Black-ish Review: Working Girl (Season 4 Episode 10)

Black-ish returns from hiatus with an episode focusing on the struggle that working moms face when maternity leave is over. On Black-ish Season 4 Episode 10 “Working Girl,” Bow has to make the decision to either continue to stay home with her family, or go back to work like she has after the birth of all her other children.

It’s known that Bow loves her job, and not only that she’s really good at it. She’s a brilliant and accomplished doctor, and great, loving mom. In the past she’s always gone back to work at the end of her maternity leave, but like almost everything else surrounding her pregnancy with DeVante, this time is different.

“Working Girl” is a really well done episode that shows many dynamic and valid points of view surrounding this topic.

Daphne: A lot of women get an incredible amount of fulfillment from their careers.

Bow is at first, the type of woman who is fulfilled by her job and happy to go back to it at the end of her maternity leave, but by the end of “Working Girl” she decides to continue staying home for at least the next few months.

Bow: That’s why it’s called maternity leave. You do something maternal and then you leave.

Black-ish does a really good job of making sure that neither choice is belittled or invalidated. While Dre does try to influence her decision, it’s ultimately Bow’s choice. And both staying home and going back to work are shown to have an equal amount of positive aspects.

Bow: Maybe the question isn’t can I do it all, but do I want to.

Ultimately, Bow decides to stay home with her family, even after her second day back to work is amazing. She does what she feels is best for herself and for her family, and that’s what makes her choice right for her.

Bow: The person that I need permission from is myself.

Each mother who makes this choice often does whatever is best for their individual situation, and either option is valid. Thank you for showing that Black-ish!

Meanwhile, the twins learn some questionable ways to get ahead from Grandma Ruby. Instead of actually learning to do math, they lie their way out of their test by using white guilt on their teacher.

Ever the moral compass, Junior is extremely disappointed.

Junior: If people already assume the worst in us doesn’t that mean we have to be twice as good.

Unfortunately, Junior doesn’t actually follow through on anything to help Jack and Diane actually do well in class. But they’re all thrilled to have Bow back to fix it.

OTHER THOUGHTS:

• The kids pointing out that it’s depressingly easy to find a tragedy that happened to a black person every day in the newspaper is a brilliant little moment.
• The tie in that Zoey is officially leaving for college is a great way to lead right up to the premiere of Grown-ish!
• I love love love the montage of Bow slaying at work.
• And Dre spilling the tea about women world leaders.

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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