When it comes to being a good father and husband, Bennie Upshaw (Mike Epps) doesn’t have it all figured out but he never stops trying. The Upshaws are your classic African American family striving to live life as best as they can. Don’t be fooled, nothing about this family is average. Likened to shows like My Wife and Kids and Jamie Foxx’s “Dad Stop Embarrassing Me” also on the Netflix network, this comedic drama explores everyday issues that are commonly faced by families. However, the series comedic relief is delivered with a heavy dose of “realness” that takes some time to adjust to. The Upshaws showcases a different type of family than your average cookie-cutter family sitcom but in reality, resonates with a lot of families today. The show centers around Bennie a car mechanic who married his high school sweetheart; Regina (Kim Whitfield) and had his first son Bernard Jr. while he was still in school and his second kid with Tasha when he insists that he and his now-wife were “on a break” although Regina says different. However, Bennie and Regina’s two beautiful daughters Aaliyah and Mya are just going just go along with the flow.
Bennie isn’t your cliche father. In fact, he’s made many mistakes and the show doesn’t shy away from putting them on blast and neither does his sister-in-law Lucretia (Wanda Sykes) who constantly reminds him of his shortcomings. Bennie has an estranged relationship with his eldest son Bernard Jr. Bennie wasn’t present in his eldest son’s life until he was sixteen years old. Throughout the series, Bernie makes an effort to chink away at the “protective armor” his son has on to keep from getting hurt again. Bennie’s failure as a father is largely contributed to the fact that he’s never really had to grow up. Bennie also realizes that he has some stepping up to do when it comes to his relationship with Kelvin his son with Tasha who hasn’t been integrated into his family. But in order for this blended family to mesh, Regina will have to reconcile with the past hurt that she’s still reliving from Bennie conceiving a kid outside of their relationship.
Although Bennie is the head of his family, Regina is the glue that holds everybody together. She’s incredibly patient with Bennie as he evolves in his position as head of the family. Regina is truly a “superwoman” as she manages to work a full-time job, go to school, and be a great mom. The Upshaws marriage is far from perfect. In fact, it’s the definition of “through thick and thin”. The Upshaws particular type of blended family is unique to mainstream entertainment but it’s this dynamic that keeps us wrapped up in the storyline. The writers also did a great job at giving the children a voice on this sitcom and showing how the family dynamics affect their relationship with one another. Although Bernard Jr. has is reluctant to build a relationship with his dad, Kelvin wants to be closer to his father and half-siblings. At first, Aaliyah who is the same age as Kelvin resists getting to know her brother. Over time, Kelvin is able to win her over and they end up bonding over how embarrassing their parents are.
Lucretia and Duck bring a flavor to the show that we never thought we needed. Lucretia is Regina’s older sister and she despises Bennie. She’s part owner of Bennie’s mechanic shop. The back and forth banter between Bennie and Lucretia is hilarious. Don’t let the jokes fool you. Despite their love and hate relationship, Bennie and Lucretia understand that at the end of the day they are family and family is always there for each other. Duck is Bennie’s best friend and he also works at the shop. Fresh out of prison, Duck is a reformed man and nothing the criminal he used to be. Duck is a practicing Christian and at times Bennie has to remind himself that his friend has changed. Tasha, Bennie’s loud ex unfortunately fits the stereotype of your typical “baby mama.” However, she doesn’t have a problem with Tash and she’s anxious for her son to build a better relationship with his dad’s side of the family so that she can finally get some much-needed time to herself. As the show progresses it would be great to see how Tasha and Regina’s relationship develops. The Upshaws conglomerate of friends and family shows that it indeed takes a village to raise children. It’s a tale of man’s road to redemption and the series unabashedly shows the uncomfortable growing pains of a blended family.
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