Black-ish might not be the most popular sitcom out there, but it has resonated with audiences and critics alike. The show began airing in 2014 and is currently in its sixth season, which is quite a feat for any television series. One Golden Globe award and several years later, Black-ish ranks at 7.1 out of 10 on IMDb, which is nothing to be ashamed about. The hilarious adventures of the Johnson family keep it both real and funny, which is the main reason why the show is going strong.
However, as it happens with every single movie of television series, not every single episode is going to be a masterpiece. Whether it is lackluster writing or unconvincing acting, here and there something is bound to slip - even in a show as laugh-inducing as Black-ish. So, with that in mind, let's take a look at the 10 worst episodes of the show according to IMDb.
Christmas in Theater Eight - 6.5
"Christmas in Theater Eight" marked both the mid-season finale of the fifth season of the show and the Johnson family celebrating one of the most beloved holidays out there: Christmas. The main plot followed Dre's fight to get the entire family to watch the Rosa Parks movie, while everyone was inclined towards a new superhero movie.
It was an interesting narrative surrounding the importance of ing black movies, and Dre's disbelief at how many people were settling for the Marvel-like movie, along with the overall message, was endearing. However, it didn't quite hit the mark when it comes to popularity, getting a 6.5 rating on IMDb.
Don't You Be My Neighbor - 6.5
When you're writing a show about a couple with kids that ends up going on for several years, it's only natural that audiences eventually witness those kids growing up. One of the topics that "Don't You Be My Neighbor" tackles is the teenagehood of Jack and Diane, mostly through Diane's first crush.
The biggest plot point is the neighborhood's decision to come together and call the cops on a family renting an Airbnb, whose behavior is less than desirable. There's a lot of Dre being Dre and the addition of his interactions with Jeanine were funny.... just not funny enough to get more than 6.5 on IMDb.
Scarred For Life - 6.5
Halloween episodes are always a staple for family sitcoms, and Black-ish has never been an exception to this fact. "Scarred For Life," however, seems to be the Halloween episode out of the entire show that didn't manage to impress fans as much as it could have.
The first major change was the immediate introduction of the costumes, and the peak of the episode seemed to be all the little children running away from the Johnson haunted house within seconds of entering it. It wasn't a horrible episode, but it didn't manage to deliver as many laughs as we're used to.
Collateral Damage - 6.5
What sets Black-ish apart is that, even though it's a sitcom at its core, it never stays away from depicting real-life issues that affect everyone, no matter how sad or sensitive they are. We see it often with race-related issues, but we've also seen it with post-partum depression and, in "Collateral Damage," with marital problems.
Dre and Bow decide to try "nesting", and the narrative of the episode follows the elder Johnson kids taking the situation hard, and the Johnson couple fighting ugly and dirty. It's not cute or funny as the show tends to be, which is probably why the fans weren't very keen on rating the episode very highly.
Andre Johnson: Good Person - 6.3
This episode really didn't sit too well with audiences in general. "Andre Johnson: Good Person" followed Dre and Bow's planning of their child's second birthday, and saw them clash with each other over what is best for little Devante, with Bow wanting to take an approach that's more up-to-date.
As a subplot, Jack and Diane are trying to get Ruby to ditch her horrible polluting habits, but the overall ending didn't give away much. We're so used to Black-ish leaving us with a lesson that it just feels lackluster when it simply falls flat and pointless.
Friends Without Benefits - 6.3
The seventh episode of the fifth season of Black-ish saw Bow making a new friend, which led Dre to think she had broken bird syndrome... meaning, she gravitates towards broken men in an effort to fix them. It made for a great moment of Bow defending herself, so props to that.
Also, props to Ruby being a good grandmother for once, without losing all the things that made audiences like her in the first place. In the end, "Friends Without Benefits" certainly had its moments, but not nearly enough to get a high ranking on IMDb.
Wilds of Valley Glen - 6.3
Some people love the outdoors, others just aren't really into it. No matter what category you fall into, once you have kids, you'll have to suck it up and take them on a camping trip, or a hike, or something. Well, Dre falls into the second category, and "Wilds of Valley Glen" see him trying to escape to a fancy hotel so he doesn't have to deal with nature.
It doesn't really go well, and we get too much of Dre's baby side, which gets annoying really fast. Not even Bow's subplot at work with her awards was enough to save this episode from its 6.3 ratings.
Stand Up, Fall Down - 6.3
"Stand Up, Fall Down" followed Dre's attempt to get Junior to do something with his life by taking him to work with him, and on a parallel plot, we see Bow agreeing to let Ruby babysit Devante after the nanny quits. The premise for the episode showed promise, but it didn't quite deliver.
There were some funny moments with Ruby, and some very real scenes at Dre's work when Junior realizes what his father has to deal with. However, it didn't quite get there, and it has a 6.3 rating.
Liberal Arts - 6.2
Look, it's not that "Liberal Arts" was a bad episode because it wasn't. It was actually extremely well written and acted. It just wasn't a Black-ish episode as much as it was a disguised pilot for the spin-off at the time, Grown-ish, starring one of the brightest Johnson kids, Zoey.
We see Bow dropping her off at college and begin to witness what Zoey's life will look like once she sets off on her own, which is nothing more than a preamble to what is to come. The episode's only crime was that if felt foreign.
Richard Youngsta - 5.9
The worst-rated episode of Black-ish took place back in season three. It followed many topics that are near and dear to the show, including minority representation in the media, which was portrayed through Dre's attempt to launch a commercial starring a famous rapper, played by real-life rapper Chris Brown.
The narrative was both warming and necessary, but fans didn't receive the episode well mostly due to the casting of Chris Brown since the rapper has been involved in his fair share of controversy.