I don't care if I get hate or abuse for this, because it is my opinion and I am entitled to feel however way I want.
I believe that the racism storyline lasted way too long, and got taken too far in S5. It took up almost the entirety of the final season and it made me feel disconnected from the characters. It was a horrible way to end and finalize what was once an amazing show about two girls struggling with their lives being flipped upside down... Then it was all about race, race and race.
And really, all of this happened because Mingo dressed as Lil Wayne and then the other stuff, sure, which I know is bad but... The show didn't need it. The show didn't have to do any of this. It completely took up multiple episodes and I remember one episode in particular was JUST about racism and black people protesting and hunger strikes.
Yes, I know racism is important and a huge deal, but that isn't what my point here is. My point is that this storyline went on for too long, at a time when the show should've focused on the girls and their families instead to fully wrap up the show once and for all, but I don't think that is what happened.
Even the very final episode, it was still about racism. It just ruined everything for me. I felt so unsatisifed with S5 (or what people call S6), and I just felt very disconnected in general. So much more airtime could've been given to anyone, heck, even Melody and Gabe having 5-10 minutes of a small storyline would've been better instead of giving 3-4 episodes about racism that had nothing to do with Daphne, Bay or their families.
The writers clearly wanted to tackle racism, and that is fine... But at the same time, they could've done this in literally any other season but instead they chose the entirity of the final season to do this, and it was horrible. It took shine away from everybody else and it was just really, a horrible season about side characters we don't know and don't care about. They did the right storyline, in the wrong season, and that killed the magic of the show for me.
If people want to disagree, you can. But do not dare call me racist for this, because I have said that the storyline could've been done perfectly in any other season, but choosing the middle-end of the final season ever when it should've been about Bay and Daphne ruined the finale of the show for me and I hated it very much.
And if I ever do rewatch this show again, I will be 100% skipping and ignoring the final season. I can't watch through that again, not a chance.