Black. White. Episode #5

The second to last episode of Black.White. started with an unsuccessful visit from the therapist to help the two families try to work out their differences. Since Renee and Carmen will apparently never get along, a great deal of this episode was devoted to Renee finding a white friend who can help her learn about the white world. Before Renee threw in the towel, she did make the effort to bring Carmen to the beauty shop. Carmen, predictably, acted like a curious child. Most adults understand that when you are in unfamiliar circumstances, the best thing, most of the time, is to keep quiet and observe what’s going on. Carmen has never learned that. She is a loose cannon. The last straw was when she asked to touch another woman’s hair. For someone who is so hypersensitive, she’s remarkably clueless about her own behavior toward other people. What. A. Ditz.

Clueless Carmen had such a great time at the beauty shop that she recommended it to Rose, who predictably behaved herself better.

Bruno and Brian spent a fair amount of time together. Brian is still plugging away, trying to get Bruno to see reality. Unfortunately, reality is not on Brian’s side. They fake car trouble in a white area to see if anyone will help two black men. People were generally helpful and friendly. Brian was frustrated. Part of the reason that Bruno is not being treated the way Brian wants him to be is that Bruno dresses in business casual all the time. Bruno, or for that matter Brian, doesn’t look intimidating at all to this white woman at least. But someone – white or black – who is sagging, with an overly large shirt and a cap on sideways is someone I will go far to avoid. Those clothes can easily conceal a weapon, and whether or not they are actually in a gang, people who wear them are choosing to associate themselves with gang culture. Racism? Common sense? In the eye of the beholder, I guess.

In Brian’s second attempt with Bruno, he takes him to a domino game. Bruno was immediately aggravated by the smoking and drinking, so he started out with a bad attitude, and he said that hanging out with smoking, drinking, Ebonic talking people isn’t really his thing. I think with Bruno it’s about what he’s comfortable with and class. Put him in a business meeting with only black people and he’d have no problem. He can handle being with black people on his own terms, in his own environment.

Renee, having given up on Carmen, seeks out a white friend. Although the point was made in earlier episodes that black people know about white culture because they have to live in it, for some reason she starts out with a bible study with older white women. Not a good fit. Then she tries knitting class. Odd. Finally she lands on scrapbooking and befriends Deborah. Deborah, Renee, and some other women go line dancing and Deborah really slams a guy who advocates stopping people for driving while black. When Renee finally tells Deborah she’s black, it’s no problem.

The show is only an hour, so they can’t fit everything. But I find it interesting that Carmen seems to have abandoned her black friend, Deanna. No mention at all in the last two episodes.

Rose, who seems to be getting the most out of this whole experiment, has a crush on a boy in her poetry class. Definitely indications of a romance there. The last episode should be interesting.