The Neighborhood Season 1, Episode 7 recap: The Barbershop

The Neighborhood ventured into the barbershop for some male bonding in Season 1, Episode 7. How did Dave fit in? How did Calvin react?

Male bonding was the theme in the seventh episode of The Neighborhood. This bonding took place at the barbershop. Who knew a simple hair cut could lead into a conversation about fitting in? Furthermore, how did the events at the barbershop affect Calvin and Dave?

The Neighborhood began when Tina Butler (Tichina Arnold) told Calvin Butler (Cedric the Entertainer) to go to the barbershop for a shave. She prefers a clean-shaved husband. He, Marty (Marcel Spears), and Malcolm (Sheaun McKinney) leave and see Dave Johnson (Max Greenfield).

Dave has to run some errands, but he also wants to get a hair cut, or as he says, get his ears lowered. I know that phrase!

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After an explanation about that phrase, Calvin tells Dave he wouldn’t be welcome. Give Calvin some credit, his sons agree with him. The barbershop is known for good-natured jokes, but they aren’t sure Dave will fit in.

Dave disagrees, stating he and his best friends joked with each other in college in Kalamazoo. I encourage The Neighborhood writers to visit Kalamazoo. The Johnsons are not the typical people from Kalamazoo. Regardless, Dave needs to run his other errands first.

At the barbershop, Calvin wants the TV turned on to watch the Rams game, but Malcolm protests. He is not watching any NFL because of its response to the Colin Kaepernick situation.

It would be interesting to see The Neighborhood explore that situation. If the Johnsons are from Kalamazoo, they probably are football fans. I recommend an episode dealing with that topic around the Super Bowl.

Dave enters the barbershop and quickly becomes the sage one. He playfully accepts the jokes about him, and he fits in. Despite questioning Jeremiah about the authenticity of his products, Dave dispenses small tidbits of wisdom. He voices his opinion on every topic, and it all sounds good. He is an educated, honest guy, unlike Calvin who comes across as a sarcastic loud man.

Calvin is livid about how his time at the barbershop has transpired, and he leaves in a huff. Dave stays at the barbershop, not finishing his list of errands.

The next morning, Tina is displeased Calvin did not get his beard shaved. He complains about Dave’s actions yesterday, and she tells him to stand up for himself. Remind people he has lived in the neighborhood for many years whereas Dave has only lived in the neighborhood for a few months. Calvin is excited to go there once he learns Dave gave bad advice to a fella. As a result, that guy’s girlfriend burned all his possessions.

Dave is also at the barbershop, this time to get his haircut. Calvin is angered how Dave took his seat, how Dave has become the go-to person for advice, and how that advice backfired. Dave tries to apologize, but Calvin dismisses him, telling him to listen more often, and to leave the barbershop.

That afternoon, Gemma (Beth Behrs) thanks the Butler men for welcoming Dave into the neighborhood. She is glad he has found some new male friends because he misses his old ones. Naturally, Calvin feels guilty, especially when he learns Dave didn’t come home after leaving the barbershop.

Tina is thrilled Calvin is clean-shaven, yet he worries he was too harsh in dealing with Dave. Just as his worries nearly fade away, he hears Dave badly singing and playing the guitar. Calvin comes over to talk.

As the two men chat, they discover what really drove their actions in the barbershop. Calvin felt left out in his social group at the barbershop, and Dave misses his Kalamazoo friends. Although, his reasoning for missing them isn’t the brightest.

They mutually apologize. Dave offers not to go to the barbershop anymore. Calvin openly invites him, partially due to Dave’s ability to laugh along with the fellas. Then we discover another difference between the two men. Calvin goes to the barbershop once a week, but Dave goes only as needed. Personally, I side with Dave. I don’t pay someone to cut my hair until I need a hair cut.

The Neighborhood ends when Dave introduces Gemma to his newfound friends at the barbershop. Dave and Calvin join up to roast the barber. Good to see the two working together rather than disagreeing. Gemma thanks Jeremiah for the spanx. When he offers her another item, she asks where it came from. She worsens the moment when she assumes it was stolen. Calvin and Dave hustle to clear the air and have her depart the barbershop.

This episode of The Neighborhood featured only one storyline. It did not contain much dialogue for either of the Butler brothers, no screen-time for Grover (Hank Greenspan), and vastly underutilized Gemma. Still, it dealt with fitting in at someplace new. We all desire that.

Calvin and Dave continue to learn from each other. Calvin could learn about his tone and diction. Although, “Because I said so,” worked last week with Grover, his methods for dealing with conflict need some changes. People begrudgingly listen to him now. If he changes his diction and tone, people may agree with him and he may not face so much conflict.

Grover needed some tough love last week, and Dave needed some tough love this week in The Neighborhood. Giving advice without knowing the facts of the situation can lead to more problems. Dave enthusiastically jumps in at every encounter. Taking a step back to listen to what others have to say will better inform him, and in turn, he may dispense better-suited advice.

Next week, The Neighborhood celebrates Thanksgiving. It will be interesting to see what the Johnsons and Butlers are thankful for, and how the two families enjoy their turkey.

The Neighborhood airs 8/7c on CBS!