# Blackish (spoilers)



## nickels (Jan 11, 2010)

Pretty weak opening episodes and not a great start for a comedy. I am not a fan of any of the characters. The wife looks weird, and the main character played by Anderson is unrelatable. This show isn't memorable, or laugh out loud funny, and really I am hard pressed to remember anything about the show other than being bored and underwhelmed while watching it. The second episode had a shocking moment (son getting caught fondling self), followed by some terrible advice and strange behavior. Hard to enjoy a show when the characters are so flat, badly written, and I really have no urge to follow what happens to them next. One more episode before I delete my season pass.


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## ej42137 (Feb 16, 2014)

I had high hopes for this show; it has some of my favorite actors. But at the end of the first episode the season pass was done and dusted. Obviously they spent all the money on the on-screen talent and didn't hold anything back for the writing staff.


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## TonyTheTiger (Dec 22, 2006)

We quite liked the first episode. Not outstanding, but some funny moments.

However, the second was painful to watch and the SP is now deleted.


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## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

Wow, I laughed a lot. I do think there's something odd about the wife's look too.

It was renewed for a full season, btw.


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## cherry ghost (Sep 13, 2005)

And the 3rd ep was really funny.


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## Mr.Scarface (Apr 25, 2005)

ej42137 said:


> I had high hopes for this show; it has some of my favorite actors. But at the end of the first episode the season pass was done and dusted. Obviously they spent all the money on the on-screen talent and didn't hold anything back for the writing staff.


Ditching a sitcom after 1 or 2 episodes is bad. Sitcoms will sometimes take 5-10 to hit strides. Blackish 3rd episode was the best so far.


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## sharkster (Jul 3, 2004)

mattack said:


> Wow, I laughed a lot. I do think there's something odd about the wife's look too.
> 
> It was renewed for a full season, btw.


I'm liking it ok but I would agree about the wife. She's kind of like a stranger version of Carla Hall to me. Nothing against Carla Hall. I like her, although a little bit goes a long way, but this woman (who I believe is actually one of Diana Ross' kids) has a very unusual look about her.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

I think it's decent. Not the best or worst sitcom, but amusing. At least it made me laugh a few times, which is more than I can say for a few other new sitcoms like Mulaney and Manhattan Love Story which I sat through straight faced for both pilots.


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## milo99 (Oct 14, 2002)

the 3rd episode was pretty funny. i was getting ready to ditch it after the 2nd ep, just seemed kinda blah to me. but i'll keep it for another couple episodes and see how it goes.


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## Hoffer (Jun 1, 2001)

I am liking the show. I just watched the most recent episode last night and liked it. It kinda reminds me of the Bernie Mac show and I loved that show.

I do agree that the wife is an odd looking person.


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## Jeeters (Feb 25, 2003)

I thought the first episode was OK, the second episode was a bit better than OK.

I really enjoyed the 3rd episode, though, and it even made me LOL a few times. The girl playing the youngest daughter - who had a lot of scenes in the episode - stole the show. She's awesome. Lilly 2.0, admittedly probably younger, should take notes.


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## sharkster (Jul 3, 2004)

Jeeters said:


> I thought the first episode was OK, the second episode was a bit better than OK.
> 
> I really enjoyed the 3rd episode, though, and it even made me LOL a few times. The girl playing the youngest daughter - who had a lot of scenes in the episode - stole the show. She's awesome. Lilly 2.0, admittedly probably younger, should take notes.


ITA. I'm not a kid person at all, so I seldom really notice kids unless they annoy me, but I LOVE this little girl!


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## bareyb (Dec 1, 2000)

I watched eps 1 and 2, and I'm already tired of the premise. Is the whole season going to be about being "blackish"? It's gonna wear thin PDQ if you ask me. Hopefully they can move away from that and explore other areas... if not, I'm out. I still have hope for it though...


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## Beryl (Feb 22, 2009)

Still in for now and I hate sitcoms. It is tolerable since there is no laugh track.


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

I've enjoyed all three episodes. I think it's a great show and I love the premise. Most "high-concept" shows have a premise that will wear out after just a few episodes, but I think this can be sustained for the long haul.



bareyb said:


> I watched eps 1 and 2, and I'm already tired of the premise. Is the whole season going to be about being "blackish"? It's gonna wear thin PDQ if you ask me. Hopefully they can move away from that and explore other areas... if not, I'm out. I still have hope for it though...


