'Black-ish' Season 7 Episode 8 Preview: Is Dre really a valley dad? Compton Christmas may bring out tough guy
Dre Johnson (Anthony Anderson) might not like his full name Andre being cut down to Andy, but he sure has become quite the LA fluff over his years in the 'burbs. With five kids, a loving wife, and well-to-do parents, the Johnson family patriarch has gotten quite comfortable over the years. Or so believes his own family, especially older son Junior, aka Dre Johnson Jr., who will go on to touch some sensitive nerves by, as the synopsis for the upcoming episode teases, highlighting just how cushy Dre's life has become. Especially in the way he talks the talk and walks the walk these days.
According to the official synopsis given by ABC for the upcoming Season 7 Episode 8 titled 'Compton Around the Christmas Tree' "Dre realizes he's out of touch with his roots after Junior claims he's turned into a "valley dad," so he takes the family to his hometown of Compton; Bow tries to teach Jack and Diane about the spirit of giving by having them volunteer in Compton."
For a man who believed stretching makes him gay, yet is heavily passionate about Black art, Dre can be quite the anomaly some times. Growing up distant from his father, and having an early childhood where he was practically a cigarette holder for his mother ruby as she'd drive her car around, the Compton life is something totally opposite of what Dre has and still is providing for his wife and kids. But guess living in LA somehow has its own impact on an individual and Dre is no exception. Over the years, he too has evolved into a valley dad, with overuse of the words 'like' and 'dude' and thus, things get heated around the festive season when Junior finally addresses this stark evolution.
So Dre being the patriarch, takes matters into his own hands and does what every parent dreams of: Show his kids where he came from and how tough he can actually be. They travel all the way back to Compton and that's enough to suggest some hilarious exchanges that will actually reveal if Dre ever was a tough gut at all. Expect hilarious disasters and outrageous crisis situations once again as Dre tries to look at a life he left behind long ago, from a lens that his comfortable family wouldn't be able to immediately recognize the world through. But hopefully, they will all get there and give this 'valley dad' due credit for all he has achieved.
'Black-ish' Season 7 airs on Wednesdays at 9.30 pm only on ABC.