This week, Disney released an unaired episode of the sitcom Black-ish on Hulu that was previously pulled from ABC after executives determined that it was too political.
Titled “Please, Baby, Please,” the season four episode took place a year after Donald Trump was elected and revolved around Dre’s (Anthony Anderson) effort to contend with the events of the past year which included, among other things, the mass shooting in Las Vegas and several high-profile cases of police brutality.
The episode begins with Dre trying to get his young son, Devante, to fall asleep during a thunderstorm. He tries to tell Devante a story about the current state of the United States but frames it as a children’s story. After failing to get Devante to sleep, Dre finds that the other members of his family are having trouble sleeping as well, not just because of the storm, but because they are also concerned about the state of the world. Dre and his family discuss gun violence, white supremacy, athletes protesting, and climate change, among other things. In the end, Dre realizes that the future of the country will be dictated by people like his children, who are determined to provoke change and make the right choices.
“Please, Baby, Please” was likely pulled due to its direct critiques of President Trump, who Dre refers to as “The Shady King.” Throughout the episode, video clips and pictures of the president were displayed.
Series creator Kenya Barris tweeted his appreciation for Disney’s decision to finally release the episode. It will complement the re-airing of two equally relevant Black-ish episodes, “Juneteenth” and “Hope.”
— kenya barris (@funnyblackdude) August 10, 2020
Although it was scheduled to air in 2017, “Please, Baby, Please” might actually be more impactful today. Dre and his family’s concern’s are the same concerns for many Black families in 2020 and are indicative of difficult conversations that we are forced to have with loved ones. In fact, the decision to release this episode was likely influenced by the reinvigorated #BlackLivesMatter movement, as more players in Hollywood are starting to realize the importance of highlighting issues that affect the Black community.