Wow, really? The show is called "black-ish" and it's about a black dad who realizes that he has not instilled any of his black culture into his upper-middle-class kids. I think it's a great premise and I'm guessing they can come up with dozens of stories to stay on point with that premise.

My only complaint is that it appears the grandpa character, played by Laurence Fishburne, lives with the family and brought his son up immersed in black culture. So I think it seems a little strange that none of the kids have been exposed to black culture when they live in a house with that grandpa and that dad. It would be a good idea for them to explain that grandpa only recently came to live with them.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

nickels said:


> Pretty weak opening episodes and not a great start for a comedy. I am not a fan of any of the characters. The wife looks weird, and the main character played by Anderson is unrelatable. This show isn't memorable, or laugh out loud funny, and really I am hard pressed to remember anything about the show other than being bored and underwhelmed while watching it. The second episode had a shocking moment (son getting caught fondling self), followed by some terrible advice and strange behavior. Hard to enjoy a show when the characters are so flat, badly written, and I really have no urge to follow what happens to them next. One more episode before I delete my season pass.


I let the first three episodes back up on the tivo and just watched them all in a row. No offense intended but I disagree with everything you wrote. I almost never laugh at sitcoms but this one gave me a couple of chuckles in each episode.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

Jeeters said:


> I really enjoyed the 3rd episode, though, and it even made me LOL a few times. The girl playing the youngest daughter - who had a lot of scenes in the episode - stole the show. She's awesome. Lilly 2.0, admittedly probably younger, should take notes.


The third episode was very funny. I agree that the youngest daughter stole the show but the funniest scene was the last one with the "scrunch face" as the big butt women walked by.

I agree with a previous post that this show is closer to the Bernie Mac Show than to the Cosby Show.


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## Jstkiddn (Oct 15, 2003)

The first episode was just okay. The second was uncomfortable and almost painful to watch. Loved the third episode and I lol'd a few of times. 

I don't get the hate for the wife or her look. I think she's cute.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

Jstkiddn said:


> I don't get the hate for the wife or her look. I think she's cute.


The wife has a rubber face. Very expressive.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

I'm liking the show, third episode was the best of them for sure, but we are also getting to know the characters better, so that helps.

I also think that the "black culture" thing will be de-emphasized once we know the characters better and it becomes more about them than the premise. Think about what happened in TBBT. They started de-emphasizing the heavy science stuff in favor of character stuff. Same will happen here if this show sticks around.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

This show is funny. The whuppin' episode made me laugh a lot. 

I like Anthony Anderson. He does drama and comedy well.


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## bareyb (Dec 1, 2000)

I'm still in. As I'd hoped they are moving away from poking fun at black stereotypes and focusing on more universal themes. Definitely going to be a keeper for a while. :up:


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## nickels (Jan 11, 2010)

I dropped it after the second episode. Did I give up on it too early? The characters just fell flat for me and the humor wasn't there.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

nickels said:


> I dropped it after the second episode. Did I give up on it too early? The characters just fell flat for me and the humor wasn't there.


Assuming it's available on demand or on their website, check out the last two episodes. Both are pretty funny, at least they were to me.


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## Gunnyman (Jul 10, 2003)

This is one of the funniest shows on right now.
The spanking episode was so good.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

Gunnyman said:


> This is one of the funniest shows on right now.
> The spanking episode was so good.


I cracked up when the youngest daughter said "Dead man walking!"


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## Gunnyman (Jul 10, 2003)

That kid is comedy gold. As funny as Lilly on Modern Family.


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## Jeeters (Feb 25, 2003)

I'm enjoying this show more than I am Modern Family.


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## jamesbobo (Jun 18, 2000)

I thought the Halloween episode wasn't very good. The spanking episode was good enough for me to keep the season pass.


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## madscientist (Nov 12, 2003)

I've had a very stressful week and couldn't stay awake through the Halloween episode (not even 30m!) But I agree this show is turning into a winner; possibly the best of the freshman sitcoms. Even when they do deal with race they do it thoughtfully.

Although, I still like Bad Judge a whole lot too...


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## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

jamesbobo said:


> I thought the Halloween episode wasn't very good.


I liked it, but TOTALLY predicted what was happening.


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## loubob57 (Mar 19, 2001)

I had to pause and look at all the names on the whiteboard at the end. I only recognized about 3/4 of them.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

I wasn't too happy having the image of someone making love to Dionne Warwick stuck in my head though.


