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black-ish

Credits

Cast

Network

Reviewer

Paul Asay
Kristin Smith

TV Series Review

ABC’s family sitcom black-ish gives the American public its first prominent (live-action) upper-middle-class black family since the Huxtables. The result is very much a product of our times.

Andre and Rainbow Johnson love their kids. Sometimes more when they’re away from them. Andre, usually called Dre, is a vice president at an advertising agency—the first black VP in its history. (The fact that he’s VP of “urban affairs” is a sore spot for the guy but, hey, a title’s a title.) Rainbow, often called Bow, is a skilled anesthesiologist. The two clearly have formidable, in-demand skills outside the home—skills that have taken them high up in their fields and won them a comfortable suburban life.

But as soon as they walk through their front door, all their professional savoir faire means nothing. See, children are not impressed by business cards. They don’t care how many people Mom has successfully anesthetized. They just want to know how to rescue phones dropped in the toilet or how to sneak away without Dad noticing or why they can’t convert to Judaism so they can have a bar mitzvah like all their friends.

Mom and Dad respond by trying to keep up with daughter Zoey who is away at college. They’re also concerned with Junior, as he is now gaining a greater appreciation for his heritage . They make a good show of keeping their youngest kids, twins Jack and Diane, in one piece. And of course they’re still trying to sleep, what with their newest baby, Devante.

That’s Good and Bad, and Not Always Black and White

The show has become something of a critical darling—filled with clever writing and sharply drawn characters deftly played by its outstanding cast. It also can be, on occasion, a lens through which the makers examine racial issues from an array of viewpoints—Andre’s semi-radical take, reinforced by his Civil Rights-era parents, Pops and Ruby; Rainbow’s measured ideals fostered by her comfortable background; their children’s pride, pain and confusion about what it means to be black in America these days.

In the process, problematic content can become a … problem. There are immature hijinks and salacious shenanigans. Sexual stuff includes everything from matrimonial “meetings” to masturbation and musings about teenage “first times.” We hear a smattering of mild profanities. Bathroom humor is a regular visitor.

Love and Life Lessons Don’t Know the Color of Our Skin

At least all those uncomfortable missteps seen in the first 20 minutes or so of each episode reliably give way to sweet and affirming hugs and sometimes quite nice life lessons in the last 90 seconds. The Johnsons really do love one another, and Dre and Bow would give up a lot to make sure their kids are safe and happy—even when they get confused about how best to do that.

Episode Reviews

Oct. 21, 2020: “Hero Pizza”

During 2020’s coronavirus pandemic, Dre and Bow discuss what makes a worker “essential.” Junior lies to his mom about his own pandemic precautions.

Junior sneaks his girlfriend in the house against his mother’s wishes. Bow’s friends tell her that Junior is having sex with his girlfriend. Dre and a few others make some sexual jokes. Dre’s parents talk often about having sex with one another. Dre’s father tells him that he looks like a drag queen.

Bow and Junior yell at neighbors who aren’t practicing social distancing. Someone makes a joke about a dictator walking to the gallows. Bow and others are scared about what might happen if they get COVID.

God’s name is misused a few times. Words like “a–,” “d–n,” “b–tard” are heard a few times each.

Dec. 11, 2018: “Christmas in Theater Eight”

After Christmas dinner, Dre tries to sway his family’s movie-going tradition by forcing them to see a film about Rosa Parks. Diane and Jack try to sneak out of their dad’s film choice and into a movie they’d rather watch. Andre struggles to find his purpose after he declares that he’ll be taking a gap year.

Dre has a difficult time admitting that he’s wrong and often forces his opinion on others. Ruby, Dre’s mother, makes innapropriate sexual comments about Denzel Washington (other women voice their approval) and men’s genitals, as well as men’s general physique.

Junior lies to friends about his plans. A man tries to pirate multiple films and people sneak into a movie they don’t pay for. God’s name is misued twice and we hear words like “d–n” and “d–mit,” and the f-word is bleeped out once.

Black-ish: May 1, 2018 “Blue Valentime”

Dre and Bow are struggling in their marriage as they realize they haven’t dealt with past pain and can no longer agree on anything. As they attempt to renovate their kitchen together, flashbacks show how difficult marriage can be and why it’s important to honor your spouse daily. Dre and Bow also realize how happy and harmonious they once were and how they now feel as if they’re living separate lives.

Dre suggests he might head to the office instead of spending Saturday with his wife. When she asks him to stay, the two argue, hurling personal attacks and insults. They fight about who does the most housework. They accuse each other of not listening. The each feel like the other doesn’t know who they are. In the end, they decide they need space, and Dre leaves.

The f-word is bleeped once during an intense game-night competition. We hear “h—” twice, and someone is called “arrogant.” A man thrusts his hips in the air. We see some cleavage. A woman gives birth (though nothing explicit is shown). Someone holds a cigarette. There’s mention of sex in an elevator, and a couple kisses multiple times. The episode’s intentionally misspelled title, “Blue Valentime,” seems to be nod to the R-rated divorce movie Blue Valentine.

