Queen Sugar: Season 6/ Episode 6 “Or Maybe Just Stay There” – Recap/ Review (with Spoilers)
As Nova pays the price for her activism, Vi does for both her kindness and ignorance. Also, Charley tries to enjoy the peace before potentially walking into a storm.
As Nova pays the price for her activism, Vi does for both her kindness and ignorance. Also, Charley tries to enjoy the peace before potentially walking into a storm.
| Aired | 10/12/2021 |
| Network | OWN |
| Directed By | Bertha Pan |
| Written By | Michelle Denise Jackson |
Recap
Not Cool – Isiah, Micah, Celine, Hollywood, Aunt Vi
It has been a really long time since Micah has had a friend. The ones he met in high school have gone off and done their own thing, and whether you bring up Kiki or the girl who fawned over Charley last season, those women were girlfriends. The kind where Micah’s interaction with them was reliant on his romantic interest. And while he did pledge, it seems any brotherhood or friends he might have made are gone.
So when it comes to Isiah, Micah is quite fond of him. He listens and is supportive, but it doesn’t go over Micah’s head that many comment that Isiah is gay, and Micah is his potential partner. But Micah honestly couldn’t care less for Isiah is cool people.
Sadly, the same can’t be said about Celine anymore. In a moment of weakness, she comes onto Hollywood, who clarifies to Vi what happened before she could hear from Celine or third parties. With learning this, Vi is a little uneasy with Hollywood, momentarily, but ultimately trusts him and confronts Celine. Someone who, perhaps due to embarrassment, has abandoned that motel she was living in and can’t be found.
And Things Were Going So Well – Darla, Ralph Angel, Hollywood, Nova, Dominic
As Darla and Ralph Angel enjoy a rather nice bit of R&R, Hollywood calls up, revealing Theo has gotten arrested, and the cops are asking about Ralph Angel. This forces him to talk to Darla about what he did and her disappointment creeping towards outright anger over his inability to accept her help. Especially, for now, they will have to constantly look over their shoulder in hopes today isn’t the day Ralph Angel will go down.
But, it isn’t just Darla whose nice moment got ruined. Between being closer to her sister and aunt, more than ever, and Dominic, things are quite nice for Nova. That is until the police bust into her home in a raid, with the assumption she is selling narcotics. Ultimately though, they only find a small bag of weed which, with Nova having a medical marijuana card, she is covered, so they have nothing on her.
Though out of all this trauma does come Dominic proving her might truly be down for her, as he nearly gets arrested and shot, trying to defend her rights.
Being Uncomfortable Is Where I Excel The Most – Charley, Micah
After Charley’s Gayle King interview and how Black Twitter handled her, there is this idea that her political aspirations might be over. But, based on what party leadership is saying, they want her to run for congress. Granted, it seems in the state of California, not Louisiana, but Charley is mulling the idea. She even checks to see how Micah feels about it, and he, as usual, is supportive of his mom’s ambitions.
Things To Note | Question(s) Left Unanswered
Things To Note
- Character Guide Update (Nova): She has lived at her current home for 13 months and affords it through speaking engagements, money from her NYT Best Selling book, as well as 2 million unique impressions on her website, which appears to be ad-supported.
What Could Happen Next
- Ralph Angel getting arrested the day Blue comes to visit
- Micah not just dealing with whispers of him and Isiah being close, but it being treated as a possibly legit thing amongst the campus and keeping Micah from dating
- Nova deciding to go even bigger, and it not just hitting her and Ralph Angel but spreading to Aunt Vi and Charley – maybe even leading to a Landry appearance
- Us learning something happened to Celine
Review
Highlights
Aunt Vi Stunned
Has Aunt Vi been wrong before? Yes, countless times. However, what doesn’t usually happen is Aunt Vi being wrong, being called out, and being so speechless that she can’t fathom a comeback or means to throw off responsibility. Billie did that. She clapped back at Aunt Vi as Aunt Vi was revving her engine and did so without cursing Aunt Vi out or doing anything but sticking to the facts. The kind which had Aunt Vi realizing her ex-husband was trash, and here she is assuming this young woman really slept with him?
But here is my thing, for all the love she has with Prosper, who raised Billie, I’m still kind of shocked they are friends after she accused his daughter over something like that. To me, that means you are questioning the child I raised up, and between Jimmy Dale and Violet, you would think he’d say something to the rumors, especially towards the source.
Yet, that is the beautiful thing about Aunt Vi being stunned. Maybe Prosper may have had these thoughts or feelings, but Prosper couldn’t say anything with the Bordelon patriarch and matriarch being his closest, maybe only, friends. So Billie doing so allowed him to be a coward and have his silence be his co-sign. For if he didn’t agree or think Billie was out of line, or shouldn’t say what she did to Vi, he would have said something? Right?
Isiah and Micah’s Friendship
While Queen Sugar has firmly established Nova is queer, when it comes to LGBTQIA+ representation beyond her? They come and go. Ralph Angel’s associate has pretty much disappeared. Nova hasn’t really presented us with the queer community of New Orleans, surprisingly, or Saint Jo, and pretty much, if she doesn’t have a queer love interest, there are no consistent queer people on the show but her.
So with the inclusion of Isiah, we get a few major things. One, a queer male character, and two, a queer male character whose relationship to a series regular is a platonic friendship that they highly value. We don’t really see enough straight and queer men as friends, and I would submit we don’t see enough like Isiah, who don’t present as flamboyant or potentially clockable.
