'black-ish' EP Says Bow and Dre's Marital Issues Are Here to Stay

We’re telling you this because we think you’re mature enough to handle it: Mommy and Daddy still love you very much, but they’re going through a rough patch right now.

On Tuesday, black-ish’s Bow (Tracee Ellis Ross) and Dre (Anthony Anderson) — one of TV’s most solid, if adorably mismatched, couples — hit an unprecedented marital low in an arc that began last week and continues through the May 15 finale.

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“Bow and Dre have gotten absorbed in other aspects of life, like work and children,” executive producer Jonathan Groff says. “To use a cooking metaphor, their relationship is the main course, and they’ve been focused on sides, apps and desserts.”

Fittingly, that will become clear with an imminent kitchen remodel — a project that suddenly seems daunting given their current disconnect. Says Groff, “They’re not really feeling each other, but they need to be in sync to make decisions.”

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And while black-ish often handles heavy topics with a deft comedic touch, don’t expect a ton of laughs. “We wanted to tell this story as honestly as possible,” he adds. “It’s unlike any episode we’ve ever done.”

black-ish 9/8c, Tuesdays, 9/8c, ABC