Greenleaf: Season 5 Episode 3 “The Third Day” – Recap/ Review with Spoilers

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The reason AJ stole from that pharmacy and attempted to end his life is revealed, as Jacob continues to search for the truth with Tasha by his side.

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Director(s)	Damian Marcano
Writer(s)	Wayne Conley
Aired (OWN)	7/7/2020
Introduced This Episode
Tara	Jennifer Sears

This content contains pertinent spoilers.

Recap

You Need Something To Do With Your Life – Sophia, Zora, Nikki, Jacob, Grace, Darius

So, Sophia and Nikki fight over Dante but not in front of him. Nikki came to pick up some stuff, Sophia got in her face about the leaked nude and tried to make a comment about Nikki’s breath. To which she says, her breath is d**k breath, and Sophia shouldn’t expect to know that taste again.

That, as you can imagine, causes a fight that Zora has to break up, and it forces her to take Sophia’s side. But with that, she gets her cousin in gear since she needs her to do something with herself. Sophia deferred college, and like Jacob and Grace, there is the question of what’s next? For Grace especially since, with Darius investigating H&H, he is exiting again, and AJ surely can’t be what Grace spends her final season on, right?

A New Church and Renewed Faith – Judee, Phil, Mae, Charity

Charity is trying to make the best of multiple bad situations. Mind you, situations she attributed to, but when you feel like your needs and desires have been continuously set aside, of course you eventually are going to advocate for yourself and step out. It’s just, unfortunately for Charity, she partnered with the wrong people.

Which, with Judee more than willing to rub in Charity’s face she has Phil, Charity is growing tired. She sees the game Judee is trying to play and rejects the possibility of quitting, but that just means more fun for Judee. Someone who, honestly, even Phil is getting tired of at this point.

But, luckily for Charity, while Mae and her still are a bit contentious towards one another, with Mae trying to set up a new church, this makes her a bit friendlier. For with Carlton unavailable, it makes Charity a good catch. Though that isn’t the only reason Mae warms up to her. With finding Charity’s old choir hymn book, with her noting she wanted to be a pastor, it reignited memories of good times.

Most importantly, in reconciling, it leads to a possible name for the new church: Eternal Faith Fellowship.

Secrets Can Eat You From The Inside Out – Jacob, Tasha, Tara, James, Mae, AJ, Sophia, Grace, Kerissa

James is really trying to avoid admitting how sick he is. The MS is seemingly under control, but with his memory starting to fade, Mae decides it is time for a physical, and all James hears is weakness. Which, with his ego, you know means him pushing back and fussing, but Mae wins in the long run.

However, with Jacob and Tasha talking to Basie’s sister Tara, and him really digging into this will situation, James may want to admit his memory is slipping. For with it not clear who called Darryl James the night he died, James or Mac, being able to pin more on the dead man would be to his benefit.

Leaving AJ. Him nearly killing himself seemingly didn’t have much to deal with the guy from the season 4 finale. Getting let off may not even be a factor. The real issue for him is that, while in prison, he was not only raped but given HIV.

Now, you might be thinking, “So why kill yourself now?” And that is a very good question. For considering he got off from a serious charge, and has a family who will likely pay for the medication he was likely stealing, what’s the issue here? Well, stay tuned.

Collected Quote(s) & .Gifs

The truth can be hard to say, but it usually gets better as you go along.
— Tara

If you won’t do anything to help, be quiet.
— Lady Mae

Review

Highlights

Kerissa Losing Her Trump Card

I don’t know why Kerissa has often been made into someone you are supposed to hate. Between her and Charity, it’s like, no matter how bad things got for them, there was always something done or said which makes you think it was karma biting them in the ass. So with Jacob not even trying to defend his father, since he is tired of the blackmail, it is going to be fun seeing Kerissa become desperate.

Phil Clearly Not Wanting Judee

Between Phil not being happy with him getting what he wanted, to Judee just being a pawn so her father can claim a Black son in law, the drama which is going to be the Whitmore family tickles me to no end. But, I gotta say, I feel like we need Bob. Phil possibly cheating on Judee is fun and all, but we need daddy dearest to be a bit more present. Especially if he plans to run for senate because that means someone needs to run against him, and I’m looking forward to a nasty senate race.

Jacob and Tasha

If Jacob is going to reconnect with anyone, if this show was to bring anyone back for multiple episodes, I’m glad it was Tasha. Yes, Basie would have been good too, since he was a major hook for this show early on. However, Tasha was nothing to turn your nose up to. Between the look, the charm, and chemistry she had with Jacob, even when Kerissa was trying you may have felt a little torn. Which makes me hope there is the chance we can see these two have a real go at it.

Zora Trying To Get Sophia Together

You have to appreciate Zora telling Sophia she needs to get her life together. With Sophia being the good grandchild, and then losing her ability to have kids, she spiraled a bit and didn’t hit rock bottom as much as she hit limbo. I’d even call her relationship with Dante less about her coming of age and embracing her womanhood and more about attaching her to a new character to stay relevant.

But, being that Zora too got attached to some guy and experienced a whirlwind, and now is out, there is such a strong hope we’re back to basics with these two. That we could see that friendship in season 1 return and become something. Since there could be so much more done, but it seems once Zora and Sophia were no longer children, and they got one major traumatic storyline, so came the question of what’s next? A question yet to be answered or, at least, we haven’t been given a storyline of the same caliber as their traumatic one.

On The Fence

The Question of What Is Next For The Greenleafs

I don’t know about you, but it still doesn’t feel like a finale season. Mae and James starting a new church doesn’t feel as big as it should. Darius and Grace rekindling their romance isn’t something to blare your eyes about. Heck, Kerissa, and Jacob FINALLY getting a divorce doesn’t illicit the excitement it should. Rather, this seems like any old season where we trug along, with nothing major or exciting, until the mid-season finale and then the last episode.

AJ’s Reveal

Case in point, AJ revealing he has HIV, and that was a factor in his suicide attempt doesn’t make for a notable reveal. It’s one of those, “That makes sense” moments that you say with a nod, a little shoulder shrug, and that’s it. This isn’t to put down the struggle people may have of revealing the diagnosis, but “Greenleaf” has shown itself to start off strong when it comes to a reveal, and then break down into another soap opera plot. So here is hoping AJ’s reveal becomes more than meets the eye or beyond the precedents, this show has had.

Overall

Trajectory – Plateau

What we get in “The Third Day” is standard “Greenleaf.” Nothing exciting and new, nor stories that make you think this should have just been a movie. It’s same old, same old.

Where To Watch

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