Black-ish Review: Inheritance (Season 4 Episode 11)

On Black-ish Season 4 Episode 11, “Inheritance,” Bow and Dre both get visits from their sisters and we see the different ways that the Johnsons need and value each other.

Both of the storylines in this episode revolve around the different ways we value our family, whether that be through inheritance or how we value their time in our daily lives.

Ruby is inspired by a funeral that she attended to go ahead and have the “what happens when I die” conversation with her kids. Dre, a well-known mama’s boy, is naturally panicked by the very concept of Ruby dying.

I honestly can’t say I blame him for his reaction to her bringing up her own death. I would be similarly terrified if it was my mother! But the part where I stop siding with Dre is when he goes full-tilt greedy in demanding he get Ruby’s duplex instead of Rhonda.

Bow: You need to let this alone. Dre you don’t need a building, Rhonda does.

Dre is well off; that’s just a fact. He and Bow both have very successful careers, they make enough money to live a very comfortable lifestyle. It’s evident in Dre’s shoe collection, the fact that the kids are all in private school, and their nice home.

While we don’t spend a lot of time on Black-ish with Rhonda, it’s clear that money-wise she’s nowhere near as comfortable as Dre and his family are.

It makes the most sense for Rhonda to get the possessions with the highest monetary value, whereas Dre would get something more sentimental. I’m glad that by the end of the episode he’s able to see how ridiculous he had been and apologizes to his sister.

Dre’s sister isn’t the only one in town, Bow gets a visit from her sister, Santa Monica, now Santa Maria. Bow also gets a lesson in how valuable Junior is to making sure her life runs smoothly.

When Santa Maria decides she’s going to start a church, Bow offers her Junior as an assistant. She tells him to go work for her after he keeps talking about how much he does around the house. Bow is probably feeling insulted by Junior acting as if he knows more than she does.

Her feelings are fair because, she is the mom and she’s been at this a lot longer than he has, but she also has no idea how much she’s come to depend on him recently.

When Junior stops doing all of the little things he had been to go work with Santa Maria, Bow is lost in demands from the rest of her kids and her list of things to do.

Bow: I have taken you for granted Junior, and I am sorry. You have been such a big help while I’ve been sleep training Devonte. But sweetheart, you’re a lot.

Junior: I am.

Bow: But I need a lot.

Junior: You do. I just like to feel needed, by you, not Auntie Maria.

It doesn’t take long for her to sever the strange business relationship between Junior and Santa Maria and ask for him to come back to helping her.

Junior is often the most undervalued member of the Johnson household, as their resident nerd. So it’s really nice to see him finally get some recognition and appreciation.

OTHER THOUGHTS:

• I love Bow asking if Dre has been talking to “those people” at work as if they don’t put crazy ideas in his head every week.
• Was this episode also an ad for Lyft?
• I’m not crazy about Black-ish making Rhonda an atheist. People can be gay and also religious, so it would’ve been nice to see Black-ish stand up to the stereotype that you can’t be both. But to each their own, I guess.

What did you think of this episode of Black-ish? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

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Black-ish airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on ABC.

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