Season 5 Chat

[xander874]

22 minutes ago, Empress1 said:

vegan chili is good!

Agreed. It's one of the few vegan dishes that really doesn't taste all that different from the meat version due to the spices involved. And also agreed it's weird she brought it in for her colleagues to eat. 

I actually liked the Bow/Dre story because Dre was 30% less assy than in most episodes and I like when they have a story where you see the love between them.

Ruby's storyline was ridiculous. She leaves her car on all night to keep it warm???? It was so over the top, it took me out of the story and the message.

[qtpye]

23 hours ago, Empress1 said:

I am not and would never be vegan unless it were medically necessary (I laughed at the line about how Dre's lunch looked like that of someone who had to make changes or he'd die), but vegan chili is good! It's just chili without beef or turkey! The seasoning is the same! Maybe Bow just can't cook. Also, why is she feeding her colleagues?

I felt like Bow is insecure and she just wants to me impress other people. She was really proud to show off her organic homemade bars until the other lady shut her down with the plastic can kill you talk. Its crazy because Bow is awesome as a doctor who is raising a bunch of kids and a man child. I think she is so insecure because her hippy mama does not give her any validation or preference over her trashy sister and do nothing brother. She probably made the chili to show off she is vegan.

Edited April 12, 2019 by qtpye

[mansonlamps]

We have potlucks all the time at work and chili is a popular dish,  so that seemed normal to me. But I don't think vegan chili or vegan anything would go over too big in my office either.

[OnceSane]

Dre's sister Rhonda takes Jack and Diane to her part of town in a black neighborhood and claims the twins are scared of their own community. Dre and Rhonda take them to a local diner to show them why it's so special. Meanwhile, Bow becomes the "office mom" at work, and Junior tries to help her break the label.

Airs April 23, 2019.

[AnimeMania]

The most shocking thing to me about that episode is that Diane has long red hair.

Junior should really think about getting his own place now that he has a job. Ruby is a huge hypocrite with the number of men that she brings to the house.

[readster]

1 hour ago, AnimeMania said:

Junior should really think about getting his own place now that he has a job. Ruby is a huge hypocrite with the number of men that she brings to the house.

Or you think that Dre and Bow would be pushing him out more since Junior refuses to even think about going back to school. Cut him off, let him go on his own and see how well he does. If he makes a major success out of himself, good for him, prove everyone wrong. If he crashes and burns then maybe he needs to get over himself.

[Traveller519]

"But They are our Babies"

"No, you only see them that way..."

Umm NO, YOU HAVE AN ACTUAL BABY! Seriously, what was the point of adding Davante from a writing perspective? It led to a very slight pregnancy storyline, a post-partum depression episode, and the quickly abandoned what-if Bow doesn't go back to work story.

In an episode where Junior's feeling of obligation to care for his brother is impacting his social life, the fact that he couldn't be written into his parents discussion of their children was very telling.

[Madding crowd]

I didn’t like this episode and felt uncomfortable when Dre and Rainbow were yelling at Diane and Dre took her door off. Also don’t like Junior having to raise his baby brother. 

[Dee]

Jack reading Terry McMillan novels had me HOWLING.

[nilyank]

Considering how last season's marriage woes began when Dre and Bo were worried that Devante had started to walk, I found it a misstep to have Dre claim that he didn't remember Devante's first steps.    

[tennisgurl]

So Junior left one of the countries most respected universities to be his baby brothers live in nanny? Seriously? They have literally no idea what to do with him anymore, its just sad now. He needs to move out and get his own place soon, if he insists on this "gap year" which is increasingly looking like a gap life time. Bow and Dre need to stop yelling at their teenage kids about growing up, and dealing with whatever necrotic thing they're freaking out about this week, and focus more on their freaking baby, who is an actual literal baby! It makes them look like pretty crappy parents. 

The highlight was Jack reading, and learning life lessons from Terry McMillan. That was just delightful. 

[joanne3482]

2 hours ago, Traveller519 said:

In an episode where Junior's feeling of obligation to care for his brother is impacting his social life, the fact that he couldn't be written into his parents discussion of their children was very telling.

