The BEST episodes of black-ish season 3
Every episode of black-ish season 3, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of black-ish season 3!
An upper-middle-class black man struggles to raise his children with a sense of cultural identity despite constant contradictions and obstacles coming from his liberal wife, old-school father and his assimilated, color-blind kids.
#1 - Lemons
Season 3 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/11/2017
The nation is still reeling after the outcome of the presidential election, and tensions are particularly high at Dre’s work. Much to his frustration, they haven’t been able to get anything done since election night – eight weeks ago. Meanwhile, Junior is dealing with a disenfranchised student body as class president, and when he is asked to deliver Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech at school, Pops teaches him there is more to the speech than Junior thought.
#2 - Sprinkles
Season 3 - Episode 24 - Aired 5/10/2017
In the Season 3 finale, Dre throws Bow’s baby shower and wants it to be unforgettable, but his plans are put on hold when Bow stops by the OB/GYN with a headache and discovers she is having complications.
#3 - One Angry Man
Season 3 - Episode 16 - Aired 2/22/2017
Dre is forced to participate in jury duty after Junior responds to the summons that was thrown away. The case is supposed to be open and shut, but when Dre sees that the defendant is a young African American, he feels a civic responsibility to give him a fair trial. Meanwhile, Bow decides to let the kids swear in the house since they are more open with her that way, but she and Ruby soon regret the decision.
#4 - All Groan Up
Season 3 - Episode 22 - Aired 4/26/2017
When Zoey gets into several colleges around the country, Dre and Bow begin to feel worried and sentimental. They reflect back on memories they’ve had with the family and wonder what life will be like without her around all the time. Pops enlists the twins to try and sway Zoey to go to college in a city they want to visit.
#5 - The Purge
Season 3 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/26/2016
After Junior embarrasses Dre during a basketball game, Dre decides to remind Junior of his master pranking skills so he’ll never challenge him again. Meanwhile, the neighborhood participates in a “mischief night” during Halloween where petty crimes become legal, and Ruby takes it too far with the kids.
#6 - Sister, Sister
Season 3 - Episode 21 - Aired 4/26/2017
Bow’s sister comes to town after filming a stint on a reality show, and they couldn’t have less in common. Meanwhile, Zoey suggests that Dre spend more time with Junior since she’s leaving for college, and Jack and Diane decide to rebrand themselves.
#7 - Who's Afraid of the Big Black Man?
Season 3 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/12/2016
After a situation arises at work, Dre’s views are confronted regarding how black people are perceived now versus when he grew up. He wants to be more open-minded about being a part of his community, and his first step is joining his Homeowners’ Association. Meanwhile, Bow wants to spend more time with the kids before the new baby arrives and gets advice from Pops on how to make them want to be around her.
#8 - Their Eyes Were Watching Screens
Season 3 - Episode 11 - Aired 1/4/2017
When Diane stumbles onto some websites that give her more than she bargained for, Dre and Bow must take action. Concerned that the internet is corrupting their children, Dre and Bow decide to make their home an internet free-zone and deal with the backlash.
#9 - The Name Game
Season 3 - Episode 14 - Aired 2/8/2017
Dre and Bow have a gender reveal party, and Dre is thrilled because it’s his turn to name the baby. He decides on a culturally significant name that Bow and Ruby aren’t a fan of. Meanwhile, Zoey’s plan to have an anti-Valentine’s Day with her friend Shelly is thwarted when Junior asks Shelly out on a date, so Diane tries to fill in as Zoey’s BFF.
#10 - Being Bow-racial
Season 3 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/30/2016
Bow must address unresolved feelings about her own biracial identity when Junior brings home his first girlfriend, who happens to be white. Dre is handling a big project for a client at work and relies on Charlie to teach him how to relate to the campaign’s white, female point-person. Meanwhile, Zoey needs extra credit for her design class, and asks Jack and Diane if she can remodel their room.
#11 - 40 Acres and a Vote
Season 3 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/5/2016
With Obama leaving office and the upcoming election, Dre finds a new candidate to believe in – Junior. Junior is running for class president and is overqualified for the job, but he just can’t seem to connect with his fellow classmates. Dre becomes his campaign manager and tries to make Junior appeal to the masses. Meanwhile, Pops, Johan and Jack discuss why they’re not voting in the upcoming election, and Bow is worried that Zoey’s college essay is not going to get her into college.
