friends hate me for it.)

[Koalagirl]

I thought the doctor was showing Dre a film about controlling diabetes when I realized it was an actual commercial for diabetes medication.

Edited December 13, 2017 by Koalagirl

[MaryMitch]

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.

[chaifan]

1 hour ago, jmonique said:

I totally respect that this is Anthony Anderson & Co.'s platform.

But every episode turning into a Civics class -- even Christmas episodes -- is a lot.

I agree. I liked the episode in general, but the beginning of episode voice overs are just so damn preachy, I almost turned it off in the first 2 minutes.  They've had other episodes like that - it's like being hit over the head with a 2x4.  I prefer the method other shows have used where they address a social issue in an episode, then have a short talking head PSA after the episode is over. 

[AlleC17]

I loved the part where Dre dreamed about Rick Fox being the new daddy...it just really made me laugh.  And pretty much anything with Junior. 

[tennisgurl]

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

As always, Pops is the best. "Would a 58% Rotten Tomatoes score lie?" Even when his advice sucks. And this advice sucked a lot. For someone so intensely versed in history, statistics, and culture, Dre really is a dumbass. And a baby. Honestly, I think even DeVonte could handle this better than Dre. 

Rick Fox! Go to Rick Fox Bow! Run to him now! Also, its always nice to see Paul F. Thomkins, even in a minor role!

Edited December 13, 2017 by tennisgurl