Season 5 Chat

[proserpina65]

On ‎12‎/‎11‎/‎2018 at 11:32 PM, Irlandesa said:

This ep seemed lifted from another time of movie ticket buying.  In a bigger city like LA, I would imagine most theaters have switched to online ticket sales.  That's not to say that you can't buy a ticket at the cinema but for the opening weekend of an anticipated superhero movie on a big movie-going day, it's taking a big risk to just show up and hope to get seven tickets next to one another (where was Davante?).  Most of those tickets would already be pre-purchased. 

And even crazier is that five of those people could leave one movie theater to try to sneak into what is likely a sold out showing. 

Plenty of people still buy tickets in person, even though most theater chains also do online sales.  But, as you point out, you take the chance of the showing you want being sold out.  (Or getting stuck in the front row and spending the entire movie feeling like you're looking up Churchill's nose.)  As for the sneaking in, I just hand-wave that as some people bought their tickets online and then didn't show up for some reason.

[tennisgurl]

I kept waiting for it to be revealed that the superhero movie the kids wanted to see was starring a black actor, ala Black Panther, and we would get a lesson that not all "black movies" had to be super depressing movies about The Struggle, and that black actors and creators can tell more black stories than about oppression and such, but I thought what they went with was alright. Just because a movie tells an important story, that doesent make it good. In fact, it can hurt the message that it was trying to get across anyway. 

Insert your own joke here about the decline in quality of this show over the years. 

Dre was, as usual, a whinny judgmental jerk who has to win no matter what, even if it means forcing his family to go to a movie that they didnt want to see at the time, even if he was outvoted. And he has to drag other random people for daring to not see the movie that Dre thinks that they should see. Because, as usual, Dre is the arbitrator of what is appropriate for all black people to do and act like, even to random people he doesent even know. I mean, why not see the sad historical movie later, and see the fun movie on Christmas? Its not like they can only see one movie all season. I did laugh at Pops and Dre trying to decide which movies are really black movies. Of course, adding Pops to a scene improves it 110% every time. 

That last scene between Junior and Bow was long overdue. This whole Gap Year thing is just ridiculous and embarrassing, and its about time Junior started acting like himself again. He isnt doing anything, or really looking at different careers, he just seems to be laying around the house. Thats not how Gap Years work! Yeah, it does sound like he just dropped out, no wonder thats the word on the grape vine. It sounds like he just had one crappy day, and ran home.

[ItCouldBeWorse]

On 12/12/2018 at 10:25 AM, Newberry said:

I am so over Dre and his messages. This was painful to watch-he is absolutely tiresome! I used to be entertained by this program, not so much anymore. I don't need to be taught a lesson when I watch a comedy. There are plenty of available documentaries for that. And, I'm pretty familiar with the Rosa Parks story without seeinga full length movie about it. Time to delete this show from the DVR.

I watch for Tracee's fabulous hairstyles. It was even more fun when Zoe was on the same show.  I know it's fantasy, but both women (especially Zoe) would have to have a stylist on the premises to switch from one complicated style to another, often on a daily basis.

Edited December 14, 2018 by ItCouldBeWorse

[ItCouldBeWorse]

10 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

I was so glad that Bow had that talk with Junior because it's about time someone did. You know where a lot of 18 year olds find themselves and figure out what they want to do, Junior? IN COLLEGE.

Exactly!

On 12/12/2018 at 11:17 AM, Empress1 said:

Basically, everything Junior is doing now, he could be doing at Howard while taking classes and "figuring out what he wants to do with his life" (including the ad agency internship - and actually, he'd probably get more out of that than he gets out of tagging along with Dre to work).

Edited December 13, 2018 by ItCouldBeWorse

[tennisgurl]

If Dre really wanted his family to watch something Rosa Parks related, he should have just played the Doctor Who Rosa Parks episode they did this season. Its way better than the movie they had to watch. 

[mojito]

It's black guilt that gets me to watch this show. Thanks for defining that for me, Pops. I haven't seen anything yet as good as the Monopoly episode. But I keep hoping. And I keep being disappointed. I'm trying to be faithful, though.

