ANTHONY ANDERSON, AUGUST GROSS/BERLIN GROSS, TRACEE ELLIS ROSS Black-ish Review: Fifty-Three Percent (Season 4 Episode 20)

Black-ish Review: Fifty-Three Percent (Season 4 Episode 20)

Samantha Coley black-ish, Reviews

Black-ish Season 4 Episode 20, “Fifty-Three Percent,” is one of if not the most serious and heartbreaking episodes of Black-ish I’ve ever seen.

It’s also one of the most human and realistic episodes of a sitcom I’ve seen in a long time.

When Devonte falls behind on one of the biggest baby milestones (walking), Dre and Bow start to argue more and more. Which leads them to the point that there might be something very wrong with their relationship.

ANTHONY ANDERSON, AUGUST GROSS/BERLIN GROSS, TRACEE ELLIS ROSS, KATHRYN TAYLOR-SMITH
BLACK-ISH – “Fifty-Three Percent” – (ABC/Eric McCandless)
ANTHONY ANDERSON, AUGUST GROSS/BERLIN GROSS, TRACEE ELLIS ROSS, KATHRYN TAYLOR-SMITH

This episode took me by surprise because for the entire time that I’ve been watching Black-ish Bow and Dre have been one of my favorite sitcom couples on television right now.

“Fifty-Three Percent” doesn’t change that but it does make me feel all sorts of complicated feelings about the show taking their relationship in this direction.

I really do appreciate the serious nature in which Black-ish has approached this issue. Black-ish is one of the only sitcoms around that I trust to tackle such deeply personal and controversial issues as it often takes on.

KATHRYN TAYLOR-SMITH, AUGUST GROSS/BERLIN GROSS, MARCUS SCRIBNER
BLACK-ISH – “Fifty-Three Percent” – (ABC/Eric McCandless)
KATHRYN TAYLOR-SMITH, AUGUST GROSS/BERLIN GROSS, MARCUS SCRIBNER

Dre and Bow take a trip to marriage counseling which is not something they’re unfamiliar with. It’s both smart and realistic to portray Bow and Dre as a couple who’ve had trouble in their marriage before, but they’ve done the work to maintain their relationship because they love each other.

But this time is different.

Bow and Dre swing from a good place to a bad place multiple times in this episode. And even when they swing into a good place it doesn’t look like things are going to be fixed in their relationship anytime soon.

ANTHONY ANDERSON, AUGUST GROSS/BERLIN GROSS, TRACEE ELLIS ROSS, KATHRYN TAYLOR-SMITH
BLACK-ISH – “Fifty-Three Percent” –  (ABC/Eric McCandless)
ANTHONY ANDERSON, AUGUST GROSS/BERLIN GROSS, TRACEE ELLIS ROSS, KATHRYN TAYLOR-SMITH

It’s been clear that Dre and Bow have different points of view on the world and that they often approach things life differently because of those perspectives. But it’s never been a problem like it is for them now.

Dre: Big problems usually don’t get solved all at once, but sometimes real change can start with something as small as baby steps

When Devonte finally walks it’s a beautiful moment that signifies that things can still be fixed between the two of them by taking those baby steps.

I still have faith in this relationship and I’m ready for Black-ish to take me on the journey that Bow and Dre must go on in order to save their marriage.

MARCUS SCRIBNER, MARSAI MARTIN, MILES BROWN
BLACK-ISH – “Fifty-Three Percent” – (ABC/Eric McCandless)
MARCUS SCRIBNER, MARSAI MARTIN, MILES BROWN

Other Thoughts:

  • I hope that Jack got to keep the bouncy house for several days.
  • Diane is going to run the world someday.
  • Dre’s co-workers are usually wrong and not always the brightest, but this week their ridicule of Dre’s attempts to fix his marriage is just gross. I’ll never understand the way that many straight white men tend to mock both their own marriages and those of others.
  • I love that Charlie continues to be openly in love with Bow.

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

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

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Samantha (she/her) is a social media specialist by day and a sci-fi junkie by night. As a freelance writer and podcaster, she also enjoys live-tweeting, blogging, good music, and better television. Her current favorite television shows include Star Trek (yes, all of them), Riverdale, and Stranger Things and there will always be a place in her heart for Battlestar Galactica, Leverage, and The West Wing.

One thought on “Black-ish Review: Fifty-Three Percent (Season 4 Episode 20)”

  • This episode of Black-ish really got to me. It’s not one of those things to expect a sitcom to have you thinking about your own relationship. We have all been in that place, feels like your partner looks at life completely different with your. Small talk will immediately lead to an argument. Hope Dre and Bow show how to get through this.

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