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## efilippi (Jul 24, 2001)

I think the most recent episode, where the kids were being taught how to live on little, pitch in and work, etc., was awful. AWFUL. I couldn't last through the whole thing.

I now seem to dislike everyone on the show. The kids are all nasty, each in his own way. The mom, who should be everyones favorite because she is smart, accomplished, puts up with the dad, etc., is given such awful lines and bad situations that I don't even like her much anymore.

The people at the guy's work are the most stupid group of people I've ever seen, and not in a fun way. 

Has it always been this bad and I just didn't notice? Or has it gone way downhill, fast.

Awful


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## ytsemike (Oct 9, 2003)

I think everyone's mileage may vary...my wife and I were both in tears from laughing so hard at last night's episode. Charlie and his lines about taffy were perfectly delivered.


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## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

Weird, I laughed a ton at it.


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## madscientist (Nov 12, 2003)

My wife and I thought this last episode was really funny. Seems to be getting better just about every week, to us!


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

I thought the "kids get a job" episode was the funniest one yet.


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## justen_m (Jan 15, 2004)

I find this show very funny. The Halloween-themed episode was great and so was this last get-a-job episode. Opening the fridge and seeing baking soda, ketchup, and bologna? Awesome. I laughed out lout when the older son ran into the glass door spilling the coffee, which he claimed to have finally gotten right. That was fairly funny, but even better was 'Dre complementing his daughter on how well she cleaned the glass. I also like, early on, 'Dre's reaction to eating at the beef *plantation*.


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## ThreeSoFar'sBro (Oct 10, 2004)

We're enjoying it more each episode. I just try not to see Diana Ross in the Mom. For some reason that bothers me.


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## mrizzo80 (Apr 17, 2012)

This weeks episode was awesome. Laughed out loud several times.


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## Beryl (Feb 22, 2009)

The Christmas dinner/Santa episode was really funny. I loved the mother and her comments about Mexicans.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

This show is funny. Anthony Anderson can do comedy and drama well.


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## sharkster (Jul 3, 2004)

I'm still enjoying this show. I'm so completely NOT a kid person, but I just love the little girl.

Lots of great lines.


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## jamesbobo (Jun 18, 2000)

Has Lawrence Fishburn left the show?


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

jamesbobo said:


> Has Lawrence Fishburn left the show?


I think he's probably on hiatus from this show while he films Hannibal, since he's a primary actor on that show and I'm sure his contract with Black-ish is a second-position deal.


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## TonyD79 (Jan 4, 2002)

I think he was listed as a guest star.


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## madscientist (Nov 12, 2003)

We were also commenting that Laurence is MIA, and although the show is still funny we definitely miss him. Hopefully he'll be back.


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## Beryl (Feb 22, 2009)

I agree that Fishburne will return and is gone for the reasons mentioned. Aside -- Fishburne is one of the show's producers.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

Didn't they mention earlier in the season that Fishburne's character splits when the grandmother visits? I guess that helps explain his absences.


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## loubob57 (Mar 19, 2001)

There were several lines in the Christmas episode that had me ROFL.


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## Zevida (Nov 8, 2003)

loubob57 said:


> There were several lines in the Christmas episode that had me ROFL.


Ditto! I especially loved



Spoiler



Dennis Haysbert on 24 paving the way for black Presidnts 



And



Spoiler



ho HO ho!


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

Why spoilerize discussion about the episode when the thread title says "spoilers?"


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

Still loving the show. The Dennis Heysburt line cracked me up. The little kids remind me of the youngest daughter on the Cosby Show, especially the daughter.


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## Zevida (Nov 8, 2003)

DevdogAZ said:


> Why spoilerize discussion about the episode when the thread title says "spoilers?"


I didn't realize it said spoilers in the thread title.


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## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

madscientist said:


> We were also commenting that Laurence is MIA, and although the show is still funny we definitely miss him. Hopefully he'll be back.


BTW, he definitely was still in the credits in recent eps when he was gone.


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## markz (Oct 22, 2002)

This show definitely makes us laugh. Seems to be getting funnier.


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## YCantAngieRead (Nov 5, 2003)

I just caught an episode of this on Thursday. Set up a season pass in the middle. It's quite funny.


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## DreadPirateRob (Nov 12, 2002)

I really enjoy this show. It might be my favorite new show of the year.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

I thought the Valentime's Day episode was one of the funniest yet.


