S01E01 Becoming Bow
Rainbow Johnson’s parents decide to move from a hippie commune to the suburbs to better provide for their family. As her parents struggle with the challenges of their new life, Bow and her siblings navigate...
mixed-ish
A classic-ish out of water comedy.
S01E05: All She Wants to Do Is Dance
It’s time for the Johnson kids’ first school dance, but before Bow can dance the night away, she’ll have to consider the social impact of her date choice. Johan finds an outfit for the dance and discovers his love of fashion, while Santamonica spends some time with Harrison.
Overview
Rainbow Johnson recounts her experience growing up in a mixed-race family in the ‘80s and the constant dilemmas they had to face over whether to assimilate or stay true to themselves.
Episodes
S01E02 The Warrior
For Rainbow and Alicia, fitting in at school and standing out at work are hard enough; but with the added pressure from stay-at-home-dad Paul to make the world a little better every day, it might...
S01E03 Let Your Hair Down
After a teacher tells Rainbow to make sure her hair is “neat” for picture day, she becomes self-conscious and begins a complicated relationship with her hair. Meanwhile, Johan and Santamonica struggle with their own hair...
S01E04 Love Is a Battlefield
When Rainbow is tasked with a school assignment that requires her to trace her roots, she learns that history is more complicated for her mom’s side of the family than it is for her dad’s....
S01E05 All She Wants to Do Is Dance
It’s time for the Johnson kids’ first school dance, but before Bow can dance the night away, she’ll have to consider the social impact of her date choice. Johan finds an outfit for the dance...
S01E06 Girls Just Want to Have Fun
The popular girls at school ask Rainbow to join their group Halloween costume as Tootie from “The Facts of Life.” She thinks this is finally her opportunity to fit in, but Denise views the situation...
S01E07 Puttin' On the Ritz
The kids are excited to learn more about their grandad after Harrison invites the crew to family day at his country club. Although Paul thinks it’s a bad idea, he is eventually overruled. Meanwhile, Alicia...
S01E08 Weird Science
Rainbow’s passion for science deflates when her peers convince her that science isn’t cool. During Career Day, Rainbow code-switches and pursues journalism in order to fit in, only to find that the local news anchor...
S01E09 Papa Don't Preach
Paul struggles when Rainbow and Santamonica want to participate in a beauty pageant. Meanwhile, Johan gets teased for crying after a martial arts tournament, and Alicia and Harrison struggle with the best way for him...
S01E10 Do They Know It's Christmas?
Alicia and Paul strive to maintain their “Winter Solstice” traditions from the commune, but their parents want to have a more traditional Christmas with the kids. Meanwhile, Alicia’s dad, Lynwood, competes with Harrison to be...
S01E11 When Doves Cry
In the wake of the Challenger tragedy, Rainbow and her family handle their grief in different ways. Denise realizes that life is too short, so she vows to right all the wrongs she’s done in...
S01E12 It's Tricky
Rainbow wants to battle stereotypes at school after she joins the track team and feels like her friends only see her skin color. Meanwhile, Alicia and Paul battle stereotypes of their own, and Santamonica tries...
S01E13 Pride (In the Name of Love)
It’s the first-ever nationally recognized Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Paul is speaking at the school assembly about his personal experiences with him. Johan and Santamonica think Paul is going to embarrass them;...
S01E14 True Colors
Paul is shocked to hear from his estranged mother who wants to visit for Rainbow’s 13th birthday and soon learns more about why she abandoned him. Meanwhile, Rainbow sees turning 13 as a huge turning...
S01E15 This Charming Man
Rainbow is excited to go on her first real date with Bryce for Valentine’s Day, but when her friends weigh in on the rules and expectations, she becomes very nervous. Alicia is wary to let...
S01E16 She Works Hard for the Money
Alicia gets a bonus after winning a big case and wants to buy a nice car, but having been raised on the “fifty-cent principal,” Denise wants her to buy two cars in lesser condition so...
S01E17 Say Hello, Wave Goodbye
The Johnsons welcome an African American family that has just moved into their mostly white neighborhood. Santamonica doesn’t get along with the new neighbor’s daughter, until she gives Santamonica attitude. Meanwhile, Rainbow is excited to...
S01E18 Parents Just Don’t Understand
Rainbow clashes with her parents over her love for rap music. Plus, Harrison steps in to take Denise to a charity benefit and helps her realize she deserves better men in her love life.
S01E19 Doctor! Doctor!
Rainbow’s friend Rebecca gets mono (“the kissing disease”), and after helping her out, she becomes interested in the medical field. Alicia fibs to Paul about getting a flu shot, and when Denise gets sick, their...
S01E20 Bad Boys
Alicia and Paul try to deflect Johan’s interest in going to cop camp and one day becoming a police officer. Meanwhile, Rainbow gets her first role as a school safety patrol and quickly realizes that...
S01E21 Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now
After learning that scientists predict the ozone layer will be depleted in 20 years, Rainbow panics and tries to implement Earth Day at school to influence some change. To her surprise, she is met with...
S01E22 Every Little Step
The kids meet a homeless man in their neighborhood, and Paul and Alicia try to have an honest conversation with them about the homelessness crisis. Paul and Rainbow try to help by starting a soup...
S01E23 You Got It All
Alicia and Paul are both offered jobs to work on Jesse Jackson’s presidential campaign, but Alicia’s law firm makes her an enticing offer to stay. Rainbow struggles to define her racial identity as “mixed” when...
Cast
Tracee Ellis Ross
Bow Johnson
Arica Himmel
Bow Johnson
Tika Sumpter
Alicia Johnson
Mark-Paul Gosselaar
Paul Johnson
Ethan William Childress
Johan Johnson
Mykal-Michelle Harris
Santamonica Johnson
Gary Cole
Harrison Johnson
