Andre 'Dre' Johnson Sr., an African-American advertising executive who tries to pass on some of his urban culture to his seemingly uninterested children. Like any parents, Andre 'Dre' and Rainbow Johnson want to give their children the best. But their offspring's childhood is turning out to be much different than theirs. As he defines what the American dream means to his family in a multi-cultural world, one idea keeps surfacing. It appears that in this melting pot called America, we are all a little black-ish.
The side plot suggests a thoughtful consideration of the gap between personal comforts and societal responsibilities, which have been central to the sitcom format but rarely have been pulled off with such humility, humor, and lived-in experience.
The episode goes to great lengths to try to wring commentary and comedy out of one of society's most hot-button topics, addressing non-black appropriation of the word while also spoofing white indignation at not being "allowed" to use the term.
On a strategic level, beginning the season with an episode focusing on an issue as heavily-debated as the n-word is kind of necessity for the show; as buzzed about as the episode's topic may be.
THE Word manages to offer up a surprisingly complete history of this horrific slur, all while never once speaking it out loud and while telling some great jokes.
