The BEST episodes of mixed-ish

Every episode of mixed-ish ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of mixed-ish!

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.

Last Updated: 8/18/2024Network: ABC (US)Status: Ended
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When Doves Cry
star
7.99
93 votes

#1 - When Doves Cry

Season 1 - Episode 11 - Aired 1/7/2020

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 her life (and she’s done a lot of bad).

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You Got It All
star
7.88
80 votes

#2 - You Got It All

Season 1 - Episode 23 - Aired 5/5/2020

In the season finale of “mixed-ish,” 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 she’s given a form to answer “black” or “white”.

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Forever Young
star
7.88
48 votes

#3 - Forever Young

Season 2 - Episode 13 - Aired 5/18/2021

In 2021, Adult Rainbow, Johan and Santamonica recall very different accounts of what happened the summer that they all got their new bicycles. In the ‘80s, an overprotective Alicia's worst fear comes true when one of the kids goes off on their own with their bike and gets lost. Meanwhile, Harrison catches Denise spending extra time in the office to get overtime and puts her to work.

Directors: Anton Cropper
Writer: Eric Ernst
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Papa Don't Preach
star
7.85
88 votes

#4 - Papa Don't Preach

Season 1 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/26/2019

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 to fight back.

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It's Tricky
star
7.85
80 votes

#5 - It's Tricky

Season 1 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/14/2020

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 to be cool enough to hang out with Rainbow's friends.

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Livin' on a Prayer
star
7.83
58 votes

#6 - Livin' on a Prayer

Season 2 - Episode 4 - Aired 2/16/2021

Bow takes an interest in going to church with her friends, much to her parents’ dismay. Meanwhile, Santi and Jonah try to prepare for hell.

Directors: Anton Cropper
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Pride (In the Name of Love)
star
7.83
92 votes

#7 - Pride (In the Name of Love)

Season 1 - Episode 13 - Aired 1/21/2020

Paul speaks at the school assembly on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The kids think Paul is going to embarrass them, so they decide not to attend.

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Doctor! Doctor!
star
7.82
79 votes

#8 - Doctor! Doctor!

Season 1 - Episode 19 - Aired 3/24/2020

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 distrust of the medical community comes to light. Meanwhile, Johan and Santamonica go to live with Harrison while Denise is sick and start to enjoy his lavish lifestyle.

Directors: Shiri Appleby
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Parents Just Don't Understand
star
7.82
82 votes

#9 - Parents Just Don't Understand

Season 1 - Episode 18 - Aired 3/17/2020

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.

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Love is a Battlefield
star
7.81
118 votes

#10 - Love is a Battlefield

Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/15/2019

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. Meanwhile, Johan struggles to balance his new love of ice hockey with what his friends think is cool.

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Say Hello, Wave Goodbye
star
7.79
89 votes

#11 - Say Hello, Wave Goodbye

Season 1 - Episode 17 - Aired 2/25/2020

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 celebrate her one-month anniversary with Bryce, but he tells her some devastating news.

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Walk This Way
star
7.77
48 votes

#12 - Walk This Way

Season 2 - Episode 12 - Aired 5/11/2021

Paul tries to become better friends with Denise so he uses his white privilege to help her out with her errands. Meanwhile, Rainbow, Jonah and Santi are selling chocolate bars for their school fundraiser but they pick up some questionable sales tactics.  

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You Give Love a Bad Name
star
7.77
47 votes

#13 - You Give Love a Bad Name

Season 2 - Episode 7 - Aired 3/23/2021

Paul and Alicia encourage sex-positive conversations with Bow until she invites her crush over to their house and they worry about what’s happening behind closed doors. Meanwhile, Johan and Alvin are looking at advertisements, magazines and even the constellations to see if they can see boobs.

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My Prerogative
star
7.75
53 votes

#14 - My Prerogative

Season 2 - Episode 5 - Aired 2/23/2021

It’s not all fun and games when Paul wants to crash Denise and Alicia’s neighborhood Spades match, so they teach him about the cultural and racial significance of the game. Meanwhile, Santi, Johan and Bow learn about divorce after watching a movie, so Harrison tries to teach them that divorce can be cool.

Directors: Anton Cropper
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You Dropped a Bomb On Me
star
7.73
51 votes

#15 - You Dropped a Bomb On Me

Season 2 - Episode 10 - Aired 4/20/2021

Rainbow's best friend, Tamika, asks her to plan her 14th birthday party, so Bow goes out of her way to make sure it's the coolest birthday party ever. Meanwhile, Paul and Alicia battle it out for who is the "coolest," and Harrison takes Santi and Johan on a trip to Mexico for some quality time.  

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All She Wants to Do is Dance
star
7.72
109 votes

#16 - All She Wants to Do is Dance

Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/22/2019

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.

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Sweet Child O’ Mine
star
7.71
66 votes

#17 - Sweet Child O’ Mine

Season 2 - Episode 1 - Aired 1/26/2021

After finding out Johan has been pretending to be a different race, Rainbow gets mad, and Alicia and Paul try to find a way to encourage Johan to be proud of being Black.

Directors: Todd Biermann
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Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now
star
7.70
77 votes

#18 - Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now

Season 1 - Episode 21 - Aired 4/14/2020

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 resistance, forcing her to takes matters into her own hands to fight for the cause.

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Bad Boys
star
7.67
72 votes

#19 - Bad Boys

Season 1 - Episode 20 - Aired 4/7/2020

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 with great power comes great responsibility.

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Puttin' On the Ritz
star
7.67
102 votes

#20 - Puttin' On the Ritz

Season 1 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/12/2019

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 attempts to fit in at the country club but ends up fighting with Denise about keeping it real.

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True Colors
star
7.66
86 votes

#21 - True Colors

Season 1 - Episode 14 - Aired 1/28/2020

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 point in her life and wants a big birthday party, but Alicia wants to celebrate all the things Rainbow missed out on over the years while on the commune.

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Let Your Hair Down
star
7.65
138 votes

#22 - Let Your Hair Down

Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/8/2019

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 identity.

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Just the Two of Us
star
7.65
46 votes

#23 - Just the Two of Us

Season 2 - Episode 6 - Aired 3/2/2021

Alicia and Denise realize they've been boxed into Black women stereotypes at the law firm, and Harrison's attempts to help ends up causing more harm; Paul worries his new job is taking time away from spending time with the kids.

Directors: Shiri Appleby
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Do They Know It's Christmas
star
7.64
89 votes

#24 - Do They Know It's Christmas

Season 1 - Episode 10 - Aired 12/10/2019

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 the kids’ favorite Grandad.

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She Works Hard for the Money
star
7.64
80 votes

#25 - She Works Hard for the Money

Season 1 - Episode 16 - Aired 2/18/2020

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 she can have one. Meanwhile, Paul tries to teach Rainbow, Johan and Santamonica about the value of money.

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