Greenleaf: Season 5 Episode 1 “The First Day” (Season Premiere) – Recap/ Review with Spoilers

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Old faces reappear, and some are dismissed in the premiere of Greenleaf’s final season.

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Director(s)	Clement Virgo
Writer(s)	Craig Wright
Aired (OWN)	6/23/2020
Trigger Warning(s)	Suicide

This content contains pertinent spoilers.

Recap

Hello To Old Faces – Darius, Grace, Alexa, Jacob, Kerissa

With Kerissa making it clear she is going to get what she deserves and dangles yet another remnant of Mac to threaten the Greenleaf family, Jacob is getting desperate. Not so desperate he’d do something stupid, but remember that white woman he cheated on Kerissa with? Mac’s assistant? Well, he gets in contact with her, and for a hot minute, we’re left to wonder if Jacob had a daughter he didn’t know about.

Thankfully, Alexa (Kristin Erickson) didn’t have Jacob’s baby though the child is about the right age. Now, as for who is the father? WHO KNOWS! All that matters is Alexa points Jacob to a storage container that, despite it not being paid in nearly two years, wasn’t auctioned off. There Jacob hopes to find the will of the estate the Greenleaf’s call home in hopes there wasn’t a beneficiary before them. For if he can take that smoking gun from Kerissa, all she’ll have is the side effects of chlamydia.

Switching to Grace, with the boy we saw talk to her at Faith’s grave dead, and now taking on the crime AJ did, she is thankful but curious. So, who better than Darius to hit up for some investigative work? All of this leads to it seeming the kid was nothing to nobody but God. Though, while no real information comes up on the mystery character, he does create the possibility of Grace and Darius reuniting.

The Odd One Out – Sophia, Nikki, Charity, Phil, Dante

So, Dante breaks up with Sophia, and while Jacob may have dodged a bullet, there is the possibility Nikki could be pregnant. It isn’t made clear that has happened, but it is clear Nikki and Dante gotta talk. So whether this is the last time we see both is up in the air.

Meanwhile, Phil is trying to get his ducks in a row and try to also deal with Charity. Someone who pretty much lost everything but the roof over her head, so she is acting a little wild. Nothing dangerous to her person or Phil, but it is clear Charity is going to make the best of a situation that made her lose her family. Especially since, in helping H&H take Calvary, she hasn’t just lost her family, but now Carlton as well. For he can’t deal with the music H&H wants. It is just too much for him.

Blood On The Cross – Mae, James, Grace, AJ, Darius

Alongside helping to get some information on the young man who took the fall for AJ, Darius also reveals the reason Bob wants Cavalry, and to rebuild it under H&H, it is for a Senate run – as a Republican. You see, between a home in the great state of Tennessee and a church that should unite people of different backgrounds, it is assumed that is all Bob needs to ascend to political office.

As for how and if he can be stopped? That’s debatable. What is known though, is neither Mae nor James really want that old church back. If anything, they plan to start a new church, and on the path to a new home comes renewed vows as they get remarried.

But, to put a damper on things, AJ, possibly due to guilt, kills himself.

Things To Note | Question(s) Left Unanswered

1. So, if it has been two years since the storage unit has been paid for, that means it has been roughly two years since Mac has died, right?
2. The person we thought was an angel or ghost in the season 4 finale apparently did a string of robberies and was killed not too far from the Greenleaf estate. Now, depending on the timing of the death, it could be his spirit did talk to Grace. Maybe because he was going to be the key to AJ, perhaps also her, having another chance? In time, hopefully, we’ll understand if that was a spirit or someone of the flesh visiting her.

Collected Quote(s) & .Gifs

It’s better to be there when something passes away. If you don’t see it happening, there’s always a part of you that thinks it might come back, whatever it is, and that’s the part of you that keeps you from seeing what God’s going to do next.
— Bishop Greenleaf

Nothing ends that quickly. It always takes time.
— Sophia

Review

Highlights

Out With The Fairly New

AJ, Dante, Nikki, if these three got cut, I wouldn’t be mad. AJ’s storyline seemed aimless, and then when they threw in the nameless young man who absolved him of his crime, it threw such a wildcard into the scenario that it could make your head spin. So here is hoping killing off AJ means Grace can refocus on Darius since the church is gone, and Sophia will be off to college soon.

And speaking of Sophia, I know things with Roberto are tainted, and now Dante, so can her focus be repairing her relationship with Zora? Hell, for most of the Greenleaf family, could it be less about outsiders and more about the core unit? Pretty much, their downfall came from not being on the same page in love and faith.

The Return Of Old Faces

While we don’t think Alexa will make another appearance, that baby still raises a red flag. Much less, Jacob’s marriage is ending, and can you imagine the drama of Jacob leaving his wife for a white woman? I mean, consider how Charity might be triggered since that happened to her, all so Phil could get some form of progress in his life.

Though, as noted, Darius is the most welcome sight of any. He and Grace were one of the few couples worth rooting for, so here is hoping they can deal with past issues and reunite. Maybe even find joy with one another.

Mae and James Remarrying

If it is going to be the final season, minas well give us some fan service, right? What better fan service is there than Mae and James getting back together beyond Mavis showing up? If not the ghost of Faith since there is always someone asking for a sign or praying and it seems her presence should not just be what starts the show but ends it.

Charity’s Pain

At this point, it is hard to not laugh at Charity’s antics as much as feel bad for her. Every one of her siblings got a chance to be ambitious and got their moment in the sun their way. With Charity, she had to damn near screw over everybody to get what she wanted. Then, to add insult to injury, there wasn’t really a time she got to enjoy what she sacrificed for. Phil dumped her, her family blackballed her, until Mae and James’ wedding, and now she may have to fight with Phil to preach the way she wants.

All I’m asking is, if we’re handing out wins, can Charity get one?

Overall

Trajectory – Plateau

Whether or not “Greenleaf” will end on a high note is hard to predict. I’d say the introduction of H&H and the closing of the Skanks saga was the beginning of the end. So whether this will be a glorious end or mercy kill remains to be seen. However, with cutting AJ and non-essential storylines, maybe this can end as brilliantly as it began?

Where To Watch

Whether or not “Greenleaf” will end on a high note is hard to predict. I’d say the introduction of H&H and the closing of the Skanks saga was the beginning of the end. So whether this will be a glorious end or mercy kill remains to be seen. However, with cutting AJ and non-essential storylines, maybe this can end as brilliantly as it began?
Where To Watch

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