Controversial “Black-ish” Episode Was Released On Hulu Earlier This Week

Controversial “Black-ish” Episode Was Released On Hulu Earlier This Week

 

After ABC pulled the “Black-ish” episode, “Please, Baby, Please” in 2018, Hulu made it available to watch on Monday.

In an interview with Deadline, ABC spokesperson said that it was shelved for “creative differences.” The season four episode centered on American society, one year after the election of President Trump, as everyone worried about the future of the country under the administration.

It’s a tale of Donald Trump, as Shady King, and Barack Obama, as Prince Barry. Throughout the episode, characters specifically talk about police brutality, kneeling for the national anthem, white supremacy rallies, and mass shootings.

Kenya Barris, producer of the show, said in an Instagram post, “Following the re-airing of ‘Juneteenth’ and ‘Hope’, I asked Walt Disney Television to revisit making the episode available. Recognizing the importance of this moment, they listened and agreed.”

The topics all touched on issues mentioned within the Black Lives Matter movement, which Trump adamantly speaks against in many Twitter posts. ABC withheld the episode out of fear that it will offend the president, but eventually came to understand the significance and released it. Along with “Please, Baby, Please”, Hulu also made the “Hope” and “Juneteenth” episodes available on the platform.

As mentioned in The Hollywood Reporter, Tracee Ellis Ross, as Rainbow Johnson, called ABC’s move “frightening” for restricting the episode that Barris had “given his blood, sweat and tears” to.  There are still protests occurring across the country over the death of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and more.

Barris hopes that the 22-minute episode sparks needed conversation across the community “about where we want our country to go moving forward.”

Post a Comment