Will campaigns for more African-American history to be included in his history class, but gets more than he bargained for when the academy brings in Aunt Vivian to teach it.
This episode provides examples of the following tropes:
- Amazingly Embarrassing Parents: Vivian stops Will and Carlton at school to give them reading materials for their assignment while they're trying to talk to cheerleaders.
- Hidden Depths: Will and Carlton's white classmates all excel under Vivian's black history curriculum, so she is none too pleased at her son and nephew struggling.
- Hypocrite: Will campaigns for more African-American history to be included in the school's history class, claiming he'd be more interested in the subject and get better grades if it were. When the school grants his wish, he doesn't do any better because he continues to slack off. Vivian calls him out on it.
- Know-Nothing Know-It-All: Will thinks that he will ace Vivian's lessons, but the first class makes it clear he doesn't know as much about African-American history as he thinks he does.
- Moral Pragmatist: Coach Smiley isn't game to teach African-American history because he only teaches what he knows in the one history book he has. But becomes more open to the idea when he realizes they would get a substitute for the month. When Vivian reveals her credentials, Smiley instantly gives her the job and leaves.
- They Call Me Mr Tibbs: Vivian insists on a professional relationship between herself and Carlton and Will, referring to them with formal titles and expecting them to do the same to her.
- Tricked into Signing: Will tries to get Uncle Phil and Aunt Viv to sign off on a failed history test under the guise of wanting to use their signatures for fortune telling. It doesn't work.
- What Were You Thinking?: Aunt Vivian hits Will and Carlton with this after they struggle under her courseload, thinking the material would be easy for them.
