For fans of classic Black sitcoms, it’s the perfect time to have a Netflix subscription. With TV shows like “Girlfriends”, “Sister Sister”, and “One on One” being added over the next few months, the streaming service has definitely reached a new type of audience. “Moesha”, a personal favorite, has been on Netflix for over a month, meaning that there has been more than enough time to binge watch all 6 seasons.
While Moesha has her own flaws, she overcomes them and grows throughout the series. Here are 4 lessons that anyone can learn from watching the show.
1) Don’t put too much on your plate
After getting her first job, Moesha starts to feel like an adult as she begins to make her own money. After she gets her promotion, she plans on working more, but her father and step mother urge her not to.Taking on the extra hours anyway, she becomes overwhelmed with juggling school, her home and personal life. In life, we all have goals that we want to achieve and it’s easy to become so focused on achieving these goals. While it is important to work towards them, it is equally as important to enjoy the present and live in the moment.
2) If you wouldn’t say it to their face, don’t say it behind their back
While on the phone, Moesha, Kim, and Niecy discuss their plans for the Halloween party. Unaware that Kim was on the line, Moesha and Niecy begin talking about her weight. When confronted by Moe and Niecy, Kim explains that she wasn’t upset about the two discussing her weight (which is used as a joke throughout the series), she expressed that she was upset about them talking about her being her back. While it can be easy to joke about one another, if you aren’t comfortable saying something to someone’s face, then it shouldn’t be said at all.
3) Just because you don’t see someone struggling, doesn’t mean they aren’t struggling
Noticing changes in her little brother’s behavior, Moe’s parents send Myles to therapy to get to the root of the problem. The therapist then invites the entire family to a session. Not wanting to air out her family’s dirty laundry, Moesha skips the therapy session to be with friends. After finally agreeing to come to the session, Moesha realizes that part of Myles’ behavior is due to him feeling neglected by her. Explaining that he doesn’t feel like he’s a part of the family, Moesha begins to realize that she has become selfish and blind to her brother’s problems. While it is easy to become so focused in your own life and issues, it’s also important to keep up with those around you. Whether you’ve noticed changes in behavior or not, it’s always good to check up on the people who are important to you.
4) Be respectful of other races and cultures
Upset that a mural celebrating Caesar Chavez was put up during Black History Month, Moesha criticizes the mural, creating a divide between the Black and Hispanic Community at her school. After talking with the person who put the mural up, she learns that while there is little representation of African Americans throughout schools, the Hispanic community is just as underrepresented. While the tensions settled, the two sides never came to an agreement. Ending the episode, Moesha says, “It’s ironic that both groups with so much to offer would rather have nothing than to see the other group get just a little bit of something.” In today’s current climate, it can be easy to only focus on one issue, but as a whole we should still be sympathetic to other races.