The worst part of the whole discussion is the implication by either Ruby or Jack or Diane (I honestly can't remember which one had the conversation with him about that - Jack I think) that the ex-girlfriend was wrong and he was right! That this is how Junior is and if she can't accept that good bye.  This isn't his kid. And he even got it! He understood why she was mad and he was in the wrong. I understand having responsibility for your younger siblings but to that level is ridiculous.  No woman, no matter how supportive or understanding, is going to put up with that level of crazy. It isn't his kid, his parents are still married and are in the kid's life, and have enough money to afford nannies, so  he shouldn't have the same level of responsibility as Dre and Bow should have. (Wow, this made me more angry than I thought).  Like I could see if Bow were a single mom and working 2 jobs and leaning on Junior to help with the kid.  I could see the argument that the girlfriend was wrong because of that, but that's not their family situation at all. 

Allegedly they have a nanny, don't they?  Where was she when looking for the pacifier thingie? 

[tennisgurl]

1 hour ago, joanne3482 said:

Allegedly they have a nanny, don't they?  Where was she when looking for the pacifier thingie? 

I think the nanny left awhile ago. Probably because Dre refused to call her by her own damn name and just kept calling her "black nanny". 

[qtpye]

1 hour ago, joanne3482 said:

The worst part of the whole discussion is the implication by either Ruby or Jack or Diane (I honestly can't remember which one had the conversation with him about that - Jack I think) that the ex-girlfriend was wrong and he was right! That this is how Junior is and if she can't accept that good bye.  This isn't his kid. And he even got it! He understood why she was mad and he was in the wrong. I understand having responsibility for your younger siblings but to that level is ridiculous.  No woman, no matter how supportive or understanding, is going to put up with that level of crazy. It isn't his kid, his parents are still married and are in the kid's life, and have enough money to afford nannies, so  he shouldn't have the same level of responsibility as Dre and Bow should have. (Wow, this made me more angry than I thought).  Like I could see if Bow were a single mom and working 2 jobs and leaning on Junior to help with the kid.  I could see the argument that the girlfriend was wrong because of that, but that's not their family situation at all. 

Allegedly they have a nanny, don't they?  Where was she when looking for the pacifier thingie? 

Sadly, I had a friend who dated a man like this. He came from a large family and their whole relationship was him doing errands and chores for his adult siblings and able bodied parents. When she complained he said she would never be a priority since she was not “blood”. Girlfriend peaced out pretty quickly. Last she heard the guy was having financial issues and his “blood” was telling him to go kick rocks.

[ItCouldBeWorse]

6 hours ago, Madding crowd said:

I didn’t like this episode and felt uncomfortable when Dre and Rainbow were yelling at Diane and Dre took her door off. Also don’t like Junior having to raise his baby brother. 

It would be interesting if we found out that the real reason Junior didn't want to stay at college was that he was worried about Devante being ignored without him. 

I wouldn't trust Jack, but Diane is old enough to babysit for other people's kids. I know it's debatable whether you should pay kids to babysit for younger siblings, but if Dre "needs" to go to his game, let him pay her to watch Devante. (Although I question if these kids care about earning money, since they have the latest electronics and fancy clothes as Dre would never let them lack anything.)

Surely Devante was already asleep by the time Junior was searching in the playground.  We didn't hear him crying in the background when we were back home.

Edited April 17, 2019 by ItCouldBeWorse

[readster]

5 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

I think the nanny left awhile ago. Probably because Dre refused to call her by her own damn name and just kept calling her "black nanny". 

You mean "black nanny 2". The story line with Baby D over the last two years has just shown, how badly the idea of putting him into the show was thought out. All because the creator of the show "had a baby late in life." So? Guess what? Doesn't mean it would translate into anything good and as it proves. Baby D is only when he has to be a plot point. He isn't a character and Dre, Bow and Junior all come off as complete idiots over this. Plus, Dre forgetting Baby D's first steps? Bullshit on the writers, they didn't watch the previous season.

[Dee]

This is the first story where Andre has EVER had any kind of real relationship with Diane.

[incandescent]

So I'm no longer a regular viewer of this show, but is it a recent thing for Diane to be popular while Jack is kind of a dork?

2 hours ago, Dee said:

This is the first story where Andre has EVER had any kind of real relationship with Diane.

I remember one where he kept calling her Gurkel, but then most of that episode was Diane lamenting Dre's superior relationship with Zoey.

[Dee]

3 hours ago, incandescent said:

I remember one where he kept calling her Gurkel, but then most of that episode was Diane lamenting Dre's superior relationship with Zoey.

That story wasn't really about Diane either; at least as it concerned Andre.

As you said, Diane was angry about Zoey & Andre's relationship, with Andre's unwitting compliments being just an irritating byproduct of Diane's frustration.

