Blackish tv show

[lovinmyboys]

Has anyone watched this? Is it appropriate for kids as young as 10? We watched a few episodes as a family and I thought it was fine other than lots of use of the word ass. My ds10 was a little uncomfortable with that, but if it doesn’t get worse I think it would be ok. 
 

Also, did anyone talk to your kids about things in the show? Ds10 was pretty convinced it was racist because it made jokes about a black family being able to afford that neighborhood and black people not playing field hockey. I tried to explain it to him, but I don’t think I did a very good job.

Last, any suggestions for good family shows? We started watching shows as a family in 2015 and the kids really like doing that before bed on nights we don’t have anything going on. We have done Full House, Family Matters, Boy Meets World, Speechless, Gortimer Gibbons, Inbestigators, and Babysitters Club. We have also done some shows like LEGO Masters, Masterchef Junior, and Mental Samuri, but they really want a sitcom and I am out of ideas. The kids are all boys age 9-14.

Edited September 22, 2020 by lovinmyboys

[Carrie12345]

I LOVE Black-ish. It does touch on and sometimes go in depth on “grown up” issues, so I’ve never thought about watching it with my almost 10yo. My 13yo has no patience for sitcom-type shows. I’ve been encouraging my older kids to watch it, but I think they’ve only seen a few episodes here and there. Hopefully the ones I’ve specifically recommended.

There’s a big part of me that wants to point out that the show points out a lot of real life, but there’s also some controversy about the creator frequently sticking to well-off Black family stories.  And then there are the people who are like, um, there *are well-off Black families and why not give some representation to *their realities?!

I just enjoy the whole thing. The humor, the large family issues, the social commentary, the emotional relationship stuff, OMG the Prince episode... It’s all good.  I wouldn’t sit down with my kids to make a “thing” of it, though.

[lovinmyboys]

Thanks! Maybe I will watch a few more episodes on my own.

I wasn’t really planning to make a thing of it, but ds was so adamant it was racist. He kept going on and on. “Black people can play any sport they want they don’t just have to play basketball!”

I just want a show our whole family can watch and I thought it might work. It is getting hard as my older kids are moving past cheesy shows and my younger ones aren’t ready for most sitcoms. 

[teachermom2834]

I’ve watched it on and off. It depends on your comfort level. There was an episode about the son losing his virginity so families are going to have different levels of comfort with that kind of thing. Any show with teens seems like it will throw in an episode like that even when most of the time it is more comfortable family viewing. 

[Carrie12345]

19 minutes ago, lovinmyboys said:

I wasn’t really planning to make a thing of it, but ds was so adamant it was racist. He kept going on and on. “Black people can play any sport they want they don’t just have to play basketball!”

Well, he’s right that they can. And it’s also true that plenty of Black people want to play basketball. And this white girl played high school basketball.
The show both confronts stereotypes AND embraces the fact that Black people can and do do some “Black Things”, and that’s okay, too.

I’m not gonna buy a pumpkin latte just because I’m a basic white mom, but I might be a basic white mom who gets a pumpkin latte.

[KungFuPanda]

Watch it. You could learn some important things that overshadow the occasional uncomfortable episode and it’s FUNNY. I love the bit where the  co-worker (Charles) is afraid of the “girl twin” Diane. I also really liked the episode where the kids didn’t know who Prince was and the adults freaked out. 🤣
 

If you haven’t watched Fresh Off the Boat, add that to the list too. Hysterical!

Edited September 22, 2020 by KungFuPanda

[Sneezyone]

My kids have watched and talked about the show but they're in on the jokes. They find it hilarious b/c it reflects their experiences really well. My DD is a social maven; my DS is an awkward nerd. They do some stereotypical things and some non-stereotypical things and that's OK. DH and I have had MANY conversations about the things our kids don't know and haven't experienced (including music and family connections). We've done the private schools and have very friendly, also nosey, (lol) suburban neighbors. It's like an exaggerated highlight reel for us.

Edited September 22, 2020 by Sneezyone

[BusyMom5]

I havenot watched, so no comment on that part, but we do watch some TV as a family.   Shows my boys have liked include Burn Notice (has action, violence), Merlin (kids loved this UK show), Robin Hood (UK show) and they love Stargate SG-1, The Clone Wars, The Mandalorian.

[YaelAldrich]

The spin off Mixed-ish might be a better fit for your family. It has some of the same racial stuff (compounded with Bow's family being biracial) and cute (to me) flashbacks to 80's life. I'm Black and Korean and of a similar age so a lot of the stuff resonates with me. It's a show that might be a better entree into racial sitcoms.

[Sneezyone]

16 minutes ago, Plum said:

Super big puffy heart for the Prince episode. I'd also recommend the Juneteenth episode. It's a great show with a lot of social commentary. You could pick and choose episodes. 

I definitely would not recommend Grown-ish until later. 

The first few episodes of Grown-ish were just off. Drug use is simply not as pervasive as they initially portrayed it among that particular set of friends but the later episodes have been muuuuhch closer to what I experienced and what I’d expect from a multiracial friend crew.

[1shortmomto4]

Try watching The Middle - a little gem that people didn't watch but really a very nice family show.  We quote a line from that show all the time "fun comes to this house to die."  Middle America family life.

[Hyacinth]

I heartily recommendation The Middle. 
And The Wonder Years was a fun binge when my boys were 12-ish. 

[Emba]

What about Malcolm in the Middle? It’s been a long time since I’ve seen it, but I remember it being funny.

[1GirlTwinBoys]

I binged that show when everything first shut down.  I laughed so hard I was hysterical over a couple of scenes from different episodes. 

[KungFuPanda]

We LOVE Mixed-ish. Santi is hysterical. 😂