The Best Episodes of mixed-ish

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.

Director: Stephanie Laing

Writer: Angela Nissel

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.  

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

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.

Director: Maggie Carey

Writer: Heather Flanders

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.

Director: Gail Lerner

Writer: Andrew Ti

Alicia treats herself to a new Louis Vuitton bag; but when Paul finds out, he demands that she return it and Alicia ends up sneaking around with the bag behind his back. Meanwhile, Bow bribes Alicia to buy her a Jansport backpack so she can impress her friends at school.

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

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.

Director: Michael Spiller

Writer: Peter Saji, Karin Gist

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.

Director: Matt Sohn

Writer: Jim Brandon, Brian Singleton

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 attending the fair has also been hiding a part of herself. Meanwhile, Harrison works to mold a testimony from Denise who struggles to be anyone but herself, and Santamonica tries to steal the spotlight back after Johan suffers an injury.

Director: Charles Stone III

Writer: Chuck Hayward

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.

Director: Anu Valia

Writer: Rachelle Williams

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).

Director: Andrew DeYoung

Writer: Jim Brandon, Brian Singleton

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; and being ashamed of her father had never occurred to Rainbow, so they decide to ditch. Meanwhile, Alicia thought she had convinced Harrison to take pro bono civil rights cases on MLK Day to honor him, but he plans to go golfing instead, so Denise steps in to help.

Director: Chris Robinson

Writer: Spencer Taylor

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.

Director: Michael Spiller

Writer: Tim Edwards, Kevin Marburger

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.

Director: Anu Valia

Writer: Chuck Hayward

Rainbow Johnson recounts her experience growing up in a mixed-race family in the '80s and the constant dilemmas she and the family members had to face over whether to assimilate or stay true to themselves.

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

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 differently. Meanwhile, Alicia doesn’t want the kids to go trick-or-treating after Harrison and his colleagues tell her about all the dangerous things that can happen.

Director: Oz Rodríguez

Writer: Tim Edwards, Kevin Marburger

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.

Director: Todd Biermann

Writer: Angela Nissel

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 Rainbow start dating and invites Bryce’s parents over for dinner to cross-examine them; and Paul gets into a fight with Bryce’s dad over politics.

Director: Michael Spiller

Writer: Andrew Ti

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.

Director: Natalia Anderson

Writer: Jesse Esparza

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.

Director: Melissa Kosar

Writer: Alexandra Decas, Melanie Kirschbaum

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.

Director: Shiri Appleby

Writer: Jim Brandon, Brian Singleton

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.

Director: Matthew A. Cherry

Writer: Heather Flanders, Angela Nissel

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.”

Director: Natalia Anderson

Writer: Andrew Ti, Jesse Esparza, Spencer Taylor

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.

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

After the Johnson family discovers Harrison on a date, Paul decides to give Harrison some dating advice; Alicia feels a little insecure after finding out all of her children go to Aunt Denise for advice.

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

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 just be impossible.

Director: Anton Cropper

Writer: Peter Saji