This was probably mentioned before, but for me, more and more Diane sticks out like a sore thumb. She doesn't look like she could possibly be related to anyone in that family. 

I loved Bow's "Are you ******** kidding me?!" to Junior. Out of character for her, but so appropriate. 

At least Junior is measuring himself a little against his peers. I know of a couple young people (in their 20s) who grew up with Junior's advantages and have been at almost a standstill since graduating from high school. Nothing seems to kick them in gear.

[QQQQ]

On 12/13/2018 at 2:42 AM, ElectricBoogaloo said:

I hate that the only thing that motivated Junior to actually look into doing something during his gap year was being embarrassed to admit to his ex that he isn't doing anything.

 

7 hours ago, mojito said:

At least Junior is measuring himself a little against his peers.

I think it was the wakeup call he needed. He couldn't really see his lack of progress bc he was living the life he'd always known, so I'm glad this encounter happened. I wish the theater worker had overheard the exchange and said, "I go to Harvard and I'm working during winter break. And you?"

[readster]

1 hour ago, QQQQ said:

 

I think it was the wakeup call he needed. He couldn't really see his lack of progress bc he was living the life he'd always known, so I'm glad this encounter happened. I wish the theater worker had overheard the exchange and said, "I go to Harvard and I'm working during winter break. And you?"

That would have been great. At least Junior wasn't the kind of kid that went: "I grew up great and my older sister is finding herself, so I'm going to just rebel and go be like my flakey uncle." The writers really have shown they have no idea what a "gap year" is. They basically were: "Let's show Junior really being a moron because we can't write him off the show." 

[ItCouldBeWorse]

I feel like Dre would have been inconsolable at Zoey not coming home for xmas. I wonder if that will be explained on Grownish.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

5 minutes ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

I feel like Dre would have been inconsolable at Zoey not coming home for xmas. I wonder if that will be explained on Grownish.

Especially because she goes to college in LA! She's close enough to drive home for the weekend and she didn't come home for Christmas? My family wasn't nearly as close as the Johnsons are supposed to be and I've still never missed Christmas, even when that means flying home (not just driving across town).

[reggiejax]

On 12/12/2018 at 10:46 AM, luna1122 said:

I loved Pops throwing out 'Cornbread Earl and Me' since Laurence Fishburne was actually in that flick.

I liked that when he said "Cornbread, Earl and Me", he put his hand on his chest when he said "Me". Sir Laurence's character in that movie was the "Me" of the title. A nice little touch.

[NUguy514]

Oh yeah, it made zero sense that Zoey didn't come home (like, drive the nineteen miles from fakeUSC to Sherman Oaks) for Christmas.

[GHScorpiosRule]

28 minutes ago, NUguy514 said:

Oh yeah, it made zero sense that Zoey didn't come home (like, drive the nineteen miles from fakeUSC to Sherman Oaks) for Christmas.

Wasn't there a line from either Jack or Diane, saying the way Dre was acting was the reason Zoe didn't come home? As if this is something that's usual for him, and Zoe didn't feel like being guilted into going along?

 

On 12/13/2018 at 3:42 AM, ElectricBoogaloo said:

I was so glad that Bow had that talk with Junior because it's about time someone did. You know where a lot of 18 year olds find themselves and figure out what they want to do, Junior? IN COLLEGE.

 

22 hours ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

Exactly!

I really wish Bow had said that to him. Because that thought was running through my head.

[Gothish520]

20 hours ago, mojito said:

It's black guilt that gets me to watch this show. Thanks for defining that for me, Pops. I haven't seen anything yet as good as the Monopoly episode. But I keep hoping. And I keep being disappointed. I'm trying to be faithful, though.

This was probably mentioned before, but for me, more and more Diane sticks out like a sore thumb. She doesn't look like she could possibly be related to anyone in that family. 

I loved Bow's "Are you ******** kidding me?!" to Junior. Out of character for her, but so appropriate. 

At least Junior is measuring himself a little against his peers. I know of a couple young people (in their 20s) who grew up with Junior's advantages and have been at almost a standstill since graduating from high school. Nothing seems to kick them in gear.

The Monopoly episode was indeed a great one, probably in my top three episodes of the series.