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## efilippi (Jul 24, 2001)

But the guys in the restroom was agonizingly stupid.


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

efilippi said:


> But the guys in the restroom was agonizingly stupid.


True. The idea of an impromptu support group was really ridiculous, but the underlying concept (that men always screw up big events) was pretty funny.


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## efilippi (Jul 24, 2001)

I agree the concept was good but sometimes they just can't help themselves and have to carry it to nuttiness, hence the holding hands and jumping up and down thing. Aargh.

One of the things I like most about Modern Family is that they aren't afraid to understate things, even though some times funny bits get missed by some of the viewers.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

efilippi said:


> But the guys in the restroom was agonizingly stupid.


I purged that from my memory.


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## Tobashadow (Nov 11, 2006)

I love the show but her insanely large eyes are distracting lol.


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## Mr.Scarface (Apr 25, 2005)

Black-ish had its funniest episode yet. It was LOL throughout. Bow's parents are seen for the first time and clash immediately with Dre's parents. The question whether the oldest child was born out of wedlock was the source of the best humor. "you are the black Jon Snow....".


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## Beryl (Feb 22, 2009)

Tobashadow said:


> I love the show but her insanely large eyes are distracting lol.


She came by them honestly. 









It is funny how the character sang karaoke -- badly.


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## TonyD79 (Jan 4, 2002)

Beryl said:


> She came by them honestly. It is funny how the character sang karaoke -- badly.


I've watched her for years. Never knew.


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## Beryl (Feb 22, 2009)

TonyD79 said:


> I've watched her for years. Never knew.


I know. Eerie.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

She's Diana Ross' daughter? I did not know that.


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## Gunnyman (Jul 10, 2003)

http://traceeellisross.com/tracee/further-exploration-hookah-tyga-young-thug/
her take on rap songs is hilarious.


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## Jstkiddn (Oct 15, 2003)

cheesesteak said:


> She's Diana Ross' daughter? I did not know that.


Me either!!


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## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

(oh, oops, didn't realize that picture was Diana Ross.. well I THOUGHT it looked like Diana Ross, but I thought you were posting a picture of the costar of this show.. Now I realize the costar is Diana's daughter.)

*Most* of the pictures of her I see on imdb have her googley eyes, but not all of them.


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## hummingbird_206 (Aug 23, 2007)

I didn't catch this show when it was first on. The pilot was broadcast tonight and I happened to see it after Modern Family. I thought it was ok, but not great. But since everyone seems to think it hit its stride around ep 3, I'm going to start recording the repeats.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

hummingbird_206 said:


> I didn't catch this show when it was first on. The pilot was broadcast tonight and I happened to see it after Modern Family. I thought it was ok, but not great. But since everyone seems to think it hit its stride around ep 3, I'm going to start recording the repeats.


I think it's pretty good. It's kind of like The Cosby Show updated for the 21st century, complete with the cute little kids, the rebellious in to herself teenager and the braniac son. Essentially a black man trying to keep his culture living in a "white" USA.


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## madscientist (Nov 12, 2003)

I think overall it was excellent. The middle of the season was especially strong. I thought the first couple and last couple of episodes were not quite as good.


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## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

Steveknj said:


> I think it's pretty good. It's kind of like The Cosby Show updated for the 21st century, complete with the cute little kids, the rebellious in to herself teenager and the braniac son. Essentially a black man trying to keep his culture living in a "white" USA.


Wait, isn't it the youngest daughter that's the braniac? I seem to remember both boys being portrayed as fairly dopey often.


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## DreadPirateRob (Nov 12, 2002)

madscientist said:


> I think overall it was excellent. The middle of the season was especially strong. I thought the first couple and last couple of episodes were not quite as good.


This. It was my favorite comedy for most of the year.


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## Zevida (Nov 8, 2003)

It was very funny. I thought it lost steam at the end, but I honestly think that has more to do with my lack of patience for 24 episode seasons than the quality of the show. I'm just too used to 12 or 13 episode seasons that the longer seasons wear on me now.


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## TonyD79 (Jan 4, 2002)

Zevida said:


> It was very funny. I thought it lost steam at the end, but I honestly think that has more to do with my lack of patience for 24 episode seasons than the quality of the show. I'm just too used to 12 or 13 episode seasons that the longer seasons wear on me now.


Shorter seasons also tend to push quality up as well.


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

I thought the season finale was great, so I'm not sure what those of you who claim the quality suffered at the end of the season are talking about.


