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As it is becoming more and more clear Gently is being absorbed into Evan’s life than sharing each other’s, we’re left wondering what the future could hold.
| Directed By | Blitz Bazawule | |
| Written By | Teri Schaffer, Raynelle Swilling | |
| Aired (OWN) | 3/10/2020 | |
| Introduced This Episode | ||
| Barbara | Diane Venora | |
| Jaydo | Tory Devon Smith | |
| Maha | Kim Thomson | |
| Breno | Philip Anthony-Rodriguez | |
Plot/ Recap
A Dream Deferred: Barbara, Miss Luma, Gently
While Miss Luma is fine being regal and legendary in her own way, having the opportunity to tell her stories and speak during a local public access program is exciting for all that know her. However, her long time agent, Barbara, unfortunately, reveals that after the spot opened up, many were interested, and Miss Luma got bumped. News which Miss Luma takes in stride but highly frustrates Gently for she has been listening to Miss Luma’s story for years and knows they need to be heard.
A Corporate Raider: Jaydo, Evan, Maha
Evan and his long time partner Jaydo are seeking investors, and one who is known to be a corporate raider, Maha, has them on her radar. Which for Jaydo, he doesn’t support this for while a $17 million investment would be nice, he knows Maha’s values don’t necessarily coincide with theirs. However, while money troubles aren’t necessarily on the horizon, the app isn’t making the waves it likely needs to in order to maintain the expansion Evan pushed for in a previous episode.
A Night With The Enemy: Maha, Evan, Gently, Breno
But, despite Jaydo’s hesitation, Evan meets with Maha and her husband, Breno. Someone the worldly Gently connects with as she speaks of her travels and shows some of her multilingual skills. However, in both of their conversations, there is a realization something may have to change.
For Evan, he is forced to realize that, from this point, if he wants to be as successful as he puts out there, he’ll have to learn to look at philanthropy as something which comes from his personal income. As for the company? Maha sees it as a gold mine due to the data it could collect, and while that exploitation makes Evan uncomfortable, he seemingly is able to be convinced.
As for Gently? Well, with having a private conversation with Breno, who pushes the idea he is something resembling a kept man, but isn’t 100% financially dependent on Maha, so comes the question if Gently can live like him? For, already, there is a growing discomfort with her lack of contribution and Evan’s world consuming her. So Breno may just be the straw which damn near broke the camel’s back.
A World Of My Own: Gently, Barbara, Evan, Breno
Though, Evan has been pressing down for some time. How? Well, let’s take note, as apologetic and nice as Evan comes off, it is partly a ruse. As his mother showed in the last episode, Evan has no issue being passive-aggressive and making you look like the one who is overreacting. Heck, take note, despite Gently wanting to be married in a certain dress she was having made, Evan set her up to find something more his style and even with running to some chapel, what dress was Gently in? Exactly, the kind Evan and his family would approve of.
And it is recounting all the things said and done between courting and marriage which are adding up for Gently. Not in terms of pushing her to abandon Evan without notice, but take stock of whether she is losing herself to this relationship and whether Evan cares.
For example, after talking to Barbara about Miss Luma’s appearance being canceled, they speak on maybe putting her on YouTube and then land on the idea of a podcast. An idea Barbara loves and just so happens to stumble upon a space where Miss Luma could do the podcast, with Gently. However, being that it isn’t her idea, and new technology isn’t her forte, she calls upon Gently to get involved.
This isn’t met with the enthusiasm Gently needs from Evan, and with him pushing how much this dinner could do for them, he lessens the importance of her aspirations. Which, in the long run, seems like a pattern Gently wants and needs to break. For she is no one’s rib, she is a whole person.
Sidebar
- It’s about 3 years since episode 4
Review/ Commentary
Highlights
Evan’s Manipulation Increasingly Becoming Clear
I am not trying to say Evan is a bad guy or paint him out to be outright manipulative. However, I do think he, at the very least, unconsciously is controlling Gently. If not slowly clipping her wings so that, yes, she may go off to see Miss Luma and have a good time, but really make it so the power dynamics aren’t in her favor. Which, since the beginning, has always been an issue.
Think about it, from Gently often taking the initiative early on to wanting to be the one who proposed, she needs to maintain some realm of power to be comfortable. Especially since Evan has so much due to his finances. So with him throwing around the possibility of multi-million dollar deals, pushing her to show up for dinners, as if that is the least she could do, and focusing less on integrating into her life and more of her into his, you can see Gently’s issue.
But the big problem might be, for most of our time with Gently, her only dream and aspiration was to travel. She didn’t talk about a job or profession, she seemingly was fine hanging out with Miss Luma, living with her, and running errands. This podcast, however, is something different. It is Gently putting herself out there, chasing something, and considering how supportive Gently has always been of Evan, him not matching her energy is a slap in the face. One that will be hard to move past as she stews in her thoughts and realizes something has to change.
Miss Luma’s Joy Remains
It is a strange thing, at least being of this generation, to watch someone who has had so many opportunities snatched from them, and it roll off their back like a droplet of water. Yet, that is the beauty of Miss Luma. She seemingly wants for nothing else but company. Much less, she has been here before. Miss Luma, many times with Barbara, likely has been on the brink of something big that got pulled from beneath her.
Yet, despite it all, she laughs and fans herself. Now, whether she is laughing to keep from crying? Who knows. One thing that is for sure is that Gently isn’t going to let this go. She is going to kick things up a notch as, low-key, you’d expect and hope Barbara would.
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I love love this critic and the movie itself.