I don't have children, but I have nieces and nephews and other family members with kids and I guess none of them are lighting the world on fire, because even though Junior is basically hanging around doing nothing, I'm not seeing that as a huge problem...yet. Obviously he can't continue that way indefinitely, but he's got the rest of his life to hunker down, further his education and then work forever and ever. I guess the main issue is the way he left college. If this was something that was a bit more thought out, maybe it wouldn't seem as big a deal.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

14 hours ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

Wasn't there a line from either Jack or Diane, saying the way Dre was acting was the reason Zoe didn't come home? As if this is something that's usual for him, and Zoe didn't feel like being guilted into going along?

I had to go back and check because I didn't remember exactly what they said:

Dre: All right. Got the tickets. All right, who's ready to see Back of the Bus?
Jack: But we won the vote.
Pops: Yeah, but you lost the electoral college.
Dre: Sorry, I had to do the right thing - another Black movie I'd force you to support.
Diane: And he wonders why Zoey decided not to come home for Christmas.

[link417]

On 12/12/2018 at 2:02 PM, crimsongrl said:

The Color Purple, Ray, Glory, Ali, Django Unchained, Dream Girls, Coming to America & Amistad.

(Yes, Yes, No, No, No, No, Yes, Yes).

I agree on all except Ray.

[readster]

13 hours ago, Gothish520 said:

The Monopoly episode was indeed a great one, probably in my top three episodes of the series.

I don't have children, but I have nieces and nephews and other family members with kids and I guess none of them are lighting the world on fire, because even though Junior is basically hanging around doing nothing, I'm not seeing that as a huge problem...yet. Obviously he can't continue that way indefinitely, but he's got the rest of his life to hunker down, further his education and then work forever and ever. I guess the main issue is the way he left college. If this was something that was a bit more thought out, maybe it wouldn't seem as big a deal.

That's why everyone is having a problem with this story line. Even critics were willing to see where the story went. However, the more it has, it basically shows that Junior panicked over nothing. Really, and if they do have him going back to college and then showed said roommate got a new one who was worst than him and put him in his place. Then Junior is going to come off as even a bigger moron. 

[Gothish520]

1 hour ago, readster said:

That's why everyone is having a problem with this story line. Even critics were willing to see where the story went. However, the more it has, it basically shows that Junior panicked over nothing. Really, and if they do have him going back to college and then showed said roommate got a new one who was worst than him and put him in his place. Then Junior is going to come off as even a bigger moron. 

I guess it's not bothering me as much because kids at that age can be morons, even ones who seemed like they were on the right path. I'm reminded of when clean-cut good boy Sean Donahue from The Middle went through his long-haired crunchy-granola phase, which I thought was hilarious. Granted, Sean was not a main cast member, but I just can't be mad at Junior. But I suppose that's easy for me to say since he's not my kid, lol!

[Gothish520]

Thinking about it, it would be interesting if the show presented Junior's behavior as some kind of subconcious "F you" to Dre for how Dre treats him. Not sure they would delve that deep though, lol.

[readster]

47 minutes ago, Gothish520 said:

Thinking about it, it would be interesting if the show presented Junior's behavior as some kind of subconcious "F you" to Dre for how Dre treats him. Not sure they would delve that deep though, lol.

Thought be great, and even showing that even Junior and Jack's  "stupidty" was because of how Dre acts and doesn't think of what he does or is about to do until its too late. Let's face it, even in this episode, Dre doesn't stop for one second to think that forcing his family to do something might not go wrong. Like how just the previous episode, Dre realized he has pushed Bow from having real friends because he wanted her all to himself. Just like how Bow realized all the other "mothers" who have given her a hard time over the years basically are just using the excuse to be at "home" so they can have "me time" and not because they want to ride off of their spouse's salaries. 

[ItCouldBeWorse]

On 12/15/2018 at 12:36 PM, Gothish520 said:

Thinking about it, it would be interesting if the show presented Junior's behavior as some kind of subconcious "F you" to Dre for how Dre treats him. Not sure they would delve that deep though, lol.

But the best way to get away from an unhappy home life would be to go far away to college (and find a way to avoid coming home for holidays and summer break.)

