‘Love, Dean’
Season 1, Episode 22 - Aired May 18, 2022
At the end of the school year, Dean worries he's offended Keisa and Broderick after signing her yearbook "Love, Dean". Meanwhile, Bill and Lillian both get new career opportunities ahead of the summer.
Quote from Bill
Adult Dean: We just spent 20 minutes in the car together, and he couldn't give me a heads up?
Lillian: Bill, are you sure about this?
Bill: Absolutely. I don't want to be the kind of husband that doesn't support his wife's dreams. So I thought about what my father would do... and decided to do the opposite.
Quote from Lillian
Adult Dean: Mama was overwhelmed by what Daddy had done. He bucked society's norms for the woman he loved. Then she turned on a dime.
Lillian: Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Where's Dean gonna live? What's he gonna do while you're working? What's he gonna eat?
Bill: I think they have food in New York, Lillian.
Lillian: Dean Williams, you listen to me. Don't you go anywhere without your father. There's a lot of traffic in New York City, so make sure you look both ways before you cross the street. [sighs] You know what? Just don't even cross the street. Just stay on whatever street you're on and make all lefts. Oh, my baby. [hugs Dean]
Quote from Adult Dean
Adult Dean: Of course, to get to summer, you had to get through the last week of school. But everyone knew that was just a formality. There were no tests, no homework, no attempts at discipline. [Michael yawns] Even the bullies were phoning it in. The high point of the last week was getting and signing our yearbooks.
Norman: Guys, there's one of all of us.
Adult Dean: We were the first Black kids in the school. Clearly the photographer hadn't figured out how to light Black skin yet. And guess what... he never did.
Quote from Hampton
Adult Dean: I was so caught up in my poetic genius, I didn't even realize I had accidentally confessed my love to Keisa.
Dean: She probably didn't even notice, anyway. I saw a whole bunch of people write that.
Brad: Yeah. Girls do that to other girls.
Hampton: You only say "love" to your mom or wife. And your dad when he's about to die.
Quote from Kim
Bill: Just in time. And grab a hose and get to rinsing.
[As Dean grabs the hose, Kim walks out of the house in her work apron]
Kim: Mnh-mnh. Don't.
[Kim gasps as Dean sprays her with water]
Kim: Did you just get my hair wet?!
[Kim takes her shoe off and gets ready to throw it at Dean]
Bill: Dean, get on your bike and ride away! Kim, put the shoe back on! Now, Dean!
Quote from Dean
Keisa: You know, this is gonna be the first summer we're not together.
Dean: Wow. You're right. I was spending so much time worrying about Broderick... I can't imagine not seeing you for that long either. [thunder crashing]
Both: One Mississippi, two Mississippi.
[thunder crashes] [rain pounding] [lights rattling] [wind rushing]
Adult Dean: We had every reason to be scared. But something about that moment, in spite of all the storms outside that room, made me feel oddly safe.
[montage of Dean watching Keisa]
Dean: What if it was "Love" love? [they kiss]
Quote from Dean
Cory: So, O Wise Dean, what do you think Keisa's gonna think of that?
Brad: Or your new best friend Broderick?
Dean: If Broderick or Keisa still thinks I like her, then it could ruin our delicate symbio...
Cory: Ah!
Dean: Balance. Our balanced, three-way relationship. Quick, Norman, give me your yearbook.
Norman: What are you doing?
Dean: If I write "love you" in everyone's yearbooks, then it's just Dean being Dean. Then I can say it's my "thing." Hey, Stephanie, love ya. Tyler, love ya, too. Hey, Coach, love ya.
Coach Wright: I'll see you in detention.
Quote from Lillian
Lillian: Good morning, sweetie. Don't worry about the bus. I'll take you once I finish these brownies for your class party. [to Vivian] Girl, I was hotter than fish grease. We didn't speak the whole night, and here he come this morning with his ol' "You okay, baby?"
Dean: Who's that? Daddy?
[Vivian sighs and hands Dean the chocolate-covered whisk to lick]
Lillian: But maybe he's right. Maybe I need to turn down this promotion and support my husband and family.
Vivian: Lillian, if Cliff would've got this opportunity, he wouldn't even included me in the discussion. He just would've told me he made the final decision and then tell me how much money I could spend.
Lillian: Oh, Viv.
Vivian: Oh, no, I'm not complaining. It's the system we have. I like it. I agreed to it. But what I'm saying is when I do feel some type of way about it, I like to look at you.
Lillian: Really?
Vivian: Oh, girl, please. Now, don't be acting like you ain't the Miss Boss Lady clacking and clacking around here with your work outfits and your lunch breaks and your typewriter, using your white girl voice. "Alabama State Treasury Department." [Lillian laughs]
Dean: I've heard her use that voice before.
[Lillian sighs and pushes the mixing bowl of chocolate towards Dean]
Vivian: Now, listen, you deserve to go as far as the Good Lord will let you. And I'm-a keep watching. Oh, no, Lil, you know you're wrong to send him to school all hopped up on that sugar like that.
Lillian: That's his teacher's problem, not mine.
Quote from Granddaddy Clisby
Adult Dean: After you've been through a few tornado seasons in the South, you learn that no matter how big the storm, life still goes on. That meant me and Daddy still had to get our "start of summer" haircuts after the last day of school.
Granddaddy Clisby: Now, now, now, this one wasn't nothing. Y'all remember the twister that came through in '37? That bad boy was a mile wide.
Bray: Pulled my daddy's mulberry tree straight out the ground.
Granddaddy Clisby: Please, my friend Cooper came home... house gone. [laughter]
Adult Dean: But Daddy and I weren't in the mood for jokes.
Bray: Uh, what's the matter? Cat got your tongue?
Granddaddy Clisby: Well, now, maybe he's upset because his mama went behind his daddy's back and bought her own vehicle.
Bill: Dad, I told you that in confidence.
Granddaddy Clisby: What?
Bill: You're like a bad refrigerator. Can't keep nothing.
Granddaddy Clisby: Now, if you ask me, first mistake was letting her learn to drive. [laughter]
Quote from Bill
Bill: We'll call when we stop overnight.
Lillian: Be careful.
Bill: Don't worry. [holds up the "Green Book"] I promised my dad I'd bring it. [both chuckle]
Lillian: I think he wrote half of it. [both laugh]
Bill: Love you, baby.
Lillian: I love you. [to Dean] I love you.
Bill: Will you put some clothes on? [Kim laughs] Be cool now.