abc sitcom Darker Due to its critical acclaim, it has spawned two spin-offs: maturestarring the eldest daughter Zoe and her college life, HybridThe story is set in the 1980s and tells the story of the growth of a rainbow mother and her hippie mixed-race parents.
The series is both hilarious and profound, often tackling big issues, especially those related to race. Andre “Dre” Johnson and Rainbow “Bow” Johnson were affluent black parents raising their five children in an upscale, predominantly white suburb.
We’ve gotten to know the Johnson family pretty well over the years. But here are 10 things you might not know about some of the main characters.
Dre can’t swim
Dre enjoys many outdoor activities such as driving on the open road, relaxing at the beach, and playing sports. But he doesn’t like swimming at all. In a recent episode, when he and Bowe met a young couple taking surfing lessons, Dre declared that he wanted to do the same.
“You can’t even swim, Dre,” Bow told him. This can make surfing difficult. Still, despite having five children and taking frequent vacations, Dre never learned important life skills.
Bao’s surname is already Johnson
Bao is a strong, independent woman. So we could totally see her not taking her husband’s last name after marriage, or adopting a hyphenated last name in order to maintain her own identity. She didn’t have to make that choice, though.
Dre and Bowe both had the last name Johnson before they got married, meaning Bowe didn’t have to change any documents to use her “married” name. And she never had to reveal whether she did. There is no connection between the two, but Johnson is certainly a very common name.
hippie raising bow
Although this fact isn’t that hidden now in the spin-off series Hybrid In the show that aired on television, Bowe had a very different upbringing than Dre. She was born to an interracial couple, her mother is black and her father is white.
She and her siblings, Santamonica and Johan, lived with their parents in a hippie commune until the mid-1980s when they tried to assimilate to suburban life. Her mother was a lawyer and her father was a stay-at-home parent, which was unusual for that period.
The boy can speak fluent Dothraki
Junior is a huge fan of all things nerd and geek culture, so it’s no surprise that he loves this series game of Thrones. In fact, he can speak the fictional language Dothraki fluently.
In the HBO series, Daenerys is sent to marry Dothraki leader Khal Drogo. The language is spoken throughout, and you can even learn it online, which Junior apparently does. San athomari yeraan (meaning “very respectful!”)!
Diane don’t cry
Not only did she not cry because she didn’t seem to know how to, but Diane had displayed some truly disturbing characteristics over the years. She underwent court-mandated therapy at age 10 and claimed she hated everything. She thrives on having enemies and even says they give her strength.
She possesses three crowbars and a pair of nunchucks, has a fascination with fire, and is generally considered mean or scary. So really, not knowing how to cry is just the tip of the iceberg for her.
jack’s nickname is party time
Did you know Jack’s nickname is Party Time? He was given this name due to his excellent dancing abilities. His short stature hampered his ability to truly excel at basketball, another of his passions, and his dance skills gave him a sense of confidence and pride.
Diane’s twin, Jack, has very different personalities. While he may not be as smart as Diane, he sure is always the life of the party, cracking jokes and having a good time.
Zoe may actually be Rick Fox’s child
It’s just a joke, but a recurring one on the show is that Bowe once met the famous basketball player and actor Rick Fox, and that maybe, just maybe, Zoe could be his child. Because could Dre really be her father?
The joke started in an episode where Dre, who was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, had a dream that he was dead and Rick Fox walked in and kissed Bowe. Meanwhile, the kids yell, “New daddy!” Dre is horrified when he walks in.
Dre’s Type 2 Diabetes Almost Forgotten
You may have forgotten this because it was so long ago, but an episode of the show centered around Dre being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. This scared him, causing him to have the aforementioned nightmare where he died and Rick Fox took over as the father of his family and Bow’s husband.
The episode reveals how difficult this diagnosis is and the significant life changes Dre had to make in order to cope with it. Strangely, however, the issue was never mentioned again.
Pop music can’t go to Canada
While we know some things about Pop’s mysterious past, like that he once stole a TV while pretending to fix it, he spends a lot of time (and money) on the track and is the only one of his friends who doesn’t one of the people. Currently in prison, there are still some unknown things about his past life.
For example, he was not allowed to enter the Canadian country. No one really knows why, but it’s likely something to do with some questionable stuff he’d been doing there, possibly even illegal.
Ruby Sang backs up Bette Midler
What we know about Ruby’s past is mostly through the fantastical stories she likes to tell, including some unlikely ones, like the fact that she breastfed Dre until he was 8 years old, or that she only had the number 9 when she was younger.
But in addition to being a single mother, a strained relationship with Dre’s father, and multiple affairs with Dre’s high school teacher, Ruby also claimed to be a successful singer. She claimed to have sung backup for Bette Midler and even appeared in a movie.