Black-ish: Feb. 24, 2016 “Hope”

In an episode that tackles the issue of police brutality, the extended Johnson family watches TV news coverage of the latest clash between cops and a young black man.

While Bow tries to foster in her children the idea that not all police are bad, Dre responds by saying, “Only 92%. The other 8% percent are advisors on Law & Order episodes.” Bow reminds Dre that he knows all the neighborhood police by name and calls them every time he hears a noise in the house. “When everything around them is doing its best to squash [your belief in something better], what do you do?” asks Dre. Bow’s take? “Despite its flaws, we still have the best justice system in the whole world. We just have to have faith that it’s going to work itself out.”

Still, the police specifically and the government in general take a metaphorical beating in the episode, with Dre’s pops calling all cops “d–n thugs.” And when a verdict in favor of the police officer is returned (in a case where the evidence against him is pretty clear, according to Bow), she finally relents and suggests that they all go downtown and join the protests as a family.

Among other tragic events though recent history, we see famous news photos depicting a dead protestor at Kent State (from 1970) and a Buddhist monk who set himself on fire in 1963, as well as footage depicting protests against California’s Proposition 8 (which defined marriage as a heterosexual institution). Malcolm X and Ghandi are paired as flames of inspiration and hope that were too-soon snuffed out.

Ruby, for her part, prepares for a possible riot by breaking out vodka and bags filled with silver nickels and “charms from former lovers.” She claims that precious metals and sexual favors are the only things that have currency during a riot. She talks about Peabo Bryson making her “hot.” Jokes involve Jeffrey Dahmer and Lorena Bobbit. We hear about shootings and Tazings. There are mentions of cigarettes and speeding and carrying an illegal gun. Characters misuse God’s name and say “a–,” “d–n” and “h—” (two to four times each).

black-ish: 10-29-2014

“The Prank King”

Dre loves Halloween, in part because he gets to play pranks on his family. But when the kids seem to have outgrown pranking—particularly his “evil genius” daughter Zoey, Dre gets despondent. Their disinterest, though, is a prank itself, one that preys on Dre’s biggest fear: “The thought of you guys growing up.”

Trying to get in on the “fun,” the twins climb into bed with Dre and Rainbow and immediately wet it. (We hear several references to the soggy event and other urine-related jokes throughout the rest of the episode.) Dre pretends he’s holding a baby and drops it, horrifying the kids. Dre targets Junior, hoping his humiliation will inspire Zoey to be mean. (It doesn’t.) Dre jokes about how fun it would be if a prank ended up with Junior being naked in public.

A supposed home invader gets punched in the face (twice) and kicked. Dre pantomimes that he’s holding a shotgun. Someone talks about pouring a scotch. There’s talk of a celebrity being a “generous lover.” We hear “h—” and “d–n” four or five times each and “b–ch” once. God’s name is abused a half-dozen times.

Feb. 26, 2019: “Black History Month”

Dre is upset at the superficial education Jack and Diane receive at school about Black History Month, and he decides to take educational matters into his own hands.

Dre refuses to listen to his family’s ideas on who matters most in black history. He ignores his family’s suggestions, is arrogant, rude and even yells at a teacher. A group of men make racist jokes about various ethnicities. A teacher says she’s going to show the “PG” version of an R-rated film. A group of women complain about the lack of female representation throughout history. We hear that a principal has confiscated a knife from a student.

A woman wears a cleavage-baring top. A grandmother asks for “sexy” black men to be acknowledged. A woman drinks wine and a man consumes liquor. A historical figure is recognized for her crusade against drug addiction.

God’s name is misused once and the words “h—,” “d—mit,” “jacka–,” “a–,” “d–n” and “crap” are each heard once or twice. A man calls a group of people “ignorant” and “jerks.”

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paul-asay
Paul Asay

Paul Asay has been part of the Plugged In staff since 2007, watching and reviewing roughly 15 quintillion movies and television shows. He’s written for a number of other publications, too, including Time, The Washington Post and Christianity Today. The author of several books, Paul loves to find spirituality in unexpected places, including popular entertainment, and he loves all things superhero. His vices include James Bond films, Mountain Dew and terrible B-grade movies. He’s married, has two children and a neurotic dog, runs marathons on occasion and hopes to someday own his own tuxedo. Feel free to follow him on Twitter @AsayPaul.

kristin-smith
Kristin Smith

Kristin Smith joined the Plugged In team in 2017. Formerly a Spanish and English teacher, Kristin loves reading literature and eating authentic Mexican tacos. She and her husband, Eddy, love raising their children Judah and Selah. Kristin also has a deep affection for coffee, music, her dog (Cali) and cat (Aslan).

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