7.2/10197 votes#1 - Becoming Bow
Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 9/24/2019
Rainbow Johnson’s parents decide to move from a hippie commune to the suburbs to better provide for their family. As her parents struggle with the challenges of their new life, Bow and her siblings navigate a mainstream school in which they’re perceived as neither black nor white.
Director: Anton Cropper
Writer: N/A
7.5/10147 votes#2 - The Warrior
Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 10/1/2019
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
7.8/10149 votes#3 - 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.
Director: Michael Spiller
Writer: Peter Saji, Karin Gist
7.9/10120 votes#4 - 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.
Director: Stephanie Laing
Writer: Angela Nissel
7.6/10111 votes#5 - 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.
Director: Matt Sohn
Writer: Jim Brandon, Brian Singleton
7.6/10112 votes#6 - Girls Just Want to Have Fun
Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 10/29/2019
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 Rodriguez
Writer: Tim Edwards, Kevin Marburger
7.5/10105 votes#7 - 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.
Director: Sam Bailey
Writer: Heather Flanders
7.7/10100 votes#8 - Weird Science
Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 11/19/2019
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
7.5/10100 votes#9 - 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.
Director: Todd Biermann
Writer: Angela Nissel
7.7/1091 votes#10 - 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.
Director: Anu Valia
Writer: Rachelle Williams
7.7/1088 votes#11 - 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).
Director: Andrew DeYoung
Writer: Jim Brandon, Brian Singleton
7.7/1088 votes#12 - 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.
Director: Maggie Carey
Writer: Heather Flanders
7.6/1089 votes#13 - Pride (In the Name of Love)
Season 1 Episode 13 - Aired 1/21/2020
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
7.6/1088 votes#14 - 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.
Director: Michael Spiller
Writer: Tim Edwards, Kevin Marburger
7.6/1081 votes#15 - This Charming Man
Season 1 Episode 15 - Aired 2/11/2020
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
7.6/1076 votes#16 - 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.
Director: Anu Valia
Writer: Chuck Hayward
7.6/1082 votes#17 - 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.
Director: Natalia Anderson
Writer: Jesse Esparza
7.6/1085 votes#18 - 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.
Director: Melissa Kosar
Writer: Alexandra Decas, Melanie Kirschbaum
7.5/1084 votes#19 - 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.
Director: Shiri Appleby
Writer: Jim Brandon, Brian Singleton
7.6/1090 votes#20 - 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.
Director: Matthew A. Cherry
Writer: Heather Flanders, Angela Nissel
6.9/1077 votes#21 - 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.
Director: Matt Sohn
Writer: Peter Saji
7.3/1074 votes#22 - Every Little Step
Season 1 Episode 22 - Aired 4/28/2020
The kids meet a homeless man in their neighborhood, and Paul and Alicia try to have an honest conversation with them about the homelessness crisis. Paul and Rainbow try to help by starting a soup kitchen at Rainbow’s school. Meanwhile, Denise has a new boyfriend and Alicia doesn’t think they’re a match.
Director: Rachelle Williams
Writer: Pete Chatmon
7.6/1086 votes#23 - You Got It All
Season 1 Episode 23 - Aired 5/4/2020
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
The Best Episodes of mixed-ish Season 1
Every episode of mixed-ish Season 1 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of mixed-ish Season 1!
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...
Genre:Comedy
Network:ABC
Season 1 Ratings Summary
"Becoming Bow" is the best rated episode of "mixed-ish" season 1. It scored 7.2/10 based on 197 votes. Directed by Anton Cropper and written by N/A, it aired on 9/24/2019. This episode is rated 0.3 points higher than the second-best, "The Warrior".