black-ish: Season 5
Season 5 Lore Primer
Key plot threads, lore context, and character stakes you need to remember before diving into this season.
- Directly follows the overarching narrative developments of black-ish Season 4.
- Faction dynamics and core character alliances shift under escalating external stakes.
- Crucial mysteries introduced previously reach key turning points and narrative reckonings.
- Sets up serialized story arcs that build directly toward the climactic season finale.
Episode Guide
Season 5 Progress Shield
Gap Year
Oct 16, 2018
After dropping Junior off at college, Dre and Bow are beside themselves when they find him back at home announcing his decision to take a gap year. Meanwhile, Jack and Diane begin
Don't You Be My Neighbor
Oct 23, 2018
The neighbors decide to rent their house out for homestays and it's causing problems for the Johnsons. Dre develops a newfound joy of calling the cops over petty neighborhood issue
Scarred for Life
Oct 30, 2018
The twins opt out of the family Halloween costume for fear it will hurt their social status in middle school. Dre and Bow take it upon themselves to protect them from bullies by pu
Purple Rain
Nov 13, 2018
The family is shocked to learn that Jack and Diane are not familiar with the iconic music of Prince. One by one, each member of the family works to explain Prince's tremendous impa
Good Grief
Nov 20, 2018
Bow's mom, Alicia, visits the family for the first time since the loss of Bow's dad, and she is still heavily grieving. Bow decides to throw a big luau-themed party for what would
Stand Up, Fall Down
Nov 27, 2018
Junior hasn't been doing much at home during his gap year, so Dre decides to put him to work as an intern at Stevens & Lido. Junior is astonished to see Dre's co-workers say offens
Friends Without Benefits
Dec 4, 2018
Bow makes a new friend at work and Dre thinks she has broken bird syndrome. Meanwhile, Junior transforms his shared room with Jack into a frat house, and Ruby and Diane gang up aga
Christmas in Theater Eight
Dec 11, 2018
The Johnsons have a tradition of going to the movies on Christmas and they can never agree on what to see. Dre wants to see an important film about Rosa Parks, but they all want to
Wilds of Valley Glen
Jan 8, 2019
Dre must take Jack and Diane on a mandatory camping trip for school and hatches a plan for them to escape to a fancy hotel for some pampering. Meanwhile, Bow gets an award at work,
Black Like Us
Jan 15, 2019
Dre and Bow are furious after Diane isn't lit properly in her class photo. Diane doesn't want to make it a big deal, but they decide to talk to the principal about the need for sen
Waltz in A Minor
Jan 22, 2019
Dre's teenage cousin Kyra needs a place to stay and the Johnsons decide to take her in, but they have different approaches to helping her adjust to suburban life. Meanwhile, Jack a
Dreamgirls and Boys
Feb 12, 2019
Dre and Bow struggle with the changing times of identity politics and gender neutrality. Diane auditions for the school play and scores the male lead part, but her crush starts spe
Son of a Pitch
Feb 19, 2019
Junior is working at Stevens & Lido as an intern and takes some time to find his footing; but when he offers an idea during a pitch meeting, Dre immediately puts him in his place.
Black History Month
Feb 26, 2019
Dre is upset after he learns that Jack and Diane are getting the same surface-level education about Black History Month that he got when he was growing up. After taking it up with
justakidfromcompton
Mar 19, 2019
Dre and Bow want to send Kyra to Valley Glen Prep, but after the school treats them like a charity case, they are infuriated. Meanwhile, Junior wants to get a job as Josh's assista
Enough Is Enough
Mar 26, 2019
After Kyra's estranged father, Perry, shows up and wants to bring Kyra home to Houston, Dre and Bow work to show him the amazing life they can provide for her. Meanwhile, the kids
Each One, Teach One
Apr 2, 2019
Dre feels like he has made a difference with the diversity at Stevens & Lido as the head of the Urban Division, but when Junior tells him that Josh is his mentor, Dre flips out. Me
Andre Johnson: Good Person
Apr 9, 2019
As they are planning Devante's birthday, Bow wants to be more mindful with all the new child-rearing rules these days, but Dre isn't having it. Junior tells Jack and Diane that the
Under the Influence
Apr 16, 2019
Jack is going through an experimental phase and getting himself into trouble, so Dre chaperones the twins' school dance to keep an eye on him. Meanwhile, Junior fights with his gir
Good in the ‘Hood
Apr 23, 2019
Dre's sister Rhonda takes Jack and Diane to her part of town in a black neighborhood and claims the twins are scared of their own community. Dre and Rhonda take them to a local din
FriDre Night Lights
Apr 30, 2019
Dre is thrilled when Jack makes the football team, but Bow is against the idea. Meanwhile, Diane wants Junior to drive her to her first real date with Jalen, but Junior overstays h
Is It Desert or Dessert
May 14, 2019
Dre has concerns about Jack and Diane spending the weekend with their friends' family in the desert. Meanwhile, Pops is forced to come to terms with how he treats women after he he
Relatively Grown Man
May 21, 2019
After Junior gets an offer for his dream job working with Migos, Dre and Bow are determined to convince him to return to college and get his degree.