[nilyank]

On 12/12/2018 at 2:02 PM, crimsongrl said:

The Color Purple, Ray, Glory, Ali, Django Unchained, Dream Girls, Coming to America & Amistad.

(Yes, Yes, No, No, No, No, Yes, Yes).

 

 

I don't know. I would disagree about Dream Girls 

[OnceSane]

Quote

Dre must take Jack and Diane on a mandatory camping trip for school and hatches a plan for them to escape to a fancy hotel for some pampering. Meanwhile, Bow gets an award at work, but feels undermined after a colleague is surprised to learn that she went to USC for med school.

Airs January 8, 2018.

[jumper sage]

On 12/12/2018 at 10:25 AM, Newberry said:

I am so over Dre and his messages.

I can't stand Dre.

On 12/13/2018 at 3:42 AM, ElectricBoogaloo said:

I'm not saying that college is necessary for everyone, but Junior isn't pondering trade school or working at the post office or joining the military. He's going back to school next year, so all he's doing is taking a yearlong vacation. I balked when he told Bow he just needed $7500. You best get a job if you want to go on a $7500 solo vacation.

They should have had the character volunteer with lower income youth.  Maybe he would appreciate his choices more since he has choices.  He thinks going back in a year and starting school with younger students will be better?  Now if he was skipped up a grade they should have worked with the university to start him at community college because leaving home at 16/17 is tough on students mentally.  My nephew was skipped up and his parents worked with the university he was accepted to and they signed him up for classes and met with him throughout the year and he went away when he was 18 without losing a year of school.

[Dee]

This episode is a perfect example of Junior's flightiness.

[PupCal]

It's college though. Starting a year later with younger students doesn't matter; Junior won't be the only one who's deferred a year or the only 19-year old freshman.

[jhlipton]

On 12/30/2018 at 10:21 PM, PupCal said:

It's college though. Starting a year later with younger students doesn't matter; Junior won't be the only one who's deferred a year or the only 19-year old freshman.

I went to college toward the end of the Vietnam War, and with the returning vets, it wasn't unusual to have 20-something freshmen (one was my roommate for a semester).

[Moxie Cat]

Anyone know - is this airing tonight? Rescheduled? Delayed? My DVR has not updated the ABC schedule IRT Trump.

[OnceSane]

Delayed. 

[Moxie Cat]

Blackish was apparently delayed, not rescheduled as mentioned above. I guess there's always on demand.

[Bronzedog]

It was on.

[LBS]

We only got the last 15 mins.  Annoying 

[Joimiaroxeu]

Ruby is from a different time! Loved her green & white ensemble.

.

[Mr. Sparkle]

Mine was just pushed back about 15 minutes, but they showed the whole thing. 

[Dee]

Solid episode.

Andre & The Twins bonding. Diane's unerring love of potential violence. Andre & Junior bonding. Rainbow & Ruby bonding. Rainbow getting a hard earned win at work.

All good stuff.

Edited January 14, 2019 by Dee

[readster]

54 minutes ago, Dee said:

Solid episode.

Andre & The Twins bonding, Diane's unerring love of potential violence. Andre & Junior bonding. Rainbow & Ruby bonding. Rainbow getting a hard earned win at work.

All good stuff.

It was a good episode. All plots worked and I do like Bow's win and even Ruby showing that Bow doesn't need to worry about people like that. They are going to find something wrong, no matter what you do. It was refreshing because up to last season, I was surprised Bow hadn't filed a grievance or something, because as bad as Dre's office is. The hospital Rainbow works at is just as bad. I did like that Junior called Dre on things about forcing his kids to dislike something because he dislikes it. Sad to say, that is very common, where a spouse or relative just doesn't like something and then not only makes it that they have to let everyone know that, but also put it out that means they can't enjoy it either. 

[gesundheit]

I enjoyed this one. It was cute seeing Diane and Jack actually get into something at school that was educational, but I really loved Bow's story. Because that was very real -- constant microaggressions in the workplace are super common and easy to relate to, unlike Dre's workplace which is a nonstop UNBRIDLED MACROAGGRESSION that would really end in daily lawsuits. Plus I liked the button at the end, illustrating that microaggressions can be gender-based as well.

