In hindsight, how problematic were the storylines for DS

[TMC]

• Black kids are not civilized until they live like white people.
  
  Pushing away kids black heritage (whatever is black is considered non desirable)
  
  White rich people ignorance, not prejudice but can't connect with their children's black identity and struggles in society. The children face prejudice and the father is often very ignorant to society and his environment cause of it.

[TMC]

The premise of DS in itself contains many unfortunate implications (at least under a modern context) when you really think about it:
Two Black kids have both of their parents die and are “inherited” by a White millionaire. Worst of all, the only family who comes forward to adopt them when their parents pass away only does so because he believes that they have money. A sad and twisted mess that never gets better.

[RetroGuy2000]

I don't think the plotlines were problematic. At the time, the series was quite progressive. The stories were true for their time.

[TVFactFan]

I just didn't like how they had Arnold and Willis looking so dirty in season 1. Michael Evans lived in the projects and never looked like that

['80sSitcoms]

I just re-binged seasons 1 and 2, and didn't find them "dirty" at all.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

I just re-binged seasons 1 and 2, and didn't find them "dirty" at all.

The first 2 or 3 eps of season 1

[Sonny Carson]

Originally Posted by TMC

• Black kids are not civilized until they live like white people.
  
  Pushing away kids black heritage (whatever is black is considered non desirable)
  
  White rich people ignorance, not prejudice but can't connect with their children's black identity and struggles in society. The children face prejudice and the father is often very ignorant to society and his environment cause of it.

I feel No. 2 really applies to ‘Willis’ in the later seasons. He was strong in his culture the first two seasons, but became a ‘preppy kid’ in later seasons.