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## cherry ghost (Sep 13, 2005)

DevdogAZ said:


> I thought the season finale was great, so I'm not sure what those of you who claim the quality suffered at the end of the season are talking about.


Yea, the finale, while not what I'd normally expect from a finale, was really well done.


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## bareyb (Dec 1, 2000)

DreadPirateRob said:


> This. It was my favorite comedy for most of the year.


Definitely one of my top picks for the newer comedies. I really like The Goldbergs" too.


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## pmyers (Jan 4, 2001)

I heard good things here, so I setup a SP. I've seen a couple really funny episodes and a few that were so bad I deleted them. I'm not sure where I am in the season as it's picking up repeats.


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## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

Just curious -- which ones were 'so bad'?


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## TonyD79 (Jan 4, 2002)

mattack said:


> Just curious -- which ones were 'so bad'?


I'd like to hear that, too, as the worst episodes were still good.


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## pmyers (Jan 4, 2001)

How about the one where they are supposed to be in the 20's...gawd that was bad.


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

pmyers said:


> How about the one where they are supposed to be in the 20's...gawd that was bad.


That was the season finale. I loved that one.


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## Donbadabon (Mar 5, 2002)

pmyers said:


> How about the one where they are supposed to be in the 20's...gawd that was bad.


I agree. For me, that was the worst of the season. I ended up turning it off.


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## TonyD79 (Jan 4, 2002)

pmyers said:


> How about the one where they are supposed to be in the 20's...gawd that was bad.


 Bad is a tall order in TV which has given us Family Matters and Super Fun Night as examples of bad.

It was silly and gimmicky but not bad.

And they went IN the 20s. They were listening to a story by the grandfather who put their likenesses into a story about the 20s.


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## pmyers (Jan 4, 2001)

I understand the concept, I just didn't care for it. I was asked for an example of what I thought was bad, and gave one. 

Most of the episodes I've watched, I really enjoyed.

There was one other one I vaguely remember that I turned off. I don't remember the plot I just remember the white vs black was just too much for me....and I usually love racial humor.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

It wasn't my favorite episode (actually one of the worst of the season I thought) but it wasn't bad. Just not up to standard.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

Black-ish was the best new comedy of the year for me. Then again, Black-ish was the only new comedy show I watched. I thought it was very, very good.


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## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

You should try out Fresh off the Boat too.


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## JammasterC (Aug 9, 2005)

mattack said:


> You should try out Fresh off the Boat too.


Yeah, both of these shows are fun to watch, edgy.


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## pmyers (Jan 4, 2001)

mattack said:


> You should try out Fresh off the Boat too.


I started watching that based on reactions here....love it!


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## DreadPirateRob (Nov 12, 2002)

There's not much discussion around here on this show, but I think it is consistently excellent - they've really hit their stride in knowing who the characters are. Dre is a little up and down in terms of being an idiot sometimes, but I think that Anthony Andersen is so versatile and funny that they like putting him in ridiculous situations.

Anyways, I thought that this week's episode "Hope" was really well done. It was far more on the serious side than this show normally hits, but I thought it handled a touchy subject (police brutality/#blacklivesmatter) with balance, grace, and just enough humor to make it not entirely uncomfortable. There was definitely the possibility of it veering into a Very Special Episode like a lesser show would have, but I thought this very powerful.


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## TonyD79 (Jan 4, 2002)

Agreed. I even liked how the conversation flowed and characters slightly wavered around their base views. Nobody was completely right and nobody was totally wrong.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

The grandparents always give me a chuckle on this show. The Bobcats!


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## DreadPirateRob (Nov 12, 2002)

Ruby consistently makes me laugh. She's hysterical.


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

DreadPirateRob said:


> Ruby consistently makes me laugh. She's hysterical.


Funny. That's the one character on this show I can't stand.

I thought this week's episode was excellent. Interesting discussing from varying viewpoints.


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## DreadPirateRob (Nov 12, 2002)

DevdogAZ said:


> Funny. That's the one character on this show I can't stand.


She used to drive me crazy, so she must have grown on me. I think the performance is just spectacular - her histrionics are hilarious to me.


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

DreadPirateRob said:


> She used to drive me crazy, so she must have grown on me. I think the performance is just spectacular - her histrionics are hilarious to me.


Oh, most definitely the actress is doing an amazing job. No question about it. I just can't stand the character.


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