Ok, so the commercials weren't enough to make me tune in, but it's been on in reruns after another show I watch. At first, it was funny, so I decided to start watching it regularly, and that's when a few things started bothering me...
1) It REALLY feels like 2000's Cosby reboot - all the way to having the eldest daughter leave for college and turning it into a spin-off. The only difference is this time the wife is the dr and the husband is an ad exec instead of a lawyer (and hopefully not ruffying unexpecting women). Ironically, I'm watching an episode right now and they JUST mentioned the Cosby Show...
2) It's really pretty racist. Given the title of "Black-ish", of course I knew it was going to be dealing with a black family and black issues, but it goes the extra mile to paint all of the white characters in a negative light. That really pisses me of because it's such a double standard. You can't say it's wrong for one group to make jokes about one group, but it's ok for that group to make fun of the other. Racism is racism, it doesn't matter who's making the comments to which group.
The wife, Rainbow, is bi-racial (1/2 black, 1/2 white), which could really open up the series to some interesting (and much needed) story lines and talking points, but instead not only do her black husband and in-laws make fun of her for being mixed, but she only identifies as black to the point of open hostility to most white people she encounters - NEVER saying anything when confronted with a sensitive situation like, "My dad is white, and I love him," or "I'm bi-racial, and..." It's always, "as a black person in this world..." It almost feels like they included it to try to give them a pass on making white jokes, but they show ZERO sympathetic white characters, just villains.
They show Dre at work, and all the white co-workers are absolutely idicotic, racist, and clueless. Yet somehow, it's a huge win for Dre to work there because it's such a big, prestigious firm. Which is it, a prestigious firm or nothing but useless idiots?
It's just really disappointing. Instead of making it a funny show that's about a family that happens to be black, it's all racial issues all the time. It could have done for the black community what Will & Grace or Modern Family did for the gay community, instead it's just a reason to perpetuate stereotypes.
1) It REALLY feels like 2000's Cosby reboot - all the way to having the eldest daughter leave for college and turning it into a spin-off. The only difference is this time the wife is the dr and the husband is an ad exec instead of a lawyer (and hopefully not ruffying unexpecting women). Ironically, I'm watching an episode right now and they JUST mentioned the Cosby Show...
2) It's really pretty racist. Given the title of "Black-ish", of course I knew it was going to be dealing with a black family and black issues, but it goes the extra mile to paint all of the white characters in a negative light. That really pisses me of because it's such a double standard. You can't say it's wrong for one group to make jokes about one group, but it's ok for that group to make fun of the other. Racism is racism, it doesn't matter who's making the comments to which group.
The wife, Rainbow, is bi-racial (1/2 black, 1/2 white), which could really open up the series to some interesting (and much needed) story lines and talking points, but instead not only do her black husband and in-laws make fun of her for being mixed, but she only identifies as black to the point of open hostility to most white people she encounters - NEVER saying anything when confronted with a sensitive situation like, "My dad is white, and I love him," or "I'm bi-racial, and..." It's always, "as a black person in this world..." It almost feels like they included it to try to give them a pass on making white jokes, but they show ZERO sympathetic white characters, just villains.
They show Dre at work, and all the white co-workers are absolutely idicotic, racist, and clueless. Yet somehow, it's a huge win for Dre to work there because it's such a big, prestigious firm. Which is it, a prestigious firm or nothing but useless idiots?
It's just really disappointing. Instead of making it a funny show that's about a family that happens to be black, it's all racial issues all the time. It could have done for the black community what Will & Grace or Modern Family did for the gay community, instead it's just a reason to perpetuate stereotypes.