[xander874]

20 hours ago, joanne3482 said:

The worst part of the whole discussion is the implication by either Ruby or Jack or Diane (I honestly can't remember which one had the conversation with him about that - Jack I think) that the ex-girlfriend was wrong and he was right!

Yes, when Junior and his girlfriend were fighting, I thought we would get an "aha" moment for him and finally get a discussion about how he is Devante's primary care giver. But, then the talk with Jack happened and put a stop to that.

I actually think that could be a good episode. Maybe when he and his parents finally have a discussion about his future (I assume this will happen before seasons end), it can come up that he has basically been a nanny for them. 

Edited April 18, 2019 by xander874

[readster]

36 minutes ago, xander874 said:

Yes, when Junior and his girlfriend were fighting, I thought we would get an "aha" moment for him and finally get a discussion about how he is Devante's primary care giver. But, then the talk with Jack happened and put a stop to that.

I actually think that could be a good episode. Maybe when he and his parents finally have a discussion about his future (I assume this will happen before seasons end), it can come up that he has basically been a nanny for them. 

Exactly and another problem was it paints Dre and Bow like they don't know how to care for a kid anymore. They act like all their kids are grown up and done with. Yet, they have their second oldest spinning with no direction and thinking if he just has a job life will be great. Yet, doesn't do anything to be an "adult". The twins are still in school for a few more years and Baby D is an after thought unless the writers go: "Oh yeah, they have another kid we just wrote in because the show creator had a kid late in life." 

[Empress1]

21 hours ago, joanne3482 said:

The worst part of the whole discussion is the implication by either Ruby or Jack or Diane (I honestly can't remember which one had the conversation with him about that - Jack I think) that the ex-girlfriend was wrong and he was right! That this is how Junior is and if she can't accept that good bye.  This isn't his kid. And he even got it! He understood why she was mad and he was in the wrong. I understand having responsibility for your younger siblings but to that level is ridiculous.  No woman, no matter how supportive or understanding, is going to put up with that level of crazy. It isn't his kid, his parents are still married and are in the kid's life, and have enough money to afford nannies, so  he shouldn't have the same level of responsibility as Dre and Bow should have. (Wow, this made me more angry than I thought).  Like I could see if Bow were a single mom and working 2 jobs and leaning on Junior to help with the kid.  I could see the argument that the girlfriend was wrong because of that, but that's not their family situation at all. 

And even then, I'd think it was unfair for a single mom to make her grown kid the secondary parent to the other kid.

I wish the fuck I WOULD look through sand at a playground in the middle of the night for a boyfriend's brother's baby blanket. I was with Niecy - go to Target and get him another one. Or tell HIS PARENTS, "I can't find Devante's blanket" and then GO ON A DATE WITH YOUR GIRLFRIEND.

The nanny quit, and rightfully so ("Black Nanny" my ass), but Ruby lives there and is retired. So does Pops (when Laurence Fishburne feels like it, heh). Let THEM take care of Devante. Or have HIS PARENTS hire a new nanny. Or hell, he's two, they can put him in daycare. It seems like Junior really does love his baby brother and him caring for Devante sprung naturally from that, but he really doesn't HAVE to do it, and should not. 

On 4/17/2019 at 6:18 AM, AnimeMania said:

The most shocking thing to me about that episode is that Diane has long red hair.

Phony pony. Cute! Kind of a callback to the unnecessary Kyra, who rocked red hair.

[qtpye]

On 4/18/2019 at 10:07 AM, readster said:

Exactly and another problem was it paints Dre and Bow like they don't know how to care for a kid anymore. They act like all their kids are grown up and done with. Yet, they have their second oldest spinning with no direction and thinking if he just has a job life will be great. Yet, doesn't do anything to be an "adult". The twins are still in school for a few more years and Baby D is an after thought unless the writers go: "Oh yeah, they have another kid we just wrote in because the show creator had a kid late in life." 

None to mention they live in a high cost of living area and many kids move back in with their parents after college to save money on rent. They are a long way from done with their older kids and their youngest is literally still in diapers. They will be in their  60's when things are finally done.

[Lunula]

On 4/17/2019 at 12:44 PM, tennisgurl said:

So Junior left one of the countries most respected universities to be his baby brothers live in nanny? Seriously? They have literally no idea what to do with him anymore, its just sad now. He needs to move out and get his own place soon, if he insists on this "gap year" which is increasingly looking like a gap life time.

