The first season of Black-ish on ABC tackled everything from racism to corporal punishment. One of the most interesting episodes, titled “Crime and Punishment,” took a look at spanking and the controversy behind it. The episode divided the conversation between those who spanked and those who think it’s the worst thing a parent can do.
As the show kicks off its second season in September, it’ll tackle another controversial subject: the n-word. Younger son Jack, played by Miles Brown, uses the word during a talent show, according to Variety.
“We wanted to do it last year, but we felt like it might have been low-hanging fruit for us,” says showrunner Kenya Barris. “But in this offseason, you’ve seen where we’re at. As we’re supposed to be evolving, [racism] is still rearing its ugly head constantly. So we felt like the word was still timely.”
During the episode, the family will be divided and have their own opinions about the word, just as so many people online have expressed either outrage about its usage or just plain ambivalence.
“I have my own feelings about it, and I know that a lot of people in my own house and my friends have different feelings about it,” says Barris. “So I felt like the show was a good place to address it. Let’s examine this word and take a real look at it.”
Black-ish will premiere on Wednesday, Sept. 23, at 9:30 p.m. Eastern.