[OnceSane]

Quote

Dre and Bow are furious after Diane isn’t lit properly in her class photo. Diane doesn’t want to make it a big deal, but they decide to talk to the principal about the need for sensitivity toward all complexions. Meanwhile, Junior claims there is unspoken colorism within their own family, and things get heated.

Airs January 15, 2019.

[tennisgurl]

Ruby looked great in that green outfit! And I am right there with her about John Legend. Oh yeah, we like him. 

So while I kind of hate that we started off the second part of the season with another "Dre is an asshole and a whiny man baby" episode, it did actually lead to a really good scene with him and Junior, and maybe actually learning a lesson. A lesson he will probably forget about by next week, but its nice to see it at least for a hot minute. Really, the talk he had with Junior about their relationship wasn't as strong because Dre thought that all of Juniors interests were stupid and "black people dont like that" so therefore Dre wont bother with it, was really sad. Poor Junior can even pick out the exact day his relationship with his father started to go down the drain, just because Junior liked the thing that tons of kids, of all races, like. It was really big of him to see that, and try to stop Dre from doing the same thing with the twins. One of Dres most irritating traits is him acting like he is the arbiter of what all black people ever are allowed to like (coincidentally, its all stuff that Dre likes) like all black people are some kind of hive mind that all think alike, so it was good to see him actually show some self awareness about it.

Heh, Deliverance is not a movie with a lot of laughs, no matter how much lame comedians make jokes about banjos. 

I liked Bows plot a lot, it was interesting to see a more "normal" work place issue of prejudice and microaggressions, and not the over the top aggression aggression of Dres office. 

[luckyroll3]

6 hours ago, gesundheit said:

I really loved Bow's story. Because that was very real -- constant microaggressions in the workplace are super common and easy to relate to

Oh man, I can't even count the number of times I've received the trite, "Oh, good for you" and just had to give one of these in response: 

 

[NUguy514]

Ruby was exactly right about Barbra Streisand: EGOT, my ass, an honorary Tony does. not. count!

[jhlipton]

On 1/9/2019 at 2:08 PM, luckyroll3 said:

Oh man, I can't even count the number of times I've received the trite, "Oh, good for you" and just had to give one of these in response: 

 

I hope you replied "Well, bless your heart!"  LOL

[OnceSane]

Quote

Dre's teenage cousin Kyra needs a place to stay. The Johnsons decide to take her in, but they have different approaches to helping her adjust to suburban life; Jack and Diane try to get Kyra on social media to get information about her.

Airs January 22, 2019.

[Dee]

Junior needs to die. ASAP.

[Kimmmmmm]

And he can take Dre with him

[ItCouldBeWorse]

They've finally decided to deal with Ruby's mistreatment of Bow.  And Dre's mistreatment of Junior.  We'll see if it lasts.

If I had a baby who slept through the morning routine without a peep, I'd check on him to see if he was ok.  (Unless he routinely goes to sleep past midnight.)

They also established in an episode before the baby was born that Bow leaves the house before the kids are even up and Dre handles the morning routine. I suppose it's possible that Bow didn't have an early surgery that day, but I didn't believe it then, and I don't believe it now.

[Dee]

13 minutes ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

They've finally decided to deal with Ruby's mistreatment of Bow.  And Dre's mistreatment of Junior. 

Except they didn't. AND they gave Rainbow & Junior complete free passes for being gigantic assholes themselves.

[ItCouldBeWorse]

2 minutes ago, Dee said:

Except they didn't. AND they gave Rainbow & Junior complete free passes for being gigantic assholes themselves.

I don't see it, but from your previous posts, I know you feel strongly about the topic of this episode.

[Dee]

It's ironic in an episode dedicated to "colorism," the sole takeaway is the prioritization of the lightskinned characters grievances.

[LadyintheLoop]

Couldn't they let poor Jack have one victory? Melanin isn't the only thing unequally distributed through that family.

So now Dre's going to insist that Stevens & Lido use more dark-skinned women in their ad campaigns, right? Right?