I understand the show has no clue what to do with Junior at this point. He's not going to get his own spin-off like Zoey, and he didn't choose a college close to home where he can still be part of the show. I'm glad he finally got a damn job, but I find it completely insane that anyone in today's incredibly competitive job market, especially in advertising/marketing, believes he can take a job as an assistant at an advertising firm, with only a high school diploma, and be successful and advance. Is it possible? Sure. But I work in corporate America and it's competitive as hell. I've been with my company for 10 years and I've seen really smart, long-term employees get laid off because they lacked college degrees and their jobs were outsourced. In fact, now even the "outsourced" staff overseas all have college degrees - some of them graduate degrees.

I do not want to offend anyone without a degree and would argue that personally, I don't think it should matter as I've worked with loads of individuals without degrees that kicked ass. But to corporate America? It matters. 

[readster]

4 hours ago, Lunula said:

I understand the show has no clue what to do with Junior at this point. He's not going to get his own spin-off like Zoey, and he didn't choose a college close to home where he can still be part of the show. I'm glad he finally got a damn job, but I find it completely insane that anyone in today's incredibly competitive job market, especially in advertising/marketing, believes he can take a job as an assistant at an advertising firm, with only a high school diploma, and be successful and advance. Is it possible? Sure. But I work in corporate America and it's competitive as hell. I've been with my company for 10 years and I've seen really smart, long-term employees get laid off because they lacked college degrees and their jobs were outsourced. In fact, now even the "outsourced" staff overseas all have college degrees - some of them graduate degrees.

I do not want to offend anyone without a degree and would argue that personally, I don't think it should matter as I've worked with loads of individuals without degrees that kicked ass. But to corporate America? It matters. 

No offense taken, I'm getting a doctorate later this summer *knock on wood* and I'm in education. I've done it for what is needed for administration and coaching levels. I also love doing research, but if I just had a certificate and a simple masters, it would still be very competitive. I think the show has sadly run into a major rut in the last two years. The spin-off while successful, they don't know what to do with Junior or with Baby D. Most of the plots from their marriage problems last season to Baby D to even Junior are all based on the show's creators real life experiences. However, instead of going: "How did you get through it." It's turn into: "Well, we will... ummm... let's play it by ear." Then they turn around and playing by ear soon becomes: "you aren't as talent as you say you are."  

[jhlipton]

On 4/17/2019 at 12:08 PM, qtpye said:

Last she heard the guy was having financial issues and his “blood” was telling him to go kick rocks.

"Funny" how that works, isn't it?

[qtpye]

1 minute ago, jhlipton said:

"Funny" how that works, isn't it?

The truth is, of course, people want to do for a family that they love. However, no one respects a doormat or a weak pushover. Whitney Houston loved her daddy but he was on her death bed suing her for $100 million dollars, not to mention she supported tons of family members who pushed her to work even though she was not ready in recovering from her addictions. Sometimes I think the people who scream "You always do for family" are just trying to justify their own bad behavior. That said I think Junior's obsession with Devante has something to do with him not facing his fears about college.

[possibilities]

There was an episode where they agreed Ruby would take care of Devante when Bow went back to work.

I think Junior is really good with Devante, and chooses to do it out of love, but I would never give a pacifier back to the kid after it had been in the dirt with dirty diapers and god knows what. The girlfriend was right that he should buy a new one. But I also think that if Junior is happy being "a single dad" it's totally fine for him to do it and find a girlfriend who isn't opposed to it. It's just really unclear if Junior is happy or not. He's often been treated as worthless by the family. Maybe he identifies with Devante and doesn't want D to feel unloved in the same way. But the show still thinks it's funny how Dre insults Junior, so I doubt they'd explain anything on those terms. It kind of makes sense, though, that Junior would freak out about leaving home if he's not sure he really has any value to the family.

I've always liked Junior, though. I mean, if someone's rebellious behavior is to take care of their neglected sibling, it's hard to actually think badly of them. It's not like he's fighting off his parents when they try to do their job... since they never do.

It was weird that Ruby was upset by Junior's sitting on the couch with his girlfriend, and Dre was freaked out by Diane kissing someone. And Bow was freaked out by Diane not TELLING her she'd previously kissed someone. It was so creepy in every possible way. It's not like they found Diane naked in bed with someone, and Junior is not only plenty old enough but he and his gf were sitting on the couch with the lights on in full view of any passersby-- totally within bounds and innocent by any reasonable standard.

I really liked Jack reading Ruby's books, though-- ha ha ha.

[AnimeMania]

7 hours ago, possibilities said:

I really liked Jack reading Ruby's books, though-- ha ha ha.