Rather, Isiah is discreet without being DL or in the closet, and while he is potentially gay, he doesn’t wear it as a core part of his identity. He likes what he likes, but it doesn’t wholly define him. It’s part of him and puts him within the realms of intersectionality between being Black and queer, which are sometimes two cultures in conflict, but that doesn’t mean he can be quickly and easily be defined by either. Something that we love to see.
Low Points
Celine Coming Onto Hollywood
You can’t convince me that Celine trying to come onto Hollywood wasn’t for the sake of drama. They handled the possibility of Hollywood wanting kids Vi couldn’t give him but figured, “We aren’t going to keep Celine and make her a series regular, so how can we set up her exit?” And since Darla is doing so well, it seems Celine took the brunt of someone who is struggling with no sign of getting stable anytime soon. Almost as if, if we don’t get one notably down on their luck Black woman, how are we supposed to trigger Aunt Vi or another character? As if that is their signature catalyst.
On The Fence
Will She Or Won’t She – Charley’s Political Career
I feel like they’re dragging out Charley making a decision on her political career so that it can become the focus of, oh my bad – there are only 10 episodes. So with that in mind, if we are past the halfway mark, why is she still toiling with the idea of advancement in her political career? Granted, she went from potential state senator to now being considered for congress, and possibly within another state, if I heard right, but it does feel like we’re wasting time with this dance. If not holding off on something happening that will be immensely frustrating.
Though it could just be my fears of Nova’s book or actions causing trouble, Ralph Angel being arrested, something happening with Micah, or the Landry family using their money to cause trouble? All of those things, and more, just make me wish they’d rip the bandaid off already. But, at this point, Charley’s ascent to congress might be a season 7 storyline.
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Hey there Amari! Once again great review! Long time no see lol I just have to comment on our fave non-aging actress Bianca Fucking Lawson, excuse my language but her scene with RA in my opinion was an absolute MASTER CLASS in ACTING! Bianca did that! If looks could kill. Darla’s face when she was looking at RA as he ONCE AGAIN told her the truth about his various never ending illegal activities was powerful. That look on her face was pure DISGUST! That look said “so you lying again, your doing shady shit again, and bitch I knew you was doing stupid shit” lol when Darla said that he (RA) made her doubt herself that was shit was powerful!
All this time Darla has been begging for RA to let her help him but no it’s always about his damn pride! For years Darla took so much shit from RA’s family took everything that they threw at her with her head held high, and took every hit on the chin and kept it moving for the sake of her mental health, her sobriety, for the love of her son. Only to have her spot blown the fuck up by Nova’s nosey, disgusting ass! Then once again dug herself up from the pits. Got her boyfriend’s love back and he is now her husband, was able to win over his judgemental hypercritical family members, remained a strong figure with her son Blue, is about to be a mother again, and got the love of her parents back, and now RA goes and does this! Darla does not need all of this STRESS!
I swear if something ends up helping to Darla and the baby because of RA’s bullshit I am going to be pissed. At this point Darla needs to pack up and go back to D.C. with her parents and Blue for a bit. All of this shit because of RA’s Pride!?!?!?!
Honestly, I’m surprised Darla’s mom and Blue aren’t checking in more or visiting. This is a momentous occassion and I think we haven’t heard Blue’s name uttered in how many episodes now?
Me too. Apparently Blue is going to be on a new season of a show that is on Disney+ that will be coming out next year so that is the reason why his character has been MIA lol But considering out traumatic the show made with having RA(the dummy lol) and Vi (so over her to be honest) fall out over RA and Darla making the decision in letting Blue go away I wish we could have seen Blue interacting with his other set of grandparents. I know that we are in a Pandemic right now and Blue was filming for a different show as well but I wish that the show would get off the farm once and a while. I know certain shows that are based on on family and their lives usually don’t have the characters going all over the map in terms of different storylines but having other characters especially important characters like Darla having their own story and their own development away from her said relationship with RA and the B family would have been cool to see.
Like when Darla went back to D.C. at the end of season 2 I would have loved to see how her and her parents ended up working on mending their relationship. What was the conversations like? I mean for Darla to be at her lowest at the end of season 2 to come back with a paid off house, a new car, and a job ( which she got that on her own course) would have been nice to see you know. Especially seeing how her dad Quincy ended up forgiving Darla and letting her back into his life.
Hell I would have given anything to see how Darla’s parents reacted to Nova’s book and what Nova wrote. I mean as we know Nova put all of Darla’s shit out there, her proustite name, talked about she was on her back drugged out with some man all of that. For Nova’s book to have been a best seller they had to have heard about it all the way in D.C. right?
I know QS ain’t the Darla show lol but for the show to be on it’s 6th season and Darla being such an important character I wish that we got a little bit more show instead in of tell when it comes to her character.
P.S. It finally took 6 seasons but somebody finally made Vi speechless aka shut her up lol
I FEEL THE SAME!
I love the Bordelon family, but there are times I feel like they are in a perpetual cycle that gets way too formulaic. That’s why season 5 was so refreshing, because it left behind the newest Landry threat, Nova’s mouth getting her in trouble with family or the law, Aunt Vi trying to twist a situation to make herself the victim, and Ralph Angel showing he is Nova’s brother, and aunt Vi’s nephew, by being stubbornly wrong and starting unnecessary fights.
Which isn’t to say I want this show to end but, I must admit I could use a break from RA, Nova, and Vi. This is why Micah and Charley have my eye this season since they leave St. Jo which increasingly feels stagnant.
And when it comes to Darla, I want to see her dad since his disappearance makes you wonder what is going on? We see Darla’s mom occasionally but her dad has been absent since we saw him in the flesh, and I don’t know if Darla even pretends like she has talked to him…