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Recap / The Boondocks - S1 E8: "The Real"

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"The Real" is the 8th episode of the 1st season of The Boondocks. It originally aired on January 8, 2006.

Following Riley's advice, Robert pretends to be blind so that he can get his car customized on Pimp My Ride, and also get his house renovated on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Meanwhile, Huey encounters a mysterious government agent who may or may not be real.


Tropes:

  • Accidental Misnaming: Robert frequently mispronounces Xzibit's name.
  • An Aesop:
    • Lying can backfire greatly. As shown when Robert accidentally reveals that he can see: PMR try to take his upgraded car away (although they later have to return it, but still stick him with the bill); while EMHE stop rebuilding Robert's house halfway through, leaving it damaged and unfinished.
    • As the White Shadow tells Huey, sometimes people have to learn lessons on their own the hard way when they refuse to heed someone's warnings about the situations they put themselves into.
  • The Alleged Car: Robert's car (affectionately nicknamed "Dorothy"), which is at least 30 years old, and is very dirty and worn down.
  • Blatant Lies: Riley makes a plan to upgrade Robert's car with the TV show Pimp My Ride by saying that his grandfather is blind. Then he takes it a step further by convincing the crew from Extreme Makeover: Home Edition that he's blind and running a homeless shelter, to add in a new wing to the house. It all falls apart when Robert gets excited for his new and improved "Dorothy".
  • Blind Black Guy: Riley lies that Robert is blind so that Pimp My Ride can modify Dorothy. Robert is unaware of Riley's lie at first, but agrees to go along with it.
  • Compliment Backfire: When Riley says that Robert is going to be "Bitches" when getting an upgraded car, Robert quickly takes offense. Riley had to clarify that the term "Bitches" is not meant to be an insult, but a nickname for having women potentially attracted to his grandad and his car.
  • Cool Car: Pimp My Ride upgrades Dorothy into one of these.
  • Cool Shades: Robert and the White Shadow both wear sunglasses to imitate their idol Bill Cosby. This leads to Robert being mistaken for blind though.
  • Didn't Think This Through:
    • Riley's idea to get on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Huey says he's watched the show too, so he knows part of renovation entails knocking down parts of house, which means that they shouldn't be around while it happens.
    • Riley never told Robert to continue acting blind when he gets his car back. Robert's Squee over the new and improved "Dorothy" exposes him, leaving the EMHE crew canceling the house renovation mid-way and PMR crew leaving a bill for the car's modifications.
  • Exactly What It Says on the Tin: Huey's nickname for the mysterious government agent following him is "The White Shadow". Lampshaded by the man himself:
    White Shadow: Hmmm... I'm white, I'm shadowing you. It's very clever.
  • Fanservice Extra: The naked woman who appears in Robert's daydream.
  • Forgot the Disability: Or a fake one, as Robert did.
  • Friendly Enemy: The White Shadow has a few casual chats with Huey.
    White Shadow: Just because I tape your phone conversations and monitor your emails doesn't mean we can't be friends.
  • Fun with Acronyms: Huey claims affiliation with many black militant groups, including the "Africans Fighting Racism and Oppression" (AFRO), "Black Revolutionary Organization" (BRO), and "Black Revolutionary Underground Heroes" (BRUH).
  • Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane: It's not clear who or what the White Shadow actually is. Only Huey can see and hear him, making him wonder if the Shadow is just a paranoid hallucination.
  • The Schizophrenia Conspiracy: Huey concludes that he's either crazy, or that the government is trying to make him think he's crazy.
  • Shockingly Expensive Bill: When Robert exposes his "non-blindness" to the PMR and EM:HE crews, Xzibit takes his newly-modified car away. When the rapper's lawyers tell him his team can't keep it, he gives it back to the Freeman family with all of the mods intact... along with the bill: $35,423.08 in parts and services. And Lord knows the cost of fixing up the house.
    Xzibit: Here's the invoice, and take your time with that. Looks like money gonna be tight around here for a minute.
  • Special Guest: Xzibit as himself, and John C. McGinley as the White Shadow.

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