black-ish
That's What Friends Are For
TV Flash files “That's What Friends Are For” as the first listed hour of season 8 — black-ish (2014–2022) on ABC, season 8, episode 1, aired 2022-01-04, 30 min.
From the desk
How this hour is filed
This leaf is S08E01: listed hour 161 of 173 in the black-ish guide, first listed hour of season 8. It aired 2022-01-04 (30 min). The listed hour before it is “Urban Legend” (S07E19). Next is “The Natural” (S08E02).
Catalog log
Broadcast listing — not a TV Flash recap.
Bow convinces Dre to attend a fundraising event for When We All Vote in hopes to make some new couple friends (and to do their part in increasing participation in each and every election), but Dre is convinced there will be nothing but dud husbands there to befriend. Their expectations are far exceeded when the special guest for the evening is none other than Michelle Obama. To their surprise, the former first lady accepts an invitation for dinner at their house. But on the evening of the special meal, the rest of the Johnsons want to crash the occasion.
Viewer FAQ
Where does That's What Friends Are For sit in the black-ish guide?
S08E01 is listed hour 161 of 173 — first listed hour of season 8, season 8 episode 1.
When did black-ish S08E01 air?
That's What Friends Are For aired 2022-01-04 and is listed at 30 minutes.
Do I need the spinoffs?
grown-ish and mixed-ish are extras. black-ish is the suburban Johnson engine; start here unless you already live at the college spinoff.
In the series
Why this series still plays
Kenya Barris smuggled race, class, and parenting essays into ABC multi-cam without losing the joke. Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross argue first, lecture later; the kids keep the sitcom engine humming. Broadcast comedy that treated Black suburban identity as weekly debate, not Very Special garnish.
ABC did not park a seminar on a quiet Friday. **2014** put Kenya Barris's Johnsons on the broadcast calendar as multi-cam comfort with race, class, and parenting essays smuggled through the laugh. Anthony Anderson's Dre worries his kids are losing cultural identity in affluent suburbia; Tracee Ellis Ross's Rainbow argues first, lectures later. Yara Shahidi, Marcus Scribner, Miles Brown, Marsai Martin keep the engine humming. Rex can romanticize a simpler network night; this was issue-driven multi-cam thriving…
Filed against
- Anthony Anderson as Dre Johnson
Anthony Anderson’s Dre Johnson argued first, lectured later on black-ish — Kenya Barris smuggling race, class, and parenting essays into ABC multi-cam without losing the joke. Tracee Ellis Ross opposite, kids keeping the engine humming.…
- Tracee Ellis Ross as Rainbow Johnson
Tracee Ellis Ross’s Rainbow Johnson argued first and lectured later on black-ish — Kenya Barris smuggling race, class, and parenting essays into ABC multi-cam without losing the joke. Anthony Anderson as the other half of the debate; the…
- Yara Shahidi as Zoey Johnson
Yara Shahidi’s Zoey Johnson kept black-ish’s sitcom engine humming as the kid who could argue — Kenya Barris smuggling race, class, and parenting essays into ABC multi-cam without losing the joke. Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross…
- Marcus Scribner as Andre Jr.
Marcus Scribner grew up in the argument as Andre Jr. on black-ish — Kenya Barris smuggling race, class, and parenting essays into ABC multi-cam, Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross arguing first, the kids keeping the engine humming.…
- Miles Brown as Jack Johnson
Miles Brown’s Jack Johnson kept black-ish’s sitcom engine humming while Kenya Barris smuggled race, class, and parenting essays into ABC multi-cam — Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross arguing first, lecturing later. TV Flash files him…
- Marsai Martin as Diane Johnson
Marsai Martin stole scenes as policy as Diane Johnson on black-ish — Kenya Barris’s ABC multi-cam, race and class as weekly debate, Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross arguing first, the kids keeping the engine humming. A youngest who…