Greenleaf: Season 2/ Episode 3 “A Mother’s Love” – Overview/ Review (with Spoilers)

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Poor Lady Mae. All her children, in some form or another, make it seem that she only thinks of herself. Of her reputation. But really, with one son working for the competition, a daughter who nearly brought the whole family to their knees, and the youngest’s marriage seeming suspect, can you blame her for being worried? It isn’t like what they do doesn’t reflect on her.

Trying to Focus On The Present And Move On From The Past (Grace)

While Grace would love to move on from the past and just focus on her budding relationship with Darius, the girls that uncle Mac messed around with aren’t doing well. In fact, one of the girls, Danielle (Carlacia Grant), has gotten bullied to the point of suicide. Luckily, Kerissa is able to get her out of her old school and into one of her fancy ones with a full scholarship. However, Mac is still out and about and it has become so frustrating that Grace takes a bat to his car windows.

Commentary

After Grace being the star and driving force of all the drama in season 1, it almost feels like she has been put on the back burner. Granted, I fully believe Darius will betray her trust and use all that she vents about against her family, but that’s down the line. Right now, between her little romantic subplot and being reminded of what Mac did, it very much seems that either she’ll return to focus in the back end of the season or the writers are just keeping it fresh in your mind why Grace matters. Just so that when she becomes prominent once more, due to Darius betraying her or what have you, you won’t have to start questioning the who, what, when and why? Which I appreciate since the sole bad thing about these 10-12 episode series is that gap between seasons leads to so much information being forgotten.

Jacob’s Family Adjusting To Their New Life (Jacob, Kerissa, and Zora)

Needless to say, as much as Jacob is happy for the opportunities being given to him, as is Kerissa, going from the Greenleaf like to Triumph hasn’t been a smooth transition. Basie Skanks, as kind as he is, isn’t the best at communicating his thoughts and goals and while he may dog out James Greenleaf, it isn’t like money doesn’t turn him into a bit of a demon as well. But while Jacob deals with Basie, and his mom revealing her conspiracy about Basie using Jacob to get back at James for what happened to his daddy, it is perhaps Kerissa and Zora who are being punished the most.

For Kerissa, she has to deal with Skanks wife Tasha who seems almost desperate to be close to Kerissa. However, she wants no parts of her. Then with Zora, old habits die hard. While Sophia watches Isiah and Zora becoming close, with puppy dog eyes, Zora may have learned that Isiah isn’t as squeaky clean as he looks. Well, he at least has no issue sneaking out of a youth conference, after he performs, and taking Zora with him. Leaving Sophia to cover for them as they are gone for hours.

Commentary

Though it is perhaps weird to say, I do believe the next episode needs some sort of influx of drama or suspense. This episode just felt so mundane and business as usual in the worse way. For even with Lady Mae and her theatrics about how Bishop Skanks was using Jacob, he didn’t care. He basically shut that down with a “Well, it isn’t like I’m getting younger and even if he is trying to get at daddy, be happy I got an opportunity to be my own man dammit!” Then with Kerissa, she is just so poised and proper that be it Grace or Tasha, while you can tell she doesn’t like either one, she does it in such a way that it makes it seem she is perhaps more a Greenleaf than Jacob at times. For she surely has Lady Mae’s ability to throw some church shade.

But, with that said, the next topic is about Kevin’s mother and her views on her boy being in the family. A part of me wonders what Kerissa’s folks think. Now, maybe this was noted in the first season but, honestly, I can’t recall. But I must admit, a part of me would love to see the original Aunt Viv play her mom. For Kerissa, and the actress who plays her, reminds me of her so much.

That idea aside, this episode reminded me that Zora isn’t a saint at all and that, at one time, it seemed like she would be a bad influence on Sophia. I wonder if the writers are trying to get that ball rolling again. Much less, will we learn what Isiah and Zora were doing, albeit with a bunch of other people, supposedly at a party, for 2+ hours?

The Outsider (Kevin, Charity, and Ethlin)

With Kevin going through gay conversion therapy, even getting a bottle of Ipecac [note]So when “wayward thoughts” come about they can take a sip and have the mind associate it with something negative[/note], alongside having relationship issues with Charity, he has been avoiding his mother. Someone who feels sort of forgotten about since he lives the good life. He lives in a mansion with servants and her life is perhaps too basic for him.

But he reveals the truth. His mom seems to know he has homosexual thoughts and while Lady Mae is still in the dark about what is going on, Ethlin isn’t. And, to some surprise, she seemingly has been supportive of her son.

Commentary

I don’t know why, but something about Kevin’s struggle with his sexuality I feel doesn’t go far enough. Heck, the whole storyline with him seems like it could and should go further. Yet, at this point, it seems like the show isn’t really trying to let anyone be ahead of the pack and get too much attention. Hence why, even the kids, they seem to get equal screentime to everyone else.

Something I do feel can’t last for too much longer since it isn’t really benefitting the show at all. For while it was nice to see Ethlin show up and let it be known you don’t excommunicate your family when you move into the Greenleaf household, you know she likely isn’t going to stick around. It would be nice if she did, to further develop Kevin and help us understand his past, but I doubt this will come into play. So now I’m just hoping Charity eventually brings herself to one of those meetings and that Kevin, for a lack of a better term, falls off the wagon. If not the family discovers him with a man since this season needs a jump start pronto!