The Carmichael Show: Season 3/ Episode 1 “Yes Means Yes” [Season Premiere] – Recap/ Review (with Spoilers)

As usual with The Carmichael Show, we are given a complicated topic, in this case, rape. Something which gets dissected as if this was a chat show. One in which, like The View, The Real, or Real Time with Bill Maher [note] Odd group, I know [/note] there are multiple points of views you may not have thought of. Granted, some you may not have thought of because they don’t make sense. However, like some math problems, some topics don’t necessarily have one sole way to get to an answer. [note]Assuming that makes sense[/note]

With all that said, let’s talk about “Yes Means Yes.”

Am I a Rapist?: Bobby, Maxine, Jerrod

After who knows how long thinking maybe him and Nakiesha could get back together, Bobby spreads his wings. Unfortunately, though, it is with someone in Jerrod and Maxine’s building. On top of that, after Maxine brings up the topic of consent, Bobby realizes he never got that. As in, he had sex with this woman named Natalie (Veronica Osorio) but she never outright said: “Yes, you can have sex with me.”

Which, naturally, leads Bobby to think he is a rapist. However, the topic of consent leads to complicated feelings amongst gender and age group. Joe thinks of rape in the traditional, got pulled into an alley and violated type of way. Something Cynthia concurs with, but also she finds the idea of a woman talking about how you can have sex with me whorish.

As for Jerrod? Well, he decides to play the male advocate, if not devil’s advocate. He takes note of how dangerous rape allegations are and even questions the use of consent. One of the ways being, what we saw on Switched at Birth between Tank and Bay, the question of what if both people are drunk? Does that mean neither can provide consent? But also what is gone into is the idea of how unsexy consent is.

In the long run though, Bobby learns he didn’t rape Natalie as so much was a terrible lover. Hence her dodging his texts and writing on social media about how she wanted to forget the night before.

Commentary

You know, sometimes I wonder how Maxine puts up with Jerrod and his family. Granted, half of the time she educates them or they back down, but often times she is out on a ledge on her own. For with Cynthia being traditional, and not fond of being on Maxine’s side, and Nakeisha often coming from a completely different perspective, Maxine is usual a lone soldier.

But, perhaps for the first time in the series, Maxine had enough to the point of taking the car and leaving Jerrod at his parents. Something I’m surprised wasn’t treated as something more significant. If only because, while rape is probably the most serious subject the show has touched, usually Maxine shows patience. Making me wonder if there maybe a point where she decides she can’t do this anymore. For while the Carmichael family is accepting, to be going into verbal battles each time she goes over there must be draining.

That aside, I think the way the topic was handled was fitting. Especially in terms of Bobby being the one who questioned if he was a rapist. For no one else has the persona to carry that weight. Jerrod questioning it would make it so his tight wire act of being douchey but loveable would tip over. Joe certainly couldn’t bear the weight of the storyline, and while hearing Cynthia, Maxine, or Nekeisha speak on how a woman could rape a man would have been interesting, it would have been difficult. If only because the explanation, amongst the personalities, would require a lot of convincing to bounce back from.

Now, focusing on Bobby, I gotta admit that I find him simplicity a bit odd at times. This situation, especially for Maxine to really led this man to believe he could have been a rapist, was odd. It worked, but it was very odd. But it got kind of weirder when he confronted, for a lack of a better term, Natalie. For just imagine how that would play out in real life. You aren’t sure if you raped someone so you go to them and try to apologize. I mean, nevermind you waited around for them to come home like a stalker, but to bring that up after, that’s stupid.

Plus, the fact Natalie seems like a white girl and Bobby is clearly a Black man. A topic I’m quite surprised wasn’t featured [note]As in interracial relations and the complex history behind that[/note]. But the fact the writers were able to craft an awkward situation and make it work is applaudable. Though I gotta say, I find it weird that Bobby supposedly can’t keep a secret but can tell a ridiculous lie.