Dear White People: Season 3, Episode 3 “Volume 3, Chapter 3” – Recap, Review (with Spoilers)

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As Brook tries to hunt down Sam, who continues to struggle with her junior project, Lionel heads to the House of No Pi with D’Unte.

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Network
Netflix
Director(s)		Kimberly Peirce
Writer(s)		Justin Simien
Air Date		8/2/2019
Introduced This Episode
Jerry Skyler	Justin Simien

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Recap

Is There More Than Meets The Eye?: Sam, Jerry

The filmmaker in residence this semester is Jerry Skyler, a person who has popularized a character named Mr. Giggins who is from the 1800s and is a former slave. One who apparently lived in the house and loved to suck up to white folk. Which makes Sam discredit Jerry even as she struggles to figure out what she is going to for her film.

Heading Down The Rabbit Hole: Wesley, D’unte, Lionel, Sam, Narrator

With Lionel experiencing a bit of a sexual awakening, he wants to have a ho phase. Hence getting head in the library and if it wasn’t for seeing Wesley at the House of No Pi, where the local QPoC (Queer People of Color) hang out, he’d probably have a whole lot of fun. Maybe or maybe not with D’unte, who knows? Lionel seems like the type who’d fall for anyone that opens his mind to new worlds and ways of being.

That aside, who he also runs into is the narrator who keeps pushing the idea they need to kill the narrator, him and Sam that is. Which is a riddle neither strongly want to dive into, so the Order of the X remains dormant.

Why Does No One Appreciate My Ambition?: Coco, Brooke, Kelsey, Sam, Lionel

Coco and Brooke have a lot going on. Coco is trying to get an A in Professor Queensfield’s class despite everyone, well Kelsey, saying that’s not possible – you just need to aim to pass. Which is strangely her goal despite the large course load she is doing. Which, if Brooke would just give her more caffeine would help, but Brooke would rather spit in Coco’s coffee than violate the rules her job has set.

Plus, Brooke doesn’t have time for Coco’s madness. She is tracking Sam down for some Jerry Skyler perspective, trying to coerce Lionel to publish something for the New Independent, and neither are making themselves available. So, after a certain point, she just says “F*** It” and does what she needs to. Which is publish all the articles her absentee editor Lionel have been sitting on.

Collected Quote(s) & .Gifs

I feel like I’m always chasing […] and the faster I run, the further I am.
— Brooke

Review

Highlights

House of No Pi & Chester

While there are a handful of programs dedicated to the college experience, even featuring queer characters, when it comes to shows with budget? Dear White People might be the only one featuring queer men of color at this level and making them more than the sassy Black friend. So while we don’t know if Lionel, aka Chester, will actually integrate and make friends, if not just be a ho, it’s an exciting development for the show.

On The Fence

The Order of the X Still Is Meh

Though it is nice to see older men of color have a consistent role on a show like Dear White People, I can’t say Narrator, since we don’t have another name for him, has really been hitting it out of the park. Especially since The Order remains this old sputtering car that seems like it could breakdown on the side of the road. But maybe, just maybe, between Moses or someone us, they could boost not only Sam and Lionel’s interest but ours as well.

Jerry Skyler

You and I both know Jerry Skyler is modeled after Tyler Perry (Jerry = Perry, Skyler rhymes with Tyler). Mr. Giggins is a minstrel act like many have said Madea is, and with Simien playing Jerry as someone deeper than the character he plays, the shade is real. Mostly in the form of this idea that, with you knowing better, being financially better off, why are you still portraying a character many find offensive? At least to those with a mindset similar to Sam.

But, like with the Black American v. African situation, unless this leads to conversations, it isn’t something to applaud.

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