'Bob Hearts Abishola' Season 1 Episode 6 is the best one yet as it focuses on character dynamics rather than racial stereotypes
Six weeks into the first season of Chuck Lorre's freshman comedy, 'Bob Hearts Abishola' on CBS, the titular characters finally went on a date. The episode starts with a conversation between Bob and Abishola as they speak of their childhood and where they grew up and then Bob asks Abishola on a date, expecting another refusal from her, but Abishola surprises Bob by agreeing to it.
We then see both of them getting ready for their dates -- Bob who seems to put on more perfume (Ralph Lauren) as the day goes by and Abishola getting her friend Kemi to fix up her hair. It's not just them getting ready for the event, however -- Aunt Olu and Uncle Tunde also dress to the nines just to greet Bob when he came to pick up Abishola. Though they go to a steakhouse, Abishola gets Bob to order fish and spinach, keeping him mindful of the heart attack that he had which led to him meeting her. However, their date is cut short when Bob's sister, Christina, calls him up telling him their mother is behaving weirdly.
Abishola, who can hear what Christina is saying on the speaker, asks the latter to do a couple of checks and quickly figures out that Bob's mother is having a stroke and advises Christina to quickly call for an ambulance. As the episode ends, the siblings and Abishola are waiting on news about Bob's mother whose surgery had gone well.
This week's episode of the sitcom focused more on the conversations and the relations between the characters rather than the politics of it all -- save for one moment when Bob's mother exclaims that Barack Obama is her favorite when talking about biracial celebrities. Bob and Abishola spoke to each other, getting to know each other more and learning to be more comfortable with each other. Abishola even has a moment with Christina who, even though dosed up on Xanax, warns Abishola not to break Bob's heart.
Viewers feel that this episode was the best of the season so far, with one fan tweeting, "this is my favorite, so far. Such character development. Emotional and funny." Another fan wrote, "@BillyGardell and @TheFolake have that incredible chemistry that works onscreen- both with dialogue and without. Tonight’s episode showcases that & has all the feels. #BobHeartsAbishola."
With the backlash that the sitcom has faced so far with its comedic take on often sensitive issues, 'Bob Hearts Abishola' needs episodes like the one this Monday to show why it could be a good addition to television. Focusing more on the dynamics and interactions between the many colorful characters could be what the show needs to do to keep its fans happy.
'Bob Hearts Abishola' airs on CBS on Monday nights.