That is one good thing about the Internet and texting. It is hard to be illiterate these days until something comes along and screws that up, "I got my eye on you, emojis".

[readster]

12 hours ago, qtpye said:

The truth is, of course, people want to do for a family that they love. However, no one respects a doormat or a weak pushover. 

I know what you mean. I had a friend of mine who did almost everything for his family and for his older siblings and he was a good student, very friendly and even played sports. But the guy could not keep a girlfriend because he drop everything at his family's beckon call. That started changing after his two older siblings went to college and his parents got very busy with other things. Got himself a girlfriend who had a similar family, but everyone agreed, he was a doormat to his family.

My own wife sadly got put in this situation who had suffered years from a condition. Was put in this mind set, that since her parents did so much for growing up. If they told her to jump, she do that. However, problems happened as we got tricked into buying a car from them that was not in the best of shape and took our $3,600 and it needed over $8K in repairs in two years. Was a plan to get me to drop out of graduate school because my father-in-law thought I was wasting my time and needed to focus on the family more.

 Completely backfired as my wife lost her job and the purchase put us in over $12K in debt because my wife did a side business that sank us farther in debt. But of course the original excuse was: "But we're family and you do what want because of that." 

Junior is not only a doormat, but he won't face his fears to make something of his life, he basically thinks showing he is a "caring single father" and has a full time job at 19, his life will be perfect. Yet, he is completely delusional just because his former college roommate basically told him he was in charge of their dorm room and either take it or leave it. Then Junior was all: "College is evil! I can't go there, people will hurt me!" Oh bullshit!

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Dre has been an asshole to his kids in the past, but getting in Jack's face and screaming at him to tell him the name of the boy who Diane kissed was so fucking out of line, as was the way he took the door off of Diane's room and said she would get no more privacy.

I can't understand fathers who are so threatened by the thought of their sweet precious little girls doing something as salacious as kissing a boy. Good lord. There is no need to slut shame a 13 year old girl for kissing a boy she likes at a school dance.

Bow was a good counterpoint to Dre's insanity until she lost her mind because Diane hadn't told her about Ricky. So because your pubescent daughter didn't tell you about this Ricky boy, you are jumping on Dre's crazy train and letting him drill a hole in her phone? Because being a parent means you have the right to know EVERYTHING your kid does? FFS.

I definitely did not come home and tell my parents about every boy I liked, every boy I kissed, etc. and somehow I managed to turn out fine.

Look, I get that parents want to protect their kids, but they need to know when it's time to BACK THE FUCK OFF. You know things are getting weird when Ruby is the voice of reason. I'm glad she made it a point to ask if Bow told her mother EVERYTHING when she was Diane's age because that's what I was yelling at my tv too.

Kids need their privacy and they deserve to have their privacy respected. Just because you are a parent doesn't mean that you get to demand they share every detail of their lives with you. And as Ruby said, the more you try to control them and get up in their business, the more they're going to push you away and hide things from you.

[readster]

1 hour ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Dre has been an asshole to his kids in the past, but getting in Jack's face and screaming at him to tell him the name of the boy who Diane kissed was so fucking out of line, as was the way he took the door off of Diane's room and said she would get no more privacy.

I can't understand fathers who are so threatened by the thought of their sweet precious little girls doing something as salacious as kissing a boy. Good lord. There is no need to slut shame a 13 year old girl for kissing a boy she likes at a school dance.

Bow was a good counterpoint to Dre's insanity until she lost her mind because Diane hadn't told her about Ricky. So because your pubescent daughter didn't tell you about this Ricky boy, you are jumping on Dre's crazy train and letting him drill a hole in her phone? Because being a parent means you have the right to know EVERYTHING your kid does? FFS.

I definitely did not come home and tell my parents about every boy I liked, every boy I kissed, etc. and somehow I managed to turn out fine.

Look, I get that parents want to protect their kids, but they need to know when it's time to BACK THE FUCK OFF. You know things are getting weird when Ruby is the voice of reason. I'm glad she made it a point to ask if Bow told her mother EVERYTHING when she was Diane's age because that's what I was yelling at my tv too.

Kids need their privacy and they deserve to have their privacy respected. Just because you are a parent doesn't mean that you get to demand they share every detail of their lives with you. And as Ruby said, the more you try to control them and get up in their business, the more they're going to push you away and hide things from you.

Right and these days on TV shows or in real life you have parents in one extreme or the other. You get the parents like Dre and Bow who want to know EVERY DAMN detail, but then high five their older kids who are having sex or into: "I will never trust you outside the house" double standard.

Then you get the parents who literally let their kids get away with everything and never step in because of fear of: "Then they won't like me" or "then it means I'm a bad parent because my kid gets in trouble." BE A DAMN PARENT! Let them make mistakes, but let them know you are there to help if they need it.

I'm sure if Jack would have kissed a girl at a dance, Dre and Bow would have been high fiving and go: "Our dumb, but great dancing kid has a girl that likes him, alright." Yet, Diane kisses a boy a dance she likes and all hell breaks lose. It's like when Junior had sex with his girlfriend and Dre was all throwing a party and Bow was like: "But was he being responsible." Then when Bow broke the news that Zoey was having sex in high school, Dre was crying and upset because: "his baby girl was gone." yet Bow was: "Well, it happens at that age." 

[jhlipton]

On 4/20/2019 at 7:05 AM, ElectricBoogaloo said:

I definitely did not come home and tell my parents about every boy I liked, every boy I kissed, etc. and somehow I managed to turn out fine.

The jury is still out on that one, EB!  LOL!!

I kid, I kid!!!

[Gothish520]

On 4/20/2019 at 12:07 PM, readster said:

Right and these days on TV shows or in real life you have parents in one extreme or the other. You get the parents like Dre and Bow who want to know EVERY DAMN detail, but then high five their older kids who are having sex or into: "I will never trust you outside the house" double standard.

Then you get the parents who literally let their kids get away with everything and never step in because of fear of: "Then they won't like me" or "then it means I'm a bad parent because my kid gets in trouble." BE A DAMN PARENT! Let them make mistakes, but let them know you are there to help if they need it.

I'm sure if Jack would have kissed a girl at a dance, Dre and Bow would have been high fiving and go: "Our dumb, but great dancing kid has a girl that likes him, alright." Yet, Diane kisses a boy a dance she likes and all hell breaks lose. It's like when Junior had sex with his girlfriend and Dre was all throwing a party and Bow was like: "But was he being responsible." Then when Bow broke the news that Zoey was having sex in high school, Dre was crying and upset because: "his baby girl was gone." yet Bow was: "Well, it happens at that age." 

But that was the joke - the double standard between how fathers parent boys and girls. My father let my brother have girls over, in his bedroom with the door closed, yet we girls were not allowed to do the same. My brother always had more freedom because he was male and men take care of the themselves, meanwhile Dad was afraid of what would happen to us girls. It's not right or fair, but it happened all the time back in the day and still happens today. Old thought processes die hard.

I also don't understand why some people seem angry over Junior's storyline - the aimless college-age kid is a thing. Again, back in the day it was expected that once you graduated from high school, you either got a job, got married, and started having kids, or you went to college (and likely got into crushing student loan debt). These days going to college is still expected but it's not always happening, and kids are delaying the onset of adult responsibilities. Not saying it's a good thing, just that it happens and I think Junior's storyline is reflecting that. Plus, he's got a full-time job that probably pays decent, and frequently takes care of his baby brother - it's not like he is lying around the house playing video games and drinking all day.

College is not for everyone. And living on your own is hella expensive - why should Junior go out and get his own place and incur all that expense, if Bow and Dre are fine with him living there? Let him work and save for a few years and get himself into a good financial position. I never understood the point of going out on your own and racking up all kinds of debt and getting yourself into financial trouble just because society thinks you should be living "on your own". Or more likely, living with roommates who could stiff you for the rent and trash the place. If everyone is fine with him living at home, then I don't see the problem.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

5 hours ago, jhlipton said:

The jury is still out on that one, EB!  LOL!!

I kid, I kid!!!

Shhhh, don’t blow my cover! I think I still have everyone fooled!

[Crandle]

Quote

Junior. Him ranting about how he’s the most qualified candidate was a fucking joke. He’s a sheltered little rich kid who just graduated high school and dropped out of college after 1 day. How is he the most qualified? I was hoping Josh would say that to him but then he got the job which made it even more stupid.

Yes!  Junior had a point about Josh hiring someone who was just like him, but Junior wasn't the answer.  It would have been great if Josh agreed and then hired someone who'd graduated from the local community college because they had relevant internships and made a great ad pitch in the interview.

[OnceSane]

Quote

Dre is thrilled when Jack makes the football team, but Bow is against the idea; Diane wants Junior to drive her to her first real date with Jalen, but Junior overstays his welcome.

Airs April 30, 2019.

[Arcadiasw]

I would like to play the "My Bad" game. 

Bow needs a therapist.

It's been said a thousand times already but I'll say it again. The gap year was a big mistake for Junior. 

[AnimeMania]

1 hour ago, Arcadiasw said:

It's been said a thousand times already but I'll say it again. The gap year was a big mistake for Junior. 

Junior needed a "safe space" to let his mustache fill out.

[readster]

3 hours ago, Arcadiasw said:

I would like to play the "My Bad" game. 

Bow needs a therapist.

It's been said a thousand times already but I'll say it again. The gap year was a big mistake for Junior. 

I don't know why they think it's funny the way they have let both Dre and Bow's work places go. I mean it stopped being funny years ago. They have turned into stupid, hate filled people that would have been sued by now. 

Junior's gap year has been just painful and full of bad writing. I know many say: "But lots of kids do this." Yeah, but at one point the parents just lose it and every time Junior gets it thrown in his face that he has been completely stupid about his gap year. From his parents to his former classmates to yes, even his now ex-girlfriend. Yet Junior is: "No, I'm fine like this, I still live at home, I have a full time job and I will NEVER have to worry about college." It's just bad. 

[Tryangle]

27 minutes ago, readster said:

I don't know why they think it's funny the way they have let both Dre and Bow's work places go. I mean it stopped being funny years ago. They have turned into stupid, hate filled people that would have been sued by now

Wasn't there an episode where Dre had finally "had enough" of his co-workers' behaviour?

I like most of the writing and themes of the show but it's probably past time the office situation went beyond the casual racism, et al. 

[readster]

45 minutes ago, Tryangle said:

Wasn't there an episode where Dre had finally "had enough" of his co-workers' behaviour?

I like most of the writing and themes of the show but it's probably past time the office situation went beyond the casual racism, et al. 

The problem is they also then just treat them as morons. From not knowing who Prince is to Wanda Sykes character asking "white women" if Dre is sleeping with them. Or people acting like Bow got her medical license and practicing for over 20 years from a mail in rebate. It's just gotten old and Dre and Bow have then just gone: "Well, that's the type of people I work with." Yeah, even with people trying to "pay the bills" at one point you go: "Yeah, screw this, I'll go where I'm treated better." 

 Same goes with Dre and Bow's up and down money issues. Now, Dre's sister calls him out how he has money lying around. Yet, four episodes ago, they were talking about they are wasting money on things and missing a bill or two. Or they cut Zoey off, but then won't do it to Junior even though he is being as bad as Zoey. 

[Traveller519]

Charlie's "Fancy!" To Dre mentioning that Rhonda lived "off-Crenshaw" while everyone else "Oooooooo"-ed got a good chuckle out of me. And his helpful offering up of all the Church offerings of Black neighborhoods was the capper.

There was a tonal shift with respect to the neighborhoods discussion though, and while I was glad to see Dre finding himself and showing off the culture to his kids, it deviated from the opening thesis that black neighborhoods are places white folks won't visit for safety concerns. The show has a the ability to reach a large white audience regarding issues impacting the black community. So, perhaps selfishly as a white-person, I would have liked to see the Dre bring a couple of his white friends into the neighborhood too. Expose them to feeling like a minority when no-one looks like you, and show off what the community can offer.

Edited April 27, 2019 by Traveller519

[Dee]

Andre using Jack as a human shield in the restaurant had me in tears.

[NUguy514]

My favorite moment was Bow's Ruby burn and Ruby's awesome half-indignant, half-impressed reaction.

Charlie's excited "Riverdale!" was a close second.

[Dee]

Even with a "truce" in effect, Rainbow couldn't help but act classless.

[tennisgurl]

Now I just want to read Riverdale recaps as done by Charlie. 

So I felt like the beginning and what the actual message is were kind of confused. The start is about how predominantly black neighborhoods have been victims of institutionalized racism (which is true) and that many predominantly black neighborhoods are great and safe and full of as much culture and history as any other neighborhood (which is also true), but putting them together that seemed to confuse the issue a bit. I think it would have been a bit better if they focused on how places with lots of black people are unfairly stereotyped as being dangerous and dirty places, even when they are clearly just as nice as any other place that has lots of any other ethnic group around, or done a thing about how many black neighborhoods suffer from issues of poverty and crime and such, and talk about how there is still things of worth there. 

Maybe its me, I dont know, but it felt a bit like two issues put into one, and it kind of confused the issue a bit.

Oh I was right there with Dianne on Bow having another baby! Hell no! 

[ItCouldBeWorse]

On 4/24/2019 at 1:21 PM, Dee said:

Even with a "truce" in effect, Rainbow couldn't help but act classless.

I agree that her dig at Ruby was unnecessary and a return to their past relationship.

On 4/24/2019 at 5:18 AM, Arcadiasw said:

I would like to play the "My Bad" game. 

Bow needs a therapist.

It's been said a thousand times already but I'll say it again. The gap year was a big mistake for Junior. 

So Bow is still focused on the stellar SAT scores of a kid who isn't planning to attend college?

Junior listed "night nurse" as one of his accomplishments.  Is that a reference to getting up at night with Devante? I really wish that Junior would internalize what his ex-girlfriend said last week about him raising his brother and confront his parents about how much they rely upon him to take care of Devante, how little time they spend with Devante, and how that influenced his decision to leave school so he could make sure his brother was taken care of. Devante should be going on trips to the grocery store, barber shop, and wherever his parents are going on weekends instead of being left in his crib, or in the highchair with Ruby and a pile of Cheerios. Their den or livingroom should have a big basket of toys since we've never seen a basement playroom.  Does he have to play in his room by himself instead of in the midst of his family? (Although we usually see them on their tablets and laptops, so that might actually be worse for him to be constantly exposed to.) Maybe that's why Junior takes him to the playground to meet other kids and get away from all that. I would really like to see what Ruby does with him all day on a weekday.  He would probably be better off in daycare, or at least a half day nursery school.

Edited May 1, 2019 by ItCouldBeWorse

[Empress1]

6 hours ago, Traveller519 said:

So, perhaps selfishly as a white-person, I would have liked to see the Dre bring a couple of his white friends into the neighborhood too. Expose them to feeling like a minority when no-one looks like you, and show off what the community can offer.

Does Dre have white friends? His coworkers and his boss aren't his friends.

Edited April 24, 2019 by Empress1

[qtpye]

6 hours ago, Traveller519 said:

Charlie's "Fancy!" To See mentioning that Rhonda lived "off-Crenshaw" while everyone else "Oooooooo"-ed got a good chuckle out of me. And his helpful offering up of all the Church offerings of Black neighborhoods was the capper.

There was a tonal shift with respect to the neighborhoods discussion though, and while I was glad to see Dre finding himself and showing off the culture to his kids, it deviated from the opening thesis that black neighborhoods are places white folks won't visit for safety concerns. The show has a the ability to reach a large white audience regarding issues impacting the black community. So, perhaps selfishly as a white-person, I would have liked to see the Dre bring a couple of his white friends into the neighborhood too. Expose them to feeling like a minority when no-one looks like you, and show off what the community can offer.

2 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

Now I just want to read Riverdale recaps as done by Charlie. 

So I felt like the beginning and what the actual message is were kind of confused. The start is about how predominantly black neighborhoods have been victims of institutionalized racism (which is true) and that many predominantly black neighborhoods are great and safe and full of as much culture and history as any other neighborhood (which is also true), but putting them together that seemed to confuse the issue a bit. I think it would have been a bit better if they focused on how places with lots of black people are unfairly stereotyped as being dangerous and dirty places, even when they are clearly just as nice as any other place that has lots of any other ethnic group around, or done a thing about how many black neighborhoods suffer from issues of poverty and crime and such, and talk about how there is still things of worth there. 

Maybe its me, I dont know, but it felt a bit like two issues put into one, and it kind of confused the issue a bit.

Oh I was right there with Dianne on Bow having another baby! Hell no! 

The problem is that Dre's kids were getting their prejudices from him. The way he was afraid to wear nice things and dropped to the ground using Jack as a human shield said that he had adopted the prejudices of society as a whole, so he really was not in a place to educate anybody.

Insecure also had an episode dealing with "The Black Beverly Hills" and it was extremely well done. The main character Issa (who is gorgeous) held a charity event in a home there. Her white coworkers were impressed by the beauty of the home and asked if the African American owner was a ballplayer or a rapper. She calmly told them that the home was owned by dentists and that they were in a vibrant community of African American professionals that they never even realized existed. Insecure really does handle these themes much better, while never having to hit you over the head. Issa's coworkers can be a little ignorant but do not reach the "too stupid to live" level of Dre's office.

Unfortunately, Insecure is on HBO and probably does not reach near as many people as Blackish.

I still like Blackish but sometimes they just do not tackle some of the heavier issues in a satisfying manner.