Will Bow and Dre Get Divorced on ‘Black-ish’?
In Tuesday night’s episode of ABC’s black-ish, the series explored an area that family comedies don’t usually touch: marital discord.
Bow (Tracee Ellis Ross) and Dre’s (Anthony Anderson) relationship was the topic of Season 4’s “Blue Valentine,” and it wasn’t easy for fans to watch. The usually upbeat couple were shown facing the cold hard fact that they had grown apart.
As the kids headed out to stay with their grandmother, Bow and Dre were left to face their issues alone. Things weren’t helped when the contractors arrived, because if relationship problems weren’t stress, a kitchen renovation will definitely do that.
During their struggle, the screen took on a grayish hue, spurring many to wonder if these two can weather the storm. The episode ended with Dre leaving the family home as the two said through tears, ‘How did we get here?’
Creator Kenya Barris previewed this heartbreaking storyline to Entertainment Weekly back in March.
“When I was growing up, I never saw couples fight on the family sitcoms I loved to watch,” Barris explained. “Subsequently, when tough times arose in my own relationship, I wasn’t prepared and felt so isolated and alone. Marital issues weren’t a part of the narrative that television told me was a ‘working relationship.'”
“Fifty-three percent of American marriages fail, which is about the same odds as DeAndre Jordan making a free-throw,” he continued. “I wanted to explore Dre and Bow’s relationship going through a difficult time and how it impacts the whole family.”
Unfortunately for fans of a happier Dre and Bow, they aren’t through the worst of it yet. Barris explained that the procedural comedy takes on a serialized arc for the rest of the season. “This is the first serialized story arc we’ve done and we greatly appreciate ABC for allowing us to carry out this creative decision, which we are not taking lightly,” he detailed. “We wrote this in a way that feels really raw and authentic to this family’s journey and we hope viewers will watch the episodes live and have thought-provoking conversations.”
Barris also shared that some of his personal experiences influenced this black-ish plot. “Dre and Bow have never been immune to tough situations, just like marriages in real life, including my own. We want to shine a light on the challenges a relationship can face and the necessary effort to try and work through them together.”
With only a few episodes left after Tuesday’s ep, it isn’t clear whether this will be cleared up before season’s end. And the possibility of a negative outcome for this fan favorite couple is causing a major social media uproar. See what fans had to say below:
My emotionless ass watching black-ish pic.twitter.com/9fAndI0DuW
— Satou Balde (@_satoub) May 2, 2018
Watching #Blackish for the first time in over a year like pic.twitter.com/zTfzAyhNf7
— 🤷🏾♀️AwkwardlyReeRee💫 (@AwkwardlyReeRee) May 2, 2018
I don’t like seeing Bow and Dre like this #blackish pic.twitter.com/F12tzmPooH
— Elson (@Elsonshellscil) May 2, 2018
#blackish is about to make me shed the tv tears that are usually reserved for This Is Us pic.twitter.com/HellA1IVec
— Uncle Oprah (@FinnMordecai) May 2, 2018
@blackishabc @anthonyanderson last nights episode was heartbreaking yet amazing. You guys have changed the portrait of what a sitcom should be. Thank you for this episode that still has me thinking. <3 #Blackish
— Scott Boardman (@ScottyDotCom) May 2, 2018
Black-ish, Tuesdays, 9/8c, ABC