#12 - I'm a Survivor
Season 3 - Episode 15 - Aired 2/15/2017
When Dre goes back to Compton for a funeral, he is reunited with his old crew and struggles with survivor’s remorse for the friends he left behind. Meanwhile, Bow becomes self-conscious when Ruby criticizes her parenting style.
#13 - What Lies Beneath
Season 3 - Episode 20 - Aired 4/5/2017
Dre’s sister Rhonda is in town, and he feels a little jealous of her close relationship with Pops. Dre and Bow urge Zoey to take Junior to a high school party, and things get out of hand. Meanwhile, the twins feel like they’re soon to be forgotten, and decide to live life to the fullest.
#14 - Liberal Arts
Season 3 - Episode 23 - Aired 5/3/2017
Dre drops Zoey off to college for her two-day orientation, where she hits it off with a fellow freshman after they ditch the campus tour and meet a guy at the Black Student Union booth; and Zoey finds out Dre never turned in her housing application, so she pays a visit to the president and dean to plead for mercy. This episode serves as a backdoor pilot for grown-ish.
#15 - Good Dre Hunting
Season 3 - Episode 13 - Aired 1/18/2017
Bow convinces a begrudging Dre to try therapy, and he learns how to cope with his anger issues. Meanwhile, Johan becomes a life coach to the kids.
#16 - VIP
Season 3 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/21/2016
Dre decides to take his family to Walt Disney World on the magical, first-class vacation experience he was never able to have as a kid. With the help of a VIP tour guide, Dre and the kids take full advantage of their VIP status. Meanwhile, Bow, Pops and Ruby set off on their own adventure at Walt Disney World.
#17 - Richard Youngsta
Season 3 - Episode 19 - Aired 3/29/2017
Dre is excited about doing a campaign with a popular rap star but becomes conflicted when Bow and Ruby provide feedback suggesting it plays on stereotypes. Meanwhile, Bow is determined to get the family to stop eating so much take-out food, but realizes the family may be too accustomed to eating whatever they want.
#18 - Just Christmas, Baby
Season 3 - Episode 10 - Aired 12/14/2016
Zoey is college-bound, so Dre sets out to create the best family Christmas ever, even having Johan and his best friend, Gigi, over for the celebration. Meanwhile, Bow babysits Gigi’s newborn and remembers just how difficult mothering a baby is.
#19 - Manternity
Season 3 - Episode 18 - Aired 3/15/2017
Dre considers taking paternity leave after he realizes that Zoey is arguably the best child and their bond developed while he was unemployed when she was born. Meanwhile, Bow tries to hide her pregnancy in order to get a promotion, and Ruby convinces the kids that their nanny, Vivian, is stealing from them.
#20 - Jack of All Trades
Season 3 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/9/2016
When Jack and Diane bring home the results of their career tests, Dre and Bow must come to terms with the fact that Jack may have a blue-collar future. Meanwhile, Ruby is convinced Diane is possessed with a little help from Junior and Zoey.
#21 - Auntsgiving
Season 3 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/16/2016
Pops’ older sister Almaviligerais unexpectedly arrives for Thanksgiving, much to everyone’s delight except Ruby, who can’t stand her ex-sister-in-law. While Bow and Dre go on their last vacation before the baby arrives, the kids try to figure out why Ruby hates Almaviligerais so much.
#22 - ToysRn'tUs
Season 3 - Episode 17 - Aired 3/8/2017
Janine gives Diane a white Girlstory doll for her birthday, and when Bow tries to return it for a black doll, she is shocked by the limited options offered. Dre blames the lack of representation of African Americans in the media, but when confronting this systematic problem, he realizes that he has prejudices of his own. Meanwhile, Ruby enlists the help of Junior to be her Spades partner.
#23 - Nothing but Nepotism
Season 3 - Episode 9 - Aired 12/7/2016
Bow urges Dre to use his connections and secure Zoey a fellowship, but he doesn’t want his daughter relying on nepotism. When Bow finds Zoey a place at the hospital, Dre balks at the idea and successfully pulls some strings at Teen Vogue. Meanwhile, Junior loses his first job at an arcade pizza joint that the twins love after he reports their unclean practices to corporate, and they shut it down.
#24 - God
Season 3 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/28/2016
When Dre discovers that Zoey is questioning her belief in God, he undergoes a crisis of faith and leans on family members and coworkers for their input. Meanwhile, Bow’s brother Johan comes to stay with The Johnsons after living abroad and becomes an instant thorn in Dre’s side.