Everybody Hates Funerals is the seventeenth episode of season one of Everybody Hates Chris.
Synopsis[]
Rochelle is grieving hard for her father, who unexpectedly had a fatal coronary right in the middle of a knock-knock joke and a bite of pork chop. In a daze of pain, she seems oddly subdued despite the circus the household is becoming with her domineering mother Maxine, two eccentric aunts, and mooching brother Mike; hanging around to say nothing of Tanya and Drew taking advantage of the situation. She dutifully and numbly puts up with her guests and helps with the casket selection other arrangements, blithely taking her mother's onslaught of blistering criticisms. Chris does like the perks associated with bereavement--such as getting to skip tests at school and the sympathy of his classmates--but after he loses his temper and yells at his grandmother for picking on his mom, he ends up scolded for his poor behavior. It takes hitting Rochelle a bit too close to home for comfort to snap her out of her funk and bring her back to her endearing shrill self.
Trivia[]
- In one scene (that was just imagined), Rochelle is seen saying "Damn, damn, damn!" This is a reference to the character Florida Evans from Good Times, who reacted the same way when her husband, James, died. Jimmie Walker, the actor who portrays Gene, is best known for his role as James "J.J." Evans Jr. on Good Times.
- Just before commercial break an easter egg is found. When Chris is with the white family Maxine knocked him into, you can hear a bit of the full theme song on the TV Tichina Arnold and her friends made for the show before hearing the “Everybody